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Energy 4 Equity

What’s E4E?

The goal of the E4E project is to collaborate with low-income communities of color to reduce the burden of high energy costs. To achieve this goal, we will introduce a community mapping tool called Streetwyze that helps everyday people share their voice about issues that are important to them in their community.

During the project, community members will use Streetwyze to share their experiences and perspectives on how to lower energy costs, as well as challenges and opportunities for improving access to energy reduction. Using Streetwyze, community leaders and residents can connect with local resources and programs to help manage energy costs while improving home safety and comfort.

Why are we doing this project and what do we hope to learn?

Low-income communities of color spend a large percentage of their income on gas and electric bills. In addition, there is untapped potential for households in these communities to take advantage of the available programs and financial resources to help reduce home energy costs.

We hope to learn more about:

• The issues communities face when trying to manage their home energy costs.
• Ideas for how to design programs that can best serve the needs of communities.
• How using Streetwyze to share and learn from local knowledge can help low-income households make their homes healthier and more efficient.

What does participation look like?

Participation can take two forms. Each is described below.

• The trainer/educator role: Trainers or educators serve as the primary recruiter and point-of-contact for 5-10 community members using Streetwyze in their network. Before recruiting participants, they will participate in a training with Streetwyze staff to learn about the platform, project goals, home energy efficiency basics and available resources to support their community. In addition, they will join monthly meetings with program staff, help communicate with and offer ongoing support to participants in their network.
• The participant role: Participants are encouraged to use the Streetwyze app to share their experiences around household energy costs and savings strategies. They can do this by posting stories within the platform or responding to someone else’s story. Participants are also expected to complete a survey before and after participating and to respond to occasional questions from their trainers/educators.

What’s in it for me? What do I (the trainer or the participant) gain from it?

Benefits include:

Monetary compensation:

• Trainers/educators are paid $20 hourly wage
• Participants receive a $150 Visa gift card after completing participation in the pilot

Knowledge, resources and community empowerment:

• Learn about program and resources to reduce energy bills and make your home healthier
• Have a voice in how energy programs and services are designed to meet community needs
• Connect, share and learn with members of your community around issues of home energy use, safety and comfort

How do I learn more?

Email Jeannette LeZaks: jlezaks@slipstreaminc.org or Tessa Cruz: tcruz@streetwyze.com

https://slipstreaminc.org/research/equity4energy

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