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Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Lights for Learning 2005 Program Final Report June 30th, 2006 Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance 645 N Michigan Ave., Suite 990 Chicago, IL 60611

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Program Overview The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) Lights for Learning program is a unique school-oriented fundraiser that raises money through the sale of energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), rather than selling the more traditional school fundraising products such as candy, gift wrap, and magazines. Through the Lights for Learning program, schools and organizations receive 50% of the profit from CFL sales, as well as additional bonuses for exemplary sales achievements. In addition to raising much-needed funds for schools and organizations, the fundraiser provides a platform for educating students, teachers and the community on energy efficiency and its vast benefits, while also saving valuable community resources through the sale of energy saving light bulbs. The ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs are often sold to family, friends and acquaintances, reinforcing the value of the program and the benefits of CFLs. Participating teachers can also create their own curriculum to coincide with the fundraiser, furthering the opportunity to increase environmental awareness. The four main goals of MEEA’s Lights for Learning program are to:

• Raise funds for organizations with limited budgets • Achieve a 50% profit margin for these organizations through the fundraiser • Leverage industry dollars to increase the cost-effectiveness of the program • Educate students and the community on the energy, economic, and environmental

benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) 2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Program The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IL DCEO) sponsored MEEA’s Lights for Learning program statewide for the 2005-2006 school year. Kindergarten through 12th grade schools and youth groups were eligible to participate in the program. The 2005 IL DCEO program had a goal of recruiting 15 schools and or youth groups for participation in the program.

Program Implementation Program Contractors The program was implemented by Applied Proactive Technologies (APT). APT provided outreach and marketing support and field staff for assemblies, presentations, and one-day sales. Energy Federated Inc. (EFI) provided the inventory for the fundraisers and took care of all product warehousing and shipments. Marketing and Outreach The participation goal for the 2005 Illinois Lights for Learning program was 15 schools and youth groups. Outreach efforts focused on Illinois schools, after school programs, 4-H clubs, girl/boy scout troops, school clubs and science programs.

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A program marketing brochure (see exhibit A) was designed and mailed to over 800 eligible schools and youth groups. Schools were targeted first, then after school programs, 4-H clubs, girl/boy scout troops, school clubs and science programs. Past program participants and grant recipients of the IL Clean Energy Community Foundation schools grant program were included in the program’s recruitment efforts. After the mailing was sent out, staff made follow-up phone calls. As the school year progressed, blast faxes, emails and subsequent mailings were used to further recruiting efforts. During the months of September, October, and November, recruitment was slow, due to competing fundraisers and the hectic nature of the start of the school year. After winter break, recruitment efforts paid off and the program had 15 participants by April. Earth day was a big motivation for sign-up. Once a group decided to participate, order forms, posters, and information sheets (see exhibit A) were mailed out to the participant. When requested, a field staff visited the school or youth group and executed on-site demonstrations and assemblies to explain the fundraiser and answer participant’s questions. Three schools used assemblies to kick off the start of their fundraisers.

On-site Demonstration

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In-School Assembly

In-Class Demonstration

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In-Class Demonstration

In-Class Demonstration

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Participants The following schools and youth groups participated in the 2005 Illinois Lights for Learning program:

School/Group Participant Location

Chiddix Junior High Science Club Normal, IL

Wesclin High School Ecology Club Trenton, IL

Keith County Day School School Rockford, IL

Woodstock High School Science Club Woodstock, IL

Franklin Elementary Class Park Ridge, IL

Dewey School Roots and Shoots Club Evanston, IL

Oswego Ecology Club Ecolgy Club Oswego, IL

Salt Creek Primary School School Elmhurst, IL

Stella May Swartz School Science Club Elmhurst, IL

John E. Albright Middle School Science Club Elmhurst, IL

Washington Elementary Science Club Park Ridge, IL

Galena Earth Day Extravaganza Girl Scout Troop Galena, IL Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo Girl Scout Troop Bloomington, IL

Earth Day Extravaganza Science Club Oswego, IL

Galena High School Consumer Science Class Galena, IL Three of the fundraisers were one to two day sales events. Product was purchased in advance and sold at the event instead of using the standard order form with a delivery at the end of the fundraiser.

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Product The following products were sold through the 2005 Illinois Lights for Learning program.

Description Wattage Lifetime / hrs

Harmony Mini Spiral 15 Watts 6000

Harmony LightWiz 27K Spiral 20 Watts 6000

Harmony LightWiz 27K Spiral 25 Watts 6000

Greenlite Spiral ELS 5000K Daylight 15 Watts 10000

Greenlite Spiral ELS 5000K Daylight 20 Watts 10000

TCP “A” Lamp 14 Watts 6000

Philips Reflector EL/A R30 16 Watts 10000 EFI was instrumental in securing a low price point on the product by working directly with the various manufacturers that supplied the product. Securing a low price point from the manufacturer in addition to the sponsor proved incentive enabled the students to sell the product at a competitive price while still making a 50% profit on the sale. An average of $.50 per unit was provided per unit by the sponsor to help lower the price point of the product. Bulbs were sold for either $5.00 or $10.00 per bulb depending on the type of bulb. Standard incandescent equivalents were offered for $5.00 per unit while the specialty bulbs were sold for $10.00 a unit. This price is consistent with the current market for CFLs.

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Bulb Sale

Program Support A toll free number was set up for the fundraiser to assist participants with questions. All of the outreach materials listed the toll-free number.

Program Results Program Participation Fifteen schools and youth groups participated in the fundraiser, with 196 youth participants. Of the fifteen participating schools and youth groups, 2 were girl scout troops, 4 were individual classes and 9 were school clubs. Participants used the fundraiser for various end goals, including:

• To supplement tuition for Space Camp • To earn an environmental Girl Scout badge • To cover expenses of a field trip for the Ecology Club • To buy new equipment for the Science Club

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Sales The following table shows total sales per school by bulb type.

School 15 watt

20 watt

25 watt

Day 15W

Day 20W Capsule Reflector Total

Chiddix Junior High 4 4 0 0 9 1 0 18

Wesclin High School 31 27 12 12 8 6 8 104 Keith County Day School 48 16 70 25 27 3 33 222 Woodstock High School 29 6 11 9 38 0 0 93

Franklin Elementary 33 19 19 8 8 0 5 92

Dewey School 29 18 24 50 48 14 18 201

Oswego Ecology Club 10 20 50 20 0 0 0 100 Salt Creek Primary School 14 8 4 10 10 4 10 60 Stella May Swartz School 14 7 12 22 20 3 7 85 John E. Albright Middle School 8 1 5 5 0 0 0 19 Washington Elementary 26 8 7 2 10 6 7 66 Galena Earth Day Extravaganza 50 20 15 0 0 0 0 85 Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo 100 42 40 0 0 0 0 182 Earth Day Extravaganza 60 20 20 0 0 0 0 100 Galena High School Consumer Science 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 14

TOTAL OF 15 SALES 456 216 303 163 178 37 88 1441 One third of the units sold through the fundraisers were standard incandescent replacements – the 15 watt, 20 watt, and 25 watt mini-twists. The following chart shows a break-out by bulb type.

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Breakdown of Bulbs Sold

15 watt, 31.64%

20 watt, 14.99%25 watt, 21.03%

Day 15W, 11.31%

Day 20W, 12.35%

Capsule, 2.57%

Reflector, 6.11%

Graph 1. Sales Breakout by Model Type.

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Cost Savings Analysis Lessons Learned Lights for Learning is a recruitment intensive program. In future programs, we would suggest allocating more resources towards recruitment and less towards the product incentive. Fall recruitment was challenging due to the large number of fundraisers already competing for school and youth groups. Lights for Learning is a unique fundraiser and cannot compete with the larger, more typical fundraisers that have a larger margin of profit. Recruitment was much more successful during the spring term, when the big fundraisers were over and schools and youth groups were looking for secondary fundraisers to supplement funds already raised. Earth Day events provided a great venue for fundraisers and one or two day sales events. Feedback from Participants I feel good about selling the bulbs at that price and I think it will mean a lot of people will try them for the first time. Thanks for all of your help and consideration. Hopefully we can work together again in the future to spread the news about CFL bulbs and energy conservation. Pam Phelps Oswego Ecology Club Oswego High School

We are doing everything we can to "green" our school. Thanks for your support. The age of the children ranges from 9 to 11. Pat Pat Cleveland Third Grade Dewey School Conclusion The 2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Program was a big success. Fifteen schools and youth groups participated with almost 200 youth involved in the sale of 1,441 CFLs.

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EXHIBIT A

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2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Program Brochure

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2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Fact Card

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2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Program Poster

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2005 Illinois Lights for Learning Program Order Form