Environmental Grantmakers Association

Environmental Grantmakers Association
Name	Environmental Grantmakers Association
Type	Nonprofit membership organization
Founded	1986
Headquarters	United States
Area served	North America, International
Focus	Environmental philanthropy

Environmental Grantmakers Association

The Environmental Grantmakers Association is a membership organization connecting grantmakers focused on environmental issues with funders, policymakers, and advocates. It convenes philanthropy leaders, supports strategy development, and promotes collaboration across foundations, trusts, and donor networks. Its work intersects with major environmental campaigns, conservation programs, and public policy debates involving climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability.

History

Founded in 1986, the organization emerged amid rising environmental philanthropy debates involving Sierra Club Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund donors. Early meetings included funders linked to World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, and regional family foundations influenced by events such as the Montreal Protocol negotiations and the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s it adapted to shifts driven by litigation around Clean Air Act enforcement, campaigns tied to Kyoto Protocol discussions, and philanthropic responses to disasters like Hurricane Katrina. The association's evolution paralleled the rise of climate-focused philanthropy seen in initiatives associated with Gore family, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-adjacent climate donors, and corporate-linked giving from entities such as PepsiCo and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Mission and Activities

The mission emphasizes strengthening grantmaker effectiveness through convening, knowledge-sharing, and strategy support for foundations aligned with causes like climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental justice. Activities include conferences with speakers from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, panels involving leaders from Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and workshops featuring executives from Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and regional funder networks such as Community Foundation leaders. It publishes reports drawing on data from institutions like United Nations Environment Programme and collaborates with policy centers including Center for American Progress and think tanks such as Resources for the Future.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises private foundations, family offices, corporate foundations, and public charities associated with funders like William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and regional grantmakers tied to Rockefeller Foundation-affiliated programs. Governance is typically overseen by a board drawn from major philanthropic institutions, including representatives from Tides Foundation, Lincoln Filene Center, and university-affiliated endowments such as Harvard University and Yale University trustees. Committees coordinate with legal advisors familiar with Internal Revenue Service regulations, fiduciary standards cited in cases like Donahue v. Rodd Electrotype Co., and stewardship principles advocated by actors such as Council on Foundations.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs address strategic grantmaking, rapid response funds, and capacity building for grantees like 350.org, BankTrack, and community groups engaged with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe or urban initiatives in cities like New York City and Los Angeles. Initiatives often partner with networks such as ClimateWorks Foundation, Philanthropy Roundtable, and international donors coordinated via platforms including Global Greengrants Fund and Open Society Foundations. Training programs have featured curriculum referencing work by scholars at Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and activists connected to Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion.

Policy and Advocacy

The organization facilitates policy dialogues involving legislators, regulators, and advocates tied to legislation such as the Clean Water Act and international accords like the Paris Agreement. It convenes funders to strategize about legal battles before courts like the United States Supreme Court and regulatory processes overseen by agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and multilateral fora such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Advocacy efforts often align with coalitions including Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and labor-environment coalitions formed with groups like AFL–CIO affiliates.

Funding and Financials

Revenue streams come from member dues, philanthropic contributions from entities like Hewlett Foundation, Packard Foundation, and project-specific grants from public charities and corporate donors including Bloomberg Philanthropies. Financial oversight references nonprofit standards promoted by Charity Navigator and reporting aligned with the Internal Revenue Service Form 990 process used by foundations such as Ford Foundation. Annual budgets support staffing, convenings, research, and grants management, often coordinated through fiscal sponsors like Tides Center or university research centers at institutions such as Columbia University.

Impact and Criticism

Impact claims include improved coordination among funders, accelerated funding for climate litigation and conservation campaigns, and contributions to campaigns led by Sierra Club and 350.org that influenced public opinion and policy. Critics, including analysts from Open Society Foundations-critical outlets and some grassroots activists allied with Indigenous Environmental Network, argue funder networks can centralize power, favor mainstream organizations over frontline groups, and risk capture by corporate-linked donors such as ExxonMobil-adjacent entities. Debates echo broader discussions in philanthropy about accountability raised in inquiries involving ProPublica reporting and academic critiques from scholars at University of California, Berkeley and London School of Economics.

Category:Environmental organizations