Funding sources

Litigation can be expensive, but fortunately there are many paths to fund a lawsuit. Different paths to fund climate litigation include:
 * Pro bono: A lawyer agrees represent you without cost. Non-profits and public interest law firms do this sort of work, but lawyers at for-profit law firms will also do pro bono work. The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund is one of many organizations that will represent communities pro bono.
 * Grants: Some NGO's will offer grants to fund climate litigation. The Climate Justice Fund, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation and the EDRF Legal Aid Fund are three such examples.
 * Crowdfunding is the practice of raising donations from the general public for the specific purpose of pursuing a legal action. In the case of six Portuguese youth vs. the governments of Europe currently before the European Court of Human Rights, the plaintiffs raised money for the lawsuit through the platform Crowd Justice.
 * Litigation Financing is an arrangement where a third-party will provide upfront funds to cover all legal fees, with the condition that if the lawsuit is successful, the third-party will receive a pre-agreed share of the amount recovered. Harbour Litigation Funding is one such organization that has expressed interest in funding climate litigation.

Pro Bono
The options for pro bono are nearly limitless. Check out NGO's and public interest law firms in your country as a start. The organizations below may also be able to help by finding you pro bono representation.
 * PILnet connects lawyers with pro bono clients. PILnet's network of pro bono lawyers is global. PILnet supports the resilience of civil society organizations as they face challenges around the world, providing tools to maintain well-being, grow, and execute their missions in the most effective and impactful way possible.
 * The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) is building a movement for Community Rights and the Rights of Nature to advance democratic, economic, social, and environmental rights – building upward from the grassroots to the state, federal, and international level. CELDF provides a full range of organizing support in assisting community groups, whether they are seasoned or newly formed with little activist experience. As regards the Fundraising: Guidance on planning, budgeting, and making asks for funding support.

Grants

 * Climate Justice Fund (CJF) provides support to grassroots networks and communities at the frontlines of the climate and biodiversity crisis to bring legal action for climate justice, with a specific focus on communities and networks in the Global South. They provide small grants to facilitate collaboration between community networks, practitioners, academic researchers and scientific experts.


 * EDRF Legal Aid Fund in British Columbia, Canada helps cover legal costs to defend their environment.


 * The Children's Investment Fund Foundation is one of the world's largest charities focused on improving the lives of children today and in the future. They recognize climate change as the "single biggest threat to the future of today's children." CIFF has provided grants to groups bringing climate litigation.


 * Therium Access] from the UK supports both organizations and cases that could not be funded on a commercial basis.

Crowdfunding

 * Crowd Justice is a platform to raise money for legal issues. Money can be raised either through public or private campaigns.

Litigation Financing

 * Harbour Litigation Funding offers non-recourse funding (where they only get paid when the claim succeeds) for tort cases (including group & class actions) that meet their criteria.