Artwork by Alexander Martin, member of the Peoria Guild of Black Artists.
The mission of the Market Development Initiative is to provide all Ameren Illinois customers with access to opportunities and education to help complete energy-saving upgrades and increase their quality of life, regardless of income, socioeconomic status or other participation barriers. Especially in low-income communities and neighborhoods, MDI aims for Energy Efficiency Equity, building greater community engagement, while creating energy industry jobs and delivering cost savings to those that need it the most.
The Market Development Initiative has three main goals intended to infuse equity throughout the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program.
More than 480 since 2021
277 since 2018
108 since 2018
490,771 since 2018
2,965 in 2023
Market Development Initiative Goals
MDI aims for Energy Efficiency Equity, building greater community engagement, while creating energy industry jobs and delivering cost savings to those that need it the most.
Engage customers who have not previously benefited from energy efficiency.
Increase number of energy efficiency jobs available to local and diverse candidates.
Support new or growing energy efficiency businesses.
Other MDI Information
2024
Background
The Market Development Initiative (MDI) was established in 2018 as part of the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program to closely integrate with both the Business and Residential teams on day-to-day operations, helping to identify more project opportunities, maximize customer touchpoints and create a streamlined process for customers to participate in the Energy Efficiency Program. The mission of the MDI is not only to meet key metrics, but to transform how the Energy Efficiency Program operates in every area. To this point, the MDI cultivates new economic and energy efficiency opportunities for diverse individuals and communities residing in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Together, the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program and the MDI will achieve Energy Efficiency Equity.
MDI in Action
Since its inception in 2018, the Market Development Initiative has impacted the Ameren Illinois service territory through various means. Specifically, the MDI emphasizes providing opportunities to diverse individuals to enter the energy efficiency industry by awarding scholarships, funding internships, providing support services to jobseekers, and connecting jobseekers to employers with open positions. Additionally, the MDI partners with a network of nonprofit community partners to extend the reach of the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program and directly engage with customers. Furthermore, the MDI supports the development of new and growing energy efficiency businesses by providing resource grants and increasing implementation partner access to the goods and services these businesses provide.
Through these points of emphasis, the MDI has provided scholarships to 186 students, placed 94 interns with employers, served 444 jobseekers, and placed 65 jobseekers in energy efficiency jobs. Since 2018, the MDI has partnered with 121 distinct community partners that are nonprofits, CBOs, or diverse-owned businesses resulting in over 430,000 customers engaged. Across the entire Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program there has been more than $137 million spent with diverse-owned businesses. These values reflect the impact of the MDI and the ways it supports the overall Energy Efficiency Portfolio while providing opportunities to specific demographics who have not always had them.
Defining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity is the starting point of all equity and inclusion work as it often refers to various identities and characteristics of individuals, groups, or larger populations, and typically includes differences and similarities among people. For the purposes of this document, a person who identifies as “diverse” refers to a person who self-identifies with one or more marginalized group including but not limited to racial/ethnic minorities, women and other gender minorities, LGBTQ+, veterans, (dis)ability, and returning citizens. Inclusion is the next step in creating fair and just practices and ensuring all customers in the service territory have access to energy efficiency. Often related to diversity, inclusion is used to develop and maintain a fair, equitable, healthy, and high-performing organization or community in which all individuals are respected and feel engaged and motivated. There is an implicit philosophy of committing to promoting diversity in all forms, and an ideal model of inclusion implies that services provided by an organization should be designed to meet the needs of the widest range of people possible. The promotion of diversity in conjunction with creating inclusive settings leads toward the creation of equitable processes. Equity refers to the quality of fairness or creating a level playing field in which people do not encounter irrelevant obstacles toward achieving their human potential. Furthermore, infusing equity throughout the Portfolio will help people from all backgrounds by providing them the same access as those who have traditionally had no barriers to resources and opportunities.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Unison
Equally important to understanding the individual definitions of diversity, inclusion, and equity is understanding the relationship between all three. Diversity is and always should be viewed as a strength of an organization or community because it provides space to learn about different people and their lived experiences and it is important to accept and value the uniqueness of every person. Inclusion builds upon diversity by creating an environment that is welcoming of all, supports the strength of diversity, and is a key part of making people feel like they belong to a community. Equity, therefore, draws from creating an inclusive environment of diverse individuals where everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources, and allows each person to enjoy a productive and successful lived experience. As such, diversity, inclusion, and equity are essential to the mission and goals of the MDI, and these concepts are infused throughout the whole Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Portfolio in many ways.
- Resource grants are available to Diverse Program Allies, Community-Based Organization Partners, Diverse Program Ally Incubator Alumni and Community Action Agencies and the contractors they work with.
- Grants are available to support the business operations and are to be applied to tasks and functions that relate to energy efficiency.
- For example, a resource grant may be used to purchase equipment needed to complete projects or short-term supplemental staff salary for an employee.
- For more information contact adeeb@ameren.com.
- Some small businesses that are approved for energy efficiency projects may be eligible for copay assistance.
- Copays are reserved for nonprofits and diverse owned businesses within the Ameren Illinois service territory.
- Copay amount awarded is based on need and available funding.
- Click here to apply for copay assistance.
2024
Background
The Market Development Initiative (MDI) was established in 2018 as part of the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program to closely integrate with both the Business and Residential teams on day-to-day operations, helping to identify more project opportunities, maximize customer touchpoints and create a streamlined process for customers to participate in the Energy Efficiency Program. The mission of the MDI is not only to meet key metrics, but to transform how the Energy Efficiency Program operates in every area. To this point, the MDI cultivates new economic and energy efficiency opportunities for diverse individuals and communities residing in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Together, the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program and the MDI will achieve Energy Efficiency for All.
MDI in Action
Since its inception in 2018, the Market Development Initiative has impacted the Ameren Illinois service territory through various means. Specifically, the MDI emphasizes providing opportunities to diverse individuals to enter the energy efficiency industry by awarding scholarships, funding internships, providing support services to jobseekers, and connecting jobseekers to employers with open positions. Additionally, the MDI partners with a network of nonprofit community partners to extend the reach of the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program and directly engage with customers. Furthermore, the MDI supports the development of new and growing energy efficiency businesses by providing resource grants and increasing implementation partner access to the goods and services these businesses provide.
Through these points of emphasis, the MDI has provided scholarships to 186 students, placed 94 interns with employers, served 444 jobseekers, and placed 65 jobseekers in energy efficiency jobs. Since 2018, the MDI has partnered with 121 distinct community partners that are nonprofits, CBOs, or diverse-owned businesses resulting in over 430,000 customers engaged. Across the entire Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program there has been more than $137 million spent with diverse-owned businesses. These values reflect the impact of the MDI and the ways it supports the overall Energy Efficiency Portfolio while providing opportunities to specific demographics who have not always had them.
Defining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity is the starting point of all equity and inclusion work as it often refers to various identities and characteristics of individuals, groups, or larger populations, and typically includes differences and similarities among people. For the purposes of this document, a person who identifies as “diverse” refers to a person who self-identifies with one or more marginalized group including but not limited to racial/ethnic minorities, women and other gender minorities, LGBTQ+, veterans, (dis)ability, and returning citizens. Inclusion is the next step in creating fair and just practices and ensuring all customers in the service territory have access to energy efficiency. Often related to diversity, inclusion is used to develop and maintain a fair, equitable, healthy, and high-performing organization or community in which all individuals are respected and feel engaged and motivated. There is an implicit philosophy of committing to promoting diversity in all forms, and an ideal model of inclusion implies that services provided by an organization should be designed to meet the needs of the widest range of people possible. The promotion of diversity in conjunction with creating inclusive settings leads toward the creation of equitable processes. Equity refers to the quality of fairness or creating a level playing field in which people do not encounter irrelevant obstacles toward achieving their human potential. Furthermore, infusing equity throughout the Portfolio will help people from all backgrounds by providing them the same access as those who have traditionally had no barriers to resources and opportunities.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Unison
Equally important to understanding the individual definitions of diversity, inclusion, and equity is understanding the relationship between all three. Diversity is and always should be viewed as a strength of an organization or community because it provides space to learn about different people and their lived experiences and it is important to accept and value the uniqueness of every person. Inclusion builds upon diversity by creating an environment that is welcoming of all, supports the strength of diversity, and is a key part of making people feel like they belong to a community. Equity, therefore, draws from creating an inclusive environment of diverse individuals where everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources, and allows each person to enjoy a productive and successful lived experience. As such, diversity, inclusion, and equity are essential to the mission and goals of the MDI, and these concepts are infused throughout the whole Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Portfolio in many ways.
- Resource grants are available to Diverse Program Allies, Community-Based Organization Partners, Diverse Program Ally Incubator Alumni and Community Action Agencies and the contractors they work with.
- Grants are available to support the business operations and are to be applied to tasks and functions that relate to energy efficiency.
- For example, a resource grant may be used to purchase equipment needed to complete projects or short-term supplemental staff salary for an employee.
- For more information contact adeeb@ameren.com.
- Some small businesses that are approved for energy efficiency projects may be eligible for copay assistance.
- Copays are reserved for nonprofits and diverse owned businesses within the Ameren Illinois service territory.
- Copay amount awarded is based on need and available funding.
- Click here to apply for copay assistance.
2024
- MDI year in review infographic
- Partnership with Peoria Guild of Black Artists (PGOBA)