For Advisors

We’re here to help

Whether your clients would like to start funding environmental initiatives or want to grow and develop their existing giving, we are here to support you. We know from research that your clients who are concerned about the environment are likely to want to know how to deploy all of their resources – including their investments, lifestyles, businesses and philanthropy – to take environmental action. The next generation are particularly concerned about climate change and keen to be part of the solution.

Please get in touch if you would like any help in supporting your clients on their environmental philanthropy journey. EFN is fully funded by our members and our support services are free.

Getting started

Explore this page to understand more about how the environment links with your clients’ existing funding; the impact they can have; and how EFN and our partners can provide whatever help you need to better support your clients to start or grow their environmental giving. If you are a wealth advisor, we’ve also curated some resources about giving philanthropic advice in general.

Start giving now

Discover resources to support individual donors, trusts, foundations and family offices to start or grow their environmental funding quickly and effectively.

How environmental issues affect all giving

Learn how the majority of social causes are entwined with environmental issues and why your clients should consider environmental issues in their wider giving.

Why you should talk to your clients about philanthropy

Research tells us that philanthropy is currently missing in wealth advice services, despite the desire by clients (especially the next generation) to know more. Talking to clients about philanthropy is an enormous opportunity with potentially huge financial and social benefits.

The impact of environmental giving

Learn more about the positive impact that philanthropic funding can have in tackling urgent and complex environmental challenges.

Philanthropy Impact

Find useful and robust general support on advising your clients about philanthropy.

Contact us

We can provide bespoke support (either directly or by introducing you to our partners) to help you and your clients navigate the range of environmental issues, identify the causes and impacts that are important to them, and make your clients’ giving as effective as possible.

Resources

Further reading for advisors and their clients

A view from below looking up at three skyscrapers with very bright green trees next to it.

Exploring the role of wealth advisors in green giving

Our latest research explores the role of wealth advisors within environmental philanthropy and provides analysis and recommendations on how we can better support and leverage the work of wealth advisors to increase green giving.

Six pairs of hands scoop earth with a small plant with lots of round leaves in each one. The hands are a mix of brown and black skin tones.

Increasing the effectiveness of environmental funder-fundraiser relationships

There is a serious shortfall in finance for the environment sector, which receives less than 9% of funding awarded by UK trusts and foundations. While one solution is to grow the available funding, another important strategy is to increase its effectiveness, ensuring maximum impact for every pound spent.

Where the Green Grants Went 9

In the ninth edition of our Where the Green Grants Went report series, we analyse over 6,555 grants awarded by UK trust, foundations and lottery sources to environmental causes from 2021/22. WTGGW9 includes a new section dedicated to exploring what effective philanthropy looks like and how it may be implemented by environmental funders.

Environmental philanthropy

At NPC, we’re helping charities and funders step up their role in the transition to a post-carbon economy, working together across social and environmental areas. This guide is for anyone new to environmental philanthropy, and especially if you already fund social issues.

Climate philanthropy: a guide for action

A healthier climate future is possible—but science tells us we must move with urgency. Many climate solutions exist, and people around the world are working to discover and create new ones—but philanthropy is urgently needed to scale these efforts. Climate Lead’s Guide for Action provides a framework for getting started on climate philanthropy.

A white man stands in front of a wall of post it notes, ideas and a big mind map.

Spotlight on climate funding strategies

Active Philanthropy’s “Spotlight on Climate Funding Strategies” provides an overview of ten different ways to engage in climate philanthropy.

Strategy 2024

Our updated strategy for the period 2023-2026, where we lay out our principles for the next 2 years, as well as our work priorities and context for 2024.

Learn by doing

In February 2023, the Environmental Funders Network (EFN) and Climate 2025 launched the Climate Activist Speaker Fund pilot to support young global climate activists. This publication shares insights into important elements in the approach taken during the selection process.

Supporting effective environmental action in Scotland

Our report aims help funders and environmental organisations better understand the philanthropic funding landscape, and trends, in Scotland, amplify the insights and aspirations of the leaders of environmental organisation in Scotland and showcase some of the many inspiring environmental activities.

Strategy 2023

Our new strategy for the period 2023-2026, where we lay out our principles for the next 3 years, as well as our work priorities and context for 2023.

What the Green Groups Said 2021

This report is the third edition in our What the Green Groups Said research series, which aims to ‘take the pulse’ of the UK environment sector. The report summarises findings from a survey of UK environment group leaders completed in autumn 2021, which received responses from 116 organisations, large and small.

Five small wooden blocks sit on a table with different faces - one with a cross mouth, one with a sad face, one with a neutral face, one with a smiley face and one with a very smiley face.

Funders and the finance sector – survey results

Explore our learnings from surveying out members in May 2021. Our goal was to understand how funders approach finance-related work now, what motivates them to do more (or less) of it and what approaches they consider to be most effective.

Healthy planet, healthy people

The health of the environment underpins most issues of concern to philanthropists, but its connections to human health are so numerous and entwined as to be hard to ignore. This guide aims to help funders better identify the multiple connections between our health and the environment, and mobilise significantly more funds at this crucial intersection.

Membership

Join EFN

Wealth and philanthropy advisors are welcome to become an EFN member and join a diverse network of foundations, trusts, individual donors and advisors working to build a thriving and sustainable future. EFN membership is free and members benefit from funder-only events, spaces and opportunities – including our monthly newsletter.

Events

Get involved

The word 'research' is written out using light wooden dice with letters. They sit on a table with blurred paper with numbers and graphs.

Getting the most out of data: recording the unknown

The first event of a new series on the value of baselines in getting funding for research and evaluation. In this session, we’ll look into baselines within a conservation context.