About

We are the Environmental Funders Network

EFN works to transform environmental philanthropy in the UK: increasing funding levels, improving effectiveness and supporting people and organisations helping to create a thriving planet.

We provide tailored support across the funding community to strengthen their work – whether that’s within our membership network for funders and advisors, or in our forum for fundraisers. We share knowledge, expertise and research and foster connections. We also work to motivate and inspire those not yet funding environmental causes to give.

The need for strategically-deployed environmental philanthropy has never been greater. Our aim is to give the funding community the knowledge, networks and agency they need to address these key challenges of our time.

Our guiding principles

Guided by Nature

In thinking about how to support effective environmental work and funding we take our lead from natural ecosystems, where diversity, connectivity and the efficient flow of resources are crucial to good health.

Future focussed and urgent

We focus on what must be done now, knowing that measures taken today to conserve and restore the living world will be significantly more potent than those taken when we are further along our current trajectories.

Impact-orientated

Everything we do is focused on our mission of increasing the levels and efficacy of philanthropy for environmental causes.

Accessible

We are open to funders at all stages of their funding journey and keep the barriers to entry to EFN as low as possible.

Committed to plurality

We recognise that social change requires a range of different approaches that, combined, can lead to impact, and we enable the sector to embrace plurality.

Collaborative

We embrace the power of collaboration to allow individual groups to become more than the sum of their parts. We collaborate strategically ourselves to achieve more than we could alone.

Evidence-led

We use research and learning – ours and others’ – to underpin, evolve and guide our work.

Systemic

We recognise that there are key systemic issues that give rise to environmental harms, including issues of justice and power, such as racism and wealth inequality, and we shine a light on potential solutions through our programmes.

Amplifying

We believe that those particularly affected by environmental issues are well placed to identify solutions, and we use EFN ‘s platform to help amplify their voices.

Modelling the change

In our team and within our networks, we seek to create a microcosm of the structures and processes we think would make the world a better place, taking into account equitable power dynamics, a relationships-based approach, kindness and care.

Our theory of change

Explore our theory of change to learn about what we do and how we work in partnership with existing and prospective funders, fundraisers and advisors to improve the resourcing and effectiveness of the environmental sector.

Justice, equity, diversity & inclusion

We see justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) as integral to the success of environmental efforts: how we treat each other and how we treat the planet are inextricably linked. Explore our JEDI statement and current commitments to JEDI work.

Learn More