Welcome Session
10:00 A.m. ET Welcome Session
Location:
Session Descriptions
11:00 - 11:50 a.m. Session 1
TRACK A: Climate Dashboard
PRESENTERS: Sarah Gardiner - McKinney Climate Fellow; Therese Dorau - Environmental Resilience Institute
Earth Charter Indiana and the Environmental Resilience Institute are proud to introduce the Indiana Climate Action Dashboard, an interactive tool designed to support and showcase local climate action across the state. This educational resource provides a current and comprehensive overview of municipal initiatives, including Climate Action Plans, climate-focused memberships, and opportunities for further engagement. Developed for use by local governments, organizations, and residents, the dashboard makes climate data more accessible and actionable. As local leadership becomes increasingly critical in addressing climate change, this tool empowers communities to take informed, climate-smart action.
TRACK B: PBC Green Team
PRESENTERS: Sheila Curry-Campbell - Program Director & Resource Manager Pilgrim’s Progress CDC and PBC Green Team
The PBC Green Team, in collaboration with Pilgrim’s Progress Community Development Corporation (PPCDC) and the Midwest BDC will share their impactful initiatives in environmental sustainability, youth engagement, and climate resilience. Focusing on their work with underserved communities in Fort Wayne, Indiana, particularly in the East Central neighborhood (46803), a designated Justice 40 Track area, they will showcase a few of their initiatives:
Tree Canopy Grant & Green Jobs
Through the Tree Canopy initiative, we are addressing climate resilience by planting trees, training youth in arborist skills, and engaging the community in green jobs. The program aligns with our broader goal of enhancing environmental education and providing sustainable career pathways for youth.
Robotics, Drones & Technology Integration
We are also empowering youth through robotics and drone technology, providing hands-on learning experiences that connect them with cutting-edge industries while strengthening climate resilience efforts in our community.
Labyrinth Park Project
As part of our long-term vision for the East Central neighborhood, we are creating a Labyrinth Park that will serve as both an environmental and cultural hub. This park will promote green space, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.
Solar for All Grant Update
The Solar for All grant initiative will provide youth training in solar energy installation and maintenance, further supporting our mission to create career pathways in the clean energy sector.
TRACK C: Funding and financing options for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects
PRESENTERS: Alex Crowley - Indiana Energy Independence Fund; William Brown - Environmental Resilience Institute
As the cost of energy in Indiana continues to rise and the state's overall demand accelerates, implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions is becoming more and more important for Hoosiers across the state. At the same time, federal and other public funding has become increasingly limited. The workshop will share updates and strategies regarding funding opportunities, including both how to take advantage of any remaining public incentives while at the same time catalyzing private funding.
12 - 1:20 p.m. Lunch
There will be a special Youth Networking area during lunch for all students to get a chance to connect! 12:40pm-1:20pm
1:30 - 2:50 p.m. SESSION 2
TRACK A: Solar Opportunities Indiana: A Solar for All Update
PRESENTERS: Alison Becker - Solar Opportunities Indiana
Check in with SOI, a coalition created to implement Solar for All in Indiana. We are ending our first year of planning and while our grant has been terminated by EPA, we are examining ways this coalition can move forward and tackle the challenge that brought us together in the beginning: lifting up those who struggle with paying their electricity costs with the power of customer-owned and community solar energy.
TRACK B: Simple for Cities, Hope for Households: Two No-budget, Off-the-Shelf Climate Action Programs
PRESENTERS: Madi Hirschland - Creation Care Partners and Electrify Indiana (formerly Solarize Indiana)
In the wake of increasing competition for climate action dollars, rising household utility bills and growing despair among climate-aware citizens, city governments need simple, no-cost programs by which they can provide their constituents with savings and hope. This workshop will present two easy to administer programs:
TASK OF THE MONTH
The highest-impact energy-conserving actions a household can take broken into twelve bite-size pieces that can reduce a typical Hoosier household’s energy use by 25% to 50%.
GO ELECTRIC
In stand-alone sessions delivered by non-technical staff or volunteers, Go Electric provides simple accessible information on how households can save money, reduce health risks and emit less pollution by adopting high-efficiency electric technologies.
TRACK C: Fun with Funds, Water Funds! With the Lake Monroe Water Fund
Workshop attendees will learn what a water fund is and how the Lake Monroe Water Fund is working to protect water quality. Many of the water fund’s activities intersect with climate goals. The water fund’s action areas that will be addressed include:
-reducing pollution from faulty septic systems by establishing a funding mechanism for homeowners to repair/replace them,
-encouraging soil testing to minimize fertilizer use, and
-increasing forest health and watershed function through invasive mitigation and native plantings
PRESENTER: Michelle Cohen, MSES, Executive Director of the Lake Monroe Water Fund
3:00 - 3:50 p.m. SESSION 3
TRACK A: Rooted in Solutions: A Multilevel Approach to Food Systems Work
PRESENTERS: Tatjana Rebelle - Earth Charter Indiana, Kyla Jefferson - Executive Assistant for Felege Hiywot Center, Bailey Schwartz - Indiana State Organizer with Bread for the World, Jodee Kristine Smith - Resilient Food Systems Manager with Farmwise & Co-lead for Indiana Food Vision & CARAT Tool, Art Taylor - Founder of Earth Born Collective, CFAC member & Indianapolis Food Access Advisor Commissioner
Join Food Justice advocate and Earth Charter Indiana's Director of Engagement, Tatjana Rebelle for a discussion around food systems. They will be joined by four panelists with direct engagement in food equity work using national, state, municipal and/or community centered approaches. Learn how people are taking a solutions based approach to support our food systems.
TRACK B: Helping Small Towns make a Big Difference: Building Online Infrastructure for Hometowns
PRESENTERS: Michael Jensen (CommonsCommunities.com), and Amy Benningfield and Renee Arnold (FerdinandCommons.com)
Rural residents produce far more CO2 than urban dwellers — but face the same climate crisis, often without the tools to respond. Most small towns (under 5,000 people) have no taxis, buses, or even local newspapers, anymore. With people so spread out, it’s harder to keep the community connections that foster climate resilience.
What do small communities need to self-organize? How do we coordinate carpools to nearby cities, share our tools and resources, and cut energy use?
We've been working on it! Since launching FerdinandCommons.com in January, we’ve learned a lot — about what works, what doesn’t, and how to build small-scale digital infrastructure for real-world impact. CommonsCommunities founder Michael Jensen will kick things off with the big questions, and the site managers will share what’s happened so far — challenges, breakthroughs, and maybe even share some theater!
TRACK C: PFAS in Indiana
Presenters: Delaney Barber Kwon & Desi Rybolt - Indiana Conservation Voters
PFAS in Indiana - the federal and state nexus point of this forever chemical in our waters. We will aim to introduce PFAS as a concept with a brief overview from a topic expert and then discuss with a panel of stakeholders the impacts and ways to address it federally and locally. Desi Rybolt from ICV will facilitate the panel discussion of stakeholders.
Closing Panel
4:00 P.M. ET Climate Leaders Panel
Thank you to our hosts!
CLS10 is only possible because of our Title Sponsors, to whom we are immensely grateful:
Our thanks to our wonderful sponsors and supporters: