In 2021 Earth Ministry/WAIPL continued to journey toward our shared vision of a just and sustainable future in which people of all spiritual traditions fully embrace their faith’s call to environmental stewardship.
Here’s a recap of all we accomplished together last year and an overview of our financial position. You can also view the recording of our year-end gathering where we celebrated these accomplishments together.
Many thanks to our activists, colleagues, clergy, congregations, faithful advocates, donors, and all community members who make our work possible!
Make a donation today to help Earth Ministry/WAIPL continue our good work for environmental justice in 2022!
Winter 2021
Community Support
- Participated in the national Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest
- Organized 3 Earth Ministry/WAIPL events and co-sponsored 3 more – learn more and view recordings
- Launched the Shmita Project Northwest in partnership with Congregation Beth Shalom
- Hosted 6 events n Approaching the Shmita Year Distinguished Speaker Series – view recordings
- Welcomed the Bellingham Multifaith Network for Climate Justice (MNCJ) as our first regional affiliate
- Signed covenant of partnership
- View MNCJ’s webpage for more info, recordings of monthly events, and how to get involved
- Released the Winter 2020-21 edition of our publication, Earth Letter, with a focus on faithful advocacy – read here
Faithful Advocacy
- Celebrated denial of the shorelines permit for the Kalama methanol (fracked gas) facility – view press release
- Passed our top 2 priority bills through the Washington State Legislature
- Successfully navigated our state’s first virtual legislative session
- Taught at Interfaith Advocacy Day, the Eastern WA Legislative Conference, Central Washington Advocacy Day, and Catholic Lobby Day
- Click here for our 2021 legislative session recap
- In response to our advocacy, the City of Tacoma announced that they will require an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed expansion of fossil fuel storage at SeaPort Sound Terminal – read press release
- Mobilized 130 people of faith to comment on the draft Chemical Action Plan on toxic PFAS chemicals
Spring 2021
Community Support
- Hosted Braiding Sweetgrass Earth Day Gathering – view recording
- Reflected on how Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Indigenous wisdom relates to our individual faith traditions
- Supported the Lummi Red Road to D.C. Totem Pole Journey
- Organized faith community presence in Seattle, Bellingham, Bellevue, Arlington, Lewiston/Clarkston
- Released Earth Ministry/WAIPL’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Statement – read here
- Started paying Real Rent to the Duwamish Tribe
- Added Indigenous Solidarity page to Earth Ministry/WAIPL’s website
- Gathered for Earth Ministry/WAIPL’s Trivia FUNdraiser
Faithful Advocacy
- Hosted a national screening of Native Daily Network’s film Ancestral Waters for Unitarian Universalists
- Submitted 133 faith community comments on more quickly phasing out toxic PFAS chemicals from food packaging
- Organized people of faith in Tacoma to successfully renew the Interim Regulations to protect the tideflats from additional fossil fuel infrastructure
Summer 2021
Community Support
- Coordinated congregational grants for water bottle refill stations
- 11 congregations received assistance with retrofits or new water fountains
- Created a new staff position of Multifaith Outreach Coordinator
- Taught classes on faith and environment, Greening Congregations, and faithful advocacy as summer faculty at Holden Village
Faithful Advocacy
- Celebrated a BIG win to reduce PFAS chemicals in food packaging – read more
- Sped up phase out of toxics in containers that hold food – now by the end of 2021 instead of halfway through 2022
- The Earth Ministry/WAIPL community made up 82% of comments submitted and the Dept. of Ecology stated stakeholder input as their primary reason to speed up the process
- Organized for Clean Cars 2030, an all-electric vehicle target
- Rallied at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in support of Clean Cars 2030
- Gathered over 300 sign-ons to a petition asking the Governor to enact Clean Cars 2030 by executive order
- Saw Washington’s PFAS drinking water standard finalized after many years of our faithful advocacy
Fall 2021
Community Support
- Bid farewell to former Executive Director, LeeAnne Beres, and celebrated her legacy with a community event
- Welcomed new staff!
- Interim Executive Director, Nancy Osborn Nicholas
- Multifaith Outreach Coordinator, Keah Calluccie
- Program Assistant, Lindsay Bell (Seattle Service Corps)
- Catholic Community Organizer, Sr. Dorothy Verna (Jesuit Volunteer EnCorps)
- Hosted a Shmita Year Opening Festival with Congregation Beth Shalom
- Released a new multifaith version of Earth Ministry/WAIPL’s Greening Congregations Toolkit – download here
- Released the Fall – Winter 2021 edition of our publication, Earth Letter, with a focus on fossil fuels – read more
- Hosted a year-end gathering for the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community – view recording
- Published the job announcement for our next permanent Executive Director – view here
Faithful Advocacy
- Passed more long-term Non-Interim Regulations to protect the Tacoma Tideflats from fossil fuels
- Followed the lead of the Puyallup Tribe, advocated for tribal consultation to be heeded
- Organized faith community participation in public hearings with City Council
- Hosted a Tacoma-specific advocacy training – view recording
- Engaged 312 people of faith to sign on to a national interfaith climate action letter to the Biden Administration delivered at COP26
- Responded with disappointment that Puget Sound Energy’s Tacoma LNG facility’s permits were upheld – read more
- Puyallup Tribe and community organizations challenged decision – read press release
- Met with Senators Murray and Cantwell’s office regarding Lower Snake River salmon and the Columbia River Treaty
2022 Financials
We are committed to using every dollar that you invest in Earth Ministry/WAIPL to work towards our shared vision of a just and sustainable future in which people of all spiritual traditions fully embrace their faith’s call to environmental stewardship.
In the spirit of financial transparency, we want you to know where our money comes from and how it is spent wisely. For more financial information, view our 2021 990.
2021 Revenue and Expenses
Total Income: $322,650
Thanks to the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community for your generous individual donations, which made up about half of our income in 2021!
- Individual Donations: 49%
- Congregational Donations: 9%
- Grants: 30%
- Program Income: 1%
- Other Income*: 11%
*In 2021 we received a $33,690 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that is categorized under Other Income.
Total Expenses: $292,000
- Program: 70%
- Administrative: 15%
- Fundraising: 15%
Make a donation today to help Earth Ministry/WAIPL continue our good work for environmental justice in 2022!
