2017 ANNUAL REPORT “Our World Has Changed

The country’s most respected training program for environmental organizers 2017 ANNUAL REPORT “Our world has changed. We have a new opportunity to make new decisions about how to live well. For the environmental movement, the fierce urgency of now rests in what Martin Luther King Jr. might have called the ‘unfolding conundrum’ of challenge and possibility.”

YOU HELP MAKE IT POSSIBLE

Today’s environmental movement must face our own version of what Martin Luther King Jr. called “the fierce urgency of now.” We contend with a president who favors fossil fuels over renewable power, mining and drilling over preserving wilderness, and unbridled economic growth over sensible regulation. We confront a planet in declining health, with an increasingly unstable climate, diminishing biodiversity, depleted soil and aquifers, and on and on. Yet we’re also living, and organizing, at a time of unprecedented opportunity. Today’s environmental debates still pit nature against progress. Fossil fuels, with all their attendant pollution, have powered prosperity. Massive consumption, with its attendant waste, has boosted economic growth. But now we produce more stuff than we need, we consume more stuff than makes us happy, and we dispose of more stuff than is necessary or wise. Our world has changed. We have a new opportunity to make new decisions about how to live well. For the environmental movement, the fierce urgency of now rests in what Dr. King might have called the “unfolding conundrum” of challenge and possibility. Good organizers strive to both expose and help society resolve this tension, to build an onslaught of pressure for action and to channel that pressure toward positive change. For 26 years, Green Corps has trained new organizers to fulfill this mission, not just for a year, but as a career. You help make it possible and for that, we thank you.

Doug Phelps Chair, Green Corps Board MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I’ve seen a lot of campaigns come and go over the last 11 years at Green Corps, but every time we launch a new campaign, I’m reminded how hungry people are for good organizing. Even in today’s polarized political climate, the environment is a unique issue that has the potential to unite people from all different walks of life— and it is often well-trained grassroots organizers who do the challenging and critical work of bringing them together. In 2017, our organizers ran environmental campaigns throughout the Midwest, down on the Gulf Coast, and across the Mountain West. They reached people in places where folks might not agree with us on everything, but where we absolutely need to build a movement that crosses party lines to protect our land, air, water and climate. I firmly believe that organizing everyday people to wield their collective power for progress is not only the most effective way to change the world, but it is the best way to make change. Organizing invigorates our democracy, strengthens our communities, and rebuilds the social trust we need to better this world together. Thanks to your support, Green Corps organizers were able to engage in that profound work this year, and make a difference on critical campaigns that you’ll read about on these pages. Thank you for your investment in our organizers and the difference they make for our planet.

Onward,

Annie Sanders Executive Director

Green Corps Class of 2017 Staff YOUR SUPPORT HELPED ORGANIZERS PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS

Recent polls show that most people in this Additionally, Congress moved quickly to att- country—from rural landscapes to urban mpt to roll back the Antiquities Act, the law centers, in red states and blue states, across that gives the president the ability to designate ideological divides—support protecting our new monuments. public lands. With so much on the line, The Wilderness What’s more, indiscriminately drilling, logging Society hired a team of four organizers from or selling off our public lands is not only un- Green Corps Campaigns to launch efforts in popular, but the main messenger for those ap- Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia to show proaches—the fossil fuel lobby—sits among the key members of Congress the broad support most mistrusted special interests in the country. for these initiatives in their districts and states.

So, although the beginning of 2017 saw fresh as- GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT saults on some of our nation’s bedrock conserva- Fresh off the training program supported by tion laws, it also brought a groundswell of public members like you, these organizers were ready support for America’s parks, rivers and forests. to make a difference. PUBLIC LANDS UNDER THREAT Emma Searson set off for Charleston, W.Va., Despite the widespread support for our pub- at the beginning of January to build a cam- lic lands, discussions began in earnest at the paign aiming to convince West Virginia leg- beginning of 2017 to repeal newly created na- islators to support strong conservation laws tional monuments like Bears Ears in Utah, and and vote against attacks on our wild and open Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine. spaces. Chad Carpenter Chad Sam FulbrightSam YOUR SUPPORT HELPED ORGANIZERS Katie Chamberlain and Emma Gleeman tack- the campaign. Katie worked with the Tennes- PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS led Tennessee, hitting the streets in Nashville see chapter of the Sierra Club to get an op-ed and Chattanooga to make sure Tennessee law- published in the Times Free Press, and Emma makers got the message loud and clear, while Gleeman’s volunteers generated more than 100 Renee Wellman landed in Columbus, Ohio, to phone calls into Tennessee Sens. Bob Corker grab the attention of Sen. Rob Portman on the and Lamar Alexander’s offices. issue of protecting public lands. By the end of the campaign, our organizers A POWERFUL COALITION had trained and developed more than 40 com- mitted volunteers, forming core groups in each Just over three weeks into their campaigns, state ready to take ongoing action. Shortly be- Emma, Katie, Emma and Renee turned out fore they left their campaign cities, the orga- a total of 226 community members to four nizers held rallies for public lands that turned kickoff meetings in their respective cities. out more than 360 attendees in total and garnered 13 media hits. With the help of her volunteers, Renee re- cruited 42 signers for the Columbus coalition A FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON of organizations, local business owners, hunt- ers and outdoors enthusiasts, and her volun- After these organizers moved on to their next teers held “hiking with Rob” events where campaigns, The Wilderness Society hired its they went on hikes with a giant cut-out of own organizers to continue working with the Sen. Portman’s face. volunteers that Green Corps Campaigns re- cruited, meaning the critical work started by Emma Searson built a strong relationship with our organizers, and made possible by support- the local wilderness coalition in West Virgin- ers like you, will continue in the months and ia, and worked closely with them to pull off years to come. successful rallies and media events throughout

POWER FROM THE GRASSROOTS

(Left) Volunteers pose in Chattanooga, Tenn., at Green Corps Campaigns organizer Katie Chamberlain’s Rally for Public Lands in March 2017. (Middle) Green Corps organizer Emma Searson speaks to a

Graeme Churchyard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0) Graeme Churchyard via Flickr crowd of more than 80 people on the steps of West Virginia’s state Capitol at the Charleston Rally for Public Lands. (Right) Canyons of the Ancients National Monument was among the public lands at risk of losing their protected status. Ultimately, it escaped repeal. Chad Carpenter Chad YOU HELPED OUR ORGANIZERS STAND UP FOR THE EPA

By nominating climate skeptic Scott Pruitt In Scranton, Pa., Stephanie Miles turned out to run the Environmental Protection Agen- 109 people to her Environmental Advocacy Fo- cy (EPA) and making moves to cut the EPA’s rum. Over in Illinois, Amanda Tracy collected funding, the new administration raced out of the more than 700 petitions in one day at the local gates in 2017 with a vision that would greatly Women’s March. impede environmental protection nationwide. After Administrator Pruitt’s confirmation, orga- Organizers from Green Corps Campaigns nizers shifted toward building support in Con- partnered with Food & Water Watch to congress to defend the EPA from further attacks. vince key senators in three states to push back Our organizers drew huge crowds to pro-EPA on that vision and safeguard the EPA’s abil- rallies, turning out 622 people versus a goal of ity to protect our environment. They hit the 300. ground running, holding six rallies that turned out nearly 300 people in the first three weeks of They ended the campaign by hosting trainings the campaign, and generating 534 phone calls to for dozens of local organizations, providing di- senators’ offices. rection and strategy to the many groups that had emerged since President Trump was elected. Just a few weeks after arriving in Doylestown, Pa., Green Corps Campaigns organizer Ethan Food & Water Watch and other groups will Wampler drew 104 people to a rally to block keep the pressure up to protect the EPA, and Scott Pruitt’s nomination and then turned out the coalition is now much stronger thanks to the nearly 200 people to a rally over the Delaware work of Green Corps Campaigns—work that River to defend the EPA. wouldn’t have been possible without you.. Scott Seraydarian Scott Seraydarian OUR ORGANIZERS LED THE WAY TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM

The meat industry is a driving cause of many of concern, especially from people in places near our most urgent environmental challenges, from their headquarters and facilities, organizers from clearing tropical forests. In fact, pollution from Green Corps worked tirelessly in the fall of 2017 the crops grown to feed livestock is the main to convince Tyson Foods to call for more sus- cause of water contamination in the United tainable practices throughout their supply chain. States, and is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Organizers collected more than 8,000 petitions to Tyson, built a coalition of 270 local groups Across the U.S., big agribusinesses are pollut- and businesses, and developed dozens of volun- ing our waterways, our drinking water, and our teer leaders who are continuing the effort after oceans with unchecked runoff pollution from Green Corps organizers left for their next cam- their farms. This summer, the dead zone in the paigns. What’s more, press events throughout Gulf measured as the largest in U.S. history, and the fall garnered more than 87 media hits and fertilizer pollution has contaminated drinking responses directly from Tyson. water and waterways throughout the heartland. While much more work is needed to transform The good news is that Green Corps is work- our food system and rebuild a clean and healthy ing to stop this pollution by convincing Ty- environment, the passion and determination son Foods, America’s largest meat company, to of our organizers inspires hope. Your support push for commonsense solutions in their supply of Green Corps enables our organizers to keep chain—from cover crops, to minimal fertilizer, pushing, slowly but surely, toward a more sus- to ecosystem conservation. Knowing that Tyson tainable planet. would only act if they saw widespread public

CRAFTING WINNING CAMPAIGNS

(Left) Green Corps Campaigns organizers and volunteers turned out hundreds of people to rallies across the country in January 2017 to show broad public support for a strong EPA. (Middle) Green Corps Campaigns organizer Ethan Wampler speaks at a rally in support of the EPA. (Right) Green Corps organizer Michael Greenberg leads a rally outside of a Tyson Foods facility in Omaha, Neb., bringing attention to the issue of water pollution throughout our agricultural system. Scott Seraydarian Joe Hack GREEN CORPS ALUMNI: SKILLS IN ACTION

“During my Green ADAM COLETTE, CLASS OF 2010 Corps year, I not only DOGWOOD ALLIANCE learned how to be a Last year, Green Corps 2010 alumnus Adam strategic organizer, Colette became the new program director of but I also learned the Dogwood Alliance, one of the leading groups basics of running an protecting southern forests. effective environmental Before being promoted to his current role, Adam organization—everything helped spearhead Dogwood’s “Our Forests Aren’t from fundraising to staff Fuel” campaign. He elevated the issue of the de- management to managing struction of southern forests for biomass energy to a budget—things I do on the international stage, and in 2015 hired a team of Green Corps organizers to assist with building a daily basis in my role public support for this effort. with VCN. I’m thankful every day that I applied “Every day, I’m using organizing tactics, such as to Green Corps.” strategic campaign planning, coalition building and working with the media, that I was first exposed to Mary Rafferty eight years ago as a Green Corps organizer,” said Virginia Conservation Network Adam. “My Green Corps year was a critical step that set me on the path to becoming the program director for Dogwood Alliance.” LeRoy N. Sanchez Dogwood Alliance GREEN CORPS ALUMNI: SKILLS IN ACTION MARY RAFFERTY, CLASS OF 2008 PETE MAYSMITH, CLASS OF 1993 VIRGINIA CONSERVATION NETWORK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS A recent college graduate with no prior experience Pete Maysmith is a graduate of the first Green in organizing, Mary Rafferty joined the Green Corps class of 1993. He has a passion for the Corps class of 2008 to gain experience and make a American West and a deep belief in the power difference, with hopes of one day becoming a lead- of organizing. er in the environmental movement. With nearly three decades of experience in advo- Nearly 10 years later, she realized her dream of cacy and politics, Pete recently joined the League becoming the executive director of a statewide of Conservation Voters as their senior vice conservation organization when she took the president of campaigns, where he will oversee helm of the Virginia Conservation Network. LCV’s federal and state independent electoral pro- grams, as well as grassroots organizing and other VCN is a network of more than 100 conserva- activities on several issue advocacy campaigns. tion organizations across the Commonwealth, in- cluding groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Pete grew up in Colorado and previously served Foundation, the Piedmont Environmental as the executive director of Conservation Colorado Council and Environment Virginia. The orga- for the last eight years. At Conservation Colora- nization and its staff focus on strengthening the do, he oversaw a sevenfold increase in the organi- conservation community as a whole and advancing zation’s budget and growth to more than 36,000 environmental policies that benefit all Virginians. members, while successfully pushing for stronger clean energy policies, protections for public lands and the state’s first-ever water management plan.

SHAPING THE MOVEMENT

(Left) Adam Colette (right) and colleagues delivered more than 100,000 SOS (Save Our Southern forests) messages to the President of the European Commission as part of the Our Forests Aren’t Fuel campaign. (Center) Mary Rafferty speaks with civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis. (Right) Pete Maysmith speaks to a crowd as the executive director of Conservation Colorado. Conservation Colorado Conservation LeRoy N. Sanchez OUR SPONSORS’ SUPPORT We extend a grateful thanks to the following donors who supported Green Corps, Inc. and/or Green Corps Campaigns, Inc., in 2017. Names in italics are monthly supporters. Development Committee | $3,000 or more: Ed Brody and Dena Feldstein | Glenn and Amanda Hurowitz | Nicholas Josefowitz and Tali Rapaport | Jeffrey Mayersohn | Douglas H. Phelps | Marjorie Roswell | Frederick St. Goar | Kate and Phil Villers | Amy Wolf

FOUNDATION AND PARTNER SUPPORT

GREEN CORPS ADVISORY BOARD Peter Colavito – Service Employees International Union David Orr – Oberlin College Bernadette Del Chiaro* – California Solar and Storage Douglas H. Phelps* – The Public Interest Network Association Mary Rafferty* – Virginia Conservation Network Lois Gibbs – Center for Health, Environment & Justice Justin Ruben – MoveOn.org Randall Hayes – Foundation Earth Leslie Samuelrich* – Green Century Capital Management Denis Hayes – The Bullitt Foundation Heather Smith – Rock the Vote Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. – Riverkeeper Wendy Wendlandt* – The Public Interest Network Alden Meyer – Union of Concerned Scientists * Member, Board of Directors

FOUNDATION AND PARTNER SUPPORT FY16 FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXPENSES Green Corps continued to squeeze the maximum impact out of every contribution we received, with 74 percent of our budget Program 74% directly supporting Green Corps’ work to train environmental Fundraising 10% organizers. These charts reflect the final audited financial information for Green Corps, Inc., for fiscal year 2016, the Management 16% most recent data available as of this publication. PROGRAM: Program work conducted during the year includes INCOME Introductory Classroom Training, four additional weeklong classroom trainings, and issue campaigns conducted to curb the acceleration of global warming, promote clean air and Grants 47% clean energy, protect public lands, and promote sustainable agriculture. Other 53% Photo credits: All photos courtesy of our staff and alumni, except where noted. Design: www.madebynf.com. Printed on recycled paper. Contributors: Alex Ferraro | Public Interest GRFX Editor: Annie Sanders NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE The Field School For Environmental Organizing PAID 1543 Wazee St., Ste. 300 BROCKTON, MA Denver, CO 80202 PERMIT NO. 430 www.greencorps.org

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Green Corps Class of 2018 Staff