Our Approach

We strive to align our approach with the “trust-based philanthropy” framework, and we center our values of honoring frontline expertise, advancing equity, shifting power, and embodying transparency. We do this by remaining accountable to our advisory board and our grantees. 

The Carmack Collective grants $1 million annually through our Core Grants and Flow Fund. 

Core Grants

Our core grantmaking program consists of Exploratory Grants and Multi-Year Grants. These grants are made by The Carmack Collective team in consultation with our advisory board of movement leaders.

Exploratory Grants are a 1 year commitment of $10,000 each, given to first time grantees. They provide the opportunity to explore a mutual fit between The Carmack Collective and a new grantee over the 1 year period, and many Exploratory grantees advance to become Multi-Year grantees for one or more grant cycles.

Multi-Year Grants are a 3 year commitment that ranges from $10,000-$75,000/year. Long-term relationships are important to us, as we know that movement victories don’t happen overnight. As such, grantees may receive consecutive Multi-Year Grants.

With all of our Core Grants, we work to develop trust-based relationships with our grantees, engaging with them as true partners, and always centering their expertise and brilliance. For this reason we keep our application requirements to a minimum, do not require reporting, prioritize unrestricted grants, actively seek feedback from, and look to stand with our grantees in ways that go beyond the financial.

We will not hold an open call for grant applications in 2024.

Flow Fund

Our Flow Fund is a decentralized project within The Carmack Collective. The Flow Fund grantmaking is directed by the advisory board, comprised of five movement leaders, who work collectively to make operating and/or project grants. Flow Fund grants are a 1 year commitment that, in 2023, averaged $9,000 each.

The Flow Fund is an opportunity for The Carmack Collective to embrace our belief that those on the frontlines of movements have the most innovative and effective solutions, experiment with values aligned operating models, and explore new or emergent areas of funding.

All of our grants fall within our two tactical areas of funding, as we feel they will allow us to most effectively drive change. 

Movement Building

Social movements and the organizations that flank them are leading the charge against the fossil fuel industry through a broad range of work including community organizing, non-violent direct action, litigation, research, and policy campaigns. We fund a diverse set of movements and movement adjacent organizations holistically, as we know that the strength of a movements’ infrastructure, people, and connectivity are integral to their power and impact.

Our Grantees →

Culture Change

We fund groups using cultural interventions such as comedy, public art activations, media, and journalism to reshape and strengthen narratives surrounding the fossil fuel industry. By leveraging creative expressions, we engage the public, shift perspectives, and foster a collective consciousness that rejects the destructive practices of the fossil fuel industry.

Our Grantees →