Sustaining Way is an environmental advocacy group based in Greenville, South Carolina, focused on developing “sustainable, caring, and equitable communities” through education and community collaboration. ¹ The group receives approximately 98 percent of its funding from government grants. ²

Background

Sustaining Way is an advocacy group based in Greenville, South Carolina, focused on developing “sustainable, caring, and equitable communities” through education and collaboration. ¹ The group has stated it wants to expand its models to influence other “historically marginalized communities.” ³

The group’s site notes that Sustaining Way is an “interfaith organization” that “celebrate[s] and embrace[s] all faiths and non-faiths that center on love and compassion for others.” ¹

The group advocates what it calls “equity, inclusion, and justice.” ¹ The group has stated that it benefits “from the legacy of land loss, displacement, and the immeasurable costs endured” by Indigenous groups who lived on Sustaining Way’s current property. ¹

The group divides sustainability into six areas: “food and landscape, energy and energy efficiency, consumption and waste, healthy lifestyles, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability.” ⁴

Activities

Annie’s House, Sustaining Way’s central project and base of operations, is a model property used to demonstrate practices encouraged by the group that include backyard gardening, food preservation, home energy efficiency, weather-dependent energy use, water conservation, and “green transportation.” ³

The group runs several educational programs. The Steward Youth Programs include a K-12 program focused on “sustainability and leadership,” a summer internship program for high schoolers at Annie’s House, and a yearlong educational leadership program for youth. The group also sponsors a rotating community coordinator position to promote professional development that entails addressing community needs and demonstrating the “feasibility of living more sustainably.” ³ The group also partners with the AmeriCorps VISTA program to provide volunteer positions. ³

Sustaining Way provides food services to the local community by partnering with Project Host Food Truck and local farms to give out meals and produce. The group also has a Backyard Garden Program to educate people on “localized food systems.” ³

The group runs an Energy Home Visit Program that provides “energy efficiency evaluations” of homes. ³

Sustaining Way also runs the Nicholtown Community Health Initiative which addresses “energy burden, food security, mental health, and personal health” through resources, events, and engagement.  ³

The group hosts community forums about “relevant and important topics” and a community garden program that provides education and resources on gardening and assists with community garden development. ³

According to the Greenville Journal, in 2023, Sustaining Way installed 19 gardens, conducted 224 community events, and distributed 10,177 food security bags. ⁵

Financials

In 2023, Sustaining Way reported $698,849 in total revenue, approximately 98 percent of which was from government grants. The group had total assets of $474,655 and total expenses of $630,780. The group paid $180,986 in salaries, other compensation, and employee benefits. ²

The group is partnered with organizations such as the Southeast Climate and Energy Network, the U.S. Climate Action Network, and the South Carolina Health Professionals for Climate Action. The group is also partnered with Clemson University’s MBA program and Furman University. ⁶

In 2025, Independent Mail reported that President Donald Trump halted funding for the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Agreement programs. Sustaining Way executive director Michael Brown responded by saying that “we are open to looking into all possible opportunities offered by local entities and foundations that can support our work,” as the group worked to fill an apparent funding gap. ⁷

Leadership

Rick Joye founded Sustaining Way in 2012 and is the group’s interim operations director. He was the group’s executive director until 2021. ⁸ Joye was previously involved with the U.S. Climate Action Network’s Vision for Equitable Climate Action. ⁹

Michael Brown is Sustaining Way executive director. Brown was previously a member of the South Carolina Bar’s board of governors, Leadership South Carolina’s board of trustees, and the Appalachian Council of Governments’ board of directors. He was also previously a vice chair of the Spartanburg City Council. He is currently a diplomat for the American Association for Justice, a Diversity Leadership Initiative Fellow at the Riley Institute at Furman University, and a Climate Reality Leader at the Climate Reality Project. ¹⁰ Brown is a member of the board of directors of both the South Carolina Food Policy Council and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. According to the Sustaining Way website, Brown is the Spartanburg NAACP president. Sustaining Way paid Brown $78,621 in 2023. ²

1. “About Us.” Sustaining Way. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://sustainingway.org/about/.
2. “Sustaining Way, Full Filing.” ProPublica. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/454887679/202442119349300104/full.
3. “Our Programs and Initiatives.” Sustaining Way. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://sustainingway.org/programs/.
4. “Sustainability.” Sustaining Way. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://sustainingway.org/sustainability/.
5. Fitzgerald, Megan. “Sustaining Way Works to Support Communities through Sustainable Practices.” GREENVILLE JOURNAL, August 12, 2024. https://greenvillejournal.com/community/sustaining-way-works-to-support-communities-through-sustainable-practices/.
6. “Our Partners.” Sustaining Way. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://sustainingway.org/partners/.
7. Maultsby, Baker. “Trump Administration Cuts Cancel SC Programs Providing Fresh Produce to Schools, Food Banks.” Independent Mail, March 13, 2025. https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/2025/03/13/trump-administration-cuts-hit-sc-fresh-produce-programs-to-schools/82361250007/.
8. “Rick Joye – Founder/Operations Director – Sustaining Way | LinkedIn.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickjoye/?_l=en.
9. “Our Staff & Board of Directors.” Sustaining Way. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://sustainingway.org/about/staff/.
10. “Michael Brown.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-brown-90505115.