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US Foundation Trends: Environmental and
Climate Change Philanthropy
Kristin LindseyExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating OfficerCouncil on FoundationsJune 1, 2008
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US Foundations
72,000 + Foundations
Total Value of Assets in 2007 $670 billion
Total Grants ≈ $43 billion
9% (3.8bn) international giving
1,382 new foundations in 2006
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Environmental Funding by
US Foundations• About $1.15 billion went to the environment
and animals
• Only 0.8% ($137.5 million) going towards climate
Sources: The Foundation Center, Foundation Giving Trends, 2008; and Environmental Grantmakers Association,
Intersections: Confronting the Climate Challenge
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Foundation Environmental Giving- Latest Trends
Giving for Environment in Animals grew 9.7% annually between 2003 and 2006
Giving for Environment and Animals rose 10% in 2006: A record $1.1 billion was given that year
Source: The Foundation Center, Foundation Giving Trends, 2008
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Major Climate Funders-2006
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Energy Foundation Pew Charitable Trust Rockefeller Brothers Fund Nathan Cummings Foundation Rockefeller Foundation
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The numbers are misleading.
What’s included in climate change?
An expanded view of climate change funding• $577M in the Gulf Coast and Indian Ocean• Using a climate change “lens” in other
funding areas
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The numbers are misleading.
What’s included in philanthropy?
Clinton Foundation• Green buildings, online information network, C40
initiative, energy purchasing consortium, 1Sky, Clinton Global Intiative
Google.org• Alternative energy, hybrid electric vehicles
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How US funders are doing this work
Rockefeller Foundation (rockfound.org)• $70M new initiative focused on climate change
resilience
Rockefeller Brothers Fund (rbf.org)• Cross programmatic initiative around energy• Sustainable development – environmental stewardship
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (ddcf.org)• $100M climate change initiative focused on GHG
policy change, clean energy technology and adaptation strategies
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How US funders are doing this work
Design to Win (see: hewlett.org)• Prioritizes: power, industry, buildings, transportation, forestry
and carbon policy• $600M a year (the need)
Energy Foundation (ef.org)• Focus on US and China• Renewable energy, code/appliance policy in buildings,
transportation, build momentum for federal policy
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How US funders are doing this work
Global Green Grants Fund (greengrants.org) • $3 million a year, typically $2,000 - $5,000• Strengthen the grassroots environmental movement
worldwide
Pew Charitable Trusts (pewtrusts.org)• Leading policy and research institute
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Collaborative Platforms Environmental Grantmakers Association
(ega.org) European Foundation Centre (efc.be) Funders Network for Smart Growth &
Sustainable Communities (fundersnetwork.org) Climate Change Philanthropy Action Network
(ccpan.org) Design to Win & Energy Foundations
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Four Ideas Environmental Lens
• Capital projects, youth environmental stewardship, green jobs initiative
Use all the assets. • How to deploy the other $627 Billion
Green buildings • How green is your workplace?• Kresge Foundation (kresge.org)
Immediate urgency + long term commitment