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When it comes to making a global impact, few charitable causes are more worthwhile than those that protect and sustain the planet we call home. In a century, people may look back on the environmental efforts we’re making today as the most important work we could have done in our time.
The pace of climate change is accelerating. Events that once happened on geologic timescales are now happening so quickly that human beings are recognizing them as immediate threats to our personal survival, property, and prosperity. If you want to make a difference and support organizations that protect our environment, there are a number of ways to do this, including crowdfunding. Here we’ll go over some of the ways you can raise money for environmental charities and how easy it is to start.
You don’t need permission
Every day, people find ways to raise money for nonprofit organizations. For example, individuals or groups might run a marathon to raise money for breast cancer research, or endangered species, or other good causes. You might be asking yourself whether you need permission from the charity you’re raising funds for—you don’t. As long as you don’t use any promotional materials that use an organization’s logo, you’re good to go. In you’re starting an online, simply state that all the money you’re raising will be given to the charity in the fundraiser story.
How to choose a worthy green charity
Choosing a worthy environmental charity is similar to choosing a worthy charity for any other cause. The organization’s financial transparency is important—supporters should have a clear sense of where their money goes, including how much goes to administrative costs. (Charity Navigator is a great source for such info.) You’ll also want to know how the charity measures its own success and impact, which will help you demonstrate how much impact your own fundraiser might have. Last but not least, a charity’s mission should align with your personal values—so you can be genuinely excited about supporting its work.
With green charities, there are additional factors to consider. The most obvious is the area of climate justice your chosen organization addresses. The best climate change charities will aim to solve root causes (energy, consumption, food, transportation, education), address symptoms (refugees, sequestration, flooding, wildfires), or tackle some combination of causes and symptoms. Look for these things as you search for an organization to support. Again, passion for the specific cause can help you sustain your efforts and rally others.
Find the best environmental charities to donate to
There are hundreds of environmental charities doing amazing work at this very moment. You can seek them out through your own social networks, or on sites including Charity Navigator, Wise Giving Alliance, and Idealist. On most of these sites, there are ways to localize your search to find organizations doing work near you.
To get you started, here are just a few of the best environmental organizations to donate to that are working for climate justice today:
1. World Wildlife Fund
“For 50 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation organization works in 100 countries and is supported by more than five million members globally.”
2. Environmental Defense Fund
“One of the world’s largest environmental organizations, with more than two million members and a staff of 675 scientists, economists, policy experts, and other professionals around the world. We believe prosperity and environmental stewardship must go hand in hand.”
3. Conservation International
“CI is helping to build a healthier, more prosperous, and more productive planet. We do this through science, policy, and partnerships with countries, communities, and companies …. Over the years, CI has helped support 1,200 protected areas and interventions across 77 countries, safeguarding more than 601 million hectares of land, marine, and coastal areas. ”
4. Audubon Society
“The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.”
5. Water.org
“We believe water is the way. To break the cycle of poverty. To protect and save lives. To make a bright future possible for all. We’ve empowered more than seven million people with access to safe water and sanitation.”
6. Greenpeace
“Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.”
7. Sierra Club
“Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization—with three million members and supporters. Our successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act.”
8. Sunrise Movement
“Sunrise is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. We’re building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and well-being of all people.”
9. Monterey Bay Aquarium
“The mission of the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the ocean.”
10. The Nature Conservancy
“The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. We address the most pressing conservation threats at the largest scale.”
How to raise money for the top environmental charities
As the leaders of some nations around the world remain stuck in different stages of denial about climate change, there’s a bottom-up movement of people making a real impact—and crowdfunding is the perfect fit for this grassroots approach.
Raising awareness
Raising awareness is key to ensuring the organization you’re supporting gets the attention it needs to raise money. The best environmental charities have gotten to where they are by creating a lot of awareness for their cause and organization. When you start fundraising for a charity, make sure this is a focal point.
Use hashtags
If your campaign coincides with a national awareness campaign, you can use the hashtags associated with that campaign in your posts, and consider adding your own unique hashtag for your fundraiser. Using tags effectively will help like-minded people find you, support you, and share your campaign.
Leverage social media
With so many environmental organizations to donate to, it can be hard to make your charity stand out, but one way to make sure you get the support you want is by always leveraging social media. Some people may not be aware of your cause or they may not know what they can do to support it. If people are already aware of your cause and want to take action, focus on telling your story and showing how much impact supporters will make through their donation. Even if you’re already an ace with social media, there are always new ways to use social media to raise money for your charity. Using Facebook and Twitter, you can get the word out fast and get possibly get more support.
Keeping the fun while keeping it real
Make your charity stand out as one of the best environmental charities to donate to by keeping the fun in fundraising. Keeping things fun and lighthearted can make for even more success—even when the cause is extremely serious, like climate change. This can take the form of creating a clever fundraiser name to novel fundraising ideas that get people excited about participating.
Crowdfunding for environmental charities
Some of the most effective environmental charities are those that encourage their networks to utilize crowdfunding to raise money for their organization. There are countless examples for charity fundraising on GoFundMe, but here are just a few examples:
- Forest Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp: A campaign started by local volunteers to preserve and manage a beautiful natural area for the whole community to enjoy.
- Help Us Bring The Forest Back: The Mejia family started a fundraiser so they could help recover part of the dry tropical forest, which is one of the most threatened ecosystems in Colombia.
- Sedna Epic Expedition: Stephanie started her campaign so she could conduct critical research in the arctic region.
- Fore the Ocean: Jack and Alex started a fundraiser to reduce the number of golf balls that end up in the ocean.
- X-ray for Belize Wildlife Clinic: Isabella started her fundraiser so that she and her team could continue medical treatment of their rescued wildlife.
- Cedar Cove: Raising funds for a wildlife preserve so they can continue rescuing animals from the exotic species trade.
- Gen V Cares Malake Island Relief: Hannah started to raise funds for Conservation International, the world’s largest conservation organization.
