New Salesforce ‘Accelerator for Nature’ Awards Funds, Tech to 4 Climate-Focused Nonprofits
Accelerator funding will provide $1 million to help four nonprofits test and scale nature-based solutions
Salesforce also announced $3 million to support additional nature-related organizations
New Salesforce Climate Justice Policy Priorities aim to catalyze inclusive climate advocacy
At the 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) today in Montreal, Canada, Salesforce announced it is expanding three environmental initiatives to advance nature-based solutions.
Accelerator for Nature provides critical climate financing and support
The announcements began by introducing the first four recipients of Salesforce’s Accelerator for Nature. The accelerator, announced at COP27 last month, is designed to help nonprofits explore and scale urgently-needed climate solutions.
Today, less than 2% of philanthropic funding worldwide goes toward climate action, and much of that funding includes requirements or restrictions that can make it difficult for nonprofit organizations to innovate and take risks.
The Accelerator for Nature was designed to provide nonprofits with the flexible, risk-tolerant capital they need to expand important climate-related work. The nonprofits will also receive technology and pro-bono support to pursue big ideas, test new solutions, and scale successful climate programs faster.
In the fight against climate change, we can’t afford to leave anything on the table. The Accelerator for Nature provides nonprofits with comprehensive funding and support to make big bets and test the bold solutions that our planet needs.
Naomi Morenzoni, SVP of Philanthropy at Salesforce
Selected organizations are exploring a diverse set of nature-based solutions, including regenerative ocean farming, remote sensing and modeling systems, and acoustic monitoring technologies – all designed to protect and restore natural ecosystems.
The first cohort of Accelerator for Nature participants includes four organizations supporting a broad range of nature-based missions and solutions across the globe. Each of these organizations is creatively addressing the climate crisis, harnessing technology to accelerate the impact of their work. They include:
- Global Forest Generation (GFG): GFG restores forest ecosystems across vast landscapes. Through the Accelerator, GFG will build a program management, governance, and reporting system for Indigenous and locally-led restoration efforts in the High Andes.
- GreenWave: Through partnerships with fishermen, Indigenous groups, and under-resourced coastal communities, GreenWave works to restore oceans, address climate change, and create blue green jobs through replication of the regenerative ocean farming model. Through the Accelerator, GreenWave will build a scalable data collection infrastructure to enhance online resources for ocean farmers.
- Island Conservation: Island Conservation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to restore island ecosystems to benefit wildlife, oceans, and communities. Through the Accelerator, Island Conservation will build an interactive system to monitor island forest carbon using remote sensing and modeling.
- Rainforest Connection: Rainforest Connection builds and deploys scalable, open acoustic monitoring systems that can halt illegal logging and poaching, and enable biodiversity measurement. Through the Accelerator, Rainforest Connection will build a scalable, real-time monitoring system for protecting and studying biodiversity across remote ecosystems.
Salesforce announces additional $3 million in nature-based funding
Today, Salesforce also announced nearly $3 million in additional nature-related grants, including:
- Plant-for-the-Planet: Plant-for-the-Planet is a global movement to restore forest ecosystems to tackle the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. Salesforce funding will support two of Plant-for-the Planet’s tree planting projects, including Acción Andina and the Yucatan Research Station.
- American Forests: American Forests creates healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. Salesforce funding is supporting equitable deployment of urban forestry, with a focus on green workforce development in BIPOC communities with high socioeconomic, temperature, and tree canopy needs.
- One Tree Planted: One Tree Planted is on a mission to restore damaged ecosystems, stabilize soil, and support the water cycle by growing trees. Salesforce funding is supporting reforestation in both urban and disaster-affected communities.
- CIFOR-ICRAF: CIFOR-ICRAF is delivering solutions to deforestation and biodiversity loss, building sustainable food systems and supply chains, and tackling extreme inequality. Salesforce funding will support the organization’s work in agroforestry, which integrates trees into agriculture, supporting livelihoods and sequestering carbon at the same time.
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF): NFWF is dedicated to sustaining, restoring, and enhancing the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats for current and future generations. Salesforce funding is helping to mitigate the impact of disasters on a historically marginalized coastal Texas community through multidisciplinary community planning, with a focus on nature-based solutions that both protect human life and the region’s endangered habitats.
Salesforce outlines new climate justice policy priorities
Salesforce also unveiled new policy priorities to promote inclusive climate policies and ensure that the world’s transition to net zero prioritizes equality.
These build on Salesforce’s climate policy platform, nature policy priorities, ocean-climate policy priorities and the company’s commitments outlined by its Racial Equality & Justice Task Force. Salesforce believes advocacy and policy engagement are key steps in creating a more just and sustainable world, and will advocate for policies that:
- Allocate 40% or more of clean energy and climate investments toward vulnerable communities to ensure that equity is at the center of the world’s transition to net zero.
- Build physical resilience through infrastructure investments, such as those that improve energy system resilience, and decrease reliance on fossil fuel-based energies to help all communities prepare for the impacts of climate change.
- Establish dedicated bodies and institutions focused on the implementation, transparency, and accountability of climate justice programs to ensure equity programs and investments are allocated effectively.
More information:
- Learn about Salesforce’s recent climate initiatives:
- Learn how Salesforce is implementing its Climate Action Plan:
- Salesforce #TeamEarth campaign.
- Visit Salesforce Sustainability to learn more.
