Our Approach

We believe strategic philanthropy, thoughtful partnerships, and equitable program and project design are essential to secure a just and resilient world for people and nature. Our work succeeds at scale by building effective public-private partnerships, growing capacity among on-the-ground partners, advancing smart policies, and securing public funding for the intersecting issues of environmental protection, climate resilience, and healthy communities. Creativity, persistence, and collaboration characterize our approach. Tactical use of science, research, and polling guide our work.

• We mobilize influence, knowledge, and expertise through dynamic partnerships with innovators in communities, philanthropy, government, science, business, and advocacy to protect the environment for the benefit of people and the planet. Read our story. 
• We help redefine power by elevating the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, supporting them to drive solutions that address their priorities. We honor the rights, insight, and experience of Indigenous Peoples. Read our DEI commitments.
• We maximize results, leveraging philanthropic and public investments to achieve enduring outcomes at scale for environmental protection, climate resilience, and healthy communities. See our track record.
• We deploy a thoughtful mix of strategies—including policy and campaign development, advocacy, research, and coalition-building—to secure equitable policies and public funding, and we stay with issues to ensure lasting outcomes. Learn about our range of services.
• Donors and partners trust us to manage large, multi-year grantmaking programs and financial transactions; land, water, ocean, and climate agreements; fiscally sponsored projects; and efforts to advance social and environmental equity. Check out our programs and projects.