Case Study: Australian Ethical
Testimonial

“Giving Green’s work was instrumental in refining our Foundation’s focus areas and identifying some key high impact nonprofits working on climate change solutions in Australia”
Kate Saunders, Head of Foundation, Australian Ethical Investment
The Challenge
Conduct an in-depth analysis of the Australian philanthropic landscape and generate a list of the top recommended climate nonprofits in the market.
The Australian Ethical Foundation tasked Giving Green with developing donation recommendations for the top Australian nonprofits tackling global climate mitigation.
The foundation had seen Giving Green’s research on the top nonprofits globally and saw an opportunity to provide a similar, market-specific list of well-vetted, high-impact giving recommendations for Australian funders.
Thus, they enlisted the help of Giving Green to generate a list of Australia-based organizations with the highest potential for global philanthropic impact.
The Giving Green Approach
A dynamic approach to evaluating Australia’s top philanthropic strategies, using our signature Scale, Feasibility, and Room for More Funding framework. All with a focus on uncovering interventions with the greatest potential to shift global systems to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Giving Green conducted its first analysis of the Australian philanthropic landscape in 2021. In 2023, the Australian Ethical Foundation approached us with a request to revisit this research in partnership with Effective Altruism Australia and reevaluate this list given the dramatically different climate ecosystem and political context.
No stranger to the living, breathing, ever-evolving nature of this body of research, we were up to the challenge. The team underwent a second round of research into Australia’s unique role in combating the climate crisis and the top philanthropic strategy for global impact.
For this evaluation, we brought on an Australian researcher with deep knowledge of the country’s climate policy landscape. Together, the team honed in on five impact indicators with particular relevance to the Australian market: systems change, global impact, comparative advantage, neglectedness, and tractability.
We then used these impact indicators to inform assessments of high-level climate mitigation strategies. The team then identified the top philanthropic sub-strategies and used our Scale, Feasibility, and Room for More Funding framework to evaluate each, finally leading to the selection of the top climate nonprofits in the market.
The Results
After research into the country’s global comparative advantages and opportunities for systemic change, our team honed in on the decarbonization of industrial exports as a key leverage point by which Australian philanthropists could contribute to global decarbonization efforts. Decarbonizing Australia’s industrial exports could eliminate up to 7% of global emissions, more than double Australia’s domestic emissions. The country is currently the top global producer and exporter of iron, aluminum, and lithium, which, once processed abroad, emit immense amounts of carbon. With its abundance of renewable resources, Australia has the potential to decarbonize these efforts and do so at a lower cost than almost any other country in the world.
The findings were released in a public, non-partisan report on high-impact climate philanthropy in Australia, followed by a list of top climate nonprofits within Australia:
 
Support Our Work
Giving Green Fund
One fund. Global impact. One hundred percent of your gift supports a portfolio of high-impact climate organizations, vetted by our research.
Best for:
Donors who want the simplest way to impact multiple climate solutions.
Top Climate Nonprofits
Meet the organizations on Giving Green’s list of high-impact nonprofits working to decarbonize our future, identified through our rigorous research.
Best for:
Donors who want to give directly and independently.
Support Our Work
We thoroughly research climate initiatives so you can give with confidence. For every $1 we receive, our work unlocks another $21 for effective climate solutions.
Best for:
Donors who want to amplify their impact through research.

.png)


.png)
.png)
.png)


.png)
.png)

.png)





.png)

.png)




.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)


.png)




.png)



.png)
.png)

.png)





.png)




.png)


.png)

.png)





.jpg)
.png)
.png)





.png)
.png)
.png)





.png)

