ClimateWorks Foundation
OVERVIEW: ClimateWorks Foundation is a global grantmaker and philanthropy-serving organization supporting a range of climate change mitigation efforts through research, collaboration, and grantmaking within several sub-areas, which include carbon removal, transportation systems, forests & land use, and food & agriculture.
IP TAKE: ClimateWorks Foundation is a major presence in the climate change space, known more for its research initiatives, convenings, and collaborations than for its grantmaking. As an example, ClimateWorks administers a “Global Intelligence” program that equips donors and other philanthropies with data, research support, and connections with researchers, advocates, policymakers, and businesses, in pursuit of the common goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an Inside Philanthropy interview with environmental reporter Michael Kavate, ClimateWorks CEO Helen Mountford emphasized the foundation’s role as an intermediary supporting climate philanthropy writ large. “We’re here to help all of climate philanthropy to tackle the climate crisis as best we can,” she said. “It’s not about ClimateWorks per se, and what we’re doing in our programs, it’s about supporting and amplifying the effects of all of climate philanthropy.”
ClimateWorks is a transparent funder with a user-friendly website that includes a grants database along with financial information. However, the foundation isn’t particularly accessible or approachable for grantseekers. ClimateWorks is proactive in its grantmaking and generally does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. It does occasionally release calls for proposals, so sign up for its newsletter for alerts to new opportunities. The website includes information about staff and program officers, but does not supply contact information. This is a highly competitive giving space, and while ClimateWorks is an important funder to know about, it is not a likely source of funding for first-time grantseekers, particularly smaller organizations.
PROFILE: Established in 2008 with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Packard Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation is a global non-governmental organization based in San Francisco, California. It is involved with collaborative climate action and made up of a team of grantmakers, researchers, strategists, and facilitators. The organization’s mission is to “end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy,” characterizing itself as a “global platform for philanthropy to innovate and accelerate climate solutions that scale.
Since its inception, it has granted nearly $2 billion dollars to support hundreds of organizations in dozens of countries. Its Global Grantmaking interests all revolve around climate change, but the foundation has specifically targeted programs concerning Carbon Dioxide Removal, Cooling, Food & Agriculture, Forests & Land Use, Governance & Diplomacy, Industry, Power, Sustainable Finance, and Transportation.
In addition to its Global Grantmaking, the ClimateWorks Foundation also conducts several other initiatives in furtherance of its aim of combatting climate change. Its Global Collaborations initiative “leads collaborations that enable funders to strategize, learn, and execute new and existing climate initiatives.” It promotes funder forums, learning networks, joint action groups, and other philanthropy resources to “build high-trust relationships, create strategic alignment, and facilitate coordinated actions across the climate philanthropy ecosystem.” The Global Intelligence initiative “equips donors, foundations, and philanthropic advisors with insights to build and execute transformative climate strategies.” Working with a variety of partner organizations, ClimateWorks has developed tools and datasets to “track, map, and analyze the state of the climate solutions community.” The foundation publishes its findings about the state of climate philanthropy and climate research on its website and makes its data available to partners.
Grants for Climate Change and Clean Energy, and Science Research
According to its website, the ClimateWorks Foundation “has granted over $1.8 billion to more than 850 grantees in over 50 countries” since 2008. Its grants support projects and organizations that are working to alleviate the climate crisis. It does this through nearly a dozen different climate change programs.
The Carbon Dioxide Removal program works to support and advance “a variety of carbon removal approaches to responsibly and readily remove carbon, restore the climate, and protect all living beings for generations to come.” It focuses on three distinct areas of carbon dioxide removal: natural removal, which seeks to utilize the inherent ability of trees and soil to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; technological removal, which strives to mimic the abilities of the natural world through artificial means; and ocean-based removal, which supports research into augmenting the world’s oceans’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Grantees include the Aspen Institute, Nature Conservancy, and National Wildlife Federation.
The Cooling program operates via the Clean Cooling Collaborative initiative. It focuses on helping advance air conditioning and refrigeration technology through various processes, including support for super-efficient appliances, passive cooling such as “urban greening, shading, solar-reflective roofs, improved building envelopes, and better urban design,” climate-friendly refrigerants, and integrated solutions, including “building electrification, grid decarbonization, food safety, and access to vaccines and other life-saving medications.” Grantees include the Rocky Mountain Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Environmental Investigation Agency.
The Forests & Land Use program seeks to support organizations, projects, and policies that work to “halt and reverse forest loss, advance sustainable land use and development, and secure the rights and livelihoods of indigenous and forest communities.” It does this through several sub-initiatives, including advancing effective land use policies, supporting indigenous and traditional communities’ land rights and management, combating deforestation and land degradation, implementing strong environmental, social, and governance standards, increasing awareness of land and forest as climate solutions, advocating for natural carbon dioxide removal and capture, and advocating for healthy and sustainable protein sources. The Climate and Land Use Alliance oversees the ClimateWorks Forests & Land Use program. Grantees include Linterna Verde, Land is Life, and Mesoamerican Territorial Fund.
The Sustainable Finance program “aims to catalyze financial and market changes that accelerate climate action” and “works in partnership with the philanthropic community to pursue multi-grant transnational strategies that target specific outcomes in the capital markets and for public finance.” Grantees include Climate Policy Initiative, International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, and London School of Economics and Political Science.
The Industry program works to decrease pollution from industry, which the ClimateWorks website states is responsible for “about one-third of all climate pollution.” It seeks to create and strengthen markets, increase the efficient use of materials, and advocate for clean industrial processes. Grantees include Climate Strategies Lab, Federation of American Scientists, and Environmental Coalition on Standards.
The Power program focuses on “key areas that […] can accelerate the transformation of the global power sector.” It supports two distinct initiatives, Global Energy Transition, which works toward the rapid transition to clean energy in Africa, Asia, and South America, and the Clean Power Hub, which “aims to provide cutting-edge, tailored resources and services to power sector practitioners and influencers so they can support the changes necessary to achieve a low-carbon power sector.” Grantees include Centre for Research on Clean Energy and Air, TransitionZero, and Global Energy Monitor.
The Transportation program works to promote “the transition to cleaner, and more efficient, and zero-emission vehicle and fuel technologies,” as well as “efficient transportation choices, including transit, walking, biking, and shared mobility.” To do this ClimateWorks partners with NGOs, academia, business, policymakers, consumers, and other stakeholders. The program is primarily concerned with the effects of the aviation industry and is working towards a “deep decarbonization of the sector,” including research into sustainable fuel sources while building public awareness of the industry’s climate impacts. The foundation also has a programs working to reduce the climate impact of the Maritime Shipping and Road Transportation industries. Grantees include International Council on Clean Transportation, African Climate Foundation, and Earthjustice Action.
Grants for Civic Engagement
The ClimateWorks Governance & Diplomacy program supports organizations and projects that work to “strengthen global climate governance at all levels, while ensuring an equitable zero-carbon transition.” It promotes efforts to advance intergovernmental cooperation through the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change by supporting organizations working to ensure that the “best use is made of the UN structure, and that it is accompanied by effective external initiatives.” The foundation is also working through its Social and Economic Transitions initiative to ensure that the transition to a “zero-carbon, climate-resilient future” is socially and economically equitable for workers and communities worldwide. Grantees include Climate Action Network Association, World Resources Institute, and New Venture Fund.
Grants for Sustainable Agriculture
The Food & Agriculture program supports organizations and projects that advance food’s potential as a solution for climate change, particularly groups working in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America, and to combat climate polluting food practices. According to the ClimateWorks website, food production is responsible for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions. The program partners with NGOs, researchers, businesses, governments, and other funders.
This ClimateWorks program focuses on two priority areas: the Protein Initiative and the Food Systems Transition Initiative. The Protein Initiative “seeks to improve the greenhouse gas efficiency of conventional protein production systems, scale up the supply of low-emissions alternatives, increase consumers’ choices, and build demand for climate-friendly protein.” The Food Systems Transition Initiative coordinates between foundations to “learn, coordinate, and act on emergent opportunities.” Grantees include Food for Climate League, EAT Foundation, and Green Alliance Trust.
Important Grant Details:
ClimateWorks grant amounts range widely from $5,000 to over $12 million; however, the most common grant amount is around $250,000. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s searchable Grants Database for more information on its past grantmaking.
The ClimateWorks Foundation’s grantmaking is global. When it funds in North America and Europe, it primarily supports organizations whose work is also international in scope.
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, but occasionally announces open calls for letters of inquiry and proposals.
The foundation suggests that grantseekers sign up for its newsletter to stay updated on its latest news and announcements.
Grantseekers may contact the foundation via its online form for information or inquiries.
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