The Environment and Climate Action Fund is a project of Tides Advocacy that supports advocacy related to climate change and other environmentalist policy agendas. ¹

The Environment and Climate Action Fund engages in advocacy in public policy and regranting, passing through grants it gets to various other environmental causes. ²

Tides Advocacy

Tides Advocacy lists several high profile left-leaning organizations as its partners on environmentalist advocacy. These include Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice Action; Demos Action; Columbia Riverkeeper Action; and Vote Solar Action Fund. ³

Tides Advocacy lists the California Environmental Justice Alliance and Lead Locally as key projects on the environmental front. ⁴

Tides Advocacy is a lobbying arm of the Tides Nexus, the set of left-progressive advocacy entities centered on the Tides Foundation. It focuses on the creation of, financing for, and consultation with various left-of-center organizations. ⁵

The organization was established in 1992, originally called “The Tsunami Fund” in San Francisco, California. ⁶ Then, in 2006, the organization changed its name to the “Tides Advocacy Fund.” ⁷ In 2010, the organization again changed its name to “The Advocacy Fund.” ⁸ Finally, in 2017 the group was renamed “Tides Advocacy,” its current name. ⁹

Leadership and Funding

Atlantic Philanthropies gave Environment and Climate Action Fund $2.5 million in 2009. ¹⁰

Kathleen Welch has been listed as the director of the Environment and Climate Action Fund. Welch was on the steering committee of the Change of Atmosphere conference in October 2011 in Washington, D.C. ¹¹

Welch is a principal with Corridor Partners, a political advocacy and strategic investment firm. She has been a veteran of advocacy, campaigns and philanthropy. She is the former executive director of Equal Justice Works. ¹²

Welch held leadership positions in the Legal Services Corporation. She also held senior roles at the Pew Charitable Trusts, where she was the deputy director of the Environment Group. Welch worked with domestic and international donors. ¹³

Welch has been on the advisory council for the Brainerd Foundation, and the boards of the League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund. ¹⁴

1. Environment and Climate Action Fund. Atlantic Philanthropies. Accessed June 26, 2020. https://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/grants/environment-and-climate-action-fund
2. Environment and Climate Action Fund. Atlantic Philanthropies. Accessed June 26, 2020. https://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/grants/environment-and-climate-action-fund
3. “Championing Environmental Justice and Health Equity.” Tides Advocacy. Accessed June 27, 2020. https://tidesadvocacy.org/focus-areas/health-and-the-environment/
4. “Championing Environmental Justice and Health Equity.” Tides Advocacy. Accessed June 27, 2020. https://tidesadvocacy.org/focus-areas/health-and-the-environment/
5. Tides Advocacy. “Focus Areas,” Accessed February 6, 2019, https://tidesadvocacy.org/about/
6. Articles of Incorporation: The Tsunami Fund. Filed March 3, 1992. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=01522490-4300203 ^
7. Amendment of Articles of Incorporation: Tides Advocacy Fund. Filed March 20, 2006. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=01522490-6285549
8. Amendment of Articles of Incorporation: The Advocacy Fund. Filed July 27, 2010. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=01522490-12771039
9. Amendment of Articles of Incorporation: Tides Advocacy. Filed September 28, 2017. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=01522490-23065608
10. Environment and Climate Action Fund. Atlantic Philanthropies. Accessed June 26, 2020. https://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/grants/environment-and-climate-action-fund
11. “Change of Atmosphere: Connecting With Americans on Climate.” November 2011. Accessed June 27, 2020. https://ecoamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/8_change_of_atmosphere_report.pdf
12. “Team.” Corridor Partners. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://www.corridorpartners.com/team/
13. “Team.” Corridor Partners. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://www.corridorpartners.com/team/
14. “Team.” Corridor Partners. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://www.corridorpartners.com/team/