The Midwest Climate Collaborative envisions a carbon neutral, climate resilient, interconnected Midwest region.

Our Mission

To facilitate the development of a coherent Midwestern response to the climate crisis through acceleration of climate action, knowledge generation, and leader development led by a cross-sector collaboration of key organizations throughout the Midwest.

The MCC Team

Charis Egland

Charis Egland

Climate Resource Specialist

Nicole Angeli

Nicole Angeli

Administrative Assistant

Ella Hyman

Ella Hyman

Midwest Climate Collaborative Student Intern

Dillon Colbert

Dillon Colbert

Building Decarbonization Intern

Steering Committee

Gabriel Filippelli, Chancellor’s Professor Director of the Center for Urban Health
Executive Director, Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University – Indianapolis

Grant Goodrich, Director of the Great Lakes Energy Institute
Case Western Reserve University

Amber Greaney, Livable Cities Solution Manager
KERAMIDA, Inc.

Missy Nergard, Director of Sustainability
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Elysia Russell, Director of Sustainability
City of St. Louis, MO

Madeline Schmitt, Sustainability Program Specialist
City of Des Moines, IA

Tyler Strom, Managing Director
Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Phil Valko, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Sustainability
Washington University in St. Louis

High Level Goals

Accelerate Climate Solutions

Shape Public Understanding and Policy

Leverage the Power of Science & Research

Develop Climate Leaders

Develop an Effective Collaborative

The vision, mission, and goals for the collaborative were shaped by meaningful interaction of over 20 major Midwest institutions and organizations through extensive engagement beginning in March 2020 and progressing through the Fall 2020 Midwest Climate Summit Think Tank Series. Following the Think Tank Series, the partners held a series of reflection and strategy meetings to craft objectives and strategies for the Midwest Climate Collaborative, which launched on January 28, 2022.

Activities

Current Primary Projects

Annual Overarching Structure

  • Midwest-wide Climate Research Agenda
  • Midwest Climate Resource Network
  • Climate Ambassadors Program
  • Educator Community of Practice
  • Tracking Climate Commitments
  • Federal Funding Fridays
  • Annual In-Person Network Meeting Alongside Annual Midwest Climate Summit with Rotating Location
  • Topical and Regional Interest Working Groups/Pop-up Events
  • Quarterly Virtual Relationship Building Meetings
  • Regularly Scheduled Steering Committee Meetings

MCC Launch Founding Members – January 26, 2023

MCC Members

Academy of Science – St. Louis
American Lung Association
City of Bloomington, IN
City of Brentwood, MO
Build Missouri Health
Building Energy Exchange Kansas City
Capital Area Regional Planning Commission
Carleton College
Center for Rural Affairs
City of Carbondale, IL
Case Western Reserve University
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
City of Clayton, MO
Clean Air Task Force
Climate Central
Climate Action KC
City of Columbus, Ohio
Cook County, Illinois
Delta Institute
City of Des Moines, Iowa
Dane County, WI
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Earth Charter, Indiana
Ecology Action Center
Employment Connection
EnergyCare
City of Evanston, Illinois
City of Evansville, Indiana
Foundation for Regeneration
Green Umbrella
IFF
Illinois Agri-Food Alliance
Indiana University
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
City of Indianapolis, IN
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Kanas City Zoo & Aquarium
City of Kansas City, Missouri
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
KERAMIDA ENVIRONMENTAL, Inc.
Lincoln University
Loyola University of Chicago
Michigan State University
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Mississippi River Network
Missouri Botanical Garden
Missouri Gateway Green Building Council
Missouri Historical Society
Missouri University of Science and Technology
MOST Policy Initiative
The Morton Arboretum
M-RETS
City of Naperville, IL
National Audubon Society
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center
The Nature Conservancy in Illinois
The Nature Conservancy, Nebraska Program
Network for Public Health Law
Northland College
Northwestern University
Oberlin College and Conservatory
Principia College
Renew Missouri
City of St. Louis, Missouri
Saint Louis Science Center
Saint Louis Zoo
Sierra Club, Hoosier Chapter
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
The Ohio State University
The Resilient Activist
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability
Urban Land Institute – St. Louis
Village of Northbrook, IL
Washington University in St. Louis