European Environmental Funders Group
This transnational network brings together funders active or interested in the fields of environment, sustainable development and climate change. Its fundamental added value is to provide a safe space for funders to network, exchange experiences, reflect on strategies, build synergies, and engage in both formal and informal collaborations.
Aspirations
- Advance peer-learning on strategies for environmental grantmaking
- Improve coordination and strengthen cooperation among environmental funders
- Increase the level of philanthropic support for environmental issues
- Share and build knowledge on funding for the environment
Focus areas
The network focuses on five core strands of work:
- Networking
- Environmental issues
- Status of environmental philanthropy
- Strategic outreach
- Peer-learning
Activities
Aggregates intelligence on European environmental philanthropy to:
- identify needs, gaps, overlaps, and where philanthropy can make a difference
- provide inputs for funders’ strategic thinking
- catalyse collaborations
This work is published in the mapping series: “Environmental Funding by European Foundations”:
- Scans the policy horizon for emerging issues that may affect the environmental agenda.
- Brings funders together and in dialogue with leading actors in the field, such as NGOs, think tanks, policymakers, industry, and others.
Network background
The process for the establishment of the network started in 2007 with a mapping of the grants of major environmental funders in Europe. The mapping project revealed areas of common interest and led to the official launch of the network in 2010. The network also reaches out to similar funders’ networks in Europe and other parts of the world. The network’s meetings are open to all funders active in areas linked with environmental issues.
Relationship with the SDGs
Understanding European philanthropy, and how its work relates to the Sustainable Development Goals, is essential when it comes to finding ways of leveraging existing and potential areas of synergy.
The work of the Philea’s Thematic Networks cover the entire range of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (even if they don’t always refer to them explicitly), which are a key part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The work of the European Environmental Funders Group touches upon the following SDGs:
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
Steering Committee (Chair, Stiftung Mercator)
Contacts
