Communities around the world celebrated Earth Day last week, to promote awareness of the health of our environment. We’re sharing how a CMF member is supporting climate justice and how Michigan philanthropy can engage in efforts to support environmental issues across the state.

The Kresge Foundation was among one of the first national climate funders to sign the Climate Funders Justice Pledge (CFJP), created by the Donors of Color Network (DOCN) which is the first-ever cross-racial community of donors and movement leaders committed to building the collective power of people of color to achieve racial equity.

The CFJP launched one year ago and supports Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) led environmental justice groups. The Kresge Foundation has already reached the 30% threshold in its giving to BIPOC-led groups.

The CFJP works in partnership with movement leaders, organizations and networks to provide the philanthropic infrastructure and resources necessary to advance the goals of the movement. 
DOCN recently announced that the CFJP has created a new funding baseline for BIPOC-led justice groups of nearly $100 million.

According to a press release from Kresge, in one year the campaign has enlisted the support of over 70 BIPOC scholars and PHDs, creating the first and only compilation of U.S.- based BIPOC PhDs in the country who are leading on climate policy and research. 

“A climate strategy that doesn’t incorporate and resource the work of BIPOC-led organizations is ineffective and hinders our overall climate response,” Lois DeBacker, managing director of Kresge’s Environment Program said. “The Climate Funders Justice Pledge is driving forward a much needed, long overdue shift in U.S.-based climate philanthropy. We took the pledge because we want to lead by example and be a catalyst for that change in service of a winning climate strategy – other funders should follow suit.”

Want more?

Read the full Kresge press release. 

Michigan philanthropy is engaged in efforts to support environmental issues across the state.

The Green and Blue Network, a CMF affinity group, recently hosted a conversation with J. Carl Ganter, co-founder and managing director of Circle of Blue. Ganter provided a debrief from the U.N. Climate Summit held in Glasgow in November 2021. 

During the conversation, participants discussed the current challenges and priorities they’re seeing around environmental funding. Watch the recording.