Overview of The Just Returns Project Series
Human-caused climate change remains the defining crisis of our time, and the call for bold philanthropic action for climate is now more urgent than ever. We know that the most impacted communities are building Just Transitions to Regenerative Economies–now. We know they have replicable and scalable solutions, grounded in justice and sustainability, ready to meet the climate crisis–now. We know their solutions cool the planet, build resilience, and are ready for investment–now.
So why has philanthropy not caught up?
The Climate Justice Alliance (CJA), together with the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) and the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School (TEDC), launched a multitiered research process not only to answer that question but provide pathways for philanthropy to move the needle in this crisis decade. This research brief, the first in a series of materials, is a snapshot of our investment alignment research prepared by NCRP, focusing on 50 highly influential climate and environment funders in the United States, and their stated missions, programs, and investments. What we found is not great–not for environmental and climate justice groups, not for philanthropy, and certainly not for our shared future on Earth. From just an accounting perspective, we found that most foundations are undermining their own grantmaking power and that of their grantees to make real and lasting change–getting less bang for their buck–because of the ways they invest and lock up their endowments.
What’s the bottom line?
If you’re a funder, there’s a high likelihood that your endowment is invested in ways that undermine the very communities you’re supporting, at a time when we cannot afford to waste a single minute, keystroke, seed, or dollar. Funders must embrace new ways of thinking, collaborating, and most of all investing–and at an accelerated pace.
Read the Just Returns Project
Since research began for the Just Returns Project, the current US Administration has made forceful and accelerating attempts to dismantle climate and environmental justice work. At a time in which the need for resilience and mutual aid is only increasing, these threats are devastating to millions of families and communities across geographies and the political spectrum, along with the community organizations they depend on for healthy food programs, disaster relief, and life-saving heating and cooling centers. We believe this new reality puts our research into even sharper relief. Because climate justice works to transform – rather than reform – systems of harm, its success is fundamental to our future, and to any effective philanthropic strategy. Funders — if ever there were a time to act boldly and publicly, a time to do something different — that time is now.
In the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy’s research of 50 highly influential climate and environment funders in the United States and their stated missions, programs, and investments, we found from the perspective of accounting alone that most foundations’ investments practices undermine their grantmaking power and the ability of their grantees to make real and lasting change. They get less bang for their buck – all because of the ways they invest and lock up their endowments.
Of the funding in the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy’s research sample, less than 3% between 2016-2021 made it to frontline communities working on deeply impactful grassroots climate solutions. Significant numbers of dollars were moved to unproven technologies—referred to in this brief as false solutions—such as carbon capture and sequestration. These projects masquerade as solutions, but, in reality, give polluters license to continue devastating our planet with dangerous technology. Meanwhile, proven and equitable solutions to the climate crisis continue to be vastly underfunded.
Although environmental justice and climate justice organizations remain on the margins of funding, this study by the Tishman Environment and Design Center shows grassroots environmental justice and climate justice organizations are crucial for advancing systemic, intersectional climate solutions across multiple issue areas like food systems, legacy pollution, economic equity, energy transitions, social justice, and community development.
