Igniting Discourse

Making the case for environmental funders to invest in storytelling

At the Environmental Grantmakers Association’s annual retreat, The Redford Center hosted Investing in Storytelling to Shift Power, Support Communities, & Advance Equitable Climate Solutions, a session for environmental funders demonstrating the power of narrative tools in action with case studies from our clean transportation series.

We also showcased 2020 Grantee WE STILL HERE / NOS TENEMOS a film celebrating the incredible youth of Comerío, Puerto Rico navigating the aftermath of Hurricane Maria In response to Hurricane Fiona, WE STILL HERE Director Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Producer Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi worked alongside frontline leaders, using the film to support self-determination, just recovery models, and resilience in the face of climate injustice To the hundreds of funders in the room, WE STILL HERE was a powerful illustration of how an investment in narrative strategy can amplify collective actions, leading to lasting change.

Mainstreaming climate narratives

In Apri our team supported the Good Energy Playbook launch, a resource for screenwriters interested in incorporating climate themes into their work including an essay written by our Executive Director, Jill Tidman, and Program Manager Heather Fipps titled Based on a True Story Documentaries as Story Fodder. In June, we sponsored the 2022 Hollywood Climate Summit, a four-day summit of online and in-person panels and workshops on environmental storytelling and educational content produced by Young Entertainment Activists. Also in 2022 we sponsored Imagine 2200 Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors a project from Grist that yielded 12 visionary stories painting a hopeful future for our planet