28.01.2025 / Perspectives

Author: Lutz Drieling M.A.

As we confront the escalating challenges posed by climate change and social inequality, community foundations have a pivotal role in mobilizing local action through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts. By leveraging the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, these foundations can connect global objectives with local needs, fostering resilience and innovation in their communities.

Natural disasters aggravated by climate change are increasingly highlighting the interconnectedness of global crises and local realities, strongly impacting communities worldwide. For instance, Hurricane Ian devastated parts of the U.S. and Cuba, causing over $100 billion in damages, while catastrophic flooding in Pakistan displaced millions and resulted in an estimated $30 billion in losses.¹ The situation is no different in Europe, where numerous flooding events over the past year have illustrated the urgent need for effective responses to climate-related challenges.²

These events illustrate how climate-related catastrophes do not only affect distant regions; they resonate deeply within local communities, where the effects are felt through the loss of homes, livelihoods, essential services, and lives. Community foundations stand at the forefront of this challenge, uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between global environmental issues and local responses, fostering collaboration and resilience in their communities. As they navigate these crises, community foundations can leverage partnerships to share knowledge and resources, ultimately transforming global challenges into actionable local solutions.

Community foundations must embrace multi-stakeholder partnerships to effectively address pressing global challenges like climate change. The solutions to many of these challenges already exist, yet progress remains elusive. Why? Community foundations, like many other organizations, fail to connect, collaborate, and scale these solutions effectively. This gap underscores the importance of SDG 17, which emphasizes partnerships and knowledge-sharing as essential tools for tackling global challenges³.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) serve as a powerful framework for shaping multi-stakeholder partnerships, essential for addressing complex global challenges. Adopted by the United Nations in 2015, the SDGs emphasize the need for collaboration across various sectors, including governments, businesses, civil society, and academia, to leverage diverse resources and expertise effectively.⁴ Specifically, SDG 17 calls for strengthening partnerships to mobilize knowledge, technologies, and financial resources, recognizing that no single entity can achieve these ambitious goals alone.

By fostering open communication and trust among stakeholders, the SDGs can facilitate the pooling of resources and innovative solutions that enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development initiatives.⁵  As a result, multi-stakeholder partnerships not only amplify local efforts but also contribute to the global agenda of sustainable development, creating a more resilient and equitable future for all.

Community foundations are uniquely positioned to leverage the Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships that address local challenges within a global context. By aligning their initiatives with the SDGs, community foundations can engage diverse stakeholders – including local governments, businesses, and civil society – to collaboratively tackle pressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. For instance, many community foundations actively work to increase awareness and understanding of the SDGs within their communities, thereby promoting collective action towards shared goals.⁶

This approach not only enhances the capacity of community foundations to mobilize resources and expertise but also ensures that local voices are included in the decision-making processes that affect their lives. As they facilitate partnerships and networking among various actors, community foundations play a crucial role in bridging the gap between global aspirations and local realities, ultimately contributing to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.⁷

In the context of community foundations (CFs) engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals, many are facing specific challenges related to both internal understanding and external communication of these goals. A key issue is effectively communicating the relevance of the SDGs to their partners and communities while ensuring that staff and stakeholders have a clear understanding of these global objectives. This communication gap can hinder the ability of CFs to implement strategies that align with the SDGs. However, sharing experiences and strategies among CFs can address these challenges. For example, Foundation Scotland has successfully integrated its strategies with the SDGs, demonstrating how aligning local initiatives with global goals can amplify impact and drive urgency in their work.⁸ Similarly, CF Braunschweig utilizes SDG-based reporting to provide data-driven insights that foster transparency and enhance stakeholder engagement.⁹ By learning from one another and leveraging diverse approaches to the SDGs, community foundations can strengthen their capacity to address local issues while contributing to broader global objectives.

As we confront the escalating challenges posed by climate change and social inequality, community foundations have a pivotal role in mobilizing local action through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts. By leveraging the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, these foundations can connect global objectives with local needs, fostering resilience and innovation in their communities. Furthermore, by sharing best practices and resources, as seen with CF Braunschweig’s SDG-based reporting, community foundations can enhance transparency and stakeholder engagement, ultimately driving systemic change. As we move forward into 2025 and beyond, it is imperative that community foundations not only respond to immediate crises but also build sustainable frameworks for collaboration that empower local communities to thrive in an increasingly complex world. Through collective action and a commitment to shared goals, they can transform challenges into opportunities for growth and equity, ensuring a brighter future for all.

Departments: Community Foundations & SDGs; Society, Crisis, and Resilience Program; Policy Analysis and Outreach Department; Research Department; Center on Global Affairs and Post Development. 

Regions: Global 

Themes: Civil Society; Environment and Climate Change; European Union; Philanthropy and Community Development; Sustainable Development Goals