There’s no philanthropy on a dead planet: 5 steps every foundation can take to be climate and environment ready

Philanthropy For Climate was born at the end of 2019, with the launch of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change at ACF’s annual conference. At the time, there was a real sense of momentum for climate philanthropy. Over the past 6 years, the movement has expanded globally to include a further 11 commitments led by national and regional philanthropy infrastructure organisations and nearly 1,000 foundations. These foundations, which differ in size, focus area and geographic location, are connected by a simple, yet powerful, idea: Climate change already is impacting the people, places and causes that philanthropy exists to serve – and foundations have both the power and a responsibility to act.

More broadly, in a decade, global climate funding by foundations has grown more than fivefold: From less than $900 million (approximately €800 million) in 2015 to an estimated $4.8 billion (approximately €4.4 billion in 2024). And there is a growing a constellation of intermediaries and philanthropy infrastructure organisations ready to support philanthropy to improve the volume and the quality of climate and environmental giving.

Yet, as we look to 2026, this momentum feels fragile. Climate and environmental commitments – both in philanthropy and in government – are facing headwinds. Political shifts, economic pressures and competing priorities have led to a worrying slowdown in ambition. While the landscape has shifted, the urgency has by no means weakened. This moment calls for renewed clarity, courage and practical support to enable philanthropy to move boldly from intention to action.

Across 2026, as Philea, we will be spotlighting climate and environment across our work with the aim of expanding the conversation to include new (perhaps unlikely) philanthropic actors and supporting practitioners to move from insight to action. This seems like a good time to reflect on what we have learned through Philanthropy For Climate about how every foundation can deepen their engagement on climate and environment.

1. Explore, understand and define how climate change and environmental degradation are impacting and impacted by your work

At first glance, you might think that you are not working on climate or environmental issues. You might be working on education, health, arts and culture, or poverty alleviation. However, if you scratch the surface, you’ll soon find that climate change and environmental degradation are exacerbating existing societal challenges. In fact, it likely puts your very mission at risk, threatening the progress that you have been working so hard to see. If you consider the values that drive your organisation and its commitment to public good, acting becomes a moral imperative. Every foundation – local or global, small or large – can leverage its unique assets, experience and expertise to address climate change. And this diversity might even be our greatest asset: Solving something as far-reaching and systemic as climate change requires the complementary capabilities that each foundation brings.

2. Commit to long-term integration and re-imagine the status quo

Tackling climate and environmental crises is complex and long-term, requiring an all-of-society transformation. While this is deeply challenging, it is also a vital and dynamic area to be working in. The climate crisis fundamentally changes the context in which philanthropy operates, requiring us to re-imagine our role and responsibility, processes and practices. This requires a long-term shift within our organisations. The Philanthropy For Climate commitments offer a valuable framework to navigate your foundation’s agency in the context of growing climate and environmental crises, supporting you to leverage your assets more holistically to rise to the challenge.

3. Learn by funding

Climate change is here, and our response must reflect this urgency. One of the best most impactful places to start is incorporating climate and environment into your programmatic work, whether as a stand-alone funding area or as a lens incorporated into existing or new programmes.

Establishing a learning portfolio of grants is a valuable and impactful way to deepen your understanding of your role in the climate and environmental funding space, and a way to develop your organisational knowledge and capacity. Funding can connect you with organisations with expertise and experience. Intermediaries and pooled funds are valued experts and learning partners which also allow you to get funding out the door quickly and learn alongside experts, peers and your partners. To ensure your funding is strategic, draw on the wealth of insights about gaps and needs in this space.

4. Equip your teams and governance with knowledge and confidence

As philanthropy practitioners, deepening our understanding of climate change and environmental degradation is not a luxury or nice-to-have, it is a vital part of our action. Particularly for organisations that do not have climate at the core of their purpose, a good understanding of climate and environmental issues is crucial to ensure informed decision-making at every level and meaningful integration of climate and environment. Often, your partners and the communities that they support will already be facing the worsening impacts of climate change and environmental degradation and might even be working to address these – whether they call it “climate” or “environmental” or not. If your foundation is not climate and environmentally literate, you might miss these connections and risk creating additional burden by pressuring your partners to re-orient their work.

5. Embed a culture of continuous learning and progress

We talk about incorporating climate and environment as a journey, rather than a destination. While it is important to set out with intentionality and commitment, progress is more important that perfection. Even if you start with baby steps, it is fundamental to get started. The Philanthropy For Climate commitments, bookended by the “Education and Learning” and “Transparency” pillars, encourage foundations to increase their ambitions over time. Accountability on progress doesn’t need to only be an individual exercise. Collective progress tracking allows us to identify shared challenges and creates opportunities for learning across the sector. Evidence of progress, both data and stories of transformation, demonstrates that change is not only possible, but already happening, and strengthens the case for more ambitious action across the sector.

In 2026, as we spotlight climate and environment, let us also see this as a mirror turned towards philanthropy – reflecting back our responsibility and our agency. For organisations at the start of your journey, let that reflection spark curiosity, learning and a commitment to transformation. And for those further along, let it inspire generosity to share the insights that you have gained along the way and, where you can, invest in the work that helps our ecosystem accelerate change. Illuminating complex and urgent societal challenges is not enough: Our courage is measured in what we choose to change when we see ourselves in that light.

Image credit: Michael Snyder / Climate Visuals