Global Generation Fund

What Global Generation Fund does

Global Greengrants Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic organization founded in 1993 by Chet Tchozewski and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with a European sister entity (Global Greengrants Fund UK, established 2015) in London. Its core function is mobilizing and distributing financial resources to grassroots environmental justice movements worldwide, primarily through a participatory grantmaking model that channels small grants — averaging approximately $5,000 each — to local organizations working on climate justice, land and water rights, gender-just climate action, and environmental defense. Grantmaking is executed through a decentralized network of more than 200 volunteer expert advisors organized across approximately 30 regional and thematic advisory boards covering Africa, Asia, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, the Pacific Islands, and cross-cutting themes such as Indigenous Peoples, Youth, Disability Rights, and Plastics and Zero Waste. The organization does not accept unsolicited proposals; advisory board members identify and recommend grantees via personal networks and participatory deliberation. As of 2024, Global Greengrants and its network had awarded over 18,000 grants in 168 countries totaling more than $120 million since inception, with $24 million distributed via 2,000 grants in 2024 alone and consolidated network grant throughput of $75.7 million.

The business model is donation-based philanthropy rather than commercial revenue. Funding is raised from foundations (notably MacKenzie Scott in 2022 and 2025, the Waverley Street Foundation, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation), corporate donors, and individual contributors, including through Donor Advised Funds and an online donation portal. Approximately 85% of annual revenue is directed to grants and program support. Global Greengrants also serves as fiscal sponsor for pooled and collaborative funds, including the Environmental Defenders Collaborative (housed since 2019), the Agroecology Fund (since October 2021), The Iris Project, and the CLIMA Fund collaboration with Grassroots International, Thousand Currents, and Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism. There is no technology product or platform underlying the model; the core capability is the trust-based human network and grantmaking operations. Leadership comprises President & CEO Laura García (appointed March 2020, succeeding Terry Odendahl), VP of Programs Pontso Mafethe (appointed April 2024), Executive Director of Global Greengrants UK Dr. Nisha Owen (appointed January 2023), and Director-level leads across communications, external relations, programs and learning, and the EDC.

Name

Global Generation Fund

Legal name

Global Greengrants Fund Inc.

Website

https://greengrants.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Greengrants Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that channels small grants (~ $5,000 average) to grassroots environmental justice organizations worldwide through a participatory network of more than 200 volunteer advisors across 30 advisory boards, operating in 168 countries with ~$24M deployed in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Philanthropy and Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities (BPADACAH)

Keywords

• Grassroots grantmaking
• Environmental philanthropy
• Climate justice funding
• Participatory grantmaking
• Environmental justice grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions and Grants: Global Greengrants Fund raises funds from foundations, corporations, and individual donors. The organization operates as a donor-funded entity, mobilizing resources to distribute as small grants to grassroots environmental justice movements. Funding sources include foundations (e.g., MacKenzie Scott, Waverley Street Foundation), corporate donors, and individual contributors. The organization does not generate revenue from product or service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Global Greengrants Fund operates a participatory grantmaking program that mobilizes donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals to fund grassroots environmental justice organizations. Its core service is the rapid distribution of small grants (averaging $5,000) — identified and vetted by a global network of over 200 volunteer advisors on approximately 30 regional and thematic advisory boards — to local organizations in 168 countries working on climate justice, healthy ecosystems, Indigenous rights, gender-just climate action, and environmental defense. It also provides fiscal sponsorship for collaborative pooled funds such as the Environmental Defenders Collaborative and the Agroecology Fund, and administers Donor Advised Funds for philanthropists.

Product overview

Global Greengrants Fund operates as a decentralized, advisory-led philanthropy organization that mobilizes resources for grassroots environmental justice movements. The core offering is its participatory grantmaking program, which distributes small grants (averaging $5,000) through a network of over 200 volunteer advisors on approximately 30 regional and thematic advisory boards. The organization also provides fiscal sponsorship to collaborative funds including the Environmental Defenders Collaborative, Agroecology Fund, and The Iris Project. Additional offerings include Donor Advised Funds for philanthropically-minded donors and the Grassroots Climate Solutions Fund collaborative. Together, the organization and its network awarded over 2,000 grants totaling $24 million across 125 countries in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Environmental Defenders Collaborative (EDC): A pooled fund to support environmental defenders worldwide in the face of rising levels of intimidation, criminalization, and threats. Fiscal sponsor: Global Greengrants Fund.
• The Agroecology Fund (AEF)
• The Iris Project
• CLIMA Fund

Products and services

• Grassroots Grantmaking Program Core grantmaking program that provides small grants (averaging $5,000) to grassroots environmental justice organizations worldwide, identified through a network of volunteer expert advisors on 30 regional and thematic advisory boards. Distributed over 18,000 grants worth more than $120 million across 168 countries since 1993.
• Environmental Defenders Collaborative (EDC) A pooled fund housed at Global Greengrants Fund that supports environmental groups, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth defenders facing intimidation, criminalization, and attack worldwide. Issues flexible grants including urgent security grants within 12 hours. Since 2017, EDC has approved over $9 million in funding; in 2024 alone, EDC made 262 grants in 55 countries totaling $3.27M.
• Agroecology Fund (AEF) A multi-donor fund for agroecology movements worldwide that Global Greengrants provides fiscal hosting for, supporting viable food systems, small farmer rights, and climate mitigation through sustainable agriculture. The AEF has awarded nearly $10 million to 145 collaboratives across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America since 2012.
• The Iris Project A fiscally sponsored project of Global Greengrants Fund focused on environmental education and conservation, emphasizing intergenerational transfer of traditional ecological knowledge, rights, and leadership development. The Iris Project made 12 awards in 11 countries in 2024 through the partnership.
• Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) A giving vehicle that allows donors to make charitable contributions, receive immediate tax deductions, and recommend grants from the fund over time, leveraging Global Greengrants' grassroots network. Contributions are administered by Global Greengrants Fund and regranted to vetted grantees.
• Grassroots Climate Solutions Fund A collaborative fund launched in partnership with International Development Exchange (IDEX), Grassroots International, and Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights to reach grassroots organizations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands working at the intersection of climate resilience and human rights.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed $24M via 2,000 grants across 125 countries in 2024 alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• IMPACT KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024IMPACT Kenya co-organized the East Africa Carbon Market Community Land Summit with Global Greengrants in Isiolo, Kenya in 2024 — the first event of its kind organized by and for Indigenous communities to discuss the impacts of carbon trading on their lands.
• The Agroecology FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2021The Agroecology Fund, a multi-donor fund supporting agroecological practices and policies, chose Global Greengrants Fund as its fiscal home in October 2021. The partnership streamlines AEF's ability to make grants while creating opportunities for interaction across networks. AEF has awarded nearly $10 million to 145 collaboratives across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America since 2012.
• Environmental Defenders Collaborative (EDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2019The Environmental Defenders Collaborative (EDC), a pooled fund formed in 2017 by 14 funders including The Cold Mountain Fund, Overbrook Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, and Mott Foundation, is now housed at Global Greengrants Fund. EDC mobilizes resources to environmental groups and defenders under threat. Since 2017, EDC has approved over $9 million in funding. In 2024, EDC made 262 grants in 55 countries totaling $3.27M.
• Grassroots Climate Solutions Fund (IDEX, Grassroots International, Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016A ground-breaking partnership with International Development Exchange (IDEX), Grassroots International, and Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights to launch the Grassroots Climate Solutions Fund. The collaborative aims to reach grassroots organizations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands working at the intersection of climate resilience and human rights.
• Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Since 2016, Global Greengrants has been a strategic partner in GAGGA, which has provided approximately $13 million to women-led community-based organizations. As the GAGGA Africa grantmaker, Global Greengrants has distributed $2.2 million to women's environmental action across Africa.
• Prospera International Network of Women's FundscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Global Greengrants has partnered with Prospera since 2014 to foster cross-movement collaborations between environmental, climate, and feminist movements. In 2019, they launched the Funder Learning Community for Women and the Environment, which evolved into the Funder Learning and Action Co-Laboratory (FLAC) in 2023.
• CLIMA Fund (Grassroots International, Thousand Currents, Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLIMA Fund is a collaboration between Global Greengrants Fund, Grassroots International, Thousand Currents, and Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism to fund grassroots climate movements. Since its launch, CLIMA Fund has raised over $35M, supported 1,400 grassroots groups, and in 2024 moved $5M through 278 grants to movements led by Indigenous Peoples (67%), women (86%), youth (49%), and peasants (54%) in 77 countries.
• Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Greengrants partnered with WEDO and GAGGA to build the Roots Rising campaign, aiming to mobilize at least $100 million of new funding for gender-just climate action by 2026 and set ambitious mobilization targets by 2030.
• The Iris ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Iris Project is one of Global Greengrants' fiscal sponsorship partners. In 2024, The Iris Project made 12 awards in 11 countries through the partnership.
• Fondo de Acción Solidaria (FASOL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Greengrants co-hosted a convening in Mexico with long-standing partner FASOL to explore centering direct participatory mechanisms in grantmaking, bringing together Indigenous lawyers, local funders, and human rights and environmental justice activists.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oak Foundation: A large international philanthropy with environmental and social-justice programs; one of 14 funders of the Environmental Defenders Collaborative that Global Greengrants now houses, indicating direct funder overlap.
• Ford Foundation: A major incumbent funder that has co-financed Global Greengrants initiatives (Resilient Women and Natural Resources, Funder Learning Community). Ford Foundation's social-justice and gender portfolios often overlap with Global Greengrants' climate-and-gender work and represent an upstream funding relationship.
• MacArthur Foundation: Co-host of the Funder Learning Community for Women and the Environment alongside Global Greengrants; MacArthur is a large global foundation with overlapping interests in climate solutions, gender, and inclusive grantmaking.
• Waverley Street Foundation: A newer flagship donor (2022 gift and 2025 continuing support), Waverley Street Foundation focuses on climate solutions led by frontline communities and shares Global Greengrants' trust-based, movement-led philosophy.

Direct peers

• Thousand Currents: A core CLIMA Fund partner, Thousand Currents is a participatory grantmaker funding grassroots-led movements globally; it shares Global Greengrants' model of multi-year, unrestricted, trust-based giving to locally-rooted organizations.
• Grassroots International: A fellow participatory grantmaker and CLIMA Fund co-founding partner, Grassroots International similarly pools resources from multiple foundations to make small grants to frontline social-justice movements worldwide, with overlapping grantee networks in the Global South.
• Swift Foundation: A small private foundation using participatory grantmaking to support Indigenous-led environmental, cultural, and rights movements - the same thesis and grantee base as Global Greengrants, with comparable grant sizes and trust-based approach.
• Prospera - International Network of Women's Funds: A long-standing strategic partner since 2014, Prospera supports women's funds globally and co-leads the Funder Learning Community for Women and the Environment alongside Global Greengrants, operating in adjacent funding circles.
• Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism: The fourth CLIMA Fund partner, Urgent Action Fund provides rapid-response grants to women and LGBTQI+ activists worldwide, complementing Global Greengrants' support for environmental defenders with similar rapid-grant and security-grant mechanisms.

Emerging players

• African Women's Development Fund: A pan-African women's fund that supports organizations across the continent, sharing a participatory grantmaking ethos and overlapping with Global Greengrants' Africa advisory board network; relevant for the women's-environment intersection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Global Generation Fund