Thinking about giving money to climate-related causes? Here’s a list that may be a useful starting point. Note: this post isn’t a personal endorsement of any of these organizations. Also, they or their affiliates may not all have U.S. 501c3 tax status, so contributions to them may not all be tax-deductible.
Advisory Organizations
Climate Leadership Initiative
Climateworks Foundation
Environmental Grantmakers Association
Advocacy, Activism, Education, Research and Legal
Ceres
Clean Air Task Force
Climate Emergency Fund
Earth Justice
Environmental Defense Fund
Greenpeace International
Nature Conservancy
NRDC
Rainforest Alliance
RMI
Sierra Club and Sierra Club Foundation
Union of Concerned Scientists
350.org
Political giving
Climate Cabinet
Give Green
And fwiw, some personal thoughts on climate philanthropy:
Start giving now… there’s a huge ‘time value of giving’ on climate. While it’s great to put these organizations in your will or trust, we need climate action right now (to catalyze innovation and change); even ten years from now is too late.
Find smaller and less-established organizations to support also. The organizations listed above are all pretty established and thus already having impact at scale. There are hundreds of other worthy climate-related organizations – smaller, more narrowly focused or newer – that may end having a high impact per dollar given.
Get involved in other ways, synergistic to giving. It can be great to also get involved (e.g. time and talent) with organizations you’re donating to, to better understand the issues, the impact, and how the money’s being spent.
