Grantmakers Without Borders convened its eighth annual conference from June 8th to 10th in San Francisco. Recordings of the following selected sessions are now available through Conference Recording Services.
To purchase a copy, visit http://www.conferencerecording.com/aaaListTapes.asp?CID=GWB28.

Changing the Climate: The Critical Role of Women
While the sense of urgency around the human impacts of climate change is now heightened, gender equality has largely been absent from the discourse. Yet women are extremely vulnerable to swift environmental changes, and they are also the best positioned to help curb the impacts of climate change, given their responsibilities for family and community well-being and management of resources. Come hear from women activists about innovative strategies for curbing climate change and its impacts. With Mary Fridley, Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO); Lorena Aguilar, World Conservation Union (Costa Rica); Shalini Nataraj, Global Fund for Women; and Lynnsey Francis, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (Thailand)

An Introduction to Social Change Philanthropy
Grantmakers Without Borders and other organizations advocate for "social change philanthropy". What exactly is meant by this phrase? Is it about what you fund, how you fund it, or both? This workshop will feature a discussion with several pioneers in the effort to move international grantmakers from pure charity to funding that promotes justice, equity and human rights among the world's most marginalized communities. With Terry Odendahl, New Mexico Grantmakers Association; Chet Tchozewski, Global Greengrants Fund; Doug McAdam, Stanford University; and Laura Martinez Ros del Ro, PRO Esteros (Mexico)

Indigenous Approaches to Combating Climate Change
Indigenous communities around the world, particularly those of island nations and the Arctic, have been among the first populations to be directly affected by climate change. How can the global philanthropic community best assist these communities, and how can we amplify their voices to affect change in policy and consumer behavior in the developed world? With Leah Zimmerman, Pacific Environment, Alexander Arbachakov, Taiga Research and Protection Association (Russia); Rosemary Ahtuanguruk, REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction On Indigenous Lands); and Alifereti Tawake, University of the South Pacific (Fiji)

Funding Rural Groups in the Global South: Challenges and Opportunities
Two-thirds of world's poorest people live in rural areas, the majority of whom are women. This session will look at the particular challenges and opportunities facing US grantmakers wanting to fund rural populations in Africa and elsewhere, and how such funding can contribute to the promotion of cultural identity, environmental sustainability, bio-diversity and food sovereignty. With Sarah Hobson, New Field Foundation; Emma Kamara, New Field Foundation (Sierra Leone); Tabara Ndiaye, New Field Foundation (Senegal); and Walt Coward, The Christensen Fund

Population, Justice, and the Environmental Challenge
Climate change has rocketed to the top of the public agenda, prompting a resurgence of interest in the relationships among population growth, climate change and other environmental issues. But, too often, the conversation about population issues is framed in a way that threatens human rights, focusing on "population control" and severe restrictions on immigration. Is it possible to confront our growing numbers and environmental impact while advancing human rights and well-being? The panelists for this session will grapple with that question, by examining the global context of trade and development policies and exploring the impact of those policies on human and environmental health in the developing world. They will also propose a social justice framework for understanding and addressing the connection between population dynamics and environmental quality. With Jacqueline Nolley Echegaray, Moriah Fund; Denise Shannon, Funders Network on Population, Reproductive Health and Rights; Joan Castro, PATH Foundation (Philippines); and Laurie Mazur, author

Other Worlds Are Possible: Alternatives for a More Just and Sustainable World
Most of us have heard that "another world is possible." Can a world based on community, democracy, sustainability, and justice really exist within a global economy based on consumption and profit? Does it already exist? What do alternative political, economic, and social models look like? What role can we, as funders and concerned citizens of the planet, play in their creation? Come learn about the range of alternatives which are blossoming everywhere and about the role that funders can play to support them. With Beverly Bell, Other Worlds; Mamadou Goita, Institute for the Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development (Mali); and Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group (Mexico)

Grantmaking Within the Legal Constraints of U.S. Foreign Policy
In a growing number of global hotspots, grantmakers must find ways to advance their missions while responsibly adhering to the legal and political constraints of US foreign policy and national security. This session will discuss challenges and strategies for grantmaking in some of the most challenging hotspots. Using as case examples Burma, Iraq and Palestine, panelists will share their first-hand experiences, including what to expect when applying for a Treasury license, suggestions for adhering to the voluntary Treasury Guidelines when operating within an area controlled by a designated terrorist organization, and the logistical obstacles when grantmaking in a US war zone. With Ali O. Amar, formerly with United States Institute for Peace; Nikhil Aziz, Grassroots International; Alexander Tarnoff, Asia Foundation; and Vanessa Dick, Grantmakers Without Borders

Strengthening China's Grassroots Movement to Address Climate Change
Most efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in China have focused on top-down, governmental initiatives. Yet to be successful, these and other initiatives will have to be implemented at a grassroots, community-based level. This session will allow participants to learn about on-the-ground environmental efforts in China while exploring obstacles and opportunities for grantmaking to China. With David Gordon and Daniela Salaverry, Pacific Environment; Fu Tao (China); and Ge Yun, Xinjiang Conservation Fund (China)

The Commons: Saving the Gifts of Nature
A powerful antidote to global warming and natural resource depletion is the responsible stewardship of the commons, those things that we inherit and that will (hopefully) last for generations to come: gifts of nature such as air, water, the oceans, wildlife and wilderness. The tragedy of the commons is not that society is incapable of equitably sharing nature's bounty; it's that we have forgotten how to recognize the commons and act like the rightful owners of our own riches. In this session, funders and activists will discuss advocacy for the commons with a special focus on the sky, seeds and water and how to manage them for the benefit of everyone, especially society's most vulnerable people. Discussion will inter-weave funding, activism, communications and movement building strategies. With Harriet Barlow, HKH Foundation; Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group (Mexico); and Anil Naidoo, Blue Planet Project (Canada)

Encouraging Local Relief Capacity in Areas of Humanitarian Crisis
Where disaster strikes, armies of well-funded international NGOs descend, including many with no prior experience in the affected region. At the same time, many extremely capable local, on-the-ground organizations get overlooked by grantmakers wishing to respond. This workshop will explore how funders can support the capacities of local, community-based organizations to respond to and recover from natural disasters and humanitarian crises. With Wendy Flick, Pond Foundation; Pete Stanga and Yael Falikov, IDEX; and Atema Eclai, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

Supporting Movement Building at the Intersection of Health and Environment
The health of communities is inextricably linked to the health of their environment, and yet health and environment are often addressed in separate silos of grantmaking. This workshop will explore how the intersection of environment and health provides exciting grantmaking opportunities to build movements, support healthy communities and ecosystems, and connect people at the grassroots, national and international levels. With Emily West, West Foundation; Marni Rosen, Jenifer Altman Foundation; and Jayakumar C., Thanal (India)

Small-Scale Sustainable Farmers Can Cool Down the Earth
Intercontinental food transport, intensive monoculture production, the destruction of natural habitat to make room for cattle, and the use of chemical inputs have transformed agriculture into a significant greenhouse gas emitter. This session will explore how small-scale farmers are building food sovereignty and cooling down the planet. Panel members will discuss several strategies, including a global campaign to challenge the environmental destructiveness of transnational agribusiness and a seed-saving campaign. With Nikhil Aziz, Grassroots International; and Andrea Marisa Samulon, Rainforest Action Network

General Session:
Climate Change, Natural Resource Depletion and Peak Oil: Issues and Impact
Global warming. Deforestation, species extinction and water depletion. The inevitable drying up of the planet's limited oil supply. These and other issues have converged rapidly in our time, creating what many are calling a "Triple Crisis". What exactly are the dimensions of the crisis, and what is at stake? The conference will open with an essential assessment of the environmental emergency our planet now faces. To assist in understanding the urgency of the crisis, we'll hear from representatives of Pacific and Arctic communities whose very existence is at immediate risk. With Richard Heinberg, Post Carbon Insitute; Alifereti Tawake, University of the South Pacific (Fiji), Faith Gimmell, REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands); and Susan Beaudry, Grantmakers Without Borders

From Bali to the Base: Supporting Global, National and Local Action
The recent international gathering in Bali sought to advance a global compact for addressing climate change, while the issue has emerged in the political discourse at national, state and local levels in the US and elsewhere. This plenary will begin with an update on the status of global climate change negotiations and the prospects for meaningful change given the upcoming US presidential and congressional elections. The session will then turn to a debate of some of the more controversial strategies being promoted to address the crisis, such as payment for environmental services, biofuels, and "clean coal". With Peter Riggs, Forum on Democracy & Trade; Annie Leonard, host of "The Story of Stuff", Daphne Wysham, Institute for Policy Studies; and Tom Athanasiou, EcoEquity

Strategies for Systemic Change: Global Justice and a Path Forward
An unprecedented crisis is upon us, and its dimensions are daunting. However, many believe we are poised to make extraordinary changes in the ways we relate to the environment and to each other. The conference will conclude by framing a strategy for systemic change, one that embraces a vision of justice, equity and human rights. The plenary will offer specific strategies global grantmakers can utilize to propel this most critical agenda forward. With Van Jones, Green for All; Walt Coward, The Christensen Fund; Elizabeth Chadri, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and Mia McDonald, Brighter Green

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