There are many benefits to becoming a member of Michigan IPL. In addition to discounts on EnergyStar appliances and other green products and services, members also benefit from our knowledge, network, and other resources.

Whether you're interested in exercising Earth care, have a faith statement you'd like to tell us about, or simply want to add your voice to the interfaith sustainability movement, there is a place for you in our network.

Please contact us for more information, or become a Member Congregation by signing our Covenant.

Check out our Membership FAQs

We are currently working with 11 low-income congregations across Michigan to implement $1.1million ($100,000 each!) in energy-saving improvements. 

As we always say, congregations that spend LESS on energy get to spend MORE on their vital missions, while modeling the benefits of sustainability. We believe that these will be transformative investments, not only for these 11 congregations, but for the larger communities they serve.  

"The [energy] savings will allow us to do more for our community, seniors, and expand our programming to meet the needs of the community.” -Pastor Millard Southern, Allen Chapel AME, Kalamazoo

The 11 participating congregations are: 

• Allen Chapel AME Church, Kalamazoo
• Asbury United Methodist Church, Flint
• Greensky Hill Indian United Methodist Church, Charlevoix
• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chassell
• Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center, Detroit
• New Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Detroit
• Pilgrim Baptist Church, Detroit
• St. Luke CME Church, Saginaw
• St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Detroit
• St. Suzanne Our Lady Gate of Heaven Catholic Parish, Detroit
• Trinity Reformed Church, Grand Rapids

You can read more about Sacred Spaces on our blog, where we'll be profiling each of the congregations.  

The funds for these energy-saving projects come via the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and World Renew. 

If your congregation wants to learn more about making energy upgrades to your facility, fill out the form below and a member of our staff will be in touch.

Celebrate with us! Recently our congregation took part in a free energy program through an organization called Michigan Interfaith Power & Light. As a result of this program, we are taking charge of our energy usage: lowering our energy bill and freeing up more of our budget for mission and ministry! It is a great responsibility to run our facility in a way that respects the needs of our climate and God’s Creation, and we are glad to let you know that through energy efficiency, we are making sure that our congregation is using resources as wisely as possible. We have great peace in knowing that we are doing our part to create a healthier, cleaner, and greener planet.

To learn more about faithful Earth stewardship and how you can help create a cleaner, healthier communities now and for future generations, sign up for Michigan Interfaith Power & Light’s monthly newsletter at www.miipl.org .

Our Board members aid in our mission by providing strategic guidance, ensuring proper governance, helping with outreach, and participating in and contributing to our fundraising efforts. If you or someone you know may be interested in participating on the Michigan IPL board, please contact us.

President The Rt. Rev. Rayford Ray Episcopal Diocese of Northern MI Marquette	Treasurer Sonya Pouncy, CEM, CMVP, LEED-AP Building Vitals Plymouth United Church of Christ Greater Detroit Area	Thasin Sardar Secure Solutions of Lansing Islamic Center of E. Lansing
Bonnie Nussbaum, PhD Empowerment Coaching, LLC Upper Peninsula	Dr. Calvin Glass Lord of Lords Missionary Baptist Church Detroit	Sr. Kathy Nolan, OP Adrian Dominican Sisters Adrian
	Miskopwaaganikwe Leora L. Tadgerson Episcopal Diocese of Northern MI Gnoozhikaaning Bay Mills Tribe Wiikwemkong First Nations, Ontario CA

The Carbon Fund was created-- thanks to generous ongoing support from the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting and others-- to provide mini-grants of $500 to $5,000 to economically disadvantaged communities to implement climate pollution-reducing projects. 

Supporting emissions-reducing projects in low-income/low-wealth communities and in communities of color is one way Michigan IPL seeks to center equity in climate action.

Eligible organizations:

• Own the building or site in which the project is being proposed
• Represent an economically disadvantaged community (e.g., a congregation whose members are predominantly people of color or low-income/low-wealth). Organizations that serve, but are not made up of, economically excluded community members are not likely to be selected to receive this grant.  

Strong applications demonstrate:

• a clear project idea
• a realistic budget
• an enthusiasm for expanding the project's impact by using it to grow awareness about energy issues, the climate crisis, and/or our moral duty to care for the interconnected web of life

How to apply 

If you or your organization is interested in applying, please complete the application form: 

Carbon Fund Mini-Grant Application Form

Past grants 

Our Carbon Fund has supported the installation of solar powered exterior lights at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Pilgrim Baptist Church (pictured above), and Lord of Lords Christian Ministries in Detroit. The Carbon Fund has also supported a solar streetlight and public high speed wifi project at Avalon Village in Highland Park. 

Other considerations

Projects that are high-visibility or that are integrated into programming or communications—in other words, projects that also inspire and grow awareness beyond your congregation—are especially encouraged.

How to contribute to the Carbon Fund

Make a gift to the Carbon Fund online OR just write "Carbon Fund" in the memo line on your check and mail it to us at: 1950 Trumbull St, Detroit MI 48216. Thank you!

	KaTania "Kat" Brown - Operations and Communications Manager Kat is a freelance virtual assistant and founder of Virtually Possible 365. She left the corporate environment in 2019 to launch her business venture, which would allow her to use the skills and talents she has acquired over the past 30 years to help businesses, associations, and non-profit organizations achieve their goals.   She has a BA in Marketing and Healthcare Administration Management/Human Resources. She is a published children's book author.  When she is wearing a cape trying to save the world, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé and her rescue pup, Jett. She loves enjoying any time near the water, listening to audiobooks, watching an interesting documentary, traveling, and seeing her best friends as often as possible. She is a native Detroiter. She believes the best thing about launching her business is the freedom to pick and choose her clients, so she was eager to join the team.
	Leah Wiste - Executive Director Leah has been on staff at Michigan IPL since 2013 and has been the Executive Director since December 2018. She is deeply invested in advocating on behalf of our sacred, living Earth and all of its creatures. She identifies as a "seeker" and believes people of faith and conscience have a critical role to play in bringing us into right relation with the Earth and with each other. Leah has a BA in Women’s Studies from Carleton College and is ABD in Cultural Anthropology at the University of California - Davis. When she’s not fighting climate change, she’s weeding the garden, buying more books than she will ever read, and trying not to get electrocuted while renovating her house in Detroit's North End.
	Jennifer Young - Energy Programs Manager Jennifer holds an MS in Resource Policy & Behavior from the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of Michigan and a BS in Biology from Eastern Michigan University.  Prior to working with Michigan IPL, Jennifer worked as a Program Manager for the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office where she convened government leaders in southeast Michigan communities in collaborative renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.  Jennifer is actively involved in the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit and the Detroit Interfaith Outreach Network, the Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission, and the  U.S. Green Building Council's Detroit Chapter.  Jennifer’s love of, and reverence for, nature stems from camping trips in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, where her Dad took her and her sister during many beloved summers in her childhood. Contact Jennifer

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