What if every congregation in Michigan could multiply its ministry—serving more people, offering more care, and strengthening its community—simply by being better stewards of the spaces they already hold sacred?
Imagine if the estimated 10,000 houses of worship across Michigan each saved thousands of dollars every year. Those savings could translate into meals for families in need, thriving community gardens, and essential hygiene supplies for countless individuals. The collective impact would be transformative—redirecting resources toward tangible acts of care that strengthen and uplift entire communities.
If 10,000 congregations followed the Sacred Spaces congregations' lead, what impact could these cost savings have?* |
| People fed |
11 congregations: - 3,640 more meals could be served to Michiganders in one year from these 11 houses of worship. - 80,000 additional pounds of food, or 800 bags of food from 11 congregations |
10,000 congregations: - 3,640,000 meals could be served to Michiganders in one year from 10,000 houses of worship - 80 million additional pounds of food could be distributed or 800,000 bags of food from 10,000 houses of worship |
| Gardens planted |
11 congregations: 220 gardens could planted across 11 congregations, producing $140,000 worth of produce |
10,000 congregations: 220,000 gardens planted across 10,000 houses of worship, producing $140,000,000 worth of produce |
| Personal care and hygiene products distributed |
11 congregations: 7,300 personal care/hygiene bags distributed from 11 congregations |
10,000 congregations: 7,300,000 personal care/hygiene bags distributed from 10,000 congregations |
Through Sacred Spaces, 11 congregations across Michigan are showing us that this vision isn’t hypothetical. They were already doing powerful, life-giving work, and this project helped remove barriers so that work could grow. By lowering everyday building costs, these faith communities unlocked new capacity to feed neighbors, support families, and respond to local needs with even greater reach and resilience.
Sacred Spaces: Clean Energy Grant was created to make that kind of transformation possible. In collaboration with World Renew and energy analysis support from EcoWorks this two-year pilot guided congregations with budgets under $250K as they reimagined how their buildings could serve both people and planet. The results exceeded expectations—not because congregations were asked to change who they are, but because they were given the tools to live out their values more fully. At a moment when the climate crisis calls for moral leadership, these congregations remind us that people of faith have always been catalysts for change—and that when they are equipped and trusted, their impact can ripple far beyond their walls.
Earth Savings Across 11 Congregations |
| Average energy use reduction | 23% |
| Energy savings equivalencies | = 71,985 gallons of gasoline NOT consumed = 710,620 pounds of coal NOT burned = 10,578 tree seedlings grown for 10 years = 32.3 garbage trucks of waste recycled instead of landfilled = CO2 emissions from NOT powering 4.9M homes’ energy use for a year = greenhouse gas emissions from NOT driving 8.4M gas-powered passenger vehicles for one year |
Cost Savings Across 11 Congregations |
| Average cost reduction | 25% (exceeding goal by 10%) |
| $ saved annually | $43,691 |
| $ saved over 20+ years | $661,699 |
Energy Upgrade Highlights |
|
# of high efficiency HVAC upgrades/installations |
|
64 |
|
# of high efficiency refrigerator and freezer replacements/repairs |
|
17 |
|
# of lighting systems upgraded to a high efficiency system |
|
7 |
|
# of high efficiency water heater upgrades/installations |
|
8 |
|
# of building envelope improvements |
|
5 |
Sacred Spaces proves that when we invest in our faith communities, the impact reaches far beyond utility bills—it feeds neighbors, plants gardens, and strengthens entire communities. Imagine what could happen if thousands more congregations were empowered to turn energy savings into life-changing ministry. Join us in growing this movement—make a gift to the Carbon Fund today and help multiply this impact across Michigan.
Read About Each Congregation's Journey and Community Impact |
|
Sacred Spaces was generously supported by Michigan’s Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) under U.S. Dept. of Energy award number EE0008653.
*Figures for community services are estimated using data from: