POWER Interfaith is a left-of-center coalition of churches in the greater Philadelphia region. The group is nearly entirely funded by government grants, ¹ and it engages in a variety of economic and environmental activist projects. It is affiliated with the Faith in Action Network and PowerSwitch Action. ²

Background

POWER Interfaith was founded in 2011 at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in Philadelphia. Over 2,000 people from participating congregations, as well as labor union leaders and local politicians attended the conference. The group was founded and pledged to work with local government and businesses to connect Philadelphians to 10,000 jobs over the next few years. Participating congregations contributed $40,000, and an additional $150,000 was raised from grantmaking organizations. ²

As of 2025, the organization has a budget of nearly $3 million, mostly from government grants. ¹

Finances

In 2023, POWER Interfaith reported $2,977,203 in revenue, of which the entire amount stemmed from grants and contributions. It had $2,910,734 in expenses, having spent $1,875,775 on salaries and compensation, $103,300 on advertising and promotion, $108,238 in travel expenses, and $432,695 on professional fees. It ended the year with $66,469 in net revenue and $1,076,532 in net assets. The group received $2,870,161 in government grants, making up 96 percent of its total revenue. ¹

Projects and Initiatives

Education

POWER Interfaith claims that Pennsylvania government schools are effectively racially separate and unequal, especially in funding, going so far as to claim that Brown vs. Board of Education, which prohibits racial segregation in government institutions, is not being fully enforced. The group advocates for more funding that is equally distributed across the schools of the state. ³

Climate Justice

POWER Interfaith claims that climate justice is an integral part of its racial and economic justice mission. It opposes the use of conventional fuels, while also advocating for cheaper electricity. On the state level, it supports Philadelphia Gas Works transitioning entirely away from conventional fuels. It advocates for Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which would tax companies and cap the amount of carbon allowed to be emitted in the state. ⁴

Economic Policy

POWER Interfaith supports increasing the minimum wage and advocates for increased unionization, especially in the service industry. ⁵

Housing Policy

POWER Interfaith opposes gentrification and seeks to increase the availability of affordable housing. It also works to prevent evictions. ^{6 5}

Leadership

Gregory Edwards is the executive director of POWER Interfaith. He previously worked as the organization’s interim executive director and as its chief of staff. ⁷

1. POWER Interfaith. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990). 2023 Part I, IX.
2. “About Us.” POWER Interfaith. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://powerinterfaith.org/about/.
3.  “Education.” POWER Interfaith. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://powerinterfaith.org/campaigns/education/.
4. “Climate Justice.” POWER Interfaith. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://powerinterfaith.org/campaigns/climate-justice/.
5. “Economic Dignity.” POWER Interfaith. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://powerinterfaith.org/campaigns/economic-dignity/.
6. “Affordable Housing.” POWER Interfaith. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://powerinterfaith.org/campaigns/affordable-housing/.
7. “Dr. Gregory James Edwards.” LinkedIn.com. Accessed June 2, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gregory-james-edwards-1aa557108/.