MHC Corps – Upper Peninsula Clean Energy Organizer

Organizer

Host Site: Michigan Environmental Council

Position Type: On-site

Site Supervisor: Conan Smith

Slot Type: Full term (11 months)

Hours: Full-time placement (40 hours/week)

Dates of Service: November 13th, 2024 – October 17th, 2025

Stipend: $35,200

Location: Marquette, MI

MI Healthy Climate Corps

Join the MI Healthy Climate Corps (MHC Corps) and make a lasting impact on Michigan’s carbon-neutral future! The MHC Corps accelerates Michigan’s climate action through capacity building and leadership development. Members serve across the state to advance the MI Healthy Climate Plan’s (MHCP) goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The plan, unveiled by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in April 2022, aims to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis; create good-paying jobs; position Michigan as a climate action leader; and build a healthier and more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable Michigan for all Michiganders..

About The Host Partner

The Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) is a 44-year-old coalition of environmental and conservation organizations in Michigan with more than 100 members stretching from Detroit to Menominee. We maintain offices in Lansing, Detroit and Marquette.

Our mission is to champion lasting protections for Michigan’s air, our water, and the places we love.

In our vision, Michigan is a national environmental policy leader where a powerful network of advocates has built a track record of enacting enduring and equitable policies that protect the health of our communities and offer unparalleled stewardship of our land, air, and water in the face of climate change.

In 2019 Governor Whitmer launched the Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force to formulate alternative strategies to energy generation and use that would help reduce the reliance on expensive and climate-impacting propane fuel. Their recommendations, issued in 2021, included priority focus on energy waste reduction, renewable energy development and access to electric vehicles. Subsequent to the task force the Environmental Council has grown and stewarded the UP Clean Energy Coalition, a group of 14 organizations including regional planning agencies, the intertribal council, several universities and key environmental organizations. Together we are taking responsibility for the Task Force recommendations and seeking funding to address them.

MHC Corps Member Role And Responsibilities

• Help to organize and run quarterly meetings of the UP Clean Energy Coalition.
• Research federal funding opportunities to bring dollars for renewable energy and weatherization projects to the Upper Peninsula.
• Help bring organizations together to partner on federal grant applications.
• Assist in growing the membership of the UP Clean Energy Coalition by identifying potential new members and conducting outreach.
• Support UP organizations in preparing to apply for Implementation grants through the State of Michigan’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant.
• Attend quarterly meetings of the Marquette Climate Adaptation Task Force with Abby and report out on our work.
• Organize community education events around the Upper Peninsula to spread awareness around the viability of renewable energy, benefits of building weatherization and other topics.
• Empower the community to access federal and state climate resources by planning meetings, educational programs, and/or other activities to consistently share information.
• Participate in MHC Corps member development shared learning and collaboration activities including four MHC Corps in-person convenings, MHC Corps monthly virtual trainings (refer to calendar attachment), and Michigan’s AmeriCorps activities.
• Members will host a community input session with their host site to collect community feedback and advance the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan.

Evaluation And Reporting

• Members will complete a Mid-year Performance Evaluation during the term.
• Other reporting requirements (bi-weekly timesheets, monthly data reports, quarterly narrative reports).

Preferred Qualifications

The appropriate candidate will have a strong interest and/or background in environmental issues, coalition building and/or community organizing, and communications or a combination of such interests. The appropriate candidate must possess strong verbal and written communication skills, excellent attention to detail, the ability to work within a team or as an individual and be familiar with the Microsoft Office suite and Google Applications. Members are required to work the standard office hours of their host communities.

No specific background or education is required to join the MHC Corps!

But a minimum of 2 years of experience in these types of situations is essential for success:

• Experience facilitating a meeting with people who have more experience than them
• Complete their work independently and without constant supervision
• Experience overcoming obstacles in work situations in the past
• Experience managing multiple professional relationships
• Comfortable working outside of the typical 9 am – 5 pm to attend community events
• Ability to use or teach oneself new software in a fast-paced role with little oversight

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to travel to four in-person MHC Corps convenings around the state. Carpools will be available and encouraged.
• Be at least 18 years of age. Applicants must have a high school diploma, GED, or be working toward the completion of one.
• U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
• Pass the following National Service Criminal History Checks: State of Michigan background check, State of residency (if not Michigan), FBI Fingerprinting, and National Sex Offender Registry

Compensation

Members will receive a living allowance of $35,200 distributed in even increments, bi-weekly. Members will receive student loan forbearance for qualified loans, health care benefits, child care assistance upon eligibility, and continual professional development. Upon successful completion of service, an education award in the amount of $7,395 will be issued. Members will serve approximately 40 hours per week (a total of 1,700 hours during the service term).

The MI Healthy Climate Corps Program is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made for interviews and service as needed.