Climate Change
What are foundations doing?
- Large U.S. foundations invested $436 million to address climate change in 2007
- Of the $436 million, 41% was spent internationally, mostly in developing countries
- Foundation giving for climate change has increased nearly 5-fold domestically since 1997 and nearly 8-fold internationally
What are the big questions?
- How is the funding being spent?
- What innovative programs and initiatives are being funded?
- What impact is it having?
Case Studies
Demonstrating effectiveness by measuring success
 Developing Energy Policy in the U.S.
Supported by Pew Charitable Trusts, the Energy Foundation, and Mertz Gilmore Foundation, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has produced a cooperative agreement among 10 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and established the first mandatory emissions cap-and-trade program and aims to reduce power plant emissions 10% by 2018.
 Reducing Energy Waste
With help from the Cleveland and George Gund Foundations the Cleveland Carbon Fund created the first community-based carbon reduction fund, a public/private partnership to help Clevelanders offset their carbon footprint with local projects like tree planting, home weatherization and showerhead and compact fluorescent light bulb replacement.
 Educating the Public
The Schmidt Family Foundation's 11th Hour Project is a nonpartisan public education program to spread awareness about climate change and promote solutions. The project has distributed the film "An Inconvenient truth", funded a DC youth rally, sponsored an investigation of the coal industry and funded an exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences.
 Developing Energy Policy in
Emerging Economies
The China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) assists China in formulating auto standards. The Energy Foundation supports CATARC programs that address fuel efficiency and cleaner-burning vehicles. As a result China’s fuel economy standards are now higher than those in the U.S. for passenger and other vehicles.
 Adapting to Climate Change in
Developing Countries
By 2012, the Rockefeller Foundation's Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (part of the foundation's global Climate Change Resilience Initiative) will have a network of Asian city partners with robust and sustainable climate change adaptation plans integrated into urban planning and development.
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