A City of Springfield Program for COVID-19 Relief
City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) is offering utility bill relief to help locally-owned small businesses in financial hardship due to COVID-19.
The Springfield City Council approved a total allocation of $1 million from CWLP’s Environmental and Regulatory Initiative and Rebate Fund (ERIRF) for this relief program.
Applications will open on this page on Thursday, December 17 by 9 a.m.
Program Details
This program is designated for CWLP’s small business electric customers located in Springfield corporate limits among three customer types:
One-time rebates in the form of a CWLP bill credit for August and September 2020 billings for corresponding electric charges up to $3,000 will be awarded to qualifying small
business customers. Small businesses that have received other COVID-19 financial assistance will not be excluded from applying to this rebate program.
There is no limit on the number of employees for eligibility.
Eligibility
Small business customers applying for this program must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Have a CWLP commercial account for electric service in the name of a small business in Rate Class 40, 42, 44 or 46 for
a minimum of 6 months prior to November 1, 2020 (See your bill for Rate Class Designation)
- Be a for-profit business—unless a Veterans association operating a commercial kitchen or a theater or entertainment venue
- Business must be located inside Springfield corporate limits
- Use less than 100 kilowatts (kWs) of peak demand — unless a restaurant, bar, hotel , theater or entertainment venue or Veterans association operating a commercial kitchen, which will not have a peak demand requirement
- If business is a restaurant or bar, it must not be part of a franchise or chain with a corporate office located outside of Springfield
- Demonstrate a financial hardship caused by COVID-19
- Business must be operating and not closed, unless closed temporarily due to COVID regulations
Exclusions
The following business types are specifically ineligible for assistance under this rebate program:
- Previous awardees receiving this rebate funding in 2021
- Agriculture
- Auto dealerships, auto repair or maintenance businesses
- Construction, supply, or home improvement businesses
- Convenience stores
- Finance and Insurance businesses
- Franchisee or chain restaurants or bars with a corporate office outside of Springfield
- Gaming establishments, businesses with at least 33% of gross annual revenues from gambling activities
- Gas stations and associated convenience stores
- Home-based businesses
- Medical or recreational cannabis businesses
- Medical providers
- Nonprofit organizations/businesses with exception of theaters, entertainment venues or Veterans associations operating commercial kitchens
- Private club or business that limits membership for reasons other than capacity
- Utility providers
- A business in which a majority owner or member is in the immediate family of an elected official or in a management position with the City of Springfield
- A business located outside of Springfield corporate limits
- An establishment similar to any enumerated above
Application Requirements
Here are the primary application requirements that must be completed for consideration of the rebate.
- Input CWLP Customer Number (8 digits) and CWLP Account Number (9 digits). Businesses with more than one meter at a service address will need to enter each account number
- Provide number of employees in February 2020 and number of employees in November or December 2020.
- Provide Financial information or documents showing revenue and expenses for April to September 2019
- Provide Financial information or documents showing revenue and expenses for April to September 2020
Award Administration
Applications for this program will open on this page on December 17, 2020 by 9 a.m.. Applicants will be verified for all eligibility in the order in which received.
Rebates will be made to those qualified applicants demonstrating financial hardship until all funding is exhausted. Those awarded rebates will receive
a credit on their January or February CWLP bill for coverage of August and September 2020 billing of electric charges up to $3,000. Rebate recipients
must pay any balance due, or payment arrangement amount due, each month for at least 12 months. Failure to do so may result in the rebate credit being
removed from account.
Not Eligible?
To further support customers in financial hardship, CWLP Customer Service is offering flexible payment plans for all of its customers.
Beyond payment plans, there are a number of financial assistance and loan programs your business may be eligible for, which could also be
used for CWLP bill payment. See our listing of those local, State and Federal assistance resources on our Bill Assistance page.
Bill Assistance >>
Questions
If you have any questions on this rebate program and the application, please call (217) 789.2070 ext 0 or you can email your questions here