Frequently asked questions

The disruptive effects of climate change are already being felt across the globe today. Unprecedented climate events are quickly becoming the new normal, and the science tells us that if global warming exceeds 1.5°C, the consequences for our life on earth could be catastrophic. Yet while the facts are clear, current climate action is far from enough – if policies remain as they are, the world will be at least 2.9°C warmer by 2100. To prevent the worst from happening the coming years are decisive: by 2030 emissions need to have halved globally, and by 2050 they need to be net zero.

At Active Philanthropy we are convinced that funders can play a transformational role for this global transition to be swift, just, and inclusive. By driving policy changes, promoting new narratives, and strengthening the voices of those most affected funders can fill a crucial gap in global climate action. Find out more about the climate crisis and philanthropy’s role in combating it in Resources section.

The Climate Solutions Hub is for everyone curious about philanthropy’s role in combating climate change and eager to support climate projects. To do so, you can support Active’s Climate Portfolio, our very own selection of high-impact climate projects, with a donation starting from €5,000.

For the full Climate Solutions Hub experience, we invite you to become a member and build your personal climate solutions portfolio. As a member you can explore individual projects and fund those ones which inspire you most. Members of the Climate Solutions Hub are ready to spend €25,000+ per year on climate projects.

As a Climate Solutions Hub member, you gain access to carefully chosen high-impact climate projects. On your personal dashboard you can build your own climate solutions portfolio of projects which interest you most and track your donations. Meet the inspiring people behind the projects and receive first-hand updates in our closed-group update-calls! If you are an individual funder, we invite you to join our exclusive Climate Solutions Hub community to connect with like-minded peers across Europe.

Members of the Climate Solutions Hub are ready to spend €25,000+ per year on climate action.

We do not charge members a fee for the membership of the Climate Solutions Hub. Instead, we rely on voluntary donations to help us maintain and continuously improve the Climate Solutions Hub. Learn more about our work and how you can support us here.

All projects featured work towards the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

No single approach, sector, or group can solve the climate crisis alone or at once. We have identified eleven fields of climate action, each of which is essential to combating climate change and creating a viable future for all life on earth. On the Hub, we present a changing selection of one or two outstanding projects within each of these fields.

We believe in systems change and global climate justice. This means all projects featured are promoting significant change in social, economic, or political practices with a climate justice lens. For instance, these projects are advocating for financial systems which serve people and the planet. They are bringing young climate activists to the table with mayors to make the world’s biggest cities more sustainable. They are enforcing European laws for sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices at national level. Or they are empowering much needed grassroot climate initiatives in rural communities around the world.

This systemic dimension is also the reason we do not provide data on emission savings potentials of individual projects.

We put much effort into the selection of each individual project we feature on the Hub; you can find out more about the overall project selection process here.

We want to make sure only sound and sustainable climate solutions with a high impact potential are featured on the Climate Solutions Hub. For this reason, we have developed a three-step project selection process:

1. Recommendation by an experienced climate funder or climate expert.
2. Fulfilment of impact criteria and fit to our Climate Action Taxonomy.
3. Passing of due diligence assessment.

The maximum number of projects featured on the Climate Solutions Hub at any given time is limited to 22. Once a project has been completely funded, a new one will be uploaded.

You can learn more about our project selection process here.

Yes, we issue receipts for all donations! Donations from Germany are tax deductible. To receive your receipt, please provide us with your address in the corresponding form displayed during the donation process.

For those who are donating from outside of Germany: we are actively working to make the transfer of donations from other countries as seamless as possible. Please contact us with your individual questions concerning tax deductibility – we’re sure that we’ll be able to help!

Donations you make through the Climate Solutions Hub will be almost completely forwarded to the target project. We do keep an absolute maximum of 1.5% per donation to cover transaction costs and related administrative expenses.

These 1.5% are used for this purpose only and do not cover our daily operations. Instead, we rely on voluntary donations to keep the Climate Solutions Hub up and running. Learn more about how you can support our work here.

Yes. Once a project is funded and in its implementation phase, the organisations will provide regular written updates on the project’s overall development, latest successes, and current challenges. These are available for download on the project pages in the members’ area. We deliberately do not ask the organisations for meticulous reports, since it is part of Active Philanthropy’s core philosophy to encourage trust-based giving.

Funders who have donated to Active’s Climate Portfolio have the option to receive annual updates about the climate projects and overall impact of their support.

Yes, in our closed-group update calls! Once a project you support is in its implementation phase, we invite you to personal video calls with fellow co-funders and the respective organisation. Here, the project partners will share their successes, challenges, and plans, while you have the chance to ask questions and to form a personal impression of the people behind the project.

No, please kindly understand that we are currently not accepting any unsolicited applications from funding-seeking organisations. Find out more about our project selection process here.

Active Philanthropy is a Berlin-based charitable organisation with 15 years of experience in supporting individuals, foundations, corporate families, and philanthropic organisations who wish to engage in climate action. We believe that we all can and must contribute to positive change and equip funders with the information, tools and opportunities needed to embark their own journey of climate funding. Formally, Active Philanthropy is a gGmbH. We are funded by donations and grants from individuals and non-governmental organisations, as well as through service fees. For more information about Active Philanthropy, please visit www.activephilanthropy.org.

Active Philanthropy owns and manages the Climate Solutions Hub. We provide tailored knowledge about the climate crisis and its solutions and aim to diversify and strengthen the philanthropic involvement in climate action throughout Europe. It is our highest priority for the Climate Solutions Hub to represent a safe space for private funders. This refers not only to our strict confidentiality regarding the members’ privacy, but also the very careful selection and assessment of the organisations and projects, we feature on the platform.

We do not ask for a membership fee or commission for the financial transactions between the funders and the organisations. Instead, we rely on voluntary donations to help us maintain and continuously improve the Climate Solutions Hub. Learn more about our work and how you can support us here.

The Climate Solutions Hub is a project by Active Philanthropy designed to accelerate global climate action by strengthening climate philanthropy in Europe and beyond. In this mission, we have been generously supported with grants from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Laudes Foundation, the Stiftung Mercator, as well as by individual funders for the initial design and development of the platform.

To keep the Climate Solutions Hub up and running, we rely on voluntary donations. Learn more about our work behind the scenes and how you can support the Hub here.

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