GREEN

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Meet the GREEN Steering Committee

Climate change directly impacts the safety and wellbeing of communities across the globe and has a disproportionate effect on low-income and other vulnerable people. Advancing clean and healthy solutions and more sustainable practices and policies brings multiple benefits:  healthier places, healthier people and people-centered economic opportunities.

What can funders do to make sure that “green” is more than a trendy buzzword — and that green strategies actually reduce the carbon footprints and energy costs of buildings and transportation networks, enhance the health and vitality of neighborhoods and address the urgency of the climate crises?

TFN’s GREEN working group — which stands for Green, Renewable, Efficient, Equitable, Now — brings together local, regional and national funders to connect and learn, align thinking and strategy and support strategic collaborations and joint projects that advance sustainable, equitable and prosperous regions and communities.

Our funders come together to address interrelated challenges that impact people and communities, such as climate mitigation and resilience and land use and development practices. GREEN funders have especially focused on place-based solutions, field-building and supporting key networks and partnerships.

The GREEN working group was created in 2006, initially operating as an ad hoc learning group that grew out of TFN’s first funder conference on Green Building in 2005. Since then, the group has expanded its focus to climate mitigation and adaptation, equitable and sustainable communities and partnerships for sustainability that include partnering with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network.

The GREEN working group helps funders connect and learn together, align around shared ideas and strategies and support strategic collaborations and joint projects that advance sustainable, equitable and prosperous regions and communities. Funders have a special interest in the following issues:

• Climate mitigation and adaptation in cities and metro regions
• Equitable and sustainable communities
• Network collaboration and systems change
• Partnerships for sustainability, including local governments, nonprofits and other community stakeholders
• Funder practices to advance racial equity and inclusion

Funders and partners that participate in TFN’s GREEN working group have the opportunity to:

• Deepen their knowledge about topics about policies, best practices and innovative approaches impacting the field, engaging with peers in the sector as well as with a variety of key stakeholders – including community leaders, policy advocates and local government practitioners.
• Learn and share with fellow funders and partners through peer-learning calls and via our GREEN funders listserv and quarterly newsletters.
• Expand their professional network and hone leadership skills by volunteering on planning committees and designing or participating in webinars, panel discussions and other TFN networking and learning events.
• Gather during our annual in-person GREEN meetings and TFN Annual Conferences to learn from place and peers, deepen relationships and support joint learning and collaborative efforts.

How can I participate?

TFN working groups and initiatives are open to participation from TFN members and non-members alike. We welcome participation from grantmaking organizations, philanthropy serving organizations, local governments, and infrastructure groups that support funders. If you would like to subscribe to TFN’s GREEN working group in order to receive newsletters and other resources, click here.

To learn more about how your organization can become a TFN member, please visit our members services resource page here.