“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” ~ Edmund Burke
Strategic philanthropy can be hard work. The environmental challenges that foundations seek to address are increasingly complex. Climate change, deforestation, and eco-system destruction are interconnected, global issues. Can one charitable foundation make a difference? This was both the challenge and opportunity facing the Tellus Mater Foundation as a new entrant to the field of environmental philanthropy in the UK.
To plan our strategy we consulted with a range of experts in the field. Our fact-finding confirmed that there is significant demand for a new approach to philanthropy in the environmental sector. UK environmental organisations are severely underfunded relative to other charitable sectors (just 3% of spending by the UK’s largest trusts, Where the Green Grants Went 2009), which provides a clear opportunity to fill a philanthropic gap.
Funding at the systemic level is increasingly needed to address big, complex environmental problems. Surprisingly, issues like climate change, sustainable finance or consumption and waste receive very little philanthropic support, despite being at the forefront of serious global challenges. (Environmental Funders Network, 2009)
This reality informed the decision of the Tellus Mater Foundation to focus on leadership for a low carbon future. We believe that solutions exist, and talented individuals with the energy and entrepreneurship to realise innovation can make a difference. In practice, this means that we try to identify strategic pressure points where a small amount of funding can go a long way. It also means taking more risk with early-stage, unproven but novel approaches that have the potential for high impact. We fund to create change at an economic, political and financial systems level for positive environmental outcomes. We are interested in new models of eco-enterprise, engagement, and networks that function across sectors to achieve scale.
Examples of initiatives we have funded with these hallmarks include the new start-up Carbon Leapfrog, a business-led charity that provides pro bono professional advice to support low carbon communities and enterprises in the UK; a series of ‘Gatecrasher’ events hosted by Forum for the Future to foster disruptive innovation in the energy sector by bringing together a mix of companies, new technologies and start-up enterprises from outside the sector to rethink the market, and the WWF Finance Innovation Lab, which is building a diverse network of individuals and institutions advancing cutting-edge ideas and incubating new projects to shift the financial system to a more sustainable path.
Ultimately, we recognise that as a small foundation our resources can only go so far. As such, we are increasingly exploring the opportunity to work in partnership with other philanthropists and foundations. Collaborative funding initiatives are the only way to address very big environmental and social challenges. This can be achieved by working through an organisation such as the European Climate Foundation, or by networks such as the Environmental Funders Network, Forest Philanthropy Action Network or European Foundation Centre environment group. The most cutting-edge foundations, such as the Gates, Virgin Unite or Rockefeller Foundation, are taking this one step further to broker partnerships with governments, corporations and NGOs to re-shape market failures in vaccine delivery, shipping emissions, or climate impact on vulnerable communities.
There are significant opportunities for new philanthropists to enter the environmental field. Despite the seemingly intractable nature of environmental problems, a small amount of grant funding can make a big difference.
Environmental problems now permeate the objectives of many charities across the social, health, education and international development sectors. A funder might choose to partner with smaller, under-resourced charities or support new initiatives that large, established organisations struggle to fund.
As the Baring Foundation climate change initiative has demonstrated, funders can also support environmental change in non-monetary ways by encouraging grant recipients to adopt carbon reduction and efficiency measures. Shared, open resources are now available through New Philanthropy Capital, the Environmental Funders Network, and other network organisations to support individual philanthropists or foundations without significant in-house environmental expertise.
There are exciting opportunities in environmental grant-making that can appeal across a range of interests and risk-levels. Green objectives can be achieved in multiple ways from support for new business models, economics research, and community action to political engagement and campaigning for financial system change.
To find out more about the Tellus Mater Foundation or to get in contact, please visit our website.
