Protect Our Future

Protect Our Future
Name	Protect Our Future
Formation	2018
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Kristin Pecci

Protect Our Future is a United States-based nonprofit advocacy organization focused on climate resilience, environmental health, and youth mobilization. Founded in 2018, it operates at the intersection of public policy, civic engagement, and philanthropic grantmaking to advance climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. The organization engages with political institutions, scientific bodies, and grassroots movements to influence legislation, regulatory rulemaking, and public awareness campaigns.

Background and Origins

Protect Our Future was established in the context of growing public attention to climate change responses following high-profile events such as the Paris Agreement, the Green New Deal, and the 2018 midterm election cycle. Its founding leadership drew on experience from advocacy networks including Sierra Club, 350.org, and League of Conservation Voters, and from campaigns linked to figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, and Bill McKibben. Early organizing connected with demonstrations like the People's Climate March and youth movements inspired by activists such as Greta Thunberg and organizations like Sunrise Movement. The group’s formation paralleled philanthropic shifts seen with donors associated with the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Vanguard Charitable, and family foundations tied to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Ford Foundation.

Mission and Goals

Protect Our Future states goals that emphasize reducing greenhouse gas emissions, safeguarding public health from pollution, and promoting equitable climate policies. Its mission language often references international frameworks such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and national statutes like the Clean Air Act and the Inflation Reduction Act as policy touchstones. The organization prioritizes youth civic engagement, aligning with electoral advocacy seen in campaigns by groups such as NextGen America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and supports litigation strategies similar to those used by Our Children’s Trust and Earthjustice.

Campaigns and Activities

Protect Our Future organizes public mobilizations, targeted digital advertising, and legislative lobbying. Campaign tactics echo strategies employed by MoveOn, Democratic National Committee, and state-level groups like California Environmental Voters (formerly California League of Conservation Voters). Activities include coalition-building with labor outfits such as AFL–CIO and Service Employees International Union to promote green jobs, and collaboration with academic institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University for research and reports. The group has run issue campaigns timed to electoral cycles similar to efforts by Priorities USA Action and EMILY's List, while engaging in grassroots training resembling programs from Advocacy International and Rock the Vote.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources and partnerships for Protect Our Future include philanthropic grants, donor-advised funds, and alliances with advocacy networks. Donors and partners named in public disclosures and reporting have included private foundations similar to Bloomberg Philanthropies, environmental funders such as The Sierra Club Foundation, and philanthropic intermediaries like Arabella Advisors. Partnerships extend to legal partners like Natural Resources Defense Council and scientific collaborators from organizations such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and university research centers like the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. The organization has also coordinated with political action groups and labor federations including Action Fund, People For the American Way, and regional civic coalitions.

Impact and Criticism

Protect Our Future claims influence on policy debates, public ballot measures, and youth turnout. Proponents compare its role to high-impact civic organizations such as Rock the Vote, League of Women Voters, and Indivisible. Critics, drawing parallels to critiques leveled at groups like Arabella Advisors and Sixteen Thirty Fund, question transparency regarding donor identities and the balance between advocacy and partisan activity. Policy analysts referencing think tanks such as Brookings Institution, Heritage Foundation, and Center for American Progress have debated the efficacy of its strategies, while environmental litigators like Center for Biological Diversity and industry groups including American Petroleum Institute have taken adversarial stances on particular campaigns.

Legal and Policy Influence

Protect Our Future engages in lobbying and administrative advocacy, filing comments in rulemaking processes administered by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation. The organization supports litigation and amicus briefs in cases filed in federal courts, sometimes aligning with litigants similar to Juliana v. United States plaintiffs and environmental coalitions represented by firms such as Earthjustice. Legislative priorities promoted by the group have intersected with bills in the United States Congress and state legislatures, alongside policy proposals referenced in hearings before committees like the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Media Coverage and Public Perception

Coverage of Protect Our Future spans mainstream outlets and specialized media, with reporting by publications analogous to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and environmental outlets such as Inside Climate News and Grist. Commentary and analysis have appeared in televised forums on networks like CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, while op-eds have been published in periodicals resembling The Atlantic and Politico Magazine. Public perception is shaped by endorsements from figures in climate science and politics—including academics affiliated with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, activists linked to Extinction Rebellion, and elected officials at federal and state levels—while detractors include industry lobbyists, conservative think tanks, and some municipal stakeholders.

Category:Environmental organizations in the United States