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Programs

Climate

Supporting and sustaining bold, science-based U.S. leadership on climate solutions.

Photo credit: NextGen

About the Climate Program

The DR Fund's Climate Program aims to support and sustain bold, science-based leadership on equitable climate solutions. We are particularly interested in supporting non-profits run by, serving, and building power for the communities of color who have been the most disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, and in investing in under-funded constituencies and geographic areas. This includes organizing efforts to: address intersecting climate, gender, and racial justice inequities; defend voting rights; and accelerate and expand movements to keep coal, oil, and gas in the ground and shift whole regions to affordable clean energy.

55% of grants supporting new and emerging work

57% of grants advancing civic engagement strategies

18 states reached within the 40% of the portfolio focused on state-wide work

A vibrant, fair, and regenerative future is possible — not when thousands of people do climate justice activism perfectly but when millions of people do the best they can.

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Our Grantee Partners

Our Geographical Focus is nationwide.

Grant Partners City Amount Awarded
A Climate to Thrive link Mount Desert, ME $50,000
CASA link Hyattsville, MD $50,000
Commission Shift link Laredo, TX $50,000
Croatan Institute (for Rural Beacon Initiative's Free Union Farm) link Durham, NC $250,000 over 4 years
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $7,000
Fair Count link Atlanta, GA $50,000
Georgia Alliance Education Fund link Atlanta, GA $250,000
League of Conservation Voters (for Chispa) link Washington, DC $100,000
Michigan Civic Action Fund Madison Heights, MI $100,000
Movement Strategy Center link Oakland, CA $40,000
Progressive Multiplier Action Fund link Washington, DC $150,000 over 2 years
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $50,000
Start:Empowerment link Austin, TX $20,000
State Democracy Project (for Organized Power in Numbers) link Brooklyn, NY $50,000
Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund (for Texas Environmental Justice, Energy, and Democracy Coalition) Austin, TX $100,000 over 5 years
Tides Advocacy (for Resilient Democracy Action Fund) link San Francisco, CA $75,000
Tides Foundation (for The Movement Institute) link San Francisco, CA $70,000
U.S. Climate Action Network link Washington, DC $245,000 over 3 years
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation (for Democracy Alliance Pooled Fund) link Washington, DC $20,000
AZ PODER link Phoenix, AZ $198,000 over 3 years
Biodiversity Funders Group (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $5,000
CASA link Hyattsville, MD $50,000
Climate Emergency Advocates link Boulder, CO $230,000 over 3 years
Climate Equity Action Fund Washington, DC $130,000
Common Defense Education Fund link New York, NY $83,000 over 3 years
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $7,000
Fair Count link Atlanta, GA $45,000
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $55,000
Georgia Alliance Education Fund link Atlanta, GA $255,000
Hopewell Fund (for The Movement Institute) link Washington, DC $70,000
League of Conservation Voters link Washington, DC $105,000
LUCHA link Phoenix, AZ $155,000 over 3 years
Michigan Civic Action Fund Madison Heights, MI $255,000
New Left Accelerator link Alameda, CA $135,000 over 3 years
NextGen Education Fund link San Francisco, CA $155,000 over 3 years
Progressive Multiplier Action Fund link Washington, DC $80,000
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $55,000
Tides Advocacy (for Resilient Democracy Action Fund) link San Francisco, CA $80,000
U.S. Climate Action Network link Washington, DC $80,000
Windward Fund (for Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice) link Washington, DC $160,000 over 3 years
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation (for Democracy Alliance Pooled Fund) link Washington, DC $20,000
Biodiversity Funders Group (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $5,000
CASA de Maryland link Hyattsville, MD $45,000
Climate Emergency Advocates link Boulder, CO $100,000
Common Defense Education Fund link New York, NY $27,500
Confluence Philanthropy link Oakland, CA $5,500
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $8,500
Fair Count link Atlanta, GA $40,000
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $50,000
Hopewell Fund (for The Movement Institute) link Washington, DC $65,000
League of Conservation Voters link Washington, DC $100,000
New Left Accelerator link Alameda, CA $30,000
NextGen Education Fund link San Francisco, CA $50,000
Progressive Multiplier Action Fund link Washington, DC $75,000
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $50,000
Tides Advocacy (for Resilient Democracy Action Fund) link San Francisco, CA $75,000
U.S. Climate Action Network link Washington, DC $75,000
Windward Fund (for Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice) link Washington, DC $75,000
AZ PODER link Phoenix, AZ $150,000 over 2 years
Biodiversity Funders Group (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $5,000
Climate Emergency Advocates link Boulder, CO $100,000
Confluence Philanthropy link Oakland, CA $5,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $5,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $7,000 over 2 years
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $50,000
Georgia Alliance for Progress link Atlanta, GA $500,000 over 2 years
League of Conservation Voters link Washington, DC $75,000
LUCHA link Phoenix, AZ $100,000 over 2 years
Michigan Civic Action Fund Madison Heights, MI $500,000 over 2 years
One for Democracy Action Fund link New York, NY $200,000 over 4 years
Progressive Multiplier Action Fund link Washington, DC $75,000
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $50,000
Sixteen Thirty Fund (for Climate Equity Action Fund) Washington, DC $325,000 over 2 years
Sustainable Markets Foundation (for BankFWD) link New York, NY $40,000
Tides Foundation (for Resilient Democracy Fund) link San Francisco, CA $75,000
U.S. Climate Action Network link Washington, DC $100,000
Windward Fund (for Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice) link Washington, DC $25,000
350.org link Boston, MA $200,000 over 2 years
A Better Big Sky Missoula, MT $50,000
Alliance for Climate Education link Boulder, CO $100,000
Biodiversity Funders Group (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $10,000
Civil Liberties Defense Center link Eugene, OR $50,000
Confluence Philanthropy link Oakland, CA $3,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $5,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $3,500
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $50,000
Maine Coast Heritage Trust link Topsham, ME $50,000
Minnesota Youth Collective link St. Paul, MN $50,000
Natural Resources Council of Maine (for The End of Winter project) link Augusta, ME $25,000
Progressive Multiplier Action Fund link Washington, DC $75,000
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $75,000
Rockefeller Family Fund (for the David W. Kaiser Fund for Climate Progress and the Equation Campaign) link New York, NY $223,500
Sixteen Thirty Fund (for Climate and Equity Action Fund) Washington, DC $225,000
Windward Fund (for Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice) link Washington, DC $100,000
Biodiversity Funders Group (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $5,000
Confluence Philanthropy link Oakland, CA $3,000
Council on Strategic Risks (for Center for Climate & Security) link Washington, DC $175,000 over 2 years
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $5,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $3,500
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $50,000
Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs link Jackson, WY $40,000
Jolt Action link Austin, TX $50,000
Protect Our Winters Action Fund link Boulder, CO $50,000
Windward Fund (for Mosaic) link Washington, DC $75,000 over 3 years
YEARS Project link New York, NY $25,000
Confluence Philanthropy link New York, NY $3,000
Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $5,000
Council on Strategic Risks (for Center for Climate & Security) link Washington, DC $50,000
Environmental and Energy Study Institute link Washington, DC $25,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $4,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $3,500
George Mason University Foundation (for republicEn) link Fairfax, VA $40,000
Protect Our Winters Action Fund link Boulder, CO $50,000
Sustainable Markets Foundation New York, NY $36,000
Tides Foundation (for YEARS Project) link San Francisco, CA $25,000
Truman National Security Project link Washington, DC $50,000
Confluence Philanthropy link New York, NY $1,000
Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (for Climate & Energy Funders Group) link San Francisco, CA $3,000
Environmental and Energy Study Institute link Washington, DC $25,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $4,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $3,500
GreenFaith (for People's Climate Movement) link Highland Park, NJ $40,000
Issue One link Washington, DC $12,500
Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs link Jackson, WY $30,000
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $50,000
Sierra Club Foundation (for Climate Parents) link Oakland, CA $40,000
Sixteen Thirty Fund link Washington, DC $30,000
Sustainable Markets Foundation (for Center for Climate & Security) link Washington, DC $21,000
Virgin Unite USA link New York, NY $25,000
Citizens' Climate Education link Coronado, CA $25,000
Climate Parents link Oakland, CA $40,000
Environmental and Energy Study Institute link Washington, DC $25,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $4,000
Fund for Constitutional Government (for Peace & Security Funders Group) link Washington, DC $3,350
Institute on Science for Global Policy link Tucson, AZ $40,000
International Documentary Association (for PF Pictures) link Los Angeles, CA $17,650
Protect Our Winters link Boulder, CO $30,000
Sustainable Markets Foundation (for Center for Climate & Security) link New York, NY $150,000 over 3 years
Truman Center for National Policy link Washington, DC $50,000
Appalachian Voices link Charlottesville, VA $35,000
Catholic Climate Covenant link Washington, DC $35,000
Center for Climate & Security link Washington, DC $25,300
Climate & Energy Funders Group link San Francisco, CA $45,000
Environmental Grantmakers Association link New York, NY $3,700
Green Guerrillas link New York, NY $13,000
Kentucky Coalition link London, KY $35,000
MACED link Berea, KY $35,000
NYCEEC link New York, NY $50,000
Transition US link Sebastopol, CA $13,000
Truman Center for National Policy link Washington, DC $25,000
West Virginia Free link Charleston, WV $35,000
Appalachian Voices link Charlottesville, VA $30,000
Canary Project link New York, NY $25,000
Green Guerillas link New York, NY $25,000
Groundswell link Washington, DC $50,000
MACED link Berea, KY $40,000
National People's Action link Chicago, IL $25,000
NYCEEC link New York, NY $40,000
Pratt Center for Community Development link Brooklyn, NY $40,000
Transition US-MATH link Sebastopol, CA $25,000
West Virginia Free link Charleston, WV $35,000
Added Value link Brooklyn, NY $25,000
The Canary Project Modern Primitive Exchange link Syracuse, NY $25,000
Environmental Integrity Project link Washington, DC $30,000
Food Corps link New York, NY $30,000
Green Guerillas Harvest for Neighborhoods Campaign link Brooklyn, NY $25,000
Groundswell link Washington, DC $50,000
Kentucky Coalition link London, KY $25,000
Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) link Berea, KY $35,000
Pratt Center for Community Development link Brooklyn, NY $30,000
ReAMP link Lansing, MI $25,000
Sustainable Endowments Institute Billion Dollar Green Challenge link Cambridge, MA $25,000
Added Value link Brooklyn, NY $20,000
Center for Working Families Green Jobs/Green New York link New York, NY $25,000
Community Labor United link Boston, MA $25,000
Environmental Integrity Project link Washington, DC $25,000
Green Guerillas link New York, NY $15,000
Groundswell link Washington, DC $50,000
Kentucky Coalition link London, KY $50,000
Mountain Association for Community Economic Development – MACED link Berea, KY $25,000
Sustainable Endowments Institute Billion Dollar Green Challenge link Cambridge, MA $25,000
Added Value link Brooklyn, NY $25,000
Center for Working Families Green Jobs/Green New York link New York, NY $25,000
Community Labor United Green Justice Coalition & Campaign link Boston, MA $50,000
Design Trust for Public Space Five Borough Farm link New York, NY $5,000
Food Corps link National $60,000 over 2 years
Groundswell link Washington, DC $40,000
Kentucky Coalition link Kentucky $25,000
El Puente Greenlight District link Brooklyn, NY $15,000
Rockefeller Family Fund National Coal Program link National $25,000
Sustainable Endowments Institute Billion Dollar Green Challenge link Cambridge, MA $25,000
Added Value and Herban Solutions Inc. link Brooklyn, NY $25,000
Center for Working Families Green Jobs/Green New York link New York State $25,000
Community Labor United Green Justice Coalition & Campaign link Boston, MA $40,000
Design Trust for Public Space Five Borough Farm link New York, NY $50,000
Kentucky Coalition link Kentucky $50,000
El Puente Greenlight District link Brooklyn, NY $25,000
Rockefeller Family Fund National Coal Program link National $50,000
Solar One link New York, NY $15,000
Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice link Bronx, NY $20,000
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The Richard Rockefeller Climate Change Initiatives

The Richard Rockefeller Climate Change Initiatives were a 5-year, time-limited set of grant-making initiatives approved by the DR Fund board in November 2018. They were made possible by the estate of the late David Rockefeller at the behest of two grandchildren and in honor of the late Richard Rockefeller, a beloved member of the family and former trustee of the David Rockefeller Fund.

Richard Rockefeller worked on the problem of climate change at three Rockefeller foundations benefiting from his service and leadership. He also recognized that one of the particular strengths of a family foundation is the ability to act quickly and to be responsive to opportunities in the field. These initiatives endeavored to further that legacy and respond quickly and boldly to the climate crisis facing future generations.

The goal of this grantmaking was to support bold, urgent action to reduce and prevent greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as practitioners and policymakers can achieve such gains at scale. The impacts of climate change are already being felt by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Left unchecked, the trajectory of global climate change will have enormous consequences for our children, grandchildren, human civilization, and biodiversity.

Partner organizations supported by the Richard Rockefeller Climate Change Initiatives included:

  • 350.org
  • AgroEcology Fund
  • Air Alliance Houston
  • American Farmland Trust
  • Bay Mills Indian Community
  • Border Workers United
  • Civic Participation Fund
  • Columbia Riverkeeper
  • Commission Shift
  • Conservation Colorado
  • Corporate Accountability
  • Eco-Accountability Project
  • Environmental Integrity Project
  • Equation Campaign
  • Forum for the Future US
  • Global Alliance for the Future of Food
  • Indigenous Environmental Network
  • Institute on Science for Global Policy
  • Jolt Action
  • Kiss the Ground
  • March on Maryland
  • Mighty Earth
  • Movement Law Lab
  • Niskanen Center
  • Our Children’s Trust
  • Pipeline Fighters Hub
  • Piper Fund
  • RE-AMP Network
  • Rural Beacon Initiative
  • Rockefeller Family Fund
  • Salzburg Global Seminar
  • Sierra Club Foundation
  • Texas Campaign for the Environment
  • Texas Civil Rights Project
  • Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
  • Unkitawa