To accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and other clean energy technologies and to support local public safety initiatives ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) today announced the 21 winners of the 2023 Powering Safe Communities grant program. The grants, totaling $169,500, will help support a variety of projects in communities across northern Illinois.
“ComEd is proud to work with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to support community-led plans to promote the adoption of EVs and other clean energy technologies that will enhance air quality throughout the region,” said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of government, regulatory and external affairs at ComEd. “With the clean energy transition underway in Illinois, ComEd’s partnership with cities and towns is critical to ensuring all residents have an opportunity to unlock the benefits of clean energy and the jobs and economic opportunity that come with it.”
The 2023 Powering Safe Communities awards mark the ninth year of the program, which has awarded 178 grants totaling $1.8 million to communities across northern Illinois since its launch in 2015. To support the growth of EVs, recent years have placed an increased focus on critical infrastructure like EV chargers; in fact, seven of the 21 grants awarded this year will support transportation electrification.
“The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is thrilled to once again partner with ComEd to provide funding that helps create safe communities while simultaneously preparing our region with the infrastructure necessary for an electrified future,” said Neil James, Executive Director at Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “We are proud to help our local governments achieve their sustainability, safety and infrastructure goals.”
Among the 21 ComEd Powering Safe Communities grant recipients for 2023 is the Addison Fire Department, which received a grant to replace outdated ventilation fans with newer models to eliminate the department’s dependence on fossil fuels and enhance firefighter safety.
This annual funding to support clean transportation and community safety builds on ComEd’s efforts to accelerate equitable EV adoption for the region. In addition to the Powering Safe Communities Program, ComEd has a variety of other funding and educational resources available to individuals and communities interested in pursuing transportation electrification.
In continued partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, ComEd previously launched the EV Readiness Program—an initiative to help local governments prepare to meet the growing demand for EVs and EV charging infrastructure. The program is funded in part by a $225,000 commitment from ComEd and aims to assist local governments with developing policies and practices to safely integrate EVs and EV charging programs. The first cohort is underway, with 16 communities participating, and a second cohort set to begin later in 2023.
To further support Illinois’ goal of putting 1 million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030, ComEd has launched an all-in-one resource to help customers make informed decisions about the transition to EVs. The ComEd EV Toolkit provides customers with the latest information on purchase rebates and incentives, how to install home charging or find free public charging, and estimated annual savings related to switching to EVs via the personalized fuel cost savings calculator. To access the Toolkit, please visit comed.com/ev.
