Non-profit

Water Funder Initiative (WFI)

Website:

waterfunder.org/

Type:

Environmental Advocacy Group

Status:

Defunct (as of 2016)

Director:

Susan Bell

Formation:

2015

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Water Funder Initiative (WFI) was an environmental advocacy project of the Windward Fund, a nonprofit organization managed by the consultancy Arabella Advisors, that recruited philanthropic organizations to follow its leadership on water infrastructure and management issues. 1 2 It advocated for federalizing policies and regulations related to water management and for philanthropic organizations to centralize their advocacy on water issues based on WFI’s “strategy priorities” for political advocacy. 3

Background

Founded in 2015, Water Funder Initiative was a left-of-center environmental advocacy project of the Windward Fund, a nonprofit organization managed by Arabella Advisors, to address water infrastructure and management issues. 4 5 It developed strategies for private philanthropy to address water issues and recruited philanthropic organizations to commit to the strategies. WFI operated until 2016.  6

To develop ways for private philanthropy to address water issues, WFI held forums across the western United States featuring activists and researchers on water issues and nonprofit organizations seeking to address water issues. 7

WFI recruited philanthropic organizations to support its work and adopt its strategies by using alarmist language, claiming water shortages are inevitable and water crises are “the biggest threat facing the planet over the next decade.” 8

Strategy Priorities

As one of its final actions before disbanding, Water Funder Initiative published a “Blueprint for Philanthropy,” listing six “Strategy Priorities” for philanthropic organizations to address water issues. 9

Water Funder Initiative’s first strategy priority was to “shape healthy water markets.” It sought to alter markets through water resource laws to control water supply. It advocated for subsidizing specific consumers under the guise of providing equitable access, subsidizing water banks and water trusts, and creating restrictions on unspecified water trades to prevent alleged overconsumption or misuse of water where it argues markets misallocate resources. 10

WFI’s second strategy priority was to “develop new funding sources.” It argues that there is a great need for increased funding of water management infrastructure, watershed conservation, and methods of saving water in agriculture. WFI clarified that it does not want the funding of water sources to be derived from private philanthropy. Rather, it argued that philanthropy’s role is to advocate for increased government funding as well as to advocate for how funds are used. 11

WFI’s third strategy priority was to “improve water governance.” It was critical of how water and waste management was controlled by states, and more specifically localities. WFI advocated for federalizing water and waste management policies and stated the role of philanthropy is to research water management to advocate for corresponding policies. 12

WFI’s fourth strategy priority was to “drive decisions with data.” It advocated for philanthropic organizations to invent ways to track what parties are responsible for water consumption, what they are using it for, and to what extent they are consuming water. WFI argued that such data collection should be used by policymakers for water management. 13

WFI’s fifth strategy priority was to “strengthen communication and build political will,” which included campaigning to increase awareness of issues related to water management. 14

WFI’s sixth strategy priority was to “accelerate innovation.” This included funding the development of data collection technology that tracks and reports water use in urban areas as well as other technologies geared towards efficient water management. 15

Sponsors

Water Funder Initiative was sponsored by S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. 16

Leadership

Susan Bell was the managing director of Water Funder Initiative. Prior to WFI, Bell worked one year as a senior advisor for Standford Woods Institute for the Environment and 12 years as vice president of William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Since 2012, she has operated Susan Bell and Associates, an environmentalist consulting firm. 17

References

  1. Stoner, Nancy. “Water Funder Initiative Blueprint Launched around World Water Day.” Pisces Foundation, March 12, 2018. https://piscesfoundation.org/water-funder-initiative-blueprint-launched-around-world-water-day/.
  2. “WFI.” Policy Commons. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://policycommons.net/orgs/water-funder-initiative/.
  3. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  4. “WFI.” Policy Commons. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://policycommons.net/orgs/water-funder-initiative/.
  5. “Water Funder Initiative: Overview Rebalancing Water in the 21st Century.” Water Funder Initiative, October 8, 2015. https://www.philanthropysouthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/Water%20Crisis_WFI%20Summary%20Oct%208_0.pdf
  6. “Water Funder Initiative: Overview Rebalancing Water in the 21st Century.” Water Funder Initiative, October 8, 2015. https://www.philanthropysouthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/Water%20Crisis_WFI%20Summary%20Oct%208_0.pdf.
  7.  Stoner, Nancy. “Water Funder Initiative Blueprint Launched around World Water Day.” Pisces Foundation, March 12, 2018. https://piscesfoundation.org/water-funder-initiative-blueprint-launched-around-world-water-day/.
  8. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  9. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  10. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf
  11. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  12. “ Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  13. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  14. “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  15. [1] “Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprint for Philanthropy.” Water Funder Initiative, March 2016. https://missioninvestors.org/sites/default/files/resources/Toward%20Water%20Sustainability-%20A%20Blueprint%20for%20Philanthropy.pdf.
  16. “Water Funder Initiative: Overview Rebalancing Water in the 21st Century.” Water Funder Initiative, October 8, 2015. https://www.philanthropysouthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/Water%20Crisis_WFI%20Summary%20Oct%208_0.pdf.
  17. “Susan Bell.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-bell-61549686.
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