Addressing the climate crisis can no longer be the work of the few foundations and donors who fund climate work. Instead, we need an “all-of-philanthropy” level of engagement, expertise, and resources.

That’s the conclusion we drew from our research during the summer of 2021, when a team from FSG, supported by a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, sought to answer the question, “How might more foundations effectively begin to support front-line actors addressing the climate crisis?”

During the research process, 45 organizations contributed their thoughts, experiences, and insights. Interviewees included private foundations, nonprofit organizations, grassroots groups, philanthropy-supporting organizations, and others.

In our report, Time to Act: How Philanthropy Must Address the Climate Crisis, we offer five recommendations for funders, especially those who may not have previously engaged in climate-related grantmaking or investments:

  1. Learn about climate and climate justice: Investigate how the climate crisis affects the issues, populations, and places aligned with your mission and actively listen to front-line communities.
  2. Reckon with and change internal practices: Reflect internally to understand how biases, assumptions, policies, practices, and cultural norms may inhibit the impact you seek or cause harm.
  3. Build political and economic power in front-line communities: Support grassroots efforts with attention to political and economic power-building, so front-line communities in the Global North and Global South lead, control, and benefit from the necessary economic transition.
  4. Expand the funder toolbox: Use convenings, advocacy, narrative change, and relationships to shift public perception, influence policy, and engage peer funders in climate action.
  5. Utilize foundation investment and operations as levers for change: Align investments practices with climate goals and operations with sustainable practices and support grantees to do the same.

Read the full article about climate funding by Talia Alongi and Laura Tilghman at FSG.