A subset of U.S. grantees receive the services of a sustainability coach who helps them develop a climate plan for their project or organization that is within their capacity and relevant to their communities, and up to $25,000 to bring the plan to life.
Grantees need both financial support and expert guidance to create these goals and embed them into their organizations, which is why combining funding with coaching is key. Teiger Foundation's partner in this effort is the sustainability coach Rute Collaborative. Rute works with grantees to articulate their specific organizational needs and help identify ways to fulfill them. They bring expertise gained in both large and small arts nonprofit settings, share their own resources, and connect participants with relevant vendors and partners. The time spent with Rute leads to plans for the grant money that are meaningful and actionable for each recipient. For some grantees, this might involve installing solar panels on the roof or devising exhibition signage that avoids the use of vinyl. For others, it involves modifying emergency plans and protocols to better show up for their communities in times of acute crisis.
Attending to the climate crisis with assistance and financial support can shift mindsets. In addition to reducing emissions and waste, this work can build curatorial leadership, strengthen working relationships, bring the satisfaction of creative problem-solving, and open up new sources of funding and support.
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We would like to thank our 2023 climate pilot participants—the intrepid curators and creative leadership of DiverseWorks, The Kitchen, Racing Magpie, Rhizome, Rivers Institute, and The Contemporary Austin—for helping us learn by doing. The pilot encouraged us to proceed with a more fully developed program in Fall 2024.
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In 2019 and 2020, the visual art field produced a remarkable confluence of grassroots, collaborative thinking and action around climate. Two years of conversation with and financial support for Art into Acres, Artists Commit, Art + Climate Action, Gallery Climate Coalition, and Ki Culture was an integral part of the climate pilot. Our participating grantees and Rute Collaborative benefited, and will continue to benefit, enormously from the work of these groups and the individuals who continue to reinvent them. The Frankenthaler Climate Initiative—an essential funding source for visual art institutions working towards energy efficiency—and The Climate Museum are also important thought partners.