Ho Ngoc Son’s Post

To all aspiring climate action champions, here’s a strategic guide to turning your grassroots projects into impactful initiatives: 🌿Understand the Problem: Deeply analyze the climate issues you aim to address. Knowledge is your foundation. 🌿Propose Concrete Solutions: Clearly define how your project tackles these issues. Detail your methodology and expected outcomes. 🌿Consultation is Crucial: Engage with experts and seek advice. Their experience can guide your efforts and avoid pitfalls. 🌿Initial Self-Funding: Demonstrate your commitment by starting small with personal or community funds. Success stories attract more substantial funding from donors. 🌿Protect Your Ideas: While networking and sharing ideas, be cautious. Ensure your concepts are protected to avoid exploitation. The journey demands patience, resilience, and a clear understanding of your value. Stay focused and determined. The world needs your innovative solutions! #ClimateChange #Sustainability #YouthLeadership #GrassrootsInitiatives

Do you want to make your funding and grantmaking processes more just? Here’s what we learnt from adopting more inclusive practices in our funding👇 EFN and Climate 2025 set up the Climate Action Speakers Fund (CASF) in Feb 2023. We wanted to better support young climate activists with direct funding from philanthropists and training to help amplify their messages. Natasha Ratter from EFN, Sarah Bradley from Climate 2025 and Tessa Cooper from Collaborative Funding were keen to design the CASF in a way that centred the needs of the activists. They asked: what changes can we make to ensure young climate activists are funded more justly and effectively? Our joint report, ‘Learning By Doing’, shares four key areas of learning: 1️⃣ Building shared understandings of selection criteria  2️⃣ Managing bias and accounting for cultural difference 3️⃣ Centering wellbeing and duty of care 4️⃣ Making the ‘right’ decisions Under each of these sections, you’ll find thoughtful and actionable insights. For instance, why the CASF paid applicants to the programme for their time to interview and how we designed applications and tasks to better account for cultural differences. We’d love to hear what others are doing to make funding processes more just, inclusive and effective – we will keep sharing our journey too. Read ‘Learning By Doing’ here: https://lnkd.in/eKfg7eMd #grants #grantmaking #funding #climate #climatefunding 

Empowering Local Changemakers to Accelerate Climate Action ♻️ Many of the complex challenges we face have a root cause in a disconnect between people and the world around them. Tech-enabled local action is the most equitable and efficient way to reverse environmental degradation and create a more beautiful world. Read our latest blog about how Kolektivo scales grassroots climate action by creating local impact networks with support from the UNICEF Innovation Venture Fund. https://lnkd.in/eMTbZstV

We're pleased to join The Funders Network, Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN), and Neighborhood Funders Group to bring you this discussion series on leveraging federal funds for environmental and #ClimateJustice. You’re probably aware that the federal government is investing close to $4 trillion in infrastructure, environmental and #CleanEnergy projects in cities and states across America. So how can funders like you help overcome the barriers between federal dollars and the places that need them most – and ensure communities make the most of these once-in-a-generation, transformational commitments? Join us Feb. 12 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET for "Now What: Leveraging Federal Funds & Building Community Capacity for Climate Justice," the first in a series of quarterly calls focused on accessing and leveraging federal funds for climate and #EnvironmentalJustice. We'll hear from federal officials and philanthropic leaders about the 2024 priorities for the Thriving Communities Network, as well as how foundations are mobilizing resources to meet this moment. We encourage you to join us for this timely webinar in advance of our EGA Winter Briefing (March 13-14), where we will dive deeper into opportunities during funder-led discussions: ega.org/WinterBriefing24 Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/eKrZJ3HH

⭐️ Whoever comes are the right people. But... what if no one shows up?! ⭐️ It was a pleasure to facilitate the first community meet-up for the Climate Peace and Justice Community at The Hague Humanity Hub! With around 40 participants, we used the Open Space Technology methodology for facilitation. It's based on four simple principles and one law that are incredibly powerful outside of workshops too: ✅ Whoever comes are the right people ✅ It starts when it starts ✅ It's over when it's over ✅ Whatever happens is the only thing that could have ⭐️ The Law of Two Feet ⭐️: if you're not learning or contributing, move to where you can be more useful or gain something valuable. These core rules for Open Space Technology are invaluable when kick-starting work on purpose-driven causes: ➡️ In short: Start with whoever is available, whenever you can, and take it from there. Below ⬇️ is a picture of one group during our meet-up where no one showed up, and it was perfectly fine: there were nine other groups that thrived and generated fantastic outcomes. No time, resources, or energy wasted there! 💡 I'm excited about the next steps for the Hague Climate Peace and Justice Community and look forward to facilitating more of these important conversations! 🌿 Thank you, the Hague Climate Peace and Justice Community, for your trust! 🌿 This initiative is a collaboration between The Hague Humanity Hub, International Alert, Mercy Corps, @The Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security, Oxfam Novib and City of The Hague as part of the The Hague Climate Agreement. Anne de Koster, Anyse Pereira, PhD, Marija Pop Trajkova Uzunovska, Matt Luna, Paulien Boone, Svenja Wolter, Thomas Reeve, Sophie Weyn, Jill Wilkinson. #thehague #denhaag #peaceandjustice #climatejustice #changemakers #peacebuilders #community #ClimatePeaceAndJustice #ClimateAction #CommunityMeetUp #OpenSpaceTechnology #PurposeDriven #GoWithTheFlow

Under capitalism you end up with… A food industry where the priority isn’t feeding people. A pharmaceutical industry where the priority isn’t keeping people healthy. A media where the priority isn’t informing people. A fossil fuel industry being subsidised to kill everyone. Time to change the system. Are you looking for a community of people that will help you to be more effective at spreading the word regarding the true nature of our ecological crises and what we need to do to keep the planet habitable? Come and join Ryan (Ra) James, Erin Remblance, me and over 200 other courageous people as we work towards the social tipping point where the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable. We are now taking enrolments for the third cohort of PROJECT TIPPING POINT beginning on the 21st May, 2024. Applications are open until 14th May. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eXy-AP-c Post by climate dad, please go follow on X. https://lnkd.in/dNhgbHcp

🌱 Youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the change-makers of today! 🌍✨ Sharing my journey of involving young minds in shaping climate policies has been nothing short of inspiring. From rallying cries to tangible actions, my collective voice is reshaping the dialogue on climate change. Here's a glimpse into my journey: ✊ Raising Awareness: Every movement starts with awareness. I took to the streets, social media, and community gatherings to spread the word about climate change and the urgent need for action. Through engaging content and thought-provoking discussions, I captured hearts and minds, igniting a passion for environmental stewardship. 💡 Educating and Empowering: Knowledge is power. I organized workshops, seminars, and educational sessions to equip young people with the tools and knowledge needed to understand climate science, policy, and advocacy. Empowered with information, I became a catalyst for change in my communities. 🔄 Fostering Collaboration:Alone, I am strong; together, we are unstoppable. I forged partnerships with local organizations, government agencies, and fellow youth groups to amplify our impact. By working collaboratively, we leveraged our resources and expertise to drive meaningful change at scale. 📣 Voicing my Concerns: my voice matters, and I refuse to be silenced. Through petitions, letters, and meetings with policymakers, I advocated for bold climate action. I shared our stories, experiences, and hopes for a sustainable future, demanding accountability and urgency from those in power. 🌟 Celebrating Successes:Every small victory is a step forward. Whether it's a policy change, community initiative, or individual action, I celebrated my successes and used them as motivation to continue my fight for a healthier planet. 🌿 Inspiring Future Generations:My journey doesn't end here; it's just the beginning. By sharing my experiences and lessons learned, I inspire and empower the next generation of climate leaders to continue the fight for environmental justice. Together, we are rewriting the narrative on climate change, proving that age is no barrier to creating meaningful change. Let's continue to raise our voices, take action, and build a brighter, greener future for all! 💚🌎 #YouthClimateAction #ClimateJustice #ChangeMakers Pan African Climate Justice Alliance PACJA 350Africa.org 350.org PowerCo

Save the date

I left the SGC Catalyst Conference last week with new friends, a hundred ideas, and a desire for one more day together to white board out some solutions! Thanks to all who came to our session on "Choosing the Right Grant," which was really a workshop with grant makers and grant applicants on how to preserve strained community capacity for advancing our most critical climate and equity work. Grants can make community dreams a reality, but can be devastatingly difficult to obtain. I shared a ton of resources developed by my firm, Prosper Sustainably, and the California Climate and Energy Collaborative that can help you get grants with more precision and ease. I've linked them in the comments below, and welcome you to use them. Here's my big aha. Half the people that completed my session poll said they are spending 50% or more of their time pursuing or administering grants. That's on par with conversations I have every day with my colleagues in State and federal agencies and local and Tribal communities. That's time our best and brightest are NOT spending on energy, equity, and climate action. While every granting agency is genuinely trying to use investments to increase capacity on the ground, I realized we aren't acknowledging the massive capacity sink inherent in most competitive grant programs. For every community awarded funding, dozens of others spent already stressed capacity (staff/consulting time often worth $10-75K or so) with ZERO return (a net negative impact!). If 1,000 local govs, Tribes, NGOs and CBOs in CA each unsuccessfully apply for 3 climate grants per year, that could easily account for $100M in lost capacity annually, one reason we aren't moving as fast as we need to. This unintended consequence and market failure is felt deeply by all communities I work with, but isn't very visible to grantors. I'm confident that if we were to account for this missing metric (let's call it application burden, e.g. $ of capacity spent to apply) as we design funding programs meant to benefit communities, we'd administer them MUCH differently. Think what we could do in CA if we freed up some of that $100M of capacity to implement more "progress in place!" In my view, we are overdue for an innovative policy fix that goes beyond tweaking grant solicitations. Let's create funding deployment methods that avoid this enormous negative impact on community capacity, while getting resources to the right places in fair and accountable ways. A first step could be to compile recent/future unfunded "orphan" applications across State agencies and give them more chances at adoption by providing them with TA support so they can become more "investible" and matched with suitable opportunities. In the long run, I'd like to see us move away from one-shot/pass-fail grants to a flexible, simple, standardized, and rolling State climate funding queue where communities can access regional TA support to scope projects reflecting their real/real-time climate needs.

Amid record-breaking heat in Palm Springs, California, the CCEC Forum 2024 gathered changemakers to explore "Collective Innovation: Cultivating Collaboration for Equitable Climate Action." Jenny Low, our Senior Program Manager, attended and returned with insights that resonate deeply with BIG's mission: Lean on Relationships for Resilience: The forum emphasized the power of collaboration and equity. Capacity building emerged as crucial for empowering marginalized communities, enabling them to seize and sustain opportunities for enduring change. Upfront Investment for Long-term Gains: Jenny highlighted the need for upfront investment in time, resources, and funding to cultivate lasting partnerships and build resilient communities. Navigating the Funding Landscape: While federal and state funding for climate initiatives is promising, it often falls short in addressing long-term staffing needs within CBOs, tribal communities, and local jurisdictions. Acknowledging Barriers and Inequalities: The forum's unflinching acknowledgment of systemic barriers provided pragmatic roadmaps for communities to adapt and integrate into their unique circumstances. As we reflect on Jenny's journey at the CCEC Forum 2024, we're inspired and determined to continue building resilient communities. True transformation begins with collaboration, equity, and a steadfast commitment to a regenerative future. Let's cultivate a future where every community thrives in harmony with its environment.