Michigan Environmental Council
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
MEC ensure representation of environmental perspectives in the development of public policy in Michigan's state capital and works to strengthen the overall environmental movement in the state.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Drinking Water
MEC works to ensure Michiganders all have affordable, equitable access to clean drinking water.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Grants received by the organization
Number of fiscal sponsor applicants sponsored
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of organization members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
At the Michigan Environmental Council, we translate our passion for Michigan into sound public policies. We aim to set the national standard for policy advocacy with the resources, experience and savvy to drive a statewide environmental agenda. Building from our recognized state environmental policy expertise, MEC will transform our capabilities in policy innovation, strategic communications and deep engagement into world-class assets for achieving policy change. With MEC setting the terms of debate and leading the way, Michigan will thrive by protecting and restoring our water, air and land. Our State will be known nationwide as a singular place where:
Breathtaking Great Lakes shorelines, lakes and rivers, trails and landscapes offer residents and visitors unrivaled opportunities for recreation and renewal;
Hometowns promote the health and well-being of all families, while providing ample, equitable access to nature, jobs, housing and cultural enrichment;
Clean energy powers a prosperous economy built on a resource conservation ethic; and
We rise to extraordinary challenges like climate change through innovative thinking and visionary leadership.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To reframe the basic way state leaders view environmental issues and build the capacities to set the terms of environmental policy debates, MEC will make major investments in three key areas:
Policy innovation. We will research and propose creative policy solutions to key environmental opportunities and challenges—solutions that appeal to residents and leaders of varied political perspectives and connect to their core principles.
Strategic communications. Employing cutting-edge techniques for understanding public and decision-maker attitudes, MEC will communicate our positions in sophisticated, nuanced ways, helping residents of all backgrounds and political persuasions recognize their values and aspirations in our policy goals and vision for Michigan’s future.
Deep engagement. By cultivating the support and leadership of our members groups, community leaders and residents—and building stronger ties to key constituencies through initiatives like the business roundtable we’re forming—MEC will ensure policymakers hear strong support for our goals everywhere they go and from voices they trust.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
MEC maintains an extensive, talented staff with expertise in the three critical strengths for designing and implementing good environmental policy.
Our Policy Team includes researchers and advocates with deep knowledge of environmental issues and rich experience designing and advocating for public policy in Lansing and across the state. Three Engagement Team staffers work to coordinate our 70 member organizations and ensure that we are bringing field expertise to bear on policy challenges and pulling the full array of environmental advocates into the policy design process. Our Communications Team researches public opinion and crafts compelling messages that help Michiganders tap into their inherent ethic of environmental stewardship.
In addition, we have a top notch administrative team raising money from individuals, foundations and governments and making sure we are one of the best managed nonprofits in the state.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
For forty years we have led policy change in the state capital, shaping gubernatorial agendas, helping lawmakers envision and design legislation, and leading issue campaign. Along the way we have grown from six to more than seventy nonprofit organizational members, helping create a consistent statewide voice for environmental protection.
Our 2019-20 Giving Report (www.environmentalcouncil.org/about) give highlights of our recent accomplishments.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Michigan Environmental Council
Board of directorsas of 11/15/2022
Ms. Jennifer McKay
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Term: 2021 - 2023
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/15/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.