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Pledge drive urges funding racially diverse climate efforts

Posted at 9:17 AM, Feb 07, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-07 09:18:33-05

DETROIT (AP) — The Donors of Color, a philanthropic group dedicated to pushing for racial equity in funding environmental projects nationwide, has launched a pledge drive challenging the nation’s top climate funders to shift 30% of their donations toward environmental efforts led by Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and other people of color.

While the fight against climate change and for environmental justice has benefited in recent years from a growing push by politicians and activists, research shows funding isn’t spread equitably to communities of color, which are often hit hardest.

The pledge drive, announced Thursday, aims to direct funding to groups whose boards and senior staff are at least half people of color, and whose work is focused on the most environmentally impacted communities.