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Our approach

Our approach

Taking action

Without a healthy environment, life-supporting systems for people and animals will fail. With less than 3% of global philanthropy going to the environment, the Australian Ethical Foundation aims to protect nature, combat climate change, and support communities affected by climate change and environmental degradation – focusing on systemic change and high-impact solutions. 

Focus areas

We seek to create grassroots and systemic impact in line with these 3 themes:

Our funding principles

Arrows in all directions
Find high-impact partnerships
  • Collaborate to co-design and co-fund high-impact strategic projects
  • Empower First Nations to lead and make decisions on projects, recognising their deep knowledge and expertise 
  • Build long-term relationships with partners based on trust and transparency 
Trees growing
Unlocking scalable solutions through pilots and early-stage action
  • Focus on first-mover projects that test and prove models for policy shifts and future investment 
  • Use philanthropy to de-risk and unlock larger capital flows for nature-based solutions  
  • Fund legal challenges, policy reform, early research and prototype financial mechanisms that address barriers to biodiversity and climate action 
Heart glowing
Advocacy, policy reform and movement building efforts 
  • Fund policy advocacy, public campaigns, and regulatory engagement to influence government and corporate decision-making  
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How we assess partners

We apply a comprehensive impact framework to all grant proposals, considering the organisation's theory of change, project outcomes, alignment with our focus areas, relevant expertise and the impact and scalability of the project.

See how we assess grants

Australian Ethical offices are located on the lands of the Gadigal and Wurundjeri People.
Australian Ethical acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the countries on which we work, and recognise and celebrate their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and thank them for protecting Country since time immemorial.

See our Reconciliation Action Plan