Northern Illinois Communities Encouraged to Apply for Grants of up to $2,500 to Support Holiday Light Displays

As the summer sun heats up northern Illinois communities, ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus are already preparing for the sparkle of winter holidays, welcoming communities to apply for the fifth annual Powering the Holidays Grant Program. Applications are open now through August 29.

A total of $60,000 is available this year to launch and enrich local holiday events by funding light displays and festive decorations. In total, the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program has awarded nearly $170,000 to 70 unique holiday projects that celebrate diverse cultures and traditions while fostering a sense of togetherness in our communities. For more information—including the application and qualifying components—visit the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program website.

“ComEd is proud to again collaborate with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to brighten communities through our Powering the Holidays Program,” said Melissa Washington, Senior Vice President of Customer Operations and Strategic Initiatives at ComEd. “By helping communities celebrate their cultures and traditions, we’re fostering connection, inclusion and joy across northern Illinois.”

Municipalities, townships, counties and local government units within the ComEd service territory are eligible to apply, as well as nonprofit organizations that are partnered with at least one municipality or government institution. Grant recipients must match at least 20 percent of the funds received to support a holiday event held between Nov. 1, 2025, and Feb. 13, 2026. Applications will be reviewed by an external panel of judges, with final awardees expected to be announced in October.

“The ComEd Powering the Holidays Program supports Illinois communities by expanding current holiday celebrations and establishing new traditions that foster unity and inclusivity,” said Neil James, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “On behalf of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, we are grateful to partner with ComEd to offer this wonderful grant opportunity to communities.”

Last year, the Powering the Holidays program distributed nearly $60,000 across 24 holiday projects in different communities throughout northern Illinois. In the village of Westchester, a Powering the Holidays grant helped enrich their Winter Wonderland Walk event. This annual event turns a local park into an interactive nighttime wonderland, featuring expanded light displays, a live DJ spinning holiday favorites, and seasonal treats for families and individuals after a stroll through an illuminated forest.

"Even in chilly December, our community stayed warm under the immense glow of thousands of incredible holiday lights—made possible thanks to the support of ComEd’s Powering the Holidays grant,” said Greg Hribal, Village President, Westchester, Illinois. “In partnership with the Westchester Park District, we transformed our local park into a festive winter wonderland where neighbors shared joy, hot chocolate and great memories. It was a true collaboration that lit up more than just the trees—it brought our whole community together."

For the city of Yorkville, their annual Tour of Lights celebration was enhanced through a Powering the Holidays grant that helped expand light displays and festive performances throughout the entire city, creating more free opportunities for residents to enjoy and connect. The additional lights received through the Powering the Holidays Program will be reused for years to come, turning numerous locations in Yorkville into hubs of festivity from November through the New Year.

“The United City of Yorkville is honored to be one of the few municipalities to receive the Powering the Holidays grant from ComEd through the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in 2024,” said United City of Yorkville Mayor John Purcell. “This generous support allowed us to bring exciting enhancements and additions, including the inaugural and highly successful Deck the Trees Holiday Walk, to the 2024 Holiday Season. This support created cherished memories and new traditions for families and friends within the Yorkville community.”

Powering the Holidays is a gleaming example of ComEd’s dedication to supporting holiday light events, complementing annual sponsorship of seasonal events at Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, The Morton Arboretum, and Chicago Botanic Garden. For more information about Powering the Holidays, visit the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus website.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation’s largest utility companies, serving more than 10.7 million electricity and natural gas customers. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information, visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.

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