Take action
Specific actions, real impact
Calling Congress, regulatory comments, lobby days, recruitment, donation. Different actions at different time commitments. Find your fit + start now.
Quick actions (under 10 minutes)
Right-now impact
Call Congress — Clean Electricity Standard
Call your Representative + 2 Senators. Forward Climate provides phone numbers + script. Calls take 3-5 minutes each. Specific impact: increases visible support for federal climate legislation.
Submit regulatory comment
EPA + FERC + other agencies have public comment periods. We provide draft language; submit via online form in 3-5 minutes. Specific impact: regulators count public comments.
Sign petitions + form letters
Specific petitions on current campaigns. Sign + share. Each signature counts. Most petitions take 1-2 minutes. Specific impact: numbers + visibility for campaigns.
Email + post on social media
Share Forward Climate content with networks. Pre-written social posts. 30 seconds to share. Multiplied across 380k members + their networks: significant amplification.
Tell 3 friends
Tell 3 friends about Forward Climate + invite to join Action Network. ~5 minutes. Specific impact: each new member adds capacity + reach.
Donate $10-$50 monthly
Recurring donation funds research + advocacy + organizing. ~$1-$5/month significant when multiplied across donors. Tax-deductible 501(c)(3) Foundation OR 501(c)(4) Coalition (you choose; both critical).
Sustained engagement (1-5 hours/month)
Regular activist commitments
Action Network membership (free)
Sign up for organized advocacy. Receive monthly action emails with 2-3 specific actions. Most actions 5-10 minutes. ~30-60 minutes/month total commitment. 380k Action Network members organized.
Lobby days at state capitol
Quarterly state lobby days. Travel to state capitol; meet with legislators. ~6-8 hours per lobby day. We provide training + transportation + briefing materials. Particularly impactful for state campaigns.
Local team meetings
Monthly state + city team meetings. Strategy + organizing + community building. ~2 hours per meeting. Network with local activists + plan local actions. Optional but consistently rewarding.
Op-ed writing + media engagement
Submit op-eds to local + national media. Forward Climate provides talking points + editing support. Op-eds: ~3-5 hours per essay. Particularly impactful for state + local campaigns.
Recruit + train new members
Bring 2-3 new members to coalition each year. Provide them with introduction + first actions. ~1-2 hours per new member recruitment. Essential for movement growth.
Public testimony at hearings
Submit written or in-person testimony at public hearings. Federal regulatory hearings + state legislative hearings. ~2-4 hours per testimony. Significant for movement visibility + record.
Sustained engagement (5-15 hours/month)
Volunteer leader commitments
Local team coordinator
Coordinate state or city team. Recruit, train, retain volunteers. Run monthly meetings. Liaise with national coalition. ~10 hours/month. Volunteer-coordinator track may lead to staff role.
Skills-based pro bono
Use professional skills (legal, scientific, communications, data, technology). Project-based work. ~10-15 hours/month. Particularly impactful for movement leverage. Email volunteer@forwardclimate.org with skills + interests.
Action Network organizer
Help coordinate Action Network membership. Recruit + onboard new members. Coordinate digital actions. ~8-12 hours/month. Mostly remote work; some in-person regional gatherings.
Research collaboration (Forward Climate Foundation)
Academic + technical collaboration on research projects. Foundation researchers welcome external collaborators. Project-based; ~10-20 hours/month for active project. Email research@forwardclimate.org.
State campaign organizing
State priority campaign volunteer leader. Recruit + mobilize members in specific state. Lobby coordination. ~10-15 hours/month during active campaign periods. State coordinator works with national staff.
Public spokesperson / leader
Public-facing leadership. Op-eds, public testimony, media interviews, lobby visits. ~10-15 hours/month for active engagement. Some volunteers transition to paid staff roles eventually.
Donor + financial action
Funding the movement
Forward Climate Foundation donations (tax-deductible)
501(c)(3) Foundation does research + education. Tax-deductible to donors. Funds Foundation researchers + reports + education programs. Important for solid research foundation behind advocacy.
Forward Climate Coalition donations (advocacy)
501(c)(4) Coalition does advocacy + lobbying. NOT tax-deductible to donors. Funds advocacy + organizing + lobbying. Essential for direct policy outcomes. Donor structure choice depends on tax preferences.
Major donor cultivation ($10k+)
Major donor relationships with senior leadership. Annual stewardship + impact reports. Field visit opportunities. Direct line to organizational priorities. ~30-50 major donors annually.
Corporate matching gifts
Many employers match charitable donations 50-200%. Submit matching gift form. Foundation gifts always qualify; Coalition gifts depend on employer (some only match 501(c)(3)).
Donor-advised fund grants
Most DAFs grant to 501(c)(3)s. Forward Climate Foundation accepts DAF grants. Most DAFs cannot grant to 501(c)(4)s.
Planned giving + bequests
Bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable remainder trusts. Email planned-giving@forwardclimate.org for sample bequest language. Significant long-term impact for movement.
Find your way to act
5 questions, 60 seconds. We’ll match you to climate action that fits your time, skills, and interests. Different paths fit different people; movement needs all of them.
Step 1 of 520%
How much time can you give?
Be honest — even 10 minutes a month moves the movement.
Action onboarding
From 5-minute curiosity to engaged member
- 1Start small (5 minutes)First action: phone call, signed petition, regulatory comment. Get first taste of action. Build muscle memory.
- 2Action Network sign-up (free)Sign up for Action Network membership. Free. Monthly emails with specific actions. No spam; pure mission-aligned.
- 3Increase engagement graduallyFrom quick actions → sustained engagement. Try lobby day. Join local team meeting. Start submitting public testimony. Find your sustainable level.
- 4Specific impactYour engagement, multiplied across 380k members, creates real political pressure. Specific bills passed, specific regulations strengthened, specific climate policy outcomes.
Sign up + take action
We’ll respond within 4 business hours
Tell us your interest level + skills + state. We’ll match you with appropriate engagement level + send Action Network signup + first action opportunity.
Action questions
What people ask
- Yes. 84 wins in 2024: federal regulations strengthened, state climate laws passed, court wins, corporate commitments. Specific outcomes from organized advocacy. Coalition + grassroots mobilization is what moves political needle. Specific evidence of effectiveness over 12 years.