Roger Kim is a left-of-center advocate in climate philanthropy and environmental policy, with a career focused on supporting community-based climate action and policy work in the United States who works as of 2025 as chair of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and LCV Education Fund.  ¹ In 2023, as president of the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, Kim announced the launch of the Equitable Federal Implementation Fund, which committed over $30 million to community-based organizations that claimed to ensure that clean energy investments benefit “Black, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI, and immigrant communities.” ²

Programs and Activities

In June 2025, Kim was named the chair of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and LCV Education Fund, after previously working as vice chair and as founder and CEO of the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund and the Climate Equity Action Fund. ^{2 1}

Kim founded and led the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, a philanthropic project that has grown from $1 million in its first year to nearly $40 million in annual funding by 2023, claiming to support more than 200 community-based organizations across 13 states. ³

Under Kim’s leadership, the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund has supported grassroots organizations in voter turnout campaigns, public education on climate change, and advocacy for clean energy policies in states such as Nevada and New Mexico. The Equity Fund has prioritized funding for organizations that integrate climate justice with racial and economic equity, claiming to support efforts that create green jobs and reduce energy costs for low-income families. ⁴

Before creating the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, Kim was a senior advisor to the Mayor of San Francisco responsible for climate change, energy, and environmental policy, and served on the board of directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. ⁵

He also worked as executive director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). For that organization, Kim led campaigns that resulted in billions of dollars of investments for environmentalist practices in California neighborhoods, and he founded APEN Action to mobilize Asian American voters on environmentalist issues. ⁶

Influence

Kim has sat on the boards of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Climate Mayors, contributing to national and municipal environmental policy initiatives. ⁵

Kim has contributed to public discussions and reports on climate philanthropy, emphasizing the need for inclusive climate policies and community-led solutions. ⁷ His public statements often highlight the importance of tackling racial justice as a core component of effective climate action. He has also been featured in Democracy Alliance publications and has participated in their events as an expert on climate equity. ⁴

1. League of Conservation Voters. “Roger Kim Named New Board Chair of LCV and LCV Education Fund.” June 10, 2025. https://www.lcv.org/media-center/roger-kim-named-new-board-chair-of-lcv-and-lcv-education-fund/
2. Moore Foundation. “America’s philanthropies commit to accelerating community adaptation and resilience to climate change.” September 28, 2023. https://www.moore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=america-s-philanthropies-commit-to-accelerating-community-adaptation-and-resilience-to-climate-change
3. Climate & Clean Energy Equity Fund. “The End of Our Beginning, The Beginning of Our Future.” February 20, 2024. https://www.theequityfund.org/blog/the-end-of-our-beginning-the-beginning-of-our-future
4. Democracy Alliance. “Roger Kim Archives.” Accessed July 14, 2025. https://democracyalliance.org/authors/roger-kim/
5. Climate Mayors. “Roger Kim.” Accessed July 14, 2025. Archived from the original March 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230325083537/https://climatemayors.org/person/roger-kim/
6. Democracy Alliance. “Beyond Resistance: Reclaiming Our Progressive Future.” Fall 2017. https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2023/06/Democracy-Alliance-Conference-Materials-2017-Fall.pdf  
7. Instagram. “Unless we tackle racial justice, we are not going to solve climate …” June 24, 2021. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQhqUWJDXl8/