Climate Change

Goals and Strategies

Climate change poses a significant global threat, one which we are addressing by striving to ensure an equitable, resilient, habitable, and enjoyable world for current and future generations. While our work is focused on climate change, we believe in the value of ecosystems services and in the stability and resiliency of healthy natural systems. We also believe it is essential that the cost of externalities be incorporated into lifestyle, policy, and business considerations.

Approach

 We are focused on investing in regenerative biological systems that influence the carbon cycle (“biocarbon”) and reducing dependency on fossil fuels. We have chosen to focus our grantmaking on efforts to hasten the demise of coal and other fossil fuels and on work that increases the abilities of the forests, agricultural lands, and estuaries of the Pacific Northwest to sequester carbon.

Priority Will Be Given To:

• Programs in Washington and Oregon. Although we may occasionally fund projects outside of the Pacific Northwest at the family’s discretion, we will not actively seek partnerships outside of the region.
• Organizations with a demonstrable commitment to climate environmental justice.
• Work that engages diverse stakeholders and builds strong strategic coalitions of historically uncommon partners.
• Work that has the potential to leverage our relatively small contributions into outsized impact through policy change, market forces, or other mechanisms.
• Work that has a demonstrated need for our support and can use our dollars as leverage.
• Work that is measurable, has a demonstrable impact, and results in tangible outcomes.
• Proven ideas and programs well-grounded in widely accepted science. 

We will occasionally make grants for work falling outside of these stated guidelines at the family’s request.

2021 Climate Change Grants

Last year the Climate Change Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) made grants totaling $365,000 to organizations listed below.

AS YOU SOW

​As You Sow (Oakland, CA)
For general operating support. As You Sow promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy, coalition building, and innovative legal strategies.​ Previous LNFF grants supported As You Sow's work to hasten the transition away from coal, oil, and gas; as well as a campaign to address the connection between fossil fuels and plastics. 

CARBON CYCLE INSTITUTE

Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI) (Petaluma, CA) 
For general operating support. CCI's mission is to stop and reverse climate global change by advancing science-based solutions that reduce atmospheric carbon while promoting environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic sustainability. ​Previous LNFF grants supported scaling carbon farming and regenerative agriculture on working farmlands across California. 

center for Diversity and the Environment (CDE)

Center for Diversity and the Environment (CDE)  
(Portland, OR) 
​For general operating support. CDE’s mission is to harness the power of racial and ethnic diversity to transform the US environmental movement by developing leaders, catalyzing change within institutions, and building alliances. CDE envisions a healthy, flourishing planet and society that sustainably and equitably meets the needs of all through an environmental movement that is diverse, inclusive,  successful, vibrant, and relevant, taking into account the needs, perspectives, and voices of all.

center for sustainable infrastructure (CSI)

Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (CSI)   (Olympia, WA)
​For general operating support. CSI champions a new paradigm and practice for sustainable infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, dedicated to helping Washington and Oregon emerge as national leaders in sustainable infrastructure innovation. Previous LNFF grants supported CSI's platform for the Pacific Northwest to become a leader in clean manufacturing processes and reduce carbon footprints.

City Forest Credits

City Forest Credits (Seattle, WA)
For general operating support. City Forest Credits' mission is to bring the wide range of environmental benefits of trees to our cities and towns in America. Previous LNFF grants supported continued development of the City Forest Credits registry, so that urban forests can sequester more carbon and deliver more of their documented ecosystem services to the increasing numbers of people who live in cities and towns. 

Climate Justice Initiative

Climate Justice Initiative  (Seattle, WA)
​For general operating support. The Climate Justice Initiative is an Indigenous women-led and focused organization addressing the multifaceted issue of climate change in Indigenous communities and peoples by means of economic and community-led empowerment, the development of strategies and methodologies for mitigating and adapting while preserving cultural heritage and directing our own cultural, social, environmental and economic future.

EARTHCORPS

EarthCorps (Seattle, WA)
Support for EarthCorps' blue carbon work in the eastern Puget Sound estuary system. EarthCorps envisions a world where people and nature thrive together and develops leaders to strengthen community and restore the health of our environment.

Ecotrust

Ecotrust (Portland, OR)
For general operating support. Ecotrust’s mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental well-being. Ecotrust works in partnership toward a just and equitable economy that advances climate resilience in the Pacific Northwest.

Front and Centered

Front and Centered (Seattle, WA)
For general operating support. Front and Centered is a coalition of more than 75 organizations across Washington State who believe climate and environmental change can only be addressed when equity for the communities first and most affected are at the center of the solutions. ​Front and Centered's mission is to elevate the voices, interests, and concerns of communities of color as a driving force on public policy, community-based education, and advocacy in addressing climate change and environmental priorities.

Pacific Forest Trust

Pacific Forest Trust (San Francisco, CA)
For general operating support. Pacific Forest Trust’s mission is to sustain America’s forests for all of their public benefits of wood, water, wildlife, and people’s well-being, in cooperation with landowners and communities. PFT creates economic incentives that reward private forest owners for conserving their lands and practicing sustainable forestry.​ 

Quivira Coalition

Quivira Coalition (Santa Fe, NM)
For general operating support. Through education, innovation, and collaboration, Quivira works in coalition with ranchers, farmers, government agencies, and land stewards to foster resilience on arid working lands.

SIGHTLINE INSTITUTE

Sightline Institute (Seattle, WA)
​For general operating support. Sightline's mission is to make the Northwest a global model of sustainability —  strong communities, a green economy, and a healthy environment. Previous LNFF grants supported Sightline's Thin Green Line program to prevent new fossil fuel infrastructure development in the Northwest, as well as a new Farms and Forests program to address soil health and carbon sequestration through regenerative land management. 

The Solutions Project

The Solutions Project  (Oakland, CA)
Support for The Solutions Project's work in regenerative agriculture. The Solutions Project funds and amplifies grassroots climate justice solutions created by Black, Indigenous, Immigrant, women and other people of color led organizations across the US and Puerto Rico. They promote climate justice solutions by investing in frontline solutions to transforming our energy, food and water systems and by using culture as a tool to get people to pay attention to what’s working and join the broader cause. 

Washington Environmental Council

Washington Environmental Council (WEC) (Seattle, WA)
General operating support for fossil fuel campaigns: Stand Up to Oil which opposes new oil terminals and transport through the Northwest; Power Past Coal which works to stop coal export off the West Coast; and Power Past Fracked Gas which opposes new fracked gas terminals and pipelines. WEC's mission is to protect, restore, and sustain Washington's environment for all.