Climate 200

What Climate 200 does

Climate 200 is an Australian not-for-profit proprietary limited company (Climate 200 Pty Ltd, ABN 98 632 816 383) founded in 2019 by Simon Holmes à Court and headquartered in Sydney, with a registered office in Richmond, Victoria. It is a community crowd-funded initiative that channels small-dollar donations from over 33,000 supporters directly to independent political candidates running for federal, state and territory parliaments, who are selected by local community groups (such as 'Voices of' organisations) and committed to three core principles: a science-based response to climate change, restoring integrity to politics, and advancing gender equality. Administrative costs are funded separately by a small group of direct donors, so donated dollars flow largely to candidate campaigns; donations are not tax-deductible and donors above the AUD 17,300 federal disclosure threshold must be reported to the Australian Electoral Commission.

The organisation's product surface includes an online donation platform for one-time and recurring gifts, the Climate 2000 monthly membership programme, the Community Accelerator Fund (grants of up to AUD 50,000 to emerging community groups), a Fair Elections Case legal fund backing a High Court challenge against new donation caps, the 'The Independents' podcast hosted by Julia Zemiro, the book 'The Big Teal', digital petitions, and a campaign-support service that delivers strategic communications, analytics, and campaign engagement to endorsed candidates. There is no proprietary technology stack or public API; the 'technology' is largely off-the-shelf campaign tooling, digital advertising platforms, and internal data analytics layered over volunteer activity (166,086 door knocks and 62,858 phone calls during the 2022 cycle).

Its revenue mechanics are donations-only; it reported AUD 10.86 million in contributions and AUD 6.6 million deployed to 35 independent candidates in the 2024-25 financial year. Go-to-market is community-led: local 'Voices of' groups nominate candidates, Climate 200 vets and funds them, and a national donor and volunteer base (with one-third of donors in regional and rural areas) provides the grassroots scale. Since 2019 Climate 200 has helped 12 pro-climate independents get elected across Australia (11 MPs and 1 Senator), including high-profile outcomes such as unseating the Federal Treasurer in Kooyong in 2022 and securing a National Anti-Corruption Commission. The organisation operates with a 1-10 person team under Executive Director Byron Fay and Founder/Convenor Simon Holmes à Court, who contributes his time on a voluntary basis (~2% of total funds).

Name

Climate 200

Legal name

Climate 200 Pty Ltd

Website

https://climate200.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Climate 200 is an Australian not-for-profit founded in 2019 that crowdfunds donations from over 33,000 supporters and deploys them, plus strategy, analytics and volunteer networks, to independent political candidates committed to climate action, political integrity and gender equity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Campaign Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Political fundraising
• Campaign support services
• Community organising
• Independent candidates
• Climate advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations and Crowdfunding: Climate 200 is funded entirely by donations from individuals and organisations. It operates as a not-for-profit proprietary limited company. Every dollar donated through its website goes directly to supporting community independent campaigns; administrative costs are covered separately by a small group of direct donors. Donations are not tax deductible. The organization is required to disclose donors above the $17,300 threshold to the Australian Electoral Commission under Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Climate 200 is a community crowd-funded initiative that collects donations from individuals and channels them, together with strategic communications, analytics, and campaign support resources, to independent political candidates across Australia who are endorsed by local community groups and aligned with its three core principles: climate action, political integrity, and gender equity. It also operates targeted programs such as the Community Accelerator Fund for emerging campaigns, the Fair Elections Case High Court challenge, and recurring donor and content platforms to sustain the community independents movement.

Product overview

Climate 200 is a community crowd-funded initiative that supports independent political candidates in Australia. The organization operates a centralized donation platform that channels funds to community-backed independent candidates committed to climate action, political integrity, and gender equity. The product portfolio includes a donation platform for one-time and recurring contributions, the Community Accelerator Fund providing up to $50,000 to emerging campaigns, The Fair Elections Case High Court challenge, The Independents Podcast, Climate 2000 recurring donor membership program, campaign support resources, petitions platform, and published works like The Big Teal book.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Independents Podcast: A podcast hosted by Julia Zemiro featuring stories of independent candidates running in the 2025 election.
• The Big Teal
• Community Accelerator Fund
• Climate 2000

Products and services

• Donation Platform Online donation platform enabling supporters to contribute one-time and recurring donations to Climate 200's community independents fund. Donations are not tax deductible and are subject to Australian Electoral Commission disclosure rules.
• Community Accelerator Fund Funding program providing grants of up to AUD 50,000 each to community groups (e.g., McPherson, Bradfield, Wannon, Casey) to support early-stage campaign activities such as events, printing, local advertising, and campaign headquarters setup.
• The Fair Elections Case Legal campaign and associated fundraising initiative supporting a High Court challenge by former independent MP Zoe Daniel and former senator Rex Patrick against new electoral reform laws. Funds top-tier legal teams and constitutional barristers.
• The Independents Podcast Podcast hosted by Julia Zemiro featuring stories of independent candidates running in Australian federal elections. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
• Campaign Support Resources Resources and support services for community-backed independent campaigns including strategic communications, data analytics, campaign engagement tools, and direct funding guidance.
• Climate 2000 Membership Program Recurring donor membership program recruiting 2,000 supporters with exclusive benefits including polling insights, events access, and book club participation.
• Petitions Platform Digital petition platform hosting campaigns on issues including truth in political advertising, no new coal mines, and protection of community independents from electoral reform.
• The Big Teal (Book) Book by Simon Holmes à Court published by Monash University Publishing documenting the story of the 2022 community independents movement. Sold via the Climate 200 website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped elect 12 pro-climate independents across federal and state parliaments since 2019, including unseating the Federal Treasurer (Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong, 2022).
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zoe Daniel and Rex Patrick (Fair Elections Case)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 January 2026Former independent MP Zoe Daniel (Goldstein) and former independent Senator Rex Patrick are the plaintiffs in the Fair Elections Case — a High Court challenge against new Australian electoral laws. Simon Holmes à Court and Climate 200 are backing this challenge as a critical strategic priority to protect independent candidates' ability to compete.
• Voices for IndicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe first community-backed independent group that successfully elected Cathy McGowan in 2013 (Indi). Climate 200 supports Voices for Indi as a model community organisation for the independent movement. Helen Haines succeeded Cathy McGowan in Indi, continuing this community-led approach.
• Community Independents ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeaded by Tina Jackson, the Community Independents Project provides information, training and support to start and grow community movements to support independent candidates. Climate 200 references this organisation as a resource for groups seeking to establish campaigns.
• Women for ElectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA non-partisan organisation providing training, workshops and networking for women wishing to get elected. Climate 200 references this organisation as a resource for emerging independent candidates, many of whom are women.
• The Commons Social Change LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn online collection of educational resources on campaign strategy, community organising, digital campaigning, communications and media, fundraising, diversity and inclusion and more. Referenced by Climate 200 as a resource for campaigners.
• The Big Teal (Monash University Publishing)minorOthersSimon Holmes à Court's book 'The Big Teal' was published by Monash University Publishing. It documents the story of the 2022 community independents movement and serves as both an advocacy tool and fundraising vehicle for Climate 200's mission.
• The Australia InstituteminorOthersThink tank referenced as an expert organisation criticising the Electoral Reform Act as 'unfair, undemocratic and fails to serve its stated objectives.' Both organisations share concerns about major party dominance in Australian politics.
• Centre for Public IntegrityminorOthersAnti-corruption organisation that raised concerns about the Electoral Reform Act being 'an affront to our democratic process' without proper parliamentary process and scrutiny. Both organisations advocate for political integrity reforms.
• Australian Democracy NetworkminorOthersCoalition of organisations advocating for democratic reforms. Called the Electoral Reform Act restrictions on public debate 'a blow to democracy' that will result in 'worse policy outcomes, less robust debate, less transparency and accountability for our leaders.'

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• EMILY's List Australia: Australian organization supporting progressive women candidates through fundraising, training, and endorsement. Comparable as a political-action entity funding candidates aligned with progressive values; overlaps with Climate 200's gender-equity principle but is party-aligned rather than independent-only.
• Sunrise Movement: US youth-led climate political movement that backs primary challenges and supports candidates aligned with the Green New Deal. Comparable as a climate-aligned electoral-influence organization, but operates inside a primary system rather than an independent-candidate model.
• Lock the Gate Alliance: Australian community-led alliance advocating against fossil fuel expansion (coal seam gas, coal mining). Comparable as a community-organized, donor-funded climate advocacy group operating at state and federal level, though focused on fossil-fuel opposition rather than candidate support.

Broad incumbents

• 350.org: Global grassroots climate movement focused on fossil-fuel divestment and renewable energy transition. Comparable in mobilizing mass donor bases around climate advocacy, though more movement-driven and less electoral-candidate-focused than Climate 200.
• Environmental Defence Fund: Large US-based environmental advocacy organization combining science, policy, and legal action to advance climate and ocean policy. Comparable as a mission-aligned climate advocacy organization with donor funding, but at vastly greater scale and with a US/global rather than Australian political focus.
• Greenpeace Australia Pacific: Australian arm of the global environmental campaigning network; uses donor funding and direct action to pressure governments and corporations on climate and conservation. Comparable on climate mission and donor-funded model; differs in tactics (activism over electoral support).
• Australian Conservation Foundation: Australia's largest environmental advocacy organization, focused on climate, nature, and pollution policy. Broader mandate than Climate 200, tax-deductible donations, and a longer history — directly comparable on climate advocacy but with very different funding mechanics and political-candidate engagement.

Direct peers

• MoveOn: US community-funded progressive political action organization that pools small-dollar donations and mobilizes members for electoral and legislative campaigns. The most structurally similar international peer to Climate 200, differing mainly in US rather than Australian political context.
• GetUp!: Australia's largest community-funded progressive advocacy organization; uses small-dollar crowdfunding and digital campaigning to influence policy and elections. Closest domestic analogue to Climate 200's model of mobilizing individual donors to disrupt the major-party duopoly.
• Community Independents Project: Australian organization (headed by Tina Jackson) that trains and supports community groups to launch independent candidate campaigns. Climate 200 explicitly references it as a partner — directly comparable on the community-independent-election model, though focused on training rather than funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/climate200
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@climate200
• Facebookfacebook.com/climate200
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climate-200
• Instagraminstagram.com/climate200
• TikToktiktok.com/@climate200

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Climate 200