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Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas (FCOG)

Type:

Environmental Advocacy Group
Senior Advisor:

Larry Shapiro
Formation:

2018

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The Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas (FCOG) is a project of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) dedicated to opposing the American oil and gas industry, particularly its political influence and the development of new oil and gas infrastructure. Reporting in the Wall Street Journal identified FCOG as instrumental in the Biden administration’s decision to halt permits for liquid natural gas (LNG) export facilities. 1

FCOG makes grants to environmentalist groups, organizes activists, and builds networks opposed to oil and gas. FCOG claims that its grantees have prevented the construction of the PennEast Pipeline, the Pacific Connector Pipeline, the Kalama methanol factory, and two proposed gas export terminals, as well as hindered the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and the Formosa Plastics Factory. 2

Background and Leadership

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund established the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas “to limit ongoing oil and gas production; prevent the lock-in of GHG-emissions for new and expanded oil, gas, and petrochemical infrastructure; and weaken the industry’s financial standing and political influence.” The RBF considers these goals “an urgent and necessary part of solving the climate crisis.” FCOG was established in Houston in December 2018 at a meeting of two dozen foundation executives. 3 4

The establishment of FCOG was “spearheaded” by Larry Shapiro, the associate director for program development at RBF. He continues to work as a senior advisor. Earlier, Shapiro directed environmental programs at the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) for 11 years. He also co-founded the Environmental Integrity Project and the Power Plant Finance Project, the latter of which later became the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a grant recipient of FCOG. 5 6 7

Sarah Brennan is the associate director for oil and gas at RBF and works on FCOG projects. Brennan previously worked on the carbon campaign at Bloomberg Philanthropies, a major funder of FCOG. Earlier, Brennan worked at the Robertson Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 8 9

Chris Meyer is a senior advisor to FCOG. He previously worked at NYPIRG and served as chief of staff and chief operating officer of 100 Resilient Cities, a project of RBF. 10

Bakeyah Nelson is also a senior advisor to FCOG and leads the group’s project on carbon capture and storage (CCS). Nelson previously worked at the Community Health Collaborative Consulting, the Climate Imperative Foundation, as executive director of Air Alliance Houston, and in Harris County Public Health’s Office of Policy and Planning. She co-founded the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER). 12

In April 2022, FCOG released “The Advocate’s Guide to Effective Participation In Environmental Permit Proceedings” with the goal of increasing “the number of advocates empowered to fight, stop, and police these facilities.” 13

 

In January 2024, the Biden administration announced that it was temporarily pausing permits for LNG export facilities, a decision that has received criticisms from across the political spectrum for potentially hindering European efforts to replace Russian oil and gas imports. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Biden administration’s decision was heavily influenced by FCOG. 14 15 16

Grants

The Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas has given grants to Appalachian Mountain Advocates, the Clean Air Council, the Coastal Alliance to Protect our Environment, Columbia Riverkeeper, El Puente, the Environmental Integrity Project, Fenceline Watch, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, the Niskanen Center, RISE St. James, Rogue Climate, the Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund, Together Louisiana, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and West Virginia Rivers. 17

Funding

The Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas’s major funders are former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Bloomberg Philanthropies and billionaire financier Michael Moritz’s foundation Crankstart. 18 19

FCOG has also received funding from the ClimateWorks Foundation, the Rockefeller Family Fund, the David Rockefeller Fund, the Sandler Foundation, the Sequoia Climate Fund, the Tortuga Foundation, and the Zegar Family Foundation. 20

References

  1. Morenne, Benoît; Restuccia, Andrew. “How the Rockefellers and Billionaire Donors Pressured Biden on LNG Exports.” The Wall Street Journal. February 8, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/climate-environment/how-the-rockefellers-and-billionaire-donors-pressured-biden-on-lng-exports-c1bf0ff8.
  2. “Sarah Brennan Joins Rockefeller Family Fund as Associate Director.” Philanthropy New York. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/sarah-brennan-joins-rockefeller-family-fund-associate-director.
  3. “Environment.” Rockefeller Family Fund. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.rffund.org/programs/environment.
  4. “Sarah Brennan Joins Rockefeller Family Fund as Associate Director.” Philanthropy New York. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/sarah-brennan-joins-rockefeller-family-fund-associate-director.
  5. “Larry Shapiro.” Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://ieefa.org/people/larry-shapiro.
  6. “Larry Shapiro.” Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://ieefa.org/people/larry-shapiro.
  7. “Sarah Brennan Joins Rockefeller Family Fund as Associate Director.” Philanthropy New York. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/sarah-brennan-joins-rockefeller-family-fund-associate-director.
  8. [1] “Staff.” Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.rffund.org/about/staff.
  9. vRisko, Mandi. “THE ROCKEFELLERS, BLOOMBERG TAKE CREDIT FOR BIDEN LNG PAUSE.” Energy in Depth. February 14, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://eidclimate.org/the-rockefellers-bloomberg-take-credit-for-biden-lng-pause/.
  10. [1] “Larry Shapiro.” Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://ieefa.org/people/larry-shapiro.

  12. Liquefied Natural Gas

    The Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas opposes the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. FCOG opposes the construction of LNG export facilities because of the scale of pollution they emit. 11 “The Advocate’s Guide To Effective Participation In Environmental Permit Proceedings.” Environmental Protection Network. April 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LNG-guide-9_13_22-v3.pdf.

  13. “The Advocate’s Guide To Effective Participation In Environmental Permit Proceedings.” Environmental Protection Network. April 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LNG-guide-9_13_22-v3.pdf.
  14. [1] “FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Temporary Pause on Pending Approvals of Liquefied Natural Gas Exports.” White House. January 26, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/26/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-temporary-pause-on-pending-approvals-of-liquefied-natural-gas-exports/.
  15. “Democratic US senator opposes Biden pause on liquefied natural gas exports.” Reuters. February 18, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/democratic-us-senator-opposes-biden-pause-liquefied-natural-gas-exports-2024-02-18/.
  16. Morenne, Benoît; Restuccia, Andrew. “How the Rockefellers and Billionaire Donors Pressured Biden on LNG Exports.” The Wall Street Journal. February 8, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/climate-environment/how-the-rockefellers-and-billionaire-donors-pressured-biden-on-lng-exports-c1bf0ff8.
  17. Sarah Brennan Joins Rockefeller Family Fund as Associate Director.” Philanthropy New York. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/sarah-brennan-joins-rockefeller-family-fund-associate-director.
  18. [1] Risko, Mandi. “THE ROCKEFELLERS, BLOOMBERG TAKE CREDIT FOR BIDEN LNG PAUSE.” Energy in Depth. February 14, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://eidclimate.org/the-rockefellers-bloomberg-take-credit-for-biden-lng-pause/.
  19. Kaminsky, Gabe. “How a billionaire Democrat fueled the Biden anti-LNG pressure campaign while placing lucrative bets in China.” Washington Examiner. February 22, 2024. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/2865494/how-billionaire-democrat-fueled-biden-anti-lng-pressure-campaign-china/.
  20. [1] “Sarah Brennan Joins Rockefeller Family Fund as Associate Director.” Philanthropy New York. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/sarah-brennan-joins-rockefeller-family-fund-associate-director.
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