As we sunset and close the Education fund, we are proud to share this report about our funding model, the elements that define it and how we maintained strong relationships with our grantee community while following their lead in public engagement and education.  The independent report is an evaluation of ISEIF’s funding model by Outlier at the University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute and partners at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL). Our hope is that funders, policymakers, program architects and those seeking to make emerging energy topics accessible to people (especially in low to moderate income communities) benefit from our funding model. Click here to download the report.

It’s hard to believe but ISEIF’S education fund will be closing its doors at the end of this year. Though we knew from day one that this planned sunset would come, it doesn’t make it any less bittersweet. We’re sad to leave behind a strong and passionate group of grantees and partners, and the community of practice that emerged among our grantees. At the same time, we feel so much pride in having supported an ecosystem of community organizations that truly cared about public education on energy and the environment, especially for those people in our society who are facing high energy burdens.

When we first started our grantmaking, the language to describe the majority of what we fund wasn’t prevalent in energy circles – public education and outreach for those facing energy burdens, energy insecurity, and energy inequity. We set out to bring the community, human, and equity aspects to the energy conversation where we saw urgency and the need to address energy beyond technological challenges and solutions. And when I look back at the last ten years, I see a community of organizations and people who became experts in this work along the way, found innovative ways to gain trust in communities after much trial and error, and now inform larger conversations around energy equity. 

We’ve still got a couple of exciting projects that are unfolding over the course of this year. In the spring, we’ll publish an evaluation report documenting our grantmaking model, process and community of practice. In early June, the artists awarded through our special RFP program supporting arts and the environment, E(art)H Chicago, will have a public programming period in which we’ll see art activations, block parties and community events – be sure to sign up on E(art)H Chicago’s website for updates so you don’t miss these celebratory events centered on the environment, art and community.

I’m touched by all the people who have approached us expressing concern about what will happen to everything we built together – the operations we created, the connections we forged and processes we supported. I appreciate your concern, and all I can echo is the first law of thermodynamics: energy is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. Many organizations have plans to iterate on the programs they created during this period, and there is plenty to do – fortunately, during an unprecedented time of climate and energy funding. We must ensure all people are included, informed, educated, and have access to cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. And, if we have done our job well, our grantee organizations will continue to transform public understanding of energy and electricity and carry this work forward for years to come.

Everything we accomplished together in this community of practice will power future efforts to create a more informed and educated public as we move toward a cleaner energy future. I’m honored to have played a role in this transformation.

With gratitude,

Uzma