Activist Legal Fund to support climate activists
Howard Lake | 3 November 2021 | News
Last month saw the launch of the Activist Legal Fund to pay cash ‘boosts’ to activists arrested for climate activism.
It is the work of Outrageous Impact, which is “on a mission to change the world faster through powerful insight”, and which donates some of its profits to initiatives that use the law to tackle the climate crisis.
It is starting small, according to Patrick Olszowski, CEO of the company. “So far we have given just over £1,000” he said today.
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Five £200 boosts during COP26
But during the COP26 meeting and actions he announced that they have five £200 boosts available.
Olszowski said: “If you know activists that get lifted that could do with a boost, thanks for sharing with them.”
He explained that their process of support was fairly light touch. “People don’t need to give us their name or alleged offence, in fact the less info the better, just a one liner as to why they need a boost.” Of course, “when the boosts are gone from this round, they’re gone.”
He said that the fund was designed “to get money to activists who face the greatest risk when taking direct action.” As a result, he was keen that the boosts supported “activists of colour, LGBTIQ+, people with a disability or those at intersections”, given the systemic barriers and dangers they face.
He added that the Activist Legal Fund aimed to grow this funding significantly “in order help people take the necessary defence and challenge climate inaction by government,” but that they were not currently seeking donations.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.