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Iowa faith-based climate nonprofit rebrands, looks to the future
The Iowa Faith & Climate Network — formerly known as Iowa Interfaith Power & Light — changed its name in February and is launching their ‘climate informed ministry cohorts’ program
Mar. 9, 2025 5:30 am
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When Irene DeMaris took over as acting executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light in November 2021, she wanted the organization to keep looking forward.
Iowa Interfaith Power & Light has worked to fight climate change through faith-based communities since 2006. When DeMaris became the organization’s permanent executive director in March 2022, she decided in partnership with her team that it was time for a rebrand.
Last month, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light became the Iowa Faith & Climate Network. In addition to the name change, leaders also revised the organization’s mission to expand its impact in the state.
DeMaris discussed the organization’s new strategic plan, the future of the Network and why it is important to connect faith-based communities with climate action with The Gazette.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: Can you walk through the goals of the Iowa Faith & Climate Network?
A: We are the only Iowa-based, faith-based nonprofit that works on climate change. We were founded as part of the National Interfaith Power and Light Movement, hence the old name, and that was really getting at the state level advocating for climate advocacy like clean energy, clean water, clean air, with the faith perspective. We had been working with college students through an internship program over the summer and traveling across the state of Iowa to host faith, farms and climate conversations with groups of farmers, ranchers, landowners, and small groups of rural clergies. Through traveling throughout the state, giving presentations and preaching, we try to help people feel comfortable talking about climate change through their faith perspective.
Q: What is in your organization’s new strategic plan? How will it further the goals of the Network?
A: We have a three- to five-year plan that we worked on with our board. But our work is really, truly, centered on our vision of a world where people, diverse in faith and spirituality, work together toward a healthy, just and sustainable future for all. And that really pointed us into our new mission, which is, to be more specific, working toward nurturing environmental leadership by equipping individuals and communities with resources to take climate action. One way we are doing that is with our Climate-Informed Ministry cohorts. It's a 10-month long learning experience for Iowa clergy.
Q: How will the climate action cohorts work?
A: We really decided it was time to equip our clergy. In 2022, Pew Research Center estimated that like 70 percent of adult Iowans are people of faith, so by the census data that’s about 2.4 million Iowans. One of the biggest projects we are working on is creating new resources and working with rural clergy. To help equip them, we will have a virtual gathering and bring in specialists to come in and talk to the cohort, like staff from FEMA, a meteorologist and different people that are in leadership and environmental sustainability, to build relationships and for them to ask questions so they can bring that back to their communities through sermons, preaching, et cetera.
Q: Why is it important to bring clergy into the conversation about climate change? Why is it important for faith-based communities to be in these conversations as well?
A: I feel very passionate about people advocating for justice from a place of deep authenticity. I truly believe that people's faith is part of the most authentic part of who they are. Talking about the climate crisis is scary, but we start by putting one foot in front of the other and finding our common ground. Faith is an immensely underutilized source of common ground, and I think the power that I have in it is that it can get people in the room that you least expect it. I truly believe that faith is a superpower that we can use to do good in the world.
Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
Comments: olivia.cohen@thegazette.com
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