Four major US philanthropists have announced a commitment to building climate resilience, following a first-ever National Climate Resilience Framework announced by the Biden administration.  

The US government’s framework includes the need for more collaboration across sectors—including government, business, higher education, and the nonprofit sector—to strengthen resilience in rural, native American and urban communities across the US.  

Federal support will work with private and nongovernmental efforts to support communities most vulnerable to climate change. 

Following the White House pledge, the Kresge Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation say they will commit to working with donors who will, alongside community groups, work to map funding gaps and look at grant making already happening with resilience-enhancing initiatives.  

Now philanthropic commitments will also address strengthening climate resilience and adaptation alongside include organisations that represent and engage those most vulnerable to or already impacted by climate change, especially low-income and Black, Latin-American, indigenous, rural and other communities facing racial and economic disparities and other inequities that are exacerbated by climate change.  

“Climate change affects us all, but it hits communities of colour and low-wealth households the hardest. Addressing this disparity is crucial, as underserved communities lack the resources to combat climate impacts,” said Helen Chin, president of the Communities First Fund. 

Calls to fund indigenous communities have grown in recent weeks.  

” Vibrant Indigenous-led movements offer solutions to many of the world’s most pressing problems, yet these movements remain dramatically underfunded. Indigenous communities represent some 6.2 percent of the world’s population, but they receive less than one percent of total international giving,” said Prachi Patankar, activist and Senior Program Officer at Foundation for a Just Society, and Juliana Vélez Uribe is a feminist advocate and Global Program Officer at Foundation for a Just Society, told Alliance in October.

“Even less funding reaches organisations led by Indigenous communities and Indigenous women. It’s time for funders to abundantly fund Indigenous movements,” they added. 

Read more on how funders can resource indigenous activism, as part of tackling wider climate and social issues.  

Shafi Musaddique is a news editor at Alliance magazine.