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The GreenFaith Certification Program
Frequently Asked Questions
GreenFaith’s Values
Program Costs and Savings
Program Benefits and Resources
Application Process
Progress Reports
Program Workload
Program Requirements
GreenFaith’s Values
What values provide the foundation for the GreenFaith Certification Program?
GreenFaith believes that caring for the earth is a religious value, and that environmental stewardship is a moral responsibility. We believe that this imperative is part of all religions, and that it is now being expressed more frequently than in the past.
GreenFaith has three core beliefs which provide the foundation for our religious-environmental mission:
Spirit— We believe that people grow spiritually through a strong relationship with the earth. We also believe that people of faith are called to understand the teachings on the environment in their sacred texts and theologies.
Stewardship— We believe that people of faith have a vital role to play in restoring healthy ecosystems around the world. We also believe that religious institutions can support the widespread adoption of environmentally sustainable consumption habits by ‘greening’ their building operations and by educating and mobilizing their members to do the same.
Justice—we believe that all people deserve a clean, safe environment, regardless of their race or economic status. We know that minority and poor communities suffer disproportionately from environmental degradation. We believe it is the role of religious institutions to advocate for a healthy environment for these communities.
GreenFaith is proud to be an interfaith environmental organization. We appreciate the distinctive witness offered by the world’s great religions, and we believe that people of all religions can work together to build an environmentally sustainable world.
Program Costs and Savings
How much does the Program cost?
A non-refundable application fee of $50 must be paid to GreenFaith at the time an institution submits its application. The Application fee will be deducted from the tuition fees upon an institution’s acceptance into the Program.
Tuition fees for the GreenFaith Certification Program are as follows:
Religious institutions with budgets under $500,000..…………………….. $500
Religious institutions with budgets $500,000 - $1 million …………………..$1,000
Religious institutions with budgets $1 million - $2.5 million………………...$1,500
Religious institutions with budgets over $2.5 million ………. Determined in consultation
Limited tuition assistance is available for institutions with budgets under $250,000. Please contact certification@greenfaith.org for more information, noting ‘Tuition Assistance’ in the subject line.
Participating institutions must submit 100% of the tuition fee within 1 month after receiving the letter of acceptance into the Program.
The tuition fee provides institutions with full access to all Program resources for 2 years from the date of acceptance into the Program.
When are the tuition fees due for the GreenFaith Certification Program?
Participating institutions must pay 100% of the tuition fee within one month of receiving their acceptance letter.
Will the GreenFaith Certification Program create additional costs beyond the tuition fee?
The GreenFaith Certification Program is designed to enable institutions to become certified without spending any additional funds beyond the tuition fees. In fact, most institutions will save money by modifying the ways that they maintain their facilities. Participating institutions may choose to invest additional financial resources for curricula or other materials or services related to the Program. However, this is neither required nor necessary to gain certification.
Will the GreenFaith Certification Program create any financial savings for my institution?
It should. Many ‘green’ maintenance practices, particularly related to energy conservation, usually save institutions money. We have highlighted the cost-saving opportunities within the Stewardship requirements. If an institution’s leaders make a concerted effort to conserve energy and water, and to reduce their solid waste, they should save more than the Program’s tuition fees over a 2-year period.
What does the Program tuition fee include?
The tuition fee includes access to resources developed over GreenFaith’s 15 years of experience, as well as several forms of direct support.
Webinars: Participating institutions receive free access to 6 educational webinars - teleconferences combined with on-line slideshows. Topics covered in the webinars include
- Getting Started
- Sacred Texts, Theology and the Environment
- Religious-Environmental Education and Worship
- Green Facility Management
- Environmental Justice
- Sharing our Stories
Participating institutions are provided access for one computer and telephone connection for each webinar. Webinars are offered on weekday evenings and Sunday afternoons to maximize the number of institutional representatives who will be able to take part.
On-Line Resources: GreenFaith provides participating institutions with access to extensive resources, templates and guidelines to help institutions meet the various Program requirements. These resources include:
- Resources on sacred texts and the environment
- Sample sermons
- Religious education curricula and links to educational resources
- Worship-related resources and links
- An Institutional Audit tool to assess the status of their environmental efforts at the Program’s outset
- A range of ‘green’ facilities management practices for the building and property
- ‘Green’ purchasing guidelines
- Environmental Justice texts, study guides, and advocacy resources
Communications Resources: GreenFaith provides a range of communications resources, including:
- Sample press releases to help you publicize your efforts through your own newsletter, website and local media
- Eco-tips for your worship bulletin, newsletter and website to educate your members about steps they can take to “green” their own consumption
- Theological reflections for your newsletter and website to help your members understand the spiritual, ethical basis for protecting the environment
List- Serve: Participating institutions have access to the Program list-serve - an email forum through which participants can share strategies and pose questions to other participating institutions.
E-mail and Phone Help Desk: GreenFaith staff and mentors will be available by email and phone to answer questions.
Celebratory Banner: When an institution completes the Program, GreenFaith sends a Celebratory Banner suitable for display in your sanctuary or for use in worship.
Program Benefits and Resources
Our institution feels we can conduct religious-environmental activities on our own. Why participate in the GreenFaith Certification Program?
There are four basic reasons we believe the GreenFaith Certification Program offers an genuine opportunity and value for religious groups that want to become environmental leaders.
The Program’s Requirements Create Powerful Leaders
More and more religious institutions are addressing environmental concerns. However, these efforts are very new to these institutions and to their lay and ordained leaders. This makes it impossible for these leaders to be familiar with the full range of available opportunities and the various ways that religious institutions can offer environmental leadership. As a result, institutions that try to “go it alone” usually can’t know how to reach their potential as religious-environmental leaders. And at times, even with the best of intentions, their isolated efforts can be limited in scope, and not as effective as they’d like.
The GreenFaith Certification Program is designed to help your institution identify a holistic range of priority actions, and complete an effective step-by-step process to carry out those actions. By requiring initiatives across many areas of the life of religious institutions, the Program creates well-rounded, powerful religious-environmental leaders.
GreenFaith Offers Extensive Resources, Support and Experience
GreenFaith has gathered a comprehensive set of resources to support Program participants, and our experienced staff is available to answer your questions throughout the process.
GreenFaith’s staff and programs have gained national recognition for our work educating and training diverse religious leaders for environmental leadership. We have helped hundreds of religious institutions carry out a range of environmental initiatives. Our GreenFaith Fellowship Program is the first national, interfaith environmental training program in the country, and is training leaders from major denominations, academia and nationally-recognized religious-environmental groups such as Earth Ministry, Interfaith Power and Light and Hazon. GreenFaith’s leadership has been featured in religious and secular media, including PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, CBS National News, the Sundance Channel, and the National Catholic Reporter. We have also won awards from the US EPA, WNET- Channel 13, and more.
We believe that our work and resources are unparalleled, and that no group has more experience training lay and ordained leaders for many different expressions of religious-environmental leadership.
GreenFaith Unites Leaders from Diverse Religions in a Community of Encouragement and Support.
The GreenFaith Certification Program gives participants the chance to learn from a diverse group of religious institutions – institutions from many different traditions and geographic locations. Participating institutions also have the unique opportunity to build relationships with local environmental organizations. This will be achieved through:
- A list-serve that helps participating institutions mentor and advise each other.
- Webinars where institutions can hear questions and answers from their peers.
- A ‘Sharing Our Story’ webinar, which provides a forum to share experiences and lessons learned.
- Partnerships with religious institutions from other traditions during events and outreach activities.
- Connections with local environmental organizations during events and outreach activities.
Through this community of support, positive interfaith relationships develop, and religious leaders connect with other faith-based and environmental leaders in their community and beyond.
Gain Positive Publicity for your Institution
Institutions taking part in the GreenFaith Certification Program have the opportunity to benefit from a substantial amount of public exposure. GreenFaith provides participating institutions with press releases to publicize your accomplishments to the community. GreenFaith also helps institutions publicize their leadership to their denominational leaders, and to environmental groups in their area. And when institutions achieve Certification, GreenFaith publicizes their accomplishments on our website and in our electronic newsletter, which is distributed to over 5,000 e-mail addresses nationwide.
Collectively, this publicity identifies institutions as forward-looking leaders, and enhances their visibility in a variety of ways.
Our institution has already started to ‘go green’. Why participate in the GreenFaith Certification Program?
There are four basic reasons we believe the GreenFaith Certification Program offers an genuine opportunity and value for religious groups that want to become environmental leaders.
The Program’s Requirements Create Powerful Leaders
More and more religious institutions are addressing environmental concerns. However, these efforts are very new to these institutions and to their lay and ordained leaders. This makes it impossible for these leaders to be familiar with the full range of available opportunities and the various ways that religious institutions can offer environmental leadership. As a result, institutions that try to “go it alone” usually can’t know how to reach their potential as religious-environmental leaders. And at times, even with the best of intentions, their isolated efforts can be limited in scope, and not as effective as they’d like.
The GreenFaith Certification Program is designed to help your institution identify a holistic range of priority actions, and complete an effective step-by-step process to carry out those actions. By requiring initiatives across many areas of the life of religious institutions, the Program creates well-rounded, powerful religious-environmental leaders.
GreenFaith Offers Extensive Resources, Support and Experience
GreenFaith has gathered a comprehensive set of resources to support Program participants, and our experienced staff is available to answer your questions throughout the process.
GreenFaith’s staff and programs have gained national recognition for our work educating and training diverse religious leaders for environmental leadership. We have helped hundreds of religious institutions carry out a range of environmental initiatives. Our GreenFaith Fellowship Program is the first national, interfaith environmental training program in the country, and is training leaders from major denominations, academia and nationally-recognized religious-environmental groups such as Earth Ministry, Interfaith Power and Light and Hazon. GreenFaith’s leadership has been featured in religious and secular media, including PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, CBS National News, the Sundance Channel, and the National Catholic Reporter. We have also won awards from the US EPA, WNET- Channel 13, and more.
We believe that our work and resources are unparalleled, and that no group has more experience training lay and ordained leaders for many different expressions of religious-environmental leadership.
GreenFaith Unites Leaders from Diverse Religions in a Community of Encouragement and Support.
The GreenFaith Certification Program gives participants the chance to learn from a diverse group of religious institutions – institutions from many different traditions and geographic locations. Participating institutions also have the unique opportunity to build relationships with local environmental organizations. This will be achieved through:
- A list-serve that helps participating institutions mentor and advise each other.
- Webinars where institutions can hear questions and answers from their peers.
- A ‘Sharing Our Story’ webinar, which provides a forum to share experiences and lessons learned.
- Partnerships with religious institutions from other traditions during events and outreach activities.
- Connections with local environmental organizations during events and outreach activities.
Through this community of support, positive interfaith relationships develop, and religious leaders connect with other faith-based and environmental leaders in their community and beyond.
Gain Positive Publicity for your Institution
Institutions taking part in the GreenFaith Certification Program have the opportunity to benefit from a substantial amount of public exposure. GreenFaith provides participating institutions with press releases to publicize your accomplishments to the community. GreenFaith also helps institutions publicize their leadership to their denominational leaders, and to environmental groups in their area. And when institutions achieve Certification, GreenFaith publicizes their accomplishments on our website and in our electronic newsletter, which is distributed to over 5,000 e-mail addresses nationwide.
Collectively, this publicity identifies institutions as forward-looking leaders, and enhances their visibility in a variety of ways.
What Resources does the Program include?
The tuition fee includes access to resources developed over GreenFaith’s 15 years of experience, as well as several forms of direct support.
Webinars: Participating institutions receive free access to 6 educational webinars - teleconferences combined with on-line slideshows. Topics covered in the webinars include
- Getting Started
- Sacred Texts, Theology and the Environment
- Religious-Environmental Education and Worship
- Green Facility Management
- Environmental Justice
- Sharing our Stories
Participating institutions are provided access for one computer and telephone connection for each webinar. Webinars are offered on weekday evenings and Sunday afternoons to maximize the number of institutional representatives who will be able to take part.
On-Line Resources: GreenFaith provides participating institutions with access to extensive resources, templates and guidelines to help institutions meet the various Program requirements. These resources include:
- Resources on sacred texts and the environment
- Sample sermons
- Religious education curricula and links to educational resources
- Worship-related resources and links
- An Institutional Audit tool to assess the status of their environmental efforts at the Program’s outset
- A range of ‘green’ facilities management practices for the building and property
- ‘Green’ purchasing guidelines
- Environmental Justice texts, study guides, and advocacy resources
Communications Resources: GreenFaith provides a range of communications resources, including:
- Sample press releases to help you publicize your efforts through your own newsletter, website and local media
- Eco-tips for your worship bulletin, newsletter and website to educate your members about steps they can take to “green” their own consumption
- Theological reflections for your newsletter and website to help your members understand the spiritual, ethical basis for protecting the environment
List- Serve: Participating institutions have access to the Program list-serve - an email forum through which participants can share strategies and pose questions to other participating institutions.
E-mail and Phone Help Desk: GreenFaith staff and mentors will be available by email and phone to answer questions.
Celebratory Banner: When an institution completes the Program, GreenFaith sends a Celebratory Banner suitable for display in your sanctuary or for use in worship.
If we have a question, how do we reach GreenFaith for assistance?
There are a number of ways that participating institutions can have their questions answered.
- Institutions seeking certification have access to the Frequently Asked Questions and Resource sections of the GreenFaith Certification website.
- Participating institutions can post questions on the Program list-serve, to learn from other institutions that have addressed similar issues.
- Webinars provide an opportunity to ask questions to GreenFaith staff.
- GreenFaith staff and mentors are also available to provide help via email and over the phone. Please send your question to certification@greenfaith.org with ‘Question’ written in the subject line or call (732) 565-7740, ext. 303.
For any general questions, we ask that you first check the FAQs page and the resource sections of the website, which are designed to answer common questions quickly and effectively. For more specific questions, we highly encourage use of the list serve. The GreenFaith Certification Program is designed to build community among participants, and the list serve is critical to fostering those relationships. For additional questions that cannot be answered through the website or list-serve, or if you wish to talk directly to a GreenFaith staff person, please contact GreenFaith via email or phone.
What is a webinar?
A webinar is a teleconference combined with an online slideshow. GreenFaith currently offers webinars through a service called ReadyTalk. A webinar participant calls into the conference line using a telephone, and views the slideshow by logging into the ReadyTalk website. The combination of the slideshow and teleconference allows the participant to see pictures and text visually as s/he hears what is said on the call. Background noise and interruptions are kept to a minimum, since the webinar host can keep the phone lines silent during the presentation. Participants can ask questions throughout the call by typing inquiries into an online chat box. The inquiries reach the webinar host in real-time, enabling him or her to answer all questions in an effective and timely manner.
For an on-line introduction to webinars, please click here.
Our institution is not very technologically savvy. Are webinars easy to figure out?
While webinars are a new tool for many religious institutions, they only take a moment to understand and set-up. In addition, ReadyTalk specializes in easy-to-understand and user-friendly technology.
Access to the webinar does require an internet connection and participants must know how to access a webpage. GreenFaith and ReadyTalk staff are available to help with any problems you may encounter.
Our institution does not own a computer. How do we participate in the webinars?
If your institution does not own a computer, we highly recommend your using a computer through a member of your Green Team. If a computer is completely unavailable, you can still call into the webinar using the conference call number. GreenFaith staff can send you a copy of the slideshow presentation.
Application Process
How does my institution apply for the GreenFaith Certification Program?
To apply to the GreenFaith Certification Program, institutions must complete the following steps.
- Complete the Application Forms. The institution must complete an application for the GreenFaith Certification Program. Click here for an application. The completed application with all materials should be sent to certification@greenfaith.org, noting ‘Application’ in the subject line.
- Pay the Application Fee. A non-refundable Application fee of $50 must be paid to GreenFaith when the Application is submitted. The fee can be paid through a check or paid through a credit card by following the ‘Donate Now’ prompt at www.greenfaith.org. If paying online, please write “GreenFaith Certification Program Application Fee for (Name of Institution and Contact Information)” in the Comment Box. The Application fee will be deducted from the tuition fee upon an institution’s acceptance into the Program.
- Create a Green Team. Institutions must create a Green Team to oversee their efforts in the Program. This Team should include lay and ordained leaders. Individuals from facilities maintenance staff, and the buildings and grounds, finance, worship, education and social action committees should also be included. Click here for advice on building an effective Green Team. All Green Team members must read and sign the Green Team Commitment Form, which should be emailed to GreenFaith along with the Application. Click here for the Commitment Form.
- Make a Formal, Public Commitment. The institution’s governing board must pass a resolution endorsing the program, and the ordained leader must make a public spoken and written statement in support of the institution’s participation. Click here for a sample governing board resolution. A copy of the resolution and the date and copy of the ordained leader’s verbal and written public statements must be included in the Application.
There are four application deadlines per year—February 1st, May 1st, September 1st and December 1st.
What if our institution has a small number of members interested in the program, but our ordained leader or governing board doesn’t share the same interest?
The GreenFaith Certification Program is a significant commitment, and the support of the ordained leader and governing board is critical to its success. However, this leadership often takes time to develop, particularly if the institution has never engaged in religious-environmental work before. When a team of interested members complete smaller environmental activities over a period of time, this support can take root.
GreenFaith’s Membership Program can help institutions to get started and build momentum. By becoming a GreenFaith member, religious institutions receive resources and support from GreenFaith staff, to carry out environmental activities that aren’t as rigorous as the Certification Program but that fit your institution’s needs and interests. For more information about the Membership Program, please contact certification@greenfaith.org and note ‘Membership’ in the subject line.
What criteria does GreenFaith use when deciding to accept institutions into the Program?
If an institution follows all of the steps in the Application process, it will likely be accepted into the GreenFaith Certification Program. Click here to review the process guidelines to ensure that your institution meets all of the requirements before submitting an Application.
However, if an institution is undergoing major changes such as a building renovation, or changes in clergy leadership, GreenFaith may recommend that the institution delay entering the Program until those changes are complete. The GreenFaith Certification Program is a major commitment that requires a strong level of institutional support. GreenFaith wants all institutions that enter the Program to succeed, and our experience is that this Program is best suited for institutions which can make it a primary focus for a period of two years. In those cases where an institution is very interested in the Program but also has other major projects underway, we recommend the GreenFaith Membership Program. For more information about the GreenFaith Membership Program, please email certification@greenfaith.org, noting ‘Membership’ in the subject line.
Progress Reports
How do we report our institution’s progress to GreenFaith?
Two times per year, participating institutions must submit Progress Reports to GreenFaith. Upon their acceptance into the Program, participating institutions will be given a timeline and calendar that includes the Progress Report deadlines.
For the first Progress Report in year 1, participating institutions must complete the appropriate forms and submit the following additional items:
- Mission Statement
- Communications Plan
- Audit Results
- Action Plan
- Letter to the Denomination’s Regional Leader Highlighting Acceptance into the Program
- Newsletter Article Highlighting Acceptance into the Program
For the subsequent Progress Reports, there are no strict guidelines for what can be submitted. However, institutions must submit materials indicating their progress at each deadline. GreenFaith will not accept all Program materials from an institution at the final deadline.
Program Workload
How much work does the GreenFaith Certification Program require?
The GreenFaith Certification Program is designed for institutions willing and able to make a substantial commitment towards religious-environmental work over a two-year period. To complete the Program successfully requires consistent work and cooperation among various members of your institution.
GreenFaith provides a recommended timeline for completing the various Program requirements, and the institution’s Green Team is expected to meet approximately once every 6 weeks. Two Progress Reports per year must also be submitted to GreenFaith. For a more detailed explanation of the work involved with the GreenFaith Certification Program, see the GreenFaith Certification Process document.
GreenFaith understands that the environment is a new area of activity for most religious institutions, and that the Program requires efforts in unfamiliar areas. GreenFaith is committed to providing you with the resources and support you need to make this program a success in your setting. We have worked with numerous lay and ordained leaders who have successfully carried out a similar array of activities in a two-year timeframe. Based on this experience, we know that the Program is achievable, and that it brings renewed vision and energy into religious institutions.
What if an institution takes longer than two years to complete the program?
Experience has taught GreenFaith that a focused approach encourages the emergence of strong religious-environmental leadership. For this reason, GreenFaith asks participating institutions to be prepared to make the Program a major focus of its efforts over a 2-year period. To ensure that institutions are prepared for this commitment, GreenFaith requires a resolution from the governing board, evidence of public statements of support from the ordained leader, and the completion of a Green Team Commitment Form prior to accepting institutions into the Program.
GreenFaith also realizes that at times, unexpected circumstances come to pass which require religious institutions to respond. If a participating institution experiences such a circumstance, GreenFaith will gladly consider granting an extension. A simple form will be provided to enable institutions to seek such an extension. Examples of circumstances warranting an extension include an unanticipated change in clergy leadership, a major life change with two or more Green Team leaders, or damage to the institution’s facilities that require major repairs or renovation. However, GreenFaith will generally not grant extensions if an institution loses interest after a portion of the Program timeframe, or if an institution decides to adopt another major programmatic focus after entering the Program..
In many institutions, it takes one or more years to build interest and commitment around the GreenFaith Certification Program. This commitment is critical to finishing the Program within the two year timeframe. For institutions which are beginning to build this interest and commitment, we recommend the GreenFaith’s Membership Program - a great place to launch your efforts towards religious-environmental leadership. By becoming a GreenFaith Member, religious institutions receive resources and support from GreenFaith to help craft an environmental program that fits your institution’s needs and interests. For more information about the Membership Program, please email certification@greenfaith.org, noting ‘Membership Information’ in the subject line.
Program Requirements
Why is there one set of requirements for religious institutions of different size, denomination, and location?
GreenFaith has worked with religious institutions of many different traditions, sizes and settings. We have developed and tested ‘greening’ strategies that work in these diverse settings. While the requirements are specific, GreenFaith has sought to make them adaptable to many settings. GreenFaith has also designed the Program to allow participating institutions to meet Program requirements in a manner best suited to their own circumstances.
Can our institution get credit for work that we completed before joining the Program?
Yes - GreenFaith does give credit for selected Stewardship requirements that were completed in the past. However, some Stewardship requirements, and all Spirit and Justice requirements must be carried out within the Program’s two year timeframe.
Why are the Stewardship requirements more specific than the Spirit and Justice requirements?
GreenFaith has found that most religious institutions achieve the greatest success in greening their facility operations when they are offered very specific guidance. For this reason, we have developed a list of specific Stewardship requirements covering all aspects of facility management. Participating institutions must select and complete a certain number of these.
GreenFaith has also found that most religious institutions enjoy the greatest success in the areas of Spirit and Justice when they are given more general guidance. Because of this, the requirements in this area have been designed in a more open-ended manner.
Why do the Stewardship requirements not include green building activities?
The Stewardship requirements are designed to ‘green’ the operations of existing buildings. If a religious institution’s facility is LEED-certified or if it contains significant green features, some of these features will be counted towards the Stewardship requirements. However, the Stewardship requirements are largely focused on building operations, and not construction materials or processes.
For institutions that are constructing new buildings, we recommend that you consult GreenFaith’s comprehensive, web-based, green building resource - Building in Good Faith: www.buildingingoodfaith.org.
Will the GreenFaith Certification Program require our institution to be involved in politics?
GreenFaith believes that political advocacy is an important, integral part of building an environmentally sustainable and just world. The Program does require some form of environmental advocacy, particularly in relation to creating healthy environments for minority and low-income communities which usually suffer the worst effects of pollution. However, GreenFaith does not require advocacy on any particular issue – but rather requires that participating institutions take part in some form of advocacy to create a healthier environment for all communities. GreenFaith provides resources to support advocacy on certain Environmental Justice issues. |
