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Up to $2 million may be awarded for one to three business plans that provide consumers with "scientifically sound and objective ways" to use the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem as a criterion for choosing electricity services. The request for proposals was issued on August 25 by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, a charity that operates a permanent $100 million endowment to help the lakes ecosystem. Concepts that might be suitable for funding are aggregating consumer demand for a specific service or electric product; improving the environmental outcomes of distribution, transmission or generation of power; and linking habitat restoration or enhancement to the sale of electricity. Concept papers must be received by December 1 and a final awards should be announced by July of next year.