Defining Sustainable Philanthropy: How Strategic Giving Can Help Drive Sustainability
By Beth Rush
If you’re passionate about sustainability, you likely recycle, try to conserve energy, and consider the environmental impact of your purchases, but there’s another powerful way to contribute. Sustainable philanthropy means giving with long-term implications in mind. Whether you’re new to giving or already donate regularly, here’s how to make your contribution count.
What Is Sustainable Philanthropy?
Sustainable philanthropy is about giving with intention. It helps provide immediate relief and relieve long-term impacts. Instead of one-time fixes, it supports solutions that create lasting change for people and the planet.
Giving is about more than just filling a gap or making a large donation. Instead, sustainable philanthropy focuses on aligning your resources with your values to support a future that is more just, resilient, and regenerative for all.
Start With Long-Term Goals, Not Short-Term Wins
Projects with quick results, such as food deliveries or disaster relief, may appeal to you more. While these are essential, sustainable philanthropy goes deeper. It supports long-term solutions that address the root of the problem.
Say you want to help reduce water scarcity — a growing concern in the U.S. due to increasing pressure on natural resources. You could donate to an organization that drills wells or one that trains communities in water conservation and management. The second approach takes longer to show results, but often leads to greater self-sufficiency and resilience. When choosing where to give, ask, “Will this still make a difference in five or 10 years?”
Align Your Giving With Your Values
There’s no shortage of causes out there, but giving is most fulfilling when it reflects what you care most about. Look for organizations working at the intersection of your values and knowledge. Exploring your interests is one way to find causes you feel driven to dedicate yourself to.
For example, if you’re interested in environmental justice, you might support a nonprofit that helps low-income communities adapt to climate change. If food security is your top priority, consider one that supports local farming and promotes soil health. You can help reduce the 18 million households that experienced food insecurity in 2023.
Many nonprofits now share their impact openly through annual reports and data dashboards. Look for transparency, not perfection.
Think Beyond Metrics, But Don’t Ignore Them
Measurable impact matters. It helps you understand whether your donation is making a difference, but not all valuable work comes with neat numbers and glowing charts.
Restoring biodiversity, strengthening community leadership or rebuilding traditional ecological knowledge aren’t always easy to quantify. Still, they’re critical to building a sustainable future. So, what should you look for?
A balance shows organizations track results but also acknowledge complexity. For example, a conservation project that shares the number of species protected and how it involves Indigenous land stewards demonstrates a holistic approach. One example is the efforts along the Salish Sea to stabilize Olympia oyster numbers in the estuary, protecting a food staple and cultural heritage.
Give Collaboratively for Greater Reach
Strategic giving isn’t something you have to do alone. Some of the most impactful philanthropy happens through partnerships like donor collaboratives, giving circles or aligned networks. These groups combine funds, ideas and strategies to support big-picture initiatives.
Some support local climate adaptation, while others focus on global food systems or green infrastructure. For example, the Global Alliance for the Future of Food brings together worldwide foundations focused on transforming food systems. When you support groups like the Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative in Kenya that upskill farmers, your dollars go further and work more effectively.
Collaborative giving lets you:
> Pool resources for a bigger impact
> Share due diligence and research
> Support multi-stakeholder solutions
Invest in Systems, Not Just Symptoms
To truly drive sustainability, consider systemic change. That means supporting work that tackles the cause, not just the effect.
Instead of only funding an ocean cleanup effort, you might also support a policy advocacy group working to reduce plastic production at the source. You could also fund education initiatives that teach young people about climate change and sustainability, helping to shape the next generation of leaders.
Systems-level philanthropy doesn’t offer instant wins. However, it shifts the structures that created the problem in the first place.
Explore Impact Investing
Strategic giving isn’t limited to typical donations. If you have savings or investments, there are ways to align your portfolio with your values.
Impact investing focuses on generating financial returns and measurable environmental or social benefits. Even small-scale investors can now access platforms that support vetted sustainable projects. It’s another way to keep your money working toward creating a world you want to see. Your investing might include:
> Green bonds, stocks, or exchange-traded funds supporting renewable energy or low-carbon transportation.
> Sustainable agriculture funds that back small farmers and soil restoration.
> Cleantech startups working on low-emission energy storage or carbon capture.
Consider Organizations Doing the Slow, Vital Work
Some causes garner headlines, while others quietly sustain communities. The unseen initiatives — where the work is slow and steady — are critical but often underfunded. Donating to groups in these spaces helps fill essential gaps.
If you’re looking to support efforts that often fly under the radar, consider nonprofits focused on:
> Restoration of ecosystems in degraded landscapes
> Fostering of a traditional, rich knowledge-sharing system among Indigenous communities
> Advocacy of environmental laws for policy change
> Promoting access to clean energy in off-grid regions
Use Tools to Evaluate Sustainable Impact
Not sure where to start? Try tools that flag how well a charity addresses systemic change and community engagement. These options suggest a thoughtful, future-minded approach:
> Charity Navigator — with over 225,000 rated charities listed
> Giving What We Can — which increases the impact of your donation 100 times
> Center for High Impact Philanthropy — study for a certificate in philanthropic leadership and evaluate organizational transparency, efficiency, and long-term impact.
Questions to Ask
Here are a few questions to ask when evaluating a nonprofit:
> Does it share its strategy and track record?
> Is it open about the failures or challenges?
> Does it involve local communities in decision-making?
> How does it define and measure long-term success?
Start Where You Are
Sustainable giving doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a foundation or financial advisor to make a difference. As your knowledge grows, so can your giving.
Start small so you can:
> Set a recurring donation to a cause you trust.
> Join a local giving circle.
> Look for organizations in your community working on green initiatives.
> Read one impact report this year and follow up on its outcomes.
What Is Sustainable Philanthropy? A Smarter Kind of Generosity
Sustainable philanthropy is about asking better questions, making intentional choices, and thinking beyond the moment. It’s not just charity — it’s strategy. By choosing long-term impact over quick wins, supporting systems instead of silos and aligning your giving with your values, you can help shape a more sustainable world, one donation at a time.
You already care about the planet. Now, your giving can reflect that, too.
About the author: Beth Rush is the green wellness editor at Body+Mind, where she covers topics like the power of climate consciousness at all stages of education. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth!