Dear Community,
We hope the fall is treating you well. At EcoRise, this season has tested our resilience and reminded us of our greatest strength: the teachers and students who continue to rise, adapt, and lead.
First, the hard truth:
This year, EcoRise faced a 30% cut in overall revenue after the termination of key federal programs, including Environmental Literacy Grants from the U.S. EPA and NOAA. As a result, we were forced to make the excruciating decision to restructure our team in order to keep our doors open. Today, our team is working harder than ever to sustain our programs in the face of continued national headwinds.
But here is the part that keeps us energized:
To be candid, sustaining this work and our team’s morale is an ongoing challenge. But every day, our students and teachers remind us why we persevere. From the new cohort of Climate Action Educators in San Francisco USD, to fifth-graders in Washington, DC who created a composting program in their cafeteria to nourish their school garden, their creativity and determination keep us moving forward.
And your support reminds us that we are not alone in this work. Because of champions like you, we remain committed to keeping every EcoRise program intact as we prepare to launch a new three-year strategic plan that will guide our next chapter of growth. This plan meets the urgency of the moment by deepening our impact in communities across the country, while leveraging technology to break down barriers to access for all teachers, regardless of zip code.
Today, we are launching our Rooted in Resilience campaign. This is your annual invitation to invest directly in the educators and youth who embody resilience every day. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from members of our community: a public school teacher in New York City, a student leader in Austin, Texas, and others whose lives and classrooms have been transformed through EcoRise. At this critical moment, your support goes twice as far. The EcoRise Impact Circle is matching all donations up to $50,000, helping resilience take root in twice as many classrooms and communities across the country. We hope you will consider making a gift to ensure this work continues—stronger, more resilient, and more accessible than ever.
With deep gratitude,
Abby Randall & Jon Stott
Co-Executive Directors, EcoRise
PS – If you’re unable to donate at this time, help us spread the word by sharing our work on social media!
