In celebration of our partners and the great work they do to advance economic progress for all, we interviewed some of our Nasdaq Foundation quarterly grant recipients about their roles, backgrounds and the importance of their work. We spoke with Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director of Green America, on its mission to harnesses economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
Tell us about Green America. What is its core mission?
Green America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to harness economic power— the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace— to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. We have five interrelated focus areas: Climate Action & Clean Energy, Regenerative Agriculture, Labor Justice, Green Living, and Responsible Finance. Through our Responsible Finance Program, we teach people across the country how their financial decisions can help create a more equitable and sustainable world.
Why is Green America’s mission so important?
Green America’s mission is unique in that it focuses on leveraging existing market forces to drive positive social and environmental change. Our programs mobilize people in their roles as consumers, investors, and business leaders to promote and advance solutions to climate change, food system vulnerabilities, labor abuses, and more. Our theory of change recognizes that consumer choices often drive market trends and our approach helps everyday Americans realize the individual and collective power they wield with their economic choices.
Can you talk to us about the Responsible Finance Program? What impact are you hoping the Nasdaq Foundation’s Quarterly Grant will have on the program’s success?
Our Responsible Finance program teaches people about how they can use their financial choices (e.g. banking, credit cards, insurance, and investing) to benefit their communities. Each year, we educate hundreds of thousands of people through free articles, blog posts, informational webinars, external media coverage, accessible how-to guides, videos, and social media posts.
We think all people – especially Millennials and members of Gen Z – need to know that their financial choices can not only benefit them, but also build more vibrant communities and meet the needs of future generations. Though Green America has been educating audiences about banking and investing for decades, it is important that we refine our messaging to fit the current context and address the challenges faced by younger generations.
Support from the Nasdaq Foundation is providing Green America with the capacity to do just that! Together, we are working to demystify banking, credit cards, insurance and investing as well as helping people identify the financial options that best serve their needs. Specifically, the Nasdaq Foundation is supporting Green America in hosting free educational webinars, promoting our individual investing course, and creating two new microsites. One such site an Investing 101 microsite that will break down barriers to investing by explaining basic terminology and spelling out the role investing can play in creating a more socially just and sustainable economy.
This microsite will be complete and available to the public in January 2025 – stay tuned!
Can you share one or two stories that illustrate the impact of Green America?
Green America has resources that help businesses green their finances. The CEO of Yaya Maria, Andy Mebert, spoke with us about the company’s decision to bank with a local credit union that supports working people in the company’s community rather than investing in global financial markets. You can read more about our audience members’ reasons for and experiences with switching banks at https://www.greenamerica.org/we-switched-banks.
This year, we also launched our Regenerative Finance Hub. This Hub helps farmers who are adopting soil regeneration practices apply for grants to cover some costs related to transitioning to regenerative farming. In its first six months, our Hub helped farmers access $425,000 in grants for invisible fencing to initiate rotational grazing, for a small processing plant that will pay regenerative farmers a premium for their products, and more! Already, we have already helped transitioning farmers across the country apply for over $1 million in grants!
Another tool we launched this year is our Climate Smart Insurance Directory. Much like our Better Banking Map that features community development banks and credit unions, our insurance directory features local and regional insurance companies. Many of these companies have been in business in their communities for decades. And several people who have switched their policies to the insurance companies we feature have told us they are saving hundreds of dollars per year for the same coverage they were receiving from their previous provider(s)!
What do you envision for the future of the Responsible Finance Program?
Green America is currently revamping our Responsible Finance webpages to better promote our resources about banking, credit cards, insurance, and investing – with the goal of educating readers of all backgrounds, providing actionable resources, and motivating people to take action to align their finances with their values. The two major resources made possible by the Nasdaq Foundation – our upgraded Better Banking map and Investing 101 microsites – will round out our depository of tools that support people in using their financial choices to invest in their communities and build a more sustainable and equitable world.
Our next priority is getting Green America’s resources in front of more people! One tactic we have developed (in partnership with GreenFaith and Third Act) is a responsible finance curriculum for regional cohorts of individuals and organizations seeking to “green” their finances. The cohort model will encourage peer-to-peer learning and accountability as well as expand how Green America delivers and tailors our content. The first cohort in Olympia, Washington, will launch this fall!