Please vote for Caucus to win the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for innovative EV Readiness Program
CHICAGO (Sept. 19, 2025) – Out of 315 nominees, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been selected as one of the Top 100 Finalists still in the running for the 24th annual Chicago Innovation Awards. The awards celebrate the most innovative new products and services in the Chicago region across all organization sizes, sectors and industries. Over 700 business and civic leaders will come together to honor the winners when they are announced on November 13 at the UIC Forum.
The Caucus is nominated for its EV Readiness Program, the first program of its kind in the nation to designate 38 communities with “EV Ready” recognition. The Caucus created the EV Readiness Program to guide local governments in cohorts to develop and implement innovative codes, policies, and practices that accelerate transportation electrification. The program makes it easier, faster, and cheaper for EV Ready communities’ constituents to drive electric and install EV chargers.
The EV Readiness Program leverages the unique strengths and authorities of local jurisdictions, such as how every new EV charger must go through a local permitting process in accordance with local zoning and development regulations. The EV Readiness Program innovates by supporting local governments that control these vital processes, which unlocks opportunities for private and public investment, as well as for community benefits. While local governments are sometimes overlooked as innovators in clean energy advancement, the EV Readiness Program shows that local governments are indeed innovators. EV Ready communities have leveraged their program achievements to receive grants and incentives totaling at least $17.5 million for EVs, electric and hybrid buses, and EV charging infrastructure.
“Chicago continues to rise as a global hub of innovation that cuts across industries, large corporations and startups, for-profits and non-profits,” said Luke Tanen, President and CEO of Chicago Innovation. “The impact that this year’s nominees generated is profound – their new products and services generated $4.2 billion in revenues and created over 2,300 new jobs.”
As one of the Top 100 Finalists, the Caucus will receive a $2,500 scholarship to attend The Practical Innovator, a day-long executive education course on October 14th led by top faculty who teach innovation at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Out of the Top 100 Finalists, the judges will select 20 winners of the Chicago Innovation Awards. In addition to being celebrated at the Chicago Innovation Awards on November 13th, the winners will be invited to ring the Nasdaq Bell in New York City and receive widespread media recognition.
Vote for the Caucus’ EV Readiness Program
Each of the Top 100 Finalists is also in the running for the annual “People’s Choice Award,” selected through online balloting at https://chicagoinnovation.com/nominations/ Please vote for the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus by the deadline of Thursday, Oct. 9. Find the Caucus on page 7 of the list.
If you need instructions and screenshots on how to vote for the Caucus to win the “People’s Choice Award,” please see this guide.
The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus celebrated its Chicago Innovation Awards nomination. Pictured is City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns (center), Caucus Environment and Energy Committee Chairman and Immediate Past Executive Board Chairman, Caucus Executive Director Neil James (right) and EV Readiness Program team members (from left to right) Green Ways 2Go consultant Tim Milburn, Caucus Senior Sustainability Specialist Cheryl Scott, and Director of Environmental Initiatives Edith Makra.
