"#Philanthropy has a clear choice: continue with incrementalism, or invest boldly in movements that are democracy’s immune system. Flexible, long-term resources don’t just support immediate actions—they sustain the decades of organizing that make breakthroughs possible." CLIMA Fund "At Global Greengrants Fund, we have learned from decades of partnership that our role is not to direct, but to accompany. In South Africa, there is a word—ukukaba—which means, ‘I will walk with you.’ That is the spirit with which we fund: to walk alongside, to trust, to share solidarity. This is not charity. This is solidarity. Ultimately, movements do not need philanthropy to exist. They have always existed and will continue to exist. But philanthropy needs movements—because without them, there will be no democratic future to fund." "Because democracy is not defended only at the ballot box, it is defended in forests and fishing villages, in courtrooms and classrooms, in the organizing of youth and the leadership of women and Indigenous Peoples. It is defended by people who, against all odds, hold onto relentless hope. That is the hope philanthropy must choose to resource. Because defending democracy in the age of climate crisis is not about protecting institutions—it is about resourcing the people who, time and again, have kept democracy alive." A call to much-needed philanthropic boldness by B de Gersigny, VP of External Relations at Global Greengrants Fund. #DemocracyInAction #ArchitectureofHope
An architecture of hope: Why funding grassroots climate justice movements defends democracy ➡️ "Grassroots climate justice movements are not just resisting authoritarianism—they embody democracy in action. They exercise democracy daily through protests, legal actions, community assemblies, food sovereignty—the right to control their food production—and Indigenous governance systems. They are literally building the muscles of justice and accountability by emphasizing collective power. For decades, movements have held the line as government systems faltered. Too often, ‘democracy’ is reduced to ballots and institutions. However, when elections are undermined and courts are captured, it is the power of the people that retains democracy’s most resilient infrastructure. Grassroots movements have always been, and will continue to be, the building blocks of democracy, centering on true people power." ➡️ "And yet, despite their effectiveness, grassroots movements remain dramatically underfunded. The vast majority of climate finance flows to governments or corporations, rather than to the communities that defend land and democracy at significant risk. This is philanthropy’s blind spot. Too often, funders wait for conditions to stabilize before supporting grassroots groups. But movements themselves create the conditions for democracy to thrive. If we wait, we will be too late." ➡️ "Because democracy is not defended only at the ballot box, it is defended in forests and fishing villages, in courtrooms and classrooms, in the organizing of youth and the leadership of women and Indigenous Peoples. It is defended by people who, against all odds, hold onto relentless hope. That is the hope philanthropy must choose to resource. Because defending democracy in the age of climate crisis is not about protecting institutions—it is about resourcing the people who, time and again, have kept democracy alive." Global Greengrants Fund, VP External Relations, B de Gersigny on why funding grassroots climate justice movements defends democracy in an op-ed for Alliance magazine following our Relentless Hope: Movements Powering Climate Justice and Democracy event at Climate Week 2025 in New York last month. Full op-ed with shared wisdom from Joshua Amponsem at Youth Climate Justice Fund, Bobby Peek at groundWork, Cristi Nozawa at Samdhana Institute, and Global Greengrants CEO Laura Garcia ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gjipAe_R #GlobalGreengrantsFund #GrassrootsClimateJustice #FundClimateJustice #RelentlessHope #DemocracyInAction
