This essay and commentary by Alex Steffen, WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Bright Green Funding, about Peter Lavigne and David Orr's Rethinking Green Philanthropy paper, is both interesting and generative. Ostensibly about the health and practices of the environmental movement, the comments regarding "reliance on communications strategies from the last decade," and the current models of project advocacy and funding, apply equally to many other non-profit based global initiatives. In addition to global environment, health, education, and governance issues, there is something in this for science and research initiatives as well.
The Lavigne and Orr Seven Rules for Re-making Green Grantmaking is a list that any good business or organization would do well to follow. The main characteristic is that of being positive, open, and generative.
1. Fund general operating support,
infrastructure, and planned giving/endorsement
campaigns.
2. Support people and leadership.
3. Lost the hair shirt ... approach to issues,
people, and management.
4. Fund system approaches to the creation of a
generative, exciting, healthy, and sustainable
world.
5. Focus to make an impact
6. Fund ideas.
7. Be transparent in operation and results.