Despite the grave urgency of combating global climate change, less than 2% of global philanthropic funding is currently directed towards climate mitigation. Moreover, only a fraction of this funding is allocated to initiatives focused on Asia.
2014 to 2020:
Our Foundational Years
In response to this philanthropic gap, we began making grants to organisations working on climate change across Asia in 2014. During this time, we operated as an initiative under the European Climate Foundation and provided support to key thought leaders and organisations focused on climate and energy in Asia. We also continued to build our understanding of how to make our grant-making as strategic as possible, while fostering collaboration.
2021 to Present:
Scaling-up Our Efforts
As our partner network grew, we recognised the need to establish an independent, Asia-based foundation to address the climate crisis. In 2021, we founded the Tara Climate Foundation in Singapore. Today, we continue to collaborate with a global network of foundations and stakeholders to scale our impact and accelerate climate action across Asia.
The Story Behind Our Name
Across languages and cultures – from Sanskrit to the rich linguistic traditions of Southeast Asia – Tara evokes light, spark, and guidance. It also appears in Asian mythology as a figure of compassion, earth, and liberation. For us, Tara reflects a simple but powerful idea: a steady beacon for Asia’s just energy transition.
