The Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program’s Spring 2025 Open Call round, awarded to Faith Communities Go Green, a Collaboration of Green Umbrella and EquaSion
The Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program’s Spring 2025 Open Call round received more than 4 times the number of requests than funding available. Faith Communities Go Green’s proposal, regarded highly by the review committee, has been awarded Full grant funding.
Project Title: Energy Audits for Building Climate Resilience in Houses of Worship
Brief Project Description: Provide free professional energy audits for 7 to 10 Cincinnati houses of worship serving priority neighborhoods to unlock funding for energy upgrades, reduce emissions, and strengthen their role as trusted hubs for community resilience.
Neighborhoods Engaged: Mt. Airy, Evanston, Avondale, Bond Hill, Paddock Hills, College Hill
Amount Awarded: $ 18,076.00
On June 5th at the 12 Annual Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, Green Umbrella recognized 2 organizations and 3 individuals or their impact, innovation, and leadership. An additional special honor, the Sustainability Achievement Award, given only once before, was awarded to Joanne Gerson for her lifetime work in environmental sustainability.
Joanne Gerson has dedicated her life to environmental stewardship, inspired by the Jewish principles of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—and a deep belief in interfaith collaboration for the common good. As Founder and Co-Chair of Faith Communities Go Green (FCGG), Joanne has galvanized over 100 faith communities across Greater Cincinnati to take meaningful climate action through energy efficiency, education, and civic engagement. Her leadership has been instrumental in launching FCGG’s four working groups—Education & Lifestyles, Facilities, Advocacy, and Member Engagement. Among these efforts, she co-leads an Energy Efficiency Initiative that helps houses of worship lower their utility bills and drive community resilience.
Joanne’s sustainability journey spans more than four decades. She helped pioneer environmental education at the Cincinnati Zoo with the founding of KinderZoo in 1979 and the Super Saturday enrichment program in 1981, both of which still thrive today. She has shaped municipal zoning to better protect local waterways and helped create educational resources on sustainable land use across Hamilton County. Within her own faith community, she founded the Rockdale Temple Environmental Committee and later Shomrei Olam, a regional Jewish environmental initiative that inspired broader interfaith efforts.
From furniture upcycling to policy advocacy, Joanne has modeled how passion, education, and persistence can shape more sustainable systems. Her tireless volunteer leadership, innovative spirit, and unwavering commitment to environmental justice make her a most deserving recipient of the Sustainability Achievement Award.