Toward Right Relationship: Advancing Energy Sovereignty Through Partnership

Leaders from the United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund and Grey Snow Sovereign Solutions recently gathered at SolarTech, a groundbreaking solar training and installation facility owned by the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. The visit marked a meaningful step in deepening relationships and shared commitments to environmental justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and sustainable futures.

The day began in a spirit of reverence and connection. An Iowa tribal member opened with prayer and offered testimony, presenting tobacco to Cornerstone President & CEO Maria Coyne —a gesture of respect, gratitude, and relational accountability rooted in Indigenous tradition. This moment grounded the gathering in a shared understanding: this work is not only technical or financial, but deeply spiritual and relational.

SolarTech stands as a powerful example of energy sovereignty in practice. Through Grey Snow’s partnership with tribal nations, the facility serves not only as a hub for solar development but also as a training center where tribal members gain the skills to design, build, and maintain their own energy systems. This model ensures that communities are not just recipients of clean energy but owners and leaders in its development.

During the visit, Pastor Casey, an ordained minister in the UCC, and Director of Community Outreach and Impact at Sunsource (Grey Snow’s sister company that helps churches become energy independent) reflected on the role of the church in this moment by inviting the UCC to a renewed commitment to justice and relationship. “What does the right relationship look like in healing our past and honoring a brighter future for us all?” he asked. His words invited participants to consider how faith communities can move beyond historic harm toward tangible acts of repair and solidarity.

The United Church of Christ has long wrestled with its historical entanglements in the colonization of Turtle Island. Today, initiatives like the Cornerstone Fund’s low-cost financing for tribal energy projects represent a shift to support Indigenous-led solutions and invest in a more just and sustainable future.

Both Grey Snow and the Cornerstone Fund expressed excitement about expanding their collaboration. Together, they are helping to create pathways for tribal nations to achieve true energy sovereignty—where power is not only generated locally, but governed, maintained, and sustained by the communities themselves.

This gathering at SolarTech was more than a site visit. It was a step toward the right relationship—one rooted in listening, learning, and walking forward together.