September 18, 2023 “Transformation” at the JPB Foundation: Eight Questions with Deepak Bhargava, President-Elect September 18, 2023/ Michael Kavate Bhargava, a longtime insider and former grantee of the JPB Foundation, will take over from founding donor and president Barbara Picower in February 2024. We connected with him to learn more about the transition.Read More
September 14, 2023 Tracking Green Regrantors: Who’s Funding in the Amazon, Brazil and Beyond? September 14, 2023/ Michael Kavate Billionaires and big foundations, often from abroad, may be the megafauna of Amazon philanthropy, but there’s also a growing array of regrantors, intermediaries and grantmaking nonprofits to note.Read More
September 07, 2023 Billionaires Are Backing Brazil and the Amazon. What Do Locals and Longtime Funders Think? September 07, 2023/ Michael Kavate A wave of new commitments from foreign billionaires has some Amazon conservationists and activists feeling hopeful. But they’re also voicing concerns about where and how the money’s flowing.Read More
August 29, 2023 Bridgespan Looks to Inspire “A Mass Rush Off the Sidelines” for Climate Philanthropy August 29, 2023/ Michael Kavate The Bridgespan Group’s trying to get funders to step up and get in gear on climate with a new report. It’s a helpful framework — and jibes with takeaways from our own reporting.Read More
August 23, 2023 What Exactly Is a Philanthropic LLC? Here Are Five Types, Ranked By Transparency August 23, 2023/ Michael Kavate The “philanthropic LLC” — not a legal category, by the way — has swiftly gained popularity among billionaire donors who want to keep their options open. Levels of transparency vary widely. Here’s a rundown.Read More
August 22, 2023 What Type of Climate Groups Does This Billionaires’ Collaborative Fund? August 22, 2023/ Michael Kavate With its many billionaire donors, The Audacious Project can award game-changing gifts to environmental nonprofits. But can it widen the aperture beyond tech-friendly and market-based solutions?Read More
August 09, 2023 Inside The Audacious Project: How the Billionaires’ Funding Collaborative Picks its Winners August 09, 2023/ Michael Kavate The Audacious Project has become one of the largest forces in philanthropy, thanks to its singular talent for appealing to the world’s billionaires. We take an in-depth look at who is backing it, how it works and where the money goes.Read More
August 02, 2023 Bill Gates’ Climate Outfit Is Now Among the Top Green Grantmakers. What Is it Funding? August 02, 2023/ Michael Kavate In its first full year of grantmaking, nonprofits under the umbrella of Breakthrough Energy gave more than $94 million, putting it within the top 20 green grantmakers. Here’s what we know about where the money’s going.Read More
July 26, 2023 Sitting on the Beach or Hiding From the Heat, These Climate Reports Are Essential Summer Reading July 26, 2023/ Michael Kavate The scorching temperatures have made summer leisure a little harder on all of us, but if you’re looking for some light reading and want to support climate action, this is the list for you.Read More
July 21, 2023 Bezos Pledges $50 Million a Year for Urban Greenery, With a Focus on Communities of Color July 21, 2023/ Michael Kavate The Bezos Earth Fund’s latest big move seeks to develop urban green space in disadvantaged communities. The grantee list so far is dominated by groups working close to the ground and led by people of color. Read More
July 19, 2023 Five Things to Know about Walton Family Foundation’s New Executive Director July 19, 2023/ Michael Kavate The flagship foundation of the country’s richest family has a new leader, Stephanie Dodson Cornell. Here, we hit the broad strokes of her career, plus some lesser-known facts that shed more light on her opinions and interests.Read More
July 18, 2023 Climate Philanthropy Giants Launch $180 Million Fund to Implement Federal Legislation July 18, 2023/ Michael Kavate Some of the largest foundations backing climate action have created a three-year funding effort to support access to huge federal spending on the horizon. Here’s a rundown of who’s involved and where the money’s going. Read More
July 17, 2023 These Third-Generation Walton Heirs Have Been Pumping Big Bucks Into Their Foundations July 17, 2023/ Michael Kavate Ben, Sam and James Walton each sent more than $200 million to their foundations in 2021, growing their low-profile operations and expanding the left-leaning wing of the billionaire clan’s network of philanthropies.Read More
July 10, 2023 Millions to Move Trillions? New Climate Philanthropy Group Aims to Woo the Private Sector July 10, 2023/ Michael Kavate Giving to Amplify Earth Action, or GAEA, brings together 60-plus members and intends to serve as a convening point and intelligence depot in the global effort to mobilize $3 trillion in climate financing per year.Read More
July 05, 2023 More Cuts at Open Society Foundations: Nearly Half of Staff to Depart, Offices Close July 05, 2023/ Michael Kavate OSF plans to let go of 40% of staff as it reaches a new stage in its longtime bid to bring focus to its legendarily complex operations. Critics point to a consolidation of power amid low morale and a shrinking global footprint.Read More
June 12, 2023 Tracking Green Regrantors: Six Funds Working to Remake the U.S. Food System June 12, 2023/ Michael Kavate Like environmental funding overall, food and agriculture philanthropy is home to a growing number of intermediary funds that engage in regranting. Here are six worth watching.Read More
June 08, 2023 The Growth of Green Regrantors: Tracking an Evolving Ecosystem of Funding Intermediaries June 08, 2023/ Michael Kavate With more dollars heading toward environmental issues, we’ve seen an explosion of pooled funds seeking to help donors engage with complex problems and front-line communities. IP’s taking stock of this important space.Read More
May 30, 2023 Universities Get Big Bucks, Climate Does Not. But Recent Gifts Show Growing Crossover May 30, 2023/ Michael Kavate Does a series of recent awards for climate-related university projects suggest a promising fundraising trend amid a planetary crisis, or is this just a case of more of the same?Read More
May 25, 2023 Seven Questions with Anna Lappé, Incoming Head of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food May 25, 2023/ Michael Kavate The author and food movement leader will lead this 27-member group in transforming global food systems. She’s wary of philanthropy’s history but sees “huge potential.”Read More
May 22, 2023 These Five Green Grantmakers May Not Be Massive, But They're Influential May 22, 2023/ Michael Kavate Billionaires may increasingly dominate environmental philanthropy, but small grantmakers still have sway. Here’s a handful whose influence extends beyond what their modest grantmaking might suggest.Read More