2025 Staffing Grant
Need help launching energy efficiency projects but short on staff?
The Staffing Grant from the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program can help!
For New or Existing Staff
The 2025 Staffing Grant provides funding to help cover the cost of hiring an Energy Project Manager or Energy Specialist. The position may be filled by a new or existing full-time or part-time employee or consultant.
By using grant funds to hire staff, you can allocate your budget directly toward energy efficiency upgrades.
This grant is a competitive bidding process, with applications being reviewed as they are received. All applications for the Staffing Grant are due no later than December 1, 2025.
- The Staffing Grant is intended to fund the cost of labor to help your company identify and develop energy efficiency projects at your business.
- For energy efficiency projects that cannot be completed due to lack of staff resources, this competitive grant offers funding a Project Manager or Energy Specialist, ensuring the completion of energy efficiency projects at your business.
- Preapproval is required at the start of the project. Once preapproved, additional base incentives are awarded based on three-month performance periods.
- Once preapproval is completed, minimal effort is needed from your company, but a performance check-in will be completed once per three-month performance period.
- No need to worry about additional savings calculations.
- Projects will be evaluated on a three-month performance period.
- At the conclusion of each three-month performance period, Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program staff will meet with your company to determine eligibility for future performance periods.
- Each application selected for the Staffing Grant will receive a base incentive paid up-front to help with the initial costs of labor.
- The base incentive is based off your company’s annual energy usage.
- $5,000 for companies using less than 15,000 MWh.
- $15,000 for companies using over 15,000 MWh.
- Performance review incentive amounts are $0.03/kWh and $0.20/therm for eligible and approved projects. Gas performance incentives are capped at $15,000.
- Leak Survey and Repair, Metering & Monitoring and Strategic Energy Management (SEM) projects and savings cannot be combined with the Staffing Grant.
- Midstream projects such as Midstream HVAC/HPWH, Instant Incentives Lighting, Midstream and Food Service can be included in the list of Staffing Grant projects eligible for funding. However, you must notify Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program staff when the Midstream transaction occurs.
- Staffing Grant funds will not be counted as part of any project or facility maximum incentive cap.
FAQs
The Staffing Grant can be used for labor but not for existing projects. Projects that were previously pre-approved or have financial commitments are not eligible for the Staffing Grant.
Only one Staffing Grant can be submitted per customer (multiple accounts can be included).
The Staffing Grant funds can be used for new or existing full- or part-time employee resources or for consultants, studies or energy audits. The company may share an employee or consultant between multiple facilities.
There are no hard deadlines for project completion. However, Staffing Grant applicants will receive higher scores for completed projects at the end of the performance period, making it more likely to receive funding for an additional period. With Program approval, resulting projects can extend past the Staffing Grant period.
Yes, applications will be reviewed and selected as they are received.
An explanation of how energy efficiency projects have not been implemented due to the lack of staffing resources and how the Staffing Grant funds could be essential to the completion of these projects.
Applications with any of the following factors emphasized will receive additional points:
- Energy savings to an economically challenged community.
- Increased levels of safety for a workforce or a community.
- Promotion of diversity within the workplace or a community.
- Helping locally-owned businesses within the Ameren Illinois territory.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Request a FREE Energy Consultation to uncover energy-saving opportunities for your business.
Visit the Business Forms Library for the latest incentive applications and other forms.
Questions? Call 1.866.800.0747 or email IllinoisBusinessEE@ameren.com.