Environmental Sustainability

We'd like to introduce SOFII to those of our readers who don't know about it and share some of the fundraising efforts that have made it into the site's Best of the Best Showcase.

The X PRIZE Foundation, an educational non-profit that designs and administers competitions with prizes of up to $30 million, the Government of India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi have formed a partnership to create a global competition to develop and deploy clean and efficient cookstoves. The competition will focus on the development of affordable and clean-burning cookstove technologies (and possibly delivery models) and is a part of the MNRE’s National Biomass Cookstoves Initiative, which was launched in December 2009.

Company furthers its commitment to philanthropic initiatives and protecting the environment CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 19 /CSRwire/ - Blackbaud, Inc (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, is rounding out the third quarter with a continued focus on its core value of "making the world a better place." As a result of its many employee-led initiatives, Blackbaud was named a Green Business Pioneer by the and the . The Pioneer Award was presented to Blackbaud because of its work stewarding and protecting Charleston's environment and resources through achievable business practices. "We are very humbled to be

The Ford Foundation announced it would commit $85 million in grants to ensure that rural and indigenous people around the world are not ignored in efforts to combat climate change.

The money, which will be spent over five years, advances a fresh approach to managing forests and other vast tracts of land, based on a recognition that such areas are home to hundreds of millions of people who often do not have a voice in how the lands are preserved.

The Nature Conservancy and Toyota USA Foundation are expanding the Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future: LEAF program.

Washington, DC - 06/14/2010 - The April 20 explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform killed 11 workers and unleashed a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond the immediate human tragedy, this disaster has imperiled the ecosystem along the U.S. Gulf Coast and impacted residents who depend on a healthy Gulf.

This spill did not need to happen. In its wake, the spotlight has focused on multiple failures of our legislative and regulatory system. The Pew Environment Group is concentrating its efforts on changing these laws and regulations to help ensure that this tragic spill is not repeated.

CHICAGO, Ill. – May 24, 2010 – The Walmart Foundation today announced a $1.2 million dollar donation to the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) to install solar panels on 20 schools in five cities across the country. The five cities taking part in the program are Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Seattle.

“The Walmart Solar School program will help educate the next generation on the opportunities and benefits of using more renewable energy,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “This program aligns perfectly with Walmart’s sustainability commitment to involve our communities and customers in our environmental and social efforts.”

The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, today announced its support for the Victorian Government Greener Government Buildings programme, revealed today by Victorian Premier John Brumby in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Through the programme, sites accounting for 90 per cent of all State Government’s energy consumption, including hospitals, schools, sporting and other government buildings, will undergo energy and water efficiency retrofits.

It will reduce Victorian State Government’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent by 2018, with the first phase of the programme to save over 130,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year. Water savings of at least 1 billion litres per year will also be saved by 2018. The programme will create and secure over 400 green jobs, with 250 of these secured in the next 18 months.

(Chicago, IL) — The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation today announced grants totaling $5.6 million to ten universities in eight countries to establish new Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) programs. The programs combine training in the natural sciences, social sciences, health sciences, and management to help practitioners address global challenges such as sustainable development, climate change, and extreme poverty. The universities were selected through a competitive process that included reviews by experts outside the Foundation.

April 20, 2010, Press Release — Social giving tournament website www.HumanityCalls.org  will be launching its initial event, the eBay Fundraising Tournament for the Environment, on April 22. Environment focused nonprofits are invited to sign up. Dozens of organizations, including Amazon Watch, The Nature Conservancy, Light Up Malawi, Water.org and the World Wildlife Fund, have joined.


This first HumanityCalls.org tournament has been seeded with $50,000 from eBay in support of the environment, including challenges such as climate change, conservation, recycling, renewable energy and pollution. Individuals will drive-up the tournament cash pool through their own contributions, vote on the most deserving nonprofits and help engage others through Facebook and Twitter.