An interview with Randall Kempner: Stronger Together for a Healthier Planet

The Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition in Action

When you talk with Randall Kempner, founding CEO of the Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition (CPCC), you don’t hear abstract language about “collaboration.” You hear tactics, experiments and real-world examples of money moving differently because people chose to work together.

That’s exactly why The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF) chose to partner with and support CPCC: together, we’re focused on channeling more philanthropic capital into planet-positive solutions that support thriving communities and a healthier planet for all.

Why a coalition – and why now?

Randall came to this work after a career in entrepreneurship and economic development, in the U.S. and globally. His pivot into the climate philanthropy space was driven by a simple realization: philanthropy was not doing everything it could to support a healthier planet, even though the stakes touch every community he’d ever worked in.

Globally, giving focused on climate and related solutions still represents less than 2% of total philanthropy – even in places that pride themselves on leadership. Randall saw that many smart people were trying to change that, but they were working in isolation. There was no real community of practice for the people whose job is to increase funding for planet-positive work.

So he set out to build one. After authoring Funding Climate Action: Pathways for Philanthropy in early 2023 – a guide designed to help “climate-curious” donors move from interest to action – Randall convened many of the experts he’d interviewed to explore how a coalition could help this work. From that conversation, and with launch funding from the Gates Foundation, the Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition was born.

CPCC’s shared goal is bold: help triple U.S. climate-related philanthropy in five years—by focusing on how money moves, not telling others why a healthy planet matters. As Randall shared, climate impacts everything, and to be a good funder in the education, health, or community development space means asking: how will climate change affect the issues and populations I care about?

A community of practice for “how” money moves

CPCC brings together three types of actors who shape philanthropic capital flows: funders – foundation leaders and partnership heads tasked with bringing in co-funders; philanthropy advisory firms – trusted guides helping donors align values with action; and philanthropy networks – member organizations fielding the “where do we start?” questions from their communities.

Across these diverse members, the functional challenge is the same: helping donors step confidently into planet-positive philanthropy at scale. To meet that need, CPCC focuses on four core activities:

• Convening: Annual in-person gatherings where members share tested language, strategies and case studies on moving “curious” donors into action, and quarterly virtual sessions on live topics—from navigating politically complex contexts to showcasing examples of first major gifts into climate and nature solutions.
• Collaboration: Active matchmaking among members: introductions between funders, advisors and networks that might not otherwise meet, but could unlock new partnerships or co-funding.
• Resource sharing: A public, searchable library of articles, guides and reports – one of the most comprehensive curated collections focused on climate philanthropy and related areas.
• Outreach and advocacy: Working with hosts of major gatherings (such as New York Climate Week and Aspen Ideas: Climate) to ensure philanthropy has a real seat at the table, and that CPCC members are there to share what’s working.

This is the connective tissue that turns good intentions into real, replicable practice.

Collaboration in action: what changes when networks connect

The power of CPCC shows up in the stories of its members.

The coalition has connected philanthropic leaders, leading to new opportunities, including speaking roles at climate-focused events, highlighting how regional foundations in complex political environments can still play leading roles in funding practical solutions on the ground. Other members have been able to embed recommendations into partners’ training programs and explore collaborations that connect funders to high-impact opportunities. Dan Stein, CEO of Giving Green, a CPCC member, shared how being a member has helped his organization: 

“We are forging a relationship with ClimeOn in which Giving Green recommendations will feature in their training courses. We are also exploring a relationship with Earthshare in which Giving Green recommendations are promoted among their DAF holders. In addition, we have built our relationship with DEPLOY/US since getting to know them at the CPCC Annual Gathering. We are now using DEPLOY’s networks/diligence in our grantmaking.”

These may sound like small shifts – one panel, one new curriculum, one new channel. But to philanthropists, they matter a great deal. Each trusted voice, each new partnership, makes it easier for donors to step into solutions that feel concrete, local and achievable.

Not just a space for billionaires

A lot of attention in this field goes to billionaire families and their dedicated climate teams. CPCC values the role of these families, but intentionally casts a wider net. Randall speaks candidly about wanting to serve the millionaire families and individuals with, say, $20–50 million in assets, who care deeply about a healthier planet but don’t have access to bespoke climate philanthropy advice.

These donors often work with financial advisors who are excellent at managing portfolios, but who are not rewarded – or trained – to provide deeply informed philanthropic guidance on topics like nature-based solutions, community resilience or low-carbon infrastructure. CPCC’s resources and network help close that gap by equipping advisors and networks with digestible, credible guidance, and highlighting practical steps, from environmental justice in one’s hometown to supporting sectors like biochar or food-waste reduction.

Crucially, CPCC understands that context matters. Talking about nature, resilience and community well-being can sometimes open more doors than leading with climate rhetoric alone, especially for those donors who care deeply about land, forests and healthy ecosystems.

What this means for philanthropy

For philanthropists across the U.S. – from family foundations to corporate philanthropies – CPCC’s story offers three key insights:

1. You don’t have to go it alone. There is a growing community of practitioners who focus specifically on helping donors fund planet-positive solutions effectively, in every kind of community and political context.
2. Philanthropy can unlock broader capital. Grants can seed pilots, de-risk innovation and build community trust – paving the way for larger investment into solutions like resilient infrastructure, regenerative food systems and clean energy access.
3. Funding collaboration infrastructure is high-leverage. Supporting organizations like CPCC amplifies every other grant by making it easier for peers to find each other, learn faster and act together.

A shared invitation

TRFF’s partnership with the Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition is rooted in a shared belief: when philanthropists learn, experiment and invest side by side, we can rapidly shift capital toward solutions that benefit both people and the planet. And as Randall says, climate action requires all colors of money – philanthropic, investment and government. It is an all-hands-on-deck moment.

As you consider your own journey, you might ask your advisors what tools they use for climate- and nature-aligned giving, explore CPCC’s public resources and events and dedicate a portion of your philanthropy to the networks that make collaboration possible – because this can lead to more action.

No single funder will finance a healthier future on their own. But together, through coalitions like CPCC and partners like TRFF, philanthropists and other asset owners can help build an economy and a planet where communities don’t just survive, they flourish.