In the urgency of tackling the climate crisis, how do foundations decide where to prioritize funding in climate solutions and invest in a livable future? Minneapolis-based McKnight Foundation has an answer: the Midwestern U.S. If the Midwest were a country, it’d be the fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. The science is clear: We cannot meet climate goals without substantial further investment in the Midwest.
McKnight charged Spitfire with sharing the facts in a compelling way to not only encourage climate funders to look beyond the coasts and to the Midwest but for issue-adjacent funders to see the opportunities that climate investments can have on improving health, advancing the economy and strengthening democracy.
Many in the climate movement or among climate funders do not realize the region’s climate solution potential with its major businesses, pragmatic politics, and racially diverse and geographically important communities. The region is key to the nation tackling its climate goals with significant opportunities to electrify the transportation systems, improve agricultural practices and upgrade the electric grid throughout America’s crossroads.
McKnight conceived of the campaign idea and was in search of a partner to bring it into reality. Spitfire was proud to further develop the concept, create a campaign strategy and work alongside the McKnight team to launch the initiative.
Through a series of stakeholder interviews with national and regional funders, policymakers and leaders in the space, Spitfire developed robust messaging to not only build the case for the deeper investment in Midwest communities but share examples and realities that overcome barriers and misperceptions about the region that may hold funders back.
As we neared the 2024 elections, we capitalized on the increased focus on the Midwest with its many key swing states and both vice presidential candidates hailing from the region. This op-ed in U.S. News & World Report that we helped place encouraged the candidates to discuss the need for stronger investments in climate solutions that bring good-paying jobs, healthier families and stronger neighborhoods to communities across the region.
The results of the 2024 elections created uncertainty of federal climate funding — a key focus for leveraging philanthropic dollars, requiring a pivot away from the initial campaign plan that Spitfire developed with McKnight. We restrategized together and set McKnight up for a focus on storytelling to encourage policymakers at all levels to defend the current climate projects that are improving lives and strengthening communities throughout the Midwest.
We remain committed to working alongside McKnight and other foundations and organizations that are shifting our world to clean energy systems that power healthy, abundant and racially just communities.
