In Brazil and Southeast Asia, advisors for Global Greengrants Fund have been pioneering the creation of local environmental grantmaking organizations for grassroots and community action. Having worked for the last decade with Greengrants to channel millions of dollars to grassroots environmental groups, they have seen the need for sustained local support for environmental initiative in their regions.
As a response, the advisors in those two regions have created Greengrants Alliance Funds: independent, locally constituted and governed grantmaking organizations for environmental justice.
These organizations continue the traditional Greengrants model of supporting local environmental action. They are also mobilizing new financial and material support, both regionally and internationally. Taking an active role in the creation of environmental philanthropy will enable them to strengthen local and national networks, advocate for public support for environmental action, and complement grantmaking with strategic capacity-building resources.
The Alliance Fund in Brazil is the Center for Socio-environmental Support—CASA. CASA’s mission is to “promote dignity, justice and quality of life through the mobilization and strengthening of the capacities of groups and civil society organizations to promote and exercise public and democratic control over the State and the Market, by integrating solutions for social, environmental and economic sustainability.” (CASA’s website)
Samdhana Institute in Southeast Asia is the other new Alliance Fund. Samdhana, which means “a peaceful coming together” in Sanskrit, is working to support a strong environmental community across Southeast Asia. It combines small grants with fellowships, retreats, and other support programs aimed at strengthening and rejuvenating those who work in conservation and development organizations. (Samdhana’s website)
Both funds are already showing results. They began making grants in 2005, and have raised seed funding from local and international organizations. Samdhana helped donors respond to the devastating effects of the Tsunami by supporting environmentally sensitive local efforts for reconstruction. In Brazil, the release of a study on the impact of over a decade of Greengrants grantmaking has been interesting both local and international partners in how they can make a bigger impact by working with CASA.
In Mexico, research and discussions over the last year have convinced advisors to start building their own fund in the five states of northern Mexico where they work. They approach the process of establishing a fund as an important opportunity to strengthen and build bridges across existing social and environmental networks.