Our Approach
Rooted in Solidarity, Guided by Movements
For forty years, Thousand Currents has walked shoulder-to-shoulder with grassroots groups and movements in Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Asia and the Pacific. These movement formations–bold, resilient, and visionary–have shaped our path and demonstrated what transformation truly looks like.
Together, we’ve invested over $60 million in more than 650 grassroots groups and movements across 85 countries, collectively reaching and mobilizing more than 200 million people. Our movement partners are driving real, practical change forward.
- They are nourishing the soil by reviving traditional seed systems, regenerating biodiversity, and supporting millions of farmers to transition to regenerative agricultural methods.
- They are restoring ecosystems by reclaiming millions of hectares of land and forests for communal stewardship, planting drought-resistant crops, and protecting vital watersheds like the Amazon and the Mekong River Basin.
- They are expanding energy access by designing and managing community-owned renewable energy mini-grids that power homes, farms, and food systems while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
- They are reweaving the social fabric of their communities by organizing women-led cooperatives, reviving ancestral food knowledge, and strengthening local markets that support both livelihoods and wellbeing.
We know that real change is never the work of a single actor; it is the collective effort of many, moving together with purpose, joy, and a fierce belief in what’s possible.
Resourcing Movements, Transforming Philanthropy
Thousand Currents was founded with a bold belief: that those closest to the challenges are also closest to the solutions. That’s why we fund differently.
Our grantmaking is distinct, dynamic, and determined.
This is solidarity philanthropy–a way of giving that centers mutual trust, recognizes our interdependence, and equips movement partners with the resources they need to enact their own solutions. We believe that philanthropy is about more than just moving money. We aim to build relationships with our movement partners that are not transactional, but are based on showing up in solidarity with communities.
This kind of funding changes what’s possible. It has supported Indigenous communities in Guatemala to reclaim over 70,000 hectares of land and safeguard critical water sources. It has helped grassroots groups in the Philippines build and manage renewable energy mini-grids that power agroecological production and reinvest profits into their communities. And it has resourced farmers in South Asia as they transition entire territories to organic farming, ensuring farmers earn 80% of the sale price.
We know we can’t do this alone, and that we were never meant to. With the largest wealth transfer in history underway, this is a defining moment to build lasting momentum toward futures rooted in justice, care, and abundance. We’re building that momentum with our supporters–individual donors, families, philanthropic advisors, and private foundations. Together, we are moving boldly with urgency and intention, resourcing transformative solutions, backing long-term visions, and helping shape a future where thriving communities are the norm, not the exception.
Local Solutions, Global Impact
When grassroots groups have the trust and resources they deserve, they show us what’s possible. Around the globe our movement partners have achieved incredible progress:
- Smallholder farmers are scaling agroecology to restore biodiversity, improve nutrition, and build seed sovereignty across Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
- In South Africa, a coastal community stopped Shell from drilling along sacred shores.
- In Nepal, forest stewards now protect nearly half the country’s forests, with a vision to reach 60% by 2030.
- Across West Africa, a movement of 300,000 women is transforming how an entire region farms, feeds, and cares for its people and the planet.
These are concrete examples of how our movement partners are dreaming, building, and ushering in a just world. The solutions they are working on are among the most powerful and scalable responses to the most pressing crises of our time.
Let’s make a better world possible together. Donate today.
