Fetzer Institute Names Green the Church as Member of Its Environment Collaborative, Pledges $9M in Support to Faith-Based Community Organizations
Apr 01, 2026We are thrilled and humbled to be selected by the Fetzer Institute to receive financial support as a member of their Environment Collaborative.
The Institute prioritizes finding "spiritual solutions for social problems," with the understanding that issues like wealth inequity and the climate crisis stem not just from socio-economic factors but also deep spiritual imbalances.
Meeting communities on the grounds of faith means engaging directly with their system of beliefs. This approach makes full use of centuries of institution and community building. It also reaches directly into the heart of ethical matters, including our obligation to care for our fellow man and make the world a better place.
We expect the Fetzer Institute's support of faith institutions to empower deep changes that provide direct community impact.
The Institute's current initiative pledges $9 million to 30 organizations leading change across three sectors: public life, spiritual innovation, and the environment. Green the Church is set to receive funding alongside other prestigious partners, including The Loka Initiative (part of University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Healthy Minds) , Global Optimism, Center for Earth Ethics, Conscious Food System Alliance, The Cultural Conservancy, Native American Rights Fund, Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, and the Resilience Project (part of Commonweal).
At Green the Church, we wholeheartedly agree with Fetzer's assessment that community-based organizations are well-equipped for "confronting ecological indifference and exploitation through a lens of sacred interconnectedness and faithful, just stewardship."
As the Bible instructs, we must be shepherds to those in our communities (1 Peter 5:2-4), guiding them willingly and fashioning ourselves into positive examples that others can follow. Championing climate justice and environmental reform takes not just courage and diligence, but also vision …along with a willingness to lead where many others dare not stray. We pledge to use the resources generously granted to us by the Fetzer Institute to serve humbly in this capacity alongside the other bold organizations leading within our cohort.
Thank you to the Fetzer Institute for your support and for understanding the importance of our mission: engaging faith communities for a shared vision of a world with a healthier environment, more sustainable communities, and greater environmental equity and justice for all.
