Environmental philanthropy works. Here’s a collection of nearly 30 stories of donors providing funds that helped solve significant environmental problems. Ranging from £5,000 to millions, in each instance, their support had a transformative effect.
The environment is humanity’s life support. Yet the systems we have established – economic, industrial, even political – are changing our climate, endangering our fellow species, and robbing us of our health and well- being. COVID-19 was our starkest warning yet that human and environmental health are inextricably linked, and more pandemics are likely if we continue to degrade nature. We have plenty of solutions to each of these problems – plenty of ways to redesign our systems – but the funds currently available for that work are a fraction of what they need to be.
Imagine if many more people discovered the immense joy, sense of purpose and impact that can come from sharing their wealth to support solutions. After all, environmental philanthropy can be transformative: for the giver, the receiver and the problems we’re trying to tackle.
We hope this collection will give you confidence that change is possible, and inspire you to get behind it, for your own sake, and for the duty of care we have to ensuing generations.
Together, the stories reveal some common themes:
- Even a comparatively small amount of funding can have a tangible impact, particularly when it can be used to lever in much larger amounts from other sources.
- Sustained support over many years can ensure that a project not only gets off the ground but can grow into something much bigger and more successful than originally envisaged.
- Funding collaborative initiatives between different organisations working towards a common goal can significantly increase their collective impact.
- Likewise, collaborating as funders to increase the investment in a particular initiative can help to get it over the line – and build confidence among other funders to donate more.
- Compelling successes have resulted not only through funding specific projects or initiatives, but – perhaps more often – through providing unrestricted or core funds to an organisation to allow staff the flexibility to spend them in the most strategic way.
- Just because a particular issue receives very little funding now doesn’t mean it isn’t important, and funding can enable work that helps to demonstrate just how critical it is.
- Place-based initiatives are much more likely to be successful if they work with, and ideally directly benefit, local communities to ensure their buy-in and support – as one funder put it, ‘working with local people is the only guarantee of long-term success’.
- Taking a gamble on an ambitious or innovative approach will at the very least generate valuable lessons learned – but could pay huge dividends. As another donor said, ‘If we funders all wait for impact reports and assurances, we’re going to be toast before we know it.’
Immerse yourselves in these stories: enjoy them as they take you on a trip around the world and we hope you’ll come back fired up. What issues are close to your heart, and how will you make a difference?