Solberga Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £300,000-£365,000 (approximate, based on recent income)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (median climate grant sector-wide: £75,000)
• Geographic Focus: UK-based, with support for movements primarily in England and the Global South

Contact Details

• Website: www.solbergafoundation.com
• Email: info@solbergafoundation.com
• Phone: 07846112101
• Address: 353 Liverpool Road, London, N1 1NL
• Charity Number: 1181624

Overview

The Solberga Foundation is an independent family foundation established in January 2019 by Kristina Johansson, a former climate activist. The foundation makes grants to organizations working at the intersection of climate justice, gender equality, and animal welfare. With an annual income ranging from £300,000-£365,000, the foundation takes a grassroots-focused, trust-based approach to philanthropy, prioritizing sustained support for social movements led by communities of color, indigenous peoples, women, and youth. The foundation emphasizes long-term partnerships and democratic decision-making models that transform traditional philanthropic power dynamics.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Climate Justice

• Grassroots climate activism and movements
• Indigenous-led climate solutions
• Youth climate organizing
• Climate policy advocacy and campaigning (e.g., COP26 organizing, Stop Cambo campaign)
• Climate communications and narrative change

Gender Equality

• Black feminist organizations addressing violence against women and girls
• Women of color in justice movements
• Trans*, non-binary, and cis women of color leadership programs
• Women-led grassroots movements globally

Animal Welfare

• Animal advocacy organizations
• Campaigns for animal rights and welfare

Movement Building & Training

• Campaign training institutes (NEON, Momentum)
• Facilitation and organizing collectives
• Legal training and communications skills for activists
• Leadership development programs

Grant-Making Approach

• Direct grants to grassroots groups and individual activists
• Support for re-granting organizations (e.g., Thousand Currents) that resource movements in the Global South
• Unrestricted and project-based funding
• Covers practical costs including conference attendance, speaker fees, accessibility needs, and training

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly documented, though the foundation's focus is clearly on grassroots movements for systemic change rather than service delivery organizations or mainstream charities.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (all appointed 2018):

• Kristina Johansson (Chair)
• Camilla Johansson
• Lyndsey Johansson
• Vanessa Johansson

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Leadership Philosophy:

Kristina Johansson has stated: “We believe that the social, economic and ecological crisis of our time calls for an unwavering commitment to grassroots social movements” and "Philanthropy can play a critical role in empowering and resourcing grassroots' leadership."

She has also emphasized: “Foundations have the resources, power and authority to influence politicians on climate justice and action, but we should be looking to indigenous communities for the expertise of how we need to steward our land.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Solberga Foundation does not advertise a public, open application process. Based on available information, the foundation appears to identify and select grantees proactively rather than through open calls for proposals.

The foundation is part of the Environmental Funders Network's climate grants mapping, and according to the 2020 survey of climate funders, half of participating foundations do not accept unsolicited applications, though it's not explicitly confirmed whether Solberga is among them.

Organizations interested in approaching the foundation should note that they practice “regular and informal discussions with grantees” as part of their trust-based approach, suggesting relationship-building is central to their model.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not provide explicit application guidance, their documented approach and values suggest the following alignment factors:

Mission Alignment

• Grassroots-led and community-centered approach
• Focus on systemic transformation rather than service delivery
• Work at intersections of climate, gender, and animal justice
• Leadership by frontline communities (people of color, indigenous peoples, low-income communities, women, youth)

Movement Building Orientation

The foundation explicitly supports “activists and social movements essential to transforming the landscape of power and political will,” indicating preference for organizing and advocacy work over traditional charity models.

Values Alignment

Organizations should demonstrate commitment to:

• Democratic and participatory decision-making
• Trust-based relationships
• Long-term systemic change
• Challenging traditional power structures

Recent Grantees (2020) Include:

• Thousand Currents: Above and Beyond Solidarity Fund
• CLIMA Fund (Indigenous, women, and youth-led climate solutions)
• Imkaan (Black feminist organization addressing violence against women and girls)
• NEON (UK campaign training network)
• Momentum (US training institute)
• Tripod (training collective of facilitators and organizers)
• Demand Climate Justice coalition (200+ organizations organizing around UN climate negotiations)
• MOCK COP
• Friends of the Earth Scotland
• Coal Action Network UK
• Climate Reframe project
• WOOP (leadership programme for Trans*, NB & Cis WOC)
• Skin Deep (supporting Black creatives and creatives of color)
• Animal Equality
• Eurogroup for Animals
• Resist and Renew collective

Notable Impact:

The foundation supported the Stop Cambo campaign, which successfully mobilized public opposition to UK offshore oil and gas development, shifting investor sentiment regarding North Sea investment.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This foundation operates through proactive identification of grantees and relationship-based grant-making rather than open calls
• Grassroots focus is paramount: The foundation explicitly prioritizes grassroots movements, particularly those led by frontline communities most affected by climate change, gender inequality, and animal welfare issues
• Intersectionality matters: Work at the intersections of climate justice, gender equality, and animal welfare appears particularly aligned with the foundation's mission
• Movement building over service delivery: The foundation supports organizing, advocacy, training, and campaign work that builds power for systemic change
• Trust-based approach: The foundation practices informal, regular dialogue with grantees and provides flexible support including unrestricted funding
• Family foundation context: As a recently established (2019) family foundation with trustees from the same family, decision-making likely happens at trustee level based on alignment with their strategic priorities
• Re-granting organizations: The foundation supports intermediary organizations like Thousand Currents, so organizations in the Global South might consider approaching through such re-granters

References

• Charity Commission - Solberga Foundation Overview
• Active Philanthropy - Solberga Foundation Case Study
• Philea - Why Fund Climate Justice?
• Environmental Funders Network - Where the Climate Grants Went in 2020
• Find that Charity - Solberga Foundation
• Giving is Great - Solberga Foundation Factsheet
• Accessed: December 27, 2025