The Environmental Grantmakers Association’s Global Distance Learning Program provided both seasoned and new grantmakers the opportunity to learn, connect and engage around key environmental priorities in different regions of the world, in order to:
- Gain knowledge of environmental issues and develop awareness of cultural nuances of environmentalism in specific countries and regions of the world;
- Understand how international issues are relevant for domestic and regional issues;
- Enable shared analysis, ideas and action on global and other levels of governance;
- Create space for critical exchanges with key stakeholders working internationally;
- Foster understanding about responsible global engagement in an interdependent world; and,
- Share approaches and experiences of grantmakers funding work internationally.
Following a successful 2014 pilot project focused on China, EGA has continued to develop its own programming and partner across the field to expand international learning opportunities for its members. To date, global engagement programming has included:
- 2014 China Distance Learning Program: Over twenty funders participated in five months of online classes, a learning tour to China and special programming at EGA events to learn about and engage with key stakeholders around China’s domestic environmental challenges, its global footprint and the emerging philanthropy within and to China. The program also facilitated a learning exchange, through which Chinese grantmakers travelled to the US to attend EGA’s Annual Fall Retreat.
- 2015 COP21 Funders Initiative: EGA, partnering with foundation networks and foundations from the U.S. and Europe, helped facilitate the COP21 Funders Initiative to help funders communicate, coordinate and collaborate around the 2015 Paris UNFCC negotiations.
- 2016 Cuba Learning Visit: Hispanics in Philanthropy and EGA partnered to lead a travel seminar for philanthropic leaders to learn about the social, political, and environmental challenges facing Cuba.
- 2017 Southern & Eastern Africa Distance Learning Program: Over twenty funders participated in five months of online classes, a learning tour to Kenya and South Africa and special programming at EGA events to learn about and engage with stakeholders around key environmental priorities and solutions being advanced on the ground in the Southern and Eastern Africa region.