We are delighted to announce Nick Gardner, current Head of Climate Action at the National Lottery Community Fund, has been appointed Executive Director of the Environmental Funders Network. Taking on the role from late February 2025, Nick will bring his extensive experience in climate and nature-focused funding initiatives, both at community and corporate level. He takes over from Florence Miller who held the role of Executive Director at EFN for 12 years, before stepping down in September 2024.
Nick joins us at a crucial time. With over 15 years of high-level leadership experience both at NLCF and ActionFunder, he will be well placed to apply his deep understanding of the environmental funding landscape, as well as experience of working with communities, government and corporates to the role of Executive Director. His deep understanding of how collaboration can help build support for environmental funding was particularly important to the board of trustees.
Commenting on his appointment as EFN’s new Executive Director, Nick said:
“This is both an exciting and vitally important time to be joining EFN. As the central importance of protecting our planet becomes more apparent and urgent, so does the need to work together to achieve truly systemic change. We have a great opportunity now to grow the number and range of organisations that see themselves as environmental funders, from individual donors to a wider range of trusts and foundations.”
“I’m hugely excited to be joining the amazing team at EFN, and look forward to supporting the delivery of EFN’s ambitious ‘Guided by Nature’ strategy, and building on the legacy of Florence Miller’s inspirational leadership.”
Commenting on Nick’s appointment, Catherine Bryan, Chair of Trustees at EFN said:
“EFN’s trustees are delighted that Nick will be taking on the leadership of EFN, applying his experience in funding both climate and nature initiatives to the role. His extensive experience of working at both a community and corporate level and his understanding of the importance of collaboration to increase funding impact stood out for us. In addition, his leadership and board level roles at ActionFunder and National Lottery Community Fund will enable him to further develop the work of EFN to make it even more relevant and impactful.”
We look forward to welcoming Nick to the team in late February!