Join us on May 2, 2024, at the Duke Energy Convention Center for our
11th Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit!

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit brings together 600+ passionate and visionary leaders to share inspiring, forward-thinking, and solution-oriented ideas that propel us toward a healthier, more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future. We are currently accepting applications for speaking at the Summit, art submissions to be included in the Summit art show, and nominations for Summit awards; more information about these opportunities are detailed below and on the Summit website.

Join Fortune 500 powerhouses, innovative entrepreneurs, government officials, sustainability directors, and academic, non-profit, and community leaders committed to solving some of the region’s toughest environmental problems while creating a positive economic impact.

2024 Theme: From Vision to Action

We find ourselves at a critical juncture for collective action as we work to address the global and local impacts of the climate crisis. We can and must bring the energy and spirit of collaboration to implement solutions that advance mitigation, adaptation, and climate justice.

Last year’s Summit theme focused on imagining visionary and inspiring possibilities that inform, empower, and motivate our actions to create a more vibrant, equitable, and thriving region. This year, building from a place of hope and renewed resilience, we will focus on aligning our collective efforts to move from vision to action.

The climate challenge and new opportunities invite us to chart the course for a great future together. With the right combination of planning, persistence, and partnerships, the future we envision is within our grasp. Climate action is occurring at all levels of government, business, academia, non-profits, advocacy groups, and within our neighborhoods. Across all systems and actions, there is a role for everyone to make an impact!

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit serves as a spark for connecting and learning together, deepening our resolve, and celebrating collaborative climate solutions as we each find our place in the movement to secure a resilient, equitable, and thriving future.

2024 Keynote: Jacqueline Patterson

Jacqueline Patterson is the Founder and Executive Director of the Chisholm Legacy Project: A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership. The mission of the Chisholm Legacy Project is rooted in a Just Transition Framework, serving as a vehicle to connect Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice with the resources to actualize visions.

Before launching the Chisholm Legacy Project, Patterson served as the Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program for over a decade. During her tenure, she founded and implemented a robust portfolio that included serving the state and local leadership whose constituencies consisted of hundreds of communities on the frontlines of environmental injustice. She also led a team in designing and implementing a portfolio to support political education and organizing work executed by NAACP branches, chapters, and state conferences.

Since 2007, Patterson has dedicated her career to intersectional approaches to systems change. Her passion for social justice led her to serve as coordinator and co-founder of Women of Color United, Senior Women’s Rights Policy Analyst for ActionAid, Assistant Vice-President of HIV/AIDS Programs for IMA World Health, Outreach Project Associate for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Research Coordinator for Johns Hopkins University, and U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica.

2024 Call for Participation – Be a Part of the Summit

Speak at the Summit

With 20 breakout sessions, the Summit features 80+ speakers from Greater Cincinnati and across the Midwest​. We invite proposals for 50-minute discussion panels, 50-minute interactive workshops, and 5-minute short talks that align with this year’s theme across any of the following climate-related issue areas:

• Healthy & Resilient Communities
• Business & Green, Circular Economies
• Government & Policy
• Healthy, High-Performing Infrastructure
• Active Transportation, Public Transit, & Micromobility
• Resilient Local Food Systems
• Climate Justice, Equity, & Inclusion
• Green Workforce Development
• Emergency Preparedness

We highly encourage you to:

1. Review our submission guidelines.
2. Draft a preliminary proposal.
3. Schedule a 15-minute meeting to discuss and further refine your idea.
4. Finalize your proposal, including confirmed speakers.
5. Submit your proposal by 12/15 for early consideration. All proposals must be submitted by 1/12.

Share your art at the Summit

We seek inspiring visual and performance art that aligns with the Summit theme as we continue to incorporate the creative arts into the Summit! From paintings and sculptures to interactive exhibits, our art show features dozens of local artists – and our program integrates spoken word and dance performances. Learn more about our call for artists!

Nominate a sustainability leader for an award

We welcome nominations recognizing individuals, organizations, businesses, and communities that have made outstanding strides in the areas of Impact, Innovation, and Leadership. Award winners will be honored at the Summit. Learn more about our awards!

Sponsor the Summit

Give your organization prominent brand recognition as a champion of sustainability by becoming a Summit sponsor! We offer a variety of options that enable you to reach a diverse and dynamic coalition of leaders committed to making our region more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. Make your commitment early to get the most out of it and be included in all our marketing and event communications. View our event sponsorship package!

Summit Planning Partners

Climate change is and will continue to be a challenge for the business world, from adapting to a changing marketplace to staying current on evolving technology and more. Being a Green Umbrella member helps businesses tap into resources, bridge the gap between them and sustainability-conscious clients, and navigate opportunities. Whether you’re a start-up or Fortune 500 company, Green Umbrella membership will help your enterprise reach a community passionate for sustainability.

Here are just a few testimonials from businesses that are benefiting from working with Green Umbrella:

Fifth Third Bank Engages with the Community

“Being a member of Green Umbrella offers Fifth Third the opportunity to collaborate on and support meaningful projects in our community that reduce emissions, build thriving green spaces, and help make our community a more pleasant place to live and work.” -Jeremy Faust, Vice President, Director of Operational Sustainability, Fifth Third Bank

Resources & Opportunities for Sustainergy

“Green Umbrella membership has given us ongoing networking and business development opportunities. We get great leads from people more likely to buy our services. We have [also] hired several amazing employees using the Green Umbrella jobs board.” -Flequer Vera, CEO, Sustainergy

Forging Connections with Rich Life Mushrooms 

“My work as a Council Member on the [Green Umbrella] Food Policy Council aligns well with my work in my farm business, serving shared goals to increase access to local, nutritious food and to support regional food systems infrastructure. Advocating alongside other members is empowering, and I’m excited to see the impact on local communities.” -Emalee Richman, Co-Owner, Rich Life Farm & Fungi

Sprouting Leads for Blue Ocean Solids

“Since Blue Ocean was founded to make a difference by providing a safer and more sustainable water treatment option, it only made sense that one of the very first things we did was to join Green Umbrella … Being able to network and exchange ideas with the sustainability movers and shakers in one of the greenest cities in the nation has been a game changer for us. Always looking forward to the next great event!” -Kathleen Collier, Director of Sales & Marketing, Blue Ocean

Bridging the Gap with Duke Energy

“Duke Energy has proudly supported Green Umbrella for several years, and we always look forward to the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, which only gets better every year. We understand the importance of connecting with and learning from others who share our focus on climate resiliency and protecting natural resources so we can make a positive impact together.” -John Juech, Director, Midwest Public Affairs Strategy, Duke Energy

Join the Movement

If your business is passionate about addressing climate change and creating resilient, equitable, and thriving communities across Greater Cincinnati, we welcome you to become a member.

Join us on Wednesday November 15, 2023 

Business Member Benefits Webinar

You’ll have an opportunity to ask your most pressing questions and to hear how other businesses are benefiting from being a member of Green Umbrella.

Green Umbrella is the lead investigator of a cohort of research institutions recently awarded a US Environmental Protection Agency grant to study how electrification and weatherization of homes affect energy consumption and indoor air quality for residents of affordable housing. 

The project will include the installation of energy-saving technologies, such as insulation, heat pumps and electric stoves, in approximately 50 affordable housing units in Over-the-Rhine. These technologies are expected to improve energy reliability, affordability, comfort and air quality for Over-the-Rhine Community Housing residents and help researchers and policymakers outline efficient ways to facilitate future energy transitions for high-energy burden communities. 

“The general goal of the project is to quantify the benefits of electrification and weatherization efforts in multifamily homes, both with respect to energy security and air quality,” David Konisky of Indiana University, a partnering research institution, said. “There is a big gap in energy efficiency work in rental units, especially affordable units. This project can help us understand the practical benefits of making energy efficiency improvements and identify potential challenges that need to be addressed.”

In addition to implementing technology improvements, the project is designed to be co-led by community members and involve residents in data collection and education opportunities. Residents will be compensated to engage in pre- and post-study analysis over the three-year grant period and will provide direct feedback to researchers and City staff. 

“The challenge of providing affordable housing has always been about more than providing affordable rents,” reflected Mary Burke Rivers, Executive Director of Over the Rhine Community Housing. “Access to truly affordable housing includes low energy costs and healthy and safe homes, and this project will provide us the opportunity to make meaningful energy upgrades, as well as understand the value of those improvements to our community members. We are grateful for this opportunity and for community members who will engage in and benefit from the process.”

This project was developed in partnership with Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability, Indiana University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. University partners will track and analyze data related to energy affordability and air quality benefits to influence future policy recommendations. 

“The high cost of energy overburdens one in four Cincinnati households making it even more difficult to make ends meet,” according to Oliver Kroner, Director of the City’s Office of Environment and Sustainability. “As we tackle this reality, the City is grateful to be able to scale this part of our efforts with this generous infusion of funding and partners. Special thanks to Duke Energy Ohio, the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation, and The Greater Cincinnati Foundation for seed funding this effort. This work will deliver real benefits to the people of Cincinnati and will shape strategy and policy development in coming years.”

The grant program funding the research project is a part of the EPA’s focus on ensuring just transitions in the energy economy and investing in communities that have been historically marginalized or suffered environmental injustices. 

“This project is a huge opportunity for Cincinnati and residents of Over-the-Rhine to lead energy efficiency transitions to support energy-burdened communities,” said Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Executive Director of Green Umbrella, “We’re excited to work with this talented team of researchers and policymakers to make a real difference for people living in these 75 units, and even more excited for what this means for the future of critical energy transformations in our city and region.” 

Nonprofits across the region are benefiting from working with Green Umbrella to secure funding, build capacity, and leverage collaboration with like-minded organizations to address climate change and create resilient, equitable, and thriving communities.

Here are some examples of how joining Green Umbrella makes nonprofit work both easier to do and more impactful for the region.

Funding Found for Working in Neighborhoods 

When we find grants that match the needs and interests of our members, we share them with organizations that can take advantage – which is what happened when Green Umbrella encountered a federal EPA grant that aligned with the work of Working in Neighborhoods (WIN) and Communities United For Action (CUFA). Green Umbrella shared the grant, encouraged them to apply, and composed a letter of recommendation for the application. They were awarded $120,000 to help improve management of the Mill Creek Watershed, reducing runoff and pollution in neighborhood sewers during storms and prioritizing underserved communities where most of the overflow occurred.

Innovation at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Nonprofits experience the same struggles that all building owners face when it comes to finding the most impactful, affordable ways to make improvements. When member Cincinnati Art Museum was ready to revamp their building’s water treatment plan, Green Umbrella’s 2030 District was there to help! In addition to connecting the Museum to a grant that allowed them to move forward with the process, the 2030 District introduced them to Blue Ocean Solids, an innovative, local startup that creates water treatment products that are better for the planet than industry standards. The Cincinnati Art Museum was able to upgrade their water treatment plan to increase efficiency, protect against scale and erosion, improve workplace safety, and save more water, energy, and money.

Sustaining Flourishing Relationships 

Many of our member organizations offer programming for local schools, but in the past, this programming was often contingent on one relationship with one educator. If that educator moved on, connections with schools and students evaporated. By working within Green Umbrella’s Green Schoolyards Action Network, members can plug into a web of connections across the district, school leaders, and curriculum development. Now, not only are opportunities more consistent from year to year, they grow in number and scope across the network.

Resources for Farm Bill Advocacy

The Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation composed of smaller bills that directly affect food policy across the country. Because of its size, some of the bills can get lost in the noise. Green Umbrella’s Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council (FPC) created tools that the Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association (OEFFA) used to further their advocacy efforts and create their own Marker Bill Tracker to highlight the bills they endorsed for inclusion in the Farm Bill.

And that’s just the beginning! 

25 years of Green Umbrella means a strong, established ecosystem of collaboration among Greater Cincinnati nonprofits. Join Green Umbrella and grow your organization’s impact alongside the most passionate, strategic, and determined leaders in the region.

Join us on Wednesday November 8, 2023 

Nonprofits Member Benefits Webinar

You’ll have an opportunity to ask your most pressing questions and to hear how  other nonprofits  are benefiting from being a member of Green Umbrella.

For more information, please contact Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Green Umbrella’s Executive Director, at ryan@greenumbrella.org