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Abstract
Despite public support, environmental education (EE) is rarely a priority for funders, even those interested in the environment or education. We examined reasons behind the paucity of EE funding, focusing on U.S. foundations, which are one of the largest sources of support for environmental efforts. We analyzed historical giving data and interviewed a dozen funders. Over the 2003 to 2007 period, we found EE funding represented approximately 5% of overall environment funding in the United States. Reasons for the low level of EE support included definitional complexity, uncertainty about efficacy, and inclusion of EE funding within issue-specific grants, such as those focused on climate change.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank the Environmental Grantmakers Association for commissioning this study and convening an advisory committee who provided invaluable guidance: Zenobia Barlow (Center for Ecoliteracy); Steve Hagler (Foundation for Youth Investment); Dana Lanza (Confluence Philanthropy); Geri Unger (Cleveland Botanical Garden); and Diane Wood (National Environmental Education Foundation). We appreciate the generous leadership grant provided by the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation in support of this work. We thank Camilo Camargo for research assistance.
Notes
1. The sample size ranged from 1,010 to 1,339 foundations during the five years of data we reviewed. Grants of $10,000 or more were included and total giving by the sample represented roughly half of all foundation giving in the United States. (Atienza & Altman, Citation2005; Atienza & Bailey, Citation2006; Atienza & Mukai, Citation2007, Citation2008; Lawrence et al., Citation2009).
2. In a study of California-based foundations’ environmental giving, Delfin and Tang (Citation2007) examined the belief that foundations give mainly to national NGOs (non-government organizations). Their findings suggest this not to be the case, but rather found a variety of funding levels going to both national and local NGOs. Our data reveal a similar trend with foundation funding for EE going to national as well as local NGOs.
3. Additional data on corporate, government, and private giving are provided in Ardoin (Citation2009). Elder (Citation2003) also provides a thoughtful and detailed discussion of these other sources.