What is Climate Emergency Fund?

We are a grant-making intermediary that supports grassroots climate groups that utilize nonviolent disruption as part of their campaigning. That means that we raise money for, and make grants to activist groups. We are a piece of infrastructure for the climate movement. Philanthropy as a sector is not well-equipped to support protest groups, and activists are not experienced fundraisers. We act as a bridge between philanthropists, big and small, and on-the-ground activists.

Where geographically does CEF make grants and what is your grant making cycle?

We make grants all over the world, with a focus on the U.S. and Europe. We have a rolling application portal and make grants throughout the year, based on the availability of funds.

Does donating to Climate Emergency Fund put me or my foundation at legal risk? 

Climate Emergency Fund provides a safe, legal, and tax deductible way to support the grassroots climate movement.

Our movement-oriented legal team provides layers of protection to Climate Emergency Fund by grant agreements to ensure that our funds support only legal 501(c)(3) appropriate activities. We fund activities such as recruitment, training, press support, education, and capacity-building, all of which are 100% legal. Grantees are required to report back on all money spent, ensuring that funds were only spent on legal and eligible activities. 

Please get in touch with info@cefund.org for more information about the layers of protection that our donors enjoy.

How does CEF use funds? How much is spent on grantmaking vs how much on overhead? 

Climate Emergency Fund raises approximately $5 million USD per year. Grants made are $4 million per year and spends $1 million per year on our operations. In other words we are a lean fundraising and grantmaking machine!

Do the funds go to pay Protestors?

No. Grassroots movements are powered by passionate volunteers. Many of our grantees are groups of volunteer activists who use the funding to hire their first one or two full-time people, who are then able to coordinate and train much larger groups of volunteers. So while grantees may use our funds to recruit, train, or coordinate - people who attend climate protests or take part in direct action do so as volunteers.

Do you have a recommended reading/watching list? 

How do movements make an impact? 

• Paul and Mark Engler - This is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt is Shaping the Twenty-First Century (2016) 

• Vaclav Havel - The Power of the Powerless (1978) Full text available. 

• A Force More Powerful - Documentary focused on nonviolent direct action theory pioneered by the Indian Independence Movement and the US Civil Rights Movement.

• Bringing Down a Dictator - Documentary on Serbia’s successful Otpor Movement

What would a WWII-scale climate mobilization look like? 

• Ezra Silk - The Climate Mobilization Victory Plan (2016)

What will climate breakdown feel like to live through?

• Octavia Butler - Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents (Fiction) 

• Kim Stanley Robinson - Ministry for the Future, especially the first chapter

• Stephen Markley - The Deluge