Foundations as policy entrepreneurs in the climate movement: the KR Foundation and the movement to ban fossil fuel advertising

Abstract

This paper examines the role of private foundations as policy entrepreneurs within transnational social movements, focusing on the case of the KR Foundation and its funding of campaigns to ban fossil fuel advertising. Drawing on document analysis and interviews with KR Foundation and funded organizations, we analyse how the foundation acts as a policy entrepreneur by framing solutions, building coalitions of aligned groups, and capitalising on windows of opportunity. In contrast to previous studies demonstrating channelling of movement activity by foundations, we find that KR Foundation enables diverse strategies among funded groups: the foundation creates an ecosystem of organizations working towards delegitimizing fossil fuel advertising through different but complementary approaches. This case contributes to understanding how foundations operate as transnational political actors, moving beyond national policy entrepreneurship to foster broader social change across sectors and governance levels. The findings suggest foundations play an important role in social movements by facilitating networks, shared learning, and scaling up of localized advocacy. This study opens up new avenues for research on foundations as movement actors and their impacts on repertoires of contention in an era of polycentric climate governance.