ECOsystems Conference
The 2026 ECOsystems Conference will convene leaders from across Michigan’s diverse environmental movement at a pivotal moment—just following the state’s critical elections. As we prepare to welcome a new administration and legislature, ECOsystems ‘26 will serve as a crucial starting point for our short and long-term policy strategy, aligning Michigan’s environmental movement around the wins we want to immediately secure as a foundation for bigger outcomes in the next four years.
Join us in Downtown Lansing!
Date: Monday, November 9, 2026
Location: Heritage Hall | DoubleTree Hotel (Lansing, MI)
Who’s invited: The ECOsystems Conference is designed for professionals, board members and volunteers working in Michigan’s environmental nonprofit movement. Our programming connects professionals from across many specialties, from advocacy to communications, community engagement, fundraising, operations and more. We encourage you to send team members who are seeking best practices, unbeatable connections and fresh ideas.
Agenda
8:30am | Registration (Heritage Hall)
9:30am | Opening Plenary (Heritage Hall)
11am | Programming Block #1 (Heritage Hall + DoubleTree Hotel)
12:30pm | Lunch (Served at both Heritage Hall + DoubleTree Hotel)
1:30pm | Programming Block #2 (Heritage Hall + DoubleTree Hotel)
3pm | Break + Transition to Heritage Hall
3:30pm | Closing Plenary
4:30pm | Conference End
Conference Pass Rates
Early Bird Pass (Registration before October 1, 2026) | $112.50
Environmental Council Member Pass | $150
Group Pass (2 or more tickets) | $112.50 per pass
Non-Member Pass | $200
Program Details
ECOsystems ’26 will take place at two prime locations in Downtown Lansing. Heritage Hall is a recently renovated section of the Michigan State Capitol, and the DoubleTree Hotel is just a short walk away. After kicking off the day as a full group at Heritage Hall, programming will split between two tracks that deliver unique, quality sessions for leaders across our movement, and take place at one of our two locations.
Roadmap War Room (Heritage Hall)
A policy-oriented, small workshop style program that focuses on our short-term and long-range policy priorities as a movement. Expect the room to be filled with policy wonks and those interested in our shared environmental policy agenda. (Note – participation in the War Room track is limited to 1-2 reps from your organization to ensure equitable representation by all members.)
Sessions include:
- The 100 Day Gameplan – From Priorities to Progress – A strategy session for the movement’s policy players and partners to dig into our most immediate priorities—and identify where, when and how we can work together to make progress in the first 100 days.
- The Long Game – Charting Four-Year Progress for Michigan – A small-group deep dive into the movement’s long-range policy roadmap—exploring our biggest opportunities across key areas of advocacy and the work it will take to move Michigan forward over the next four years.
Momentum Machine (DoubleTree Hotel)
A program designed for those keeping the lights on, money flowing, and emails sending. Programming will focus on operations, communications, fundraising and community engagement.
Sessions include:
- Stacking the Bench – Mobilizing Coalitions that Win – Big wins take a connected movement. Explore strategies and tools—including the ECO Census—that can help us strengthen coalitions, find the right partners and mobilize our collective power when it matters most.
- Influence IRL – Grassroots Power in the Digital Age – What can Michigan’s digital influencers teach us about moving people from scrolling to caring—and acting? Hear from creators with firsthand experience in political and social campaigns about what resonates online, how audiences are responding to environmental issues and what advocacy organizations can learn from the new age of influence.
- From Ask to Action – Navigating the Halls of Power – Turn a policy priority into an advocacy plan that gets attention. Learn how to identify the right targets, build an effective ask and use in-district and Lansing-based tactics—with insider tips for actually reaching the decision-makers you need to move.
- Fund the Fight -Turning Support into Staying Power – How do you keep dollars coming through the door between grants? Dig into the building blocks of individual giving—from cultivating supporters to crafting messages that inspire them to give—and leave with a year-round fundraising calendar you can put to work at your own organization.
Register for ECOsystems ’26!
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