The right combination of data to identify and address gaps in energy efficiency program access
The Challenge
Despite strong participation overall, data showed that certain Wisconsin communities were underutilizing the very energy efficiency programs designed for them. There was a clear need to understand not just where access was lacking, but why.
The Solution
FOCUS ON ENERGY® designed and conducted a holistic analysis to identify the patterns behind the inconsistencies in participation. Research culminated in a state commission-approved framework that now guides pilots and program design, effectively improving access within the organization’s targeted Communities of Focus.
The Impact
The work provided Focus on Energy with a clear, data-based understanding of who was being reached, who wasn't, and why. The resulting framework established a consistent method for identifying Communities of Focus and tracking progress, positioning the organization to deliver more equitable access to benefits statewide.
In recent years, the cost of staying warm, safe, and comfortable at home has become a growing concern for many across Wisconsin. And yet, data show that even as energy-efficiency programs expand statewide, the people who need them most aren’t always using them as they could. Focus on Energy wanted to change this.
Understanding the participation gap
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program administered by APTIM with support from VEIC. The program posted strong numbers overall in 2024, with nearly 172,000 residential participants and 4,000 business participants generating an impressive $4.17 in benefits for every dollar invested.
And yet, entire communities were participating at far lower rates than expected. Focus on Energy exists to ensure energy efficiency is accessible to everyone. The team acknowledged that rising energy costs, pandemic-era burdens, and affordability pressures had converged, making it harder for vulnerable households to get by. So, why were some communities forgoing participation in the programs designed to help, right when they needed them most?
Research found communities ranking among the top 25% for program activity accounted for nearly half of all incentives and energy savings. The communities seeing the least participation received far less than their proportional share.
Adjusting the focus for a clearer picture
The Focus on Energy team needed to take a closer look at affordability and participation. To do this, they devised a thoughtful, holistic research approach. It began by analyzing five years of program activity metrics like participation, incentives, and energy savings, at a more granular level than ever before.
The team replaced traditional ZIP-code groupings with detailed census tracts—a considerable upgrade. Layering in revealing demographic and sociographic data enabled the team to examine correlations between program activity and community characteristics like energy burden, income, renter status, race and ethnicity, language, and social vulnerability. By using this information to form a complete picture of their Communities of Focus, the team was able to not only better map their target areas, but to start understanding why participation was low.
What the new research revealed
Data showed that Communities of Focus exhibited:
- Higher energy burden
- Higher concentration of low- and moderate-income households
- Higher number of renters
- Higher number of limited English-speaking households
- Higher share of residents identifying as black, indigenous, or a person of color
- Higher number of households lacking broadband access
- Higher Social Vulnerability Index ranking
The picture that emerged was clear: the communities with the least program activity were also the ones facing the highest barriers.
The team validated emerging patterns with community-based organizations serving renters and other groups. These conversations helped confirm whether the data aligned with lived experience.
Stakeholder feedback was also leveraged, suggesting renters had been historically overlooked. It suggested that older adults and those in rural areas face unique barriers to participation as well.
Leveraging a new framework
Focus on Energy’s findings became the foundation for a new framework to assess equitable access to programs. In spring 2024, Focus on Energy presented its research and proposed framework to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The Commission agreed with the approach and approved it that summer. With its adoption, the Communities of Focus framework was no longer an analytical exercise, but a guiding structure for shaping and delivering programs going forward. Pilots began using the new framework to identify communities where new approaches could be tried. Starting in 2025, Focus on Energy introduced new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) designed to drive participation (and energy savings) in Communities of Focus. These KPIs are now embedded in programs, requiring implementers to increase energy savings in these communities.
A clear and equitable path forward
In the end, the work gave Focus on Energy something it hadn’t had before: a clear, data-based picture of who was being reached, who wasn’t, and why it mattered. The framework didn’t solve every challenge, but it reshaped how programs are designed, how success is measured, and how communities are considered in the process. Informed by balanced research, it created a shared language, expectations, and a structure for accountability that will carry forward into future planning.
Most importantly, it facilitated greater program accessibility, ensuring the benefits of energy efficiency reach more of the folks they’re meant to serve.