Dear Fellow Citizen,

I hear from many grantees and partners about these strange times. The chaotic pace. The ongoing threat and uncertainty. The nature of dialogue that undermines and insults human worth. It is overwhelming.

I am also confronted by more choices than ever to do good things for people and their environment. I find that I am asking more direct and challenging questions than ever before. It can be refreshing to shed norms and recast the expectations of others.

I want to express with our grantmaking my vision for how we in philanthropy can make the world better. I want more opportunities to find common ground with previous opponents, to achieve incremental success with unusual partners, to be brave, innovative and share learning.

The pendulum may swing back politically, but I hope we can recognize the need for us to really see and care for our communities and our fellow citizens with sustained effort and attention. Our interest in the well-being of others cannot be motivated by our desire for short term wins in the environmental policy realm.

With hope and determination,

Samantha Campbell
President

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