Philanthropic Foundations and Environmental Organizations: Can Two Walk Together Unless They Have Agreed to Do So?

This blog post, written by Prof. Hillel Schmid and Prof. Itay Greenshpan, explores the relationship between philanthropic foundations and environmental organizations in Israel. Drawing on recent research, the authors analyze the sources of funding for environmental NGOs and the structural dependencies that arise as a result.

The post highlights how the limited number of philanthropic foundations operating in Israel—alongside a decline in government funding and insufficient corporate support—creates challenges for environmental organizations striving to maintain both financial stability and ideological independence.

The authors offer several recommendations to strengthen the sector, including the development of new partnerships, diversification of funding sources, and efforts to build trust between donors and NGOs. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a balance between values and pragmatism

in order to preserve the critical role of environmental organizations in Israeli society.

To read the full article, visit our Hebrew main blog.