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Small & Emerging Business Hub

Promoting Equity in the Clean Energy Economy

Equity Eligible Contractor (EEC) Approved Vendor (AV) or Designee

An EEC is a business that is majority-owned by eligible persons, or a nonprofit or cooperative that is majority governed by eligible persons or is a natural person that is an eligible person offering personal services as an independent contractor. EECs are eligible for several benefits within the Illinois Shines program.

Are you interested in becoming an EEC? Here are the potential benefits:

  1. Priority on projects (10% of capacity of Illinois Shines is for projects EEC-certified submitted projects. That target will increase to 30% by 2030)
  2. Eligibility for grant funding

Are you eligible?

To qualify as an EEC, the majority (50% or more) of a company's ownership must qualify as an Equity Eligible Person by meeting one of the qualifications listed below:

  1. People who graduated from or are current or former participants in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program, Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program, and the Solar Pipeline Training Program and Multi-Cultural Job Training Program.
  2. People who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system.
  3. People who were formerly incarcerated
  4. People whose primary residence is in an equity investment eligible community.

Advance of Capital

EECs within the Illinois Shines program are eligible for several benefits. For example, EEC-certified AVs are eligible to submit projects to the Equity Eligible Contractor block within Illinois Shines, which also enables them to apply for advancement of pre-development capital for that project. By receiving advances on incentive capital, the IPA helps reduce barriers for eligible small and emerging businesses and diversifies the AV pool.

To be eligible for an advance of capital, an AV must first apply to become EEC certified. They may do so in their AV application or at any time after submitting their initial AV application.

Ready to Apply?

Become an EEC with Illinois Shines

Need assistance or have questions?

For assistance or questions, email eec@illinoisshines.com or the Program Administration team at admin@illinoisshines.com