Withholding promised funds wastes money already spent on projects left unfinished and hurts working people across the Midwest and beyond.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 13, 2025
CONTACT:
Chicago, IL – Faith in Place, a faith-based environmental nonprofit serving Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, joined a lawsuit today filed by Earthjustice against the Trump administration for unlawfully freezing Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grant funds. These delays have prevented Faith in Place from supporting over 50 community-led environmental projects across the Midwest, jeopardizing essential climate resilience efforts, local job opportunities and commitments made to underserved communities.
Faith in Place was awarded a $1.9M USDA Forest Service Urban Community Forestry grant in 2024 designed to increase tree equity, mitigate extreme heat and create new jobs in disadvantaged communities throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. However, the federal government’s failure to release these funds has left projects unfinished and promises unfulfilled.
“This is the first time in my 11 years leading a nonprofit that I’ve had to call partners and tell them we can’t follow through on our commitments,” said Rev. Brian Sauder, President and CEO of Faith in Place. “Our communities did everything right—they planned, prepared and counted on this funding to make real change. Now, they are left with nothing but uncertainty.”
The funding freeze is stalling vital environmental justice work across the region, including projects like:
Solomon Community Temple in Milwaukee, WI, which planned to plant trees to combat extreme heat, improve air and water quality and provide food security in a neighborhood already burdened by pollution and health disparities. Without funding, these critical solutions are out of reach.
Stone Temple Baptist Church in Chicago, IL, which was approved for and promised nearly $30,000 to expand tree canopy in their community. This initiative was part of a broader effort to combat extreme urban heat and improve greenspace in a historically disinvested neighborhood. With the grant funds frozen, the project is indefinitely delayed.
Purdue Polytechnic High Schools in Indianapolis, IN, which aimed to plant trees while providing workforce training for students through a summer food fellowship. With funding frozen, both job opportunities and much-needed green space improvements are on hold—delaying proven benefits like increased safety and better mental health for the community.
Communities across the Midwest are depending on these grants to build climate resilience, create green jobs and improve public health. The Trump administration’s decision to withhold these funds is disproportionately harming low-income and Black and Brown communities that already face the brunt of environmental injustices.
Faith in Place carefully planned the grant’s implementation, hiring staff and building the necessary infrastructure with the expectation that the federal government would uphold its commitments. The administration’s unlawful withholding of funds not only violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act but also threatens the ability of nonprofits to effectively serve their communities on the ground.
“This lawsuit is about accountability,” said Sauder. “Without these funds, our ability to serve our communities—and even maintain our staff—is in jeopardy. We cannot allow the federal government to turn its back on the very communities these programs were designed to support.”
Faith in Place stands alongside other nonprofits and small farmers nationwide who are suffering from these delays. The organization urges the administration to immediately release these funds and ensure that frontline communities receive the support they were promised.
“We will not back down,” said Sauder. “For us, this is a fight for environmental justice, and we will continue to advocate for the communities that need these resources the most.”
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About Faith in Place:
Faith in Place is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and the proud Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin affiliate of Interfaith Power & Light. Faith in Place empowers people of diverse faiths and spiritualities to be leaders in advancing environmental and racial justice—providing resources to educate, connect and advocate for healthier communities.