In keeping with our mission, EII sponsors, supports and promotes activists working on diverse environmental projects. As an alternative to dozens of separate nonprofits, each duplicating basic administrative functions, EII is a consortium of more than thirty grassroots campaigns, each functioning independently while sharing resources and benefiting from the synergistic exchange of experience, ideas, and energy.
In additon to serving as sponsor and administrator, EII also offers its projects critical organizational support, offering the benefits of working within an established organization and the freedom to focus on development and implementation of campaign initiatives rather than administrative management.
Once adopted by the Earth Island Board of Directors, Projects operate autonomously under the general supervision of Network Services staff and the board. While EII administers and provides support services for its projects, it does not directly fund or subsidize these projects. Projects manage their own fundraising efforts with foundations and the general public.
Central to the concept of Earth Island is the belief that action should take precedence over bureaucracy. EII works on new initiatives and provides a support system for on-going projects. By providing assistance in strategic planning, fundraising, public relations, database management, and accounting, the Institute offers a lean and flexible organizational structure to advance the work of its many projects.
EII also publishes the acclaimed quarterly Earth Island Journal. In addition to reporting on wide-ranging issues and campaigns as it brings readers "local news from around the world," the Journal also acts as a major outreach tool for Earth Island's projects.
Citizen activists and emerging environmental leaders are drawn to Earth Island as a place to implement ideas. Projects can grow quickly, with the advice and support of Earth Island Institute staff. Grassroots initiatives - often begun by activists expanding the boundaries of traditional environmentalism - gain stature by becoming part of an established organization.
Earth Island Institute believes that environmental and societal issues are interrelated, and that solutions to our most pressing problems require sharing of resources, cooperation, and coalition building. Projects based in Earth Island's headquarters share office facilities and equipment as well as ideas and contacts. Projects with offices out-of-state and around the globe benefit from a support center in San Francisco, a major nexus of the international environmental movement.
Earth Island Board of Directors
- Martha Davis – President
- Kenneth Brower – Vice President
- Michael Hathaway – Vice President
- Jennifer Snyder – Secretary
- Alex Giedt – Treasurer
- Beto Borges
- Barbara Brower
- Maria Moyer
- Robert Wilkinson
- Peter Winkler
Considerable cross-pollination and collaboration between our projects is also a unique and important element of Earth Island Institute. Those working on the environmental rights of multicultural city dwellers interact daily with those working to protect marine mammals. Activists preserving ancient mangrove forests work alongside environmentalists concerned with the rights of indigenous populations. Those working on sustainable food production can confer with alternative energy advocates. Environmentalists focusing on Russia, Borneo, Japan and the Himalayas share information with those working in the Americas. Staff, interns, and volunteers have the opportunity to work with small emerging projects while being part of one of the country's most well-respected, internationally recognized environmental organizations.
