Illinois Shines is committed to expanding access to Illinois’ clean energy economy for communities who have historically been excluded and advances this objective through the Minimum Equity Standard (MES). This requirement asks that the project workforce of each participating Approved Vendor and Designee must comprise a required minimum percentage of Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs).
For the 2025-26 Program Year, which opens on June 2, 2025, the Minimum Equity Standard requires that at least 14% of an entity’s total project workforce be composed of Equity Eligible Persons.
Definitions for project workforce, Equity Eligible Persons, the minimum workforce percentages, key steps and dates for compliance, and other resources, are provided at the Program website’s Equity Accountability System Hub. Additional information and resources can also be viewed in the recording for the MES 2025-26 Program Year Kick Off Webinar, found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkfwdS911Hg&feature=youtu.be.
Minimum Equity Standard Compliance Plans, reflecting how participating organizations plan to achieve compliance with the MES are due on June 2, 2025. All Program Participants should have received an email from the Program Administrator with a link to their secure MES submission portal. Please use the link within the email to complete your MES Compliance Plan. If you do not see the email, please reach out to the Program Administrator at [email protected].
A template displaying the MES Compliance Plan’s questions can be viewed here. Required data and information include:
- AV/Designee Information
- Estimated project workforce total
- Estimated number of Equity Eligible Person (EEPs) currently in your project workforce
- Number of EEPs your organization seeks to hire over the Program Year to achieve compliance
- Communication/outreach plan that will be used to increase the utilization of EEPs and EECs
Failure to submit an MES Compliance Plan by the June 2, 2025 deadline will result in escalation to the Program Administrator’s Consumer Protection Team consistent with Sections X.C-D of the Consumer Protection Handbook. Failure to comply may risk future good standing in the Program and may result in disciplinary action.
Key Dates
- April 2025 – MES Compliance Plan for next Program Year (2025-26) opened for submissions
- May 2025 – MES Year-End Report for Program Year 2024-25 opens for submissions
- May 30, 2025 – Conclusion of the 2024-25 Program Year
- June 2, 2025 – Deadline for submission of MES Compliance Plan for the 2025-26 Program Year
- July 15, 2025 – Deadline for submission of MES Year-End Report for Program Year 2024-25
Additional Resources
- Additional resources on the MES and the Equity Accountability System can be found here: https://illinoisshines.com/equity-accountability-system-hub/
- A recording of the MES 2025-26 Program Year Kick-Off Webinar can be reviewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkfwdS911Hg.
- For any questions related to the MES Compliance Plan or Year-End Report, which is due after the end of each Program Year, please reach out to [email protected].
Thank you!
Illinois Shines Program
[email protected]
