In the history of great cities, civic investments have often followed a predictable arc. We’ve built grand libraries and museums, championed arts districts, revitalized historic buildings, and funded cutting-edge medical facilities. These investments have defined eras, shaped neighborhoods, and left lasting marks on our culture.
Now, a new chapter in civic philanthropy is emerging — one where the most transformative investments will be measured not in marble and steel, but in trees, restored waterways, and climate-resilient public spaces.
The Rising Priority of Environmental Giving
Environmental philanthropy was once niche; today it’s a mainstream priority. In 2024 alone, U.S. environmental and animal-related nonprofits received more than $21.57 billion in charitable contributions, a nearly 40% increase over the past decade (Giving USA).
The reason is clear: climate, public health, and community wellbeing are now inseparable. Extreme heat is now the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States, and, on average, is responsible for more deaths annually than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined (Scientific American). In urban areas, where heat islands can elevate summer temperatures 15-20 °F higher than surrounding neighborhoods, the need for natural cooling has become a public health imperative.
As American philanthropist Rich Kinder has said: “We invest in greenspace not for a return on investment—but for a return on quality of life.” That philosophy reflects a growing realization among donors: green infrastructure isn’t just an environmental cause, it’s a civic necessity.
The Case for Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure goes beyond parks and street trees. It’s a powerful design approach that uses nature to solve urban challenges — managing stormwater through rain gardens and bioswales, reducing heat with tree canopies, filtering air pollution through vegetation, and creating shaded, walkable spaces that invite vibrant community gathering.
It’s also a tool for resilience. According to the Trust for Public Land, every $1 invested in urban tree planting can yield up to $5.82 in benefits through energy savings, improved health, and stormwater management. Cities like Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas, through the work of groups such as the Texas Trees Foundation, are embedding green infrastructure into their future planning to complement and enhance traditional ‘gray’ infrastructure while helping to mitigate heat and improve overall resilience.
Philanthropist Donald Bren, renowned for conserving over 50,000 acres in California, captures the mindset: “I do try to bring the same level of attention to both my philanthropic and business ventures.” This combination of vision and operational excellence is exactly what’s needed to bring large-scale green infrastructure projects from concept to reality.
Where Environment Meets Civic Vision
The Texas Trees Foundation is putting this philosophy into action with its Southwestern Medical District Transformation Project. In partnership with local public agencies; The City of Dallas, Dallas County, and North Central Texas Council of Governments, local hospital partners, UT Southwestern, Children’s Health, and Parkland Health, expert industry partners; such as lead Landscape Architects, Field Operations, the philanthropic community, and countless others, the project will create a greener, safer, and more connected medical district by revitalizing a 2-mile stretch of the Harry Hines Corridor and building an 8-acre park to promote health, healing, and community well-being.
The project will replace heat-absorbing materials like concrete and steel with shaded pedestrian pathways, integrate rainwater gardens to manage stormwater naturally, and line the District’s main thoroughfare, Harry Hines Blvd., with thousands of trees. According to the Foundation’s research, these interventions will reduce average summer surface temperatures in the district by as much as 16° F, combat air pollution, and improve walkability for patients, visitors, and medical staff.
This is the future of civic investment:
- 🤝 Social Impact: Communities see and feel the change gradually from project start to completion and beyond.
- 🌍 Lasting Legacy: Tree canopies and restored ecosystems endure for generations.
- 📊 Measurable Benefit: Quantifiable gains in public health, climate resilience, and economic vitality.
Philanthropist Melinda French Gates once noted: “The premise of this foundation is one life on this planet is no more valuable than the next.” Green infrastructure embodies that principle — providing equitable access to cleaner air, cooler streets, and healthier environments across all neighborhoods.
A New Era for Major Donors
History remembers the benefactors whose names grace grand theaters, libraries, and museums. In the decades ahead, it will also remember those who created green corridors, re-canopied neighborhoods, and climate-ready urban districts.
Philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss, who committed $1 billion to conserve land and oceans, expressed it succinctly: “I want to help ensure that the beauty and biodiversity of our planet is preserved for my grandchildren — and theirs.” That sentiment now resonates in city halls and foundation boardrooms alike, as donors recognize that environmental legacy is civic legacy.
If the last century’s great civic investments were defined by brick-and-mortar, the next will be defined by green-and-growing. The choice is not between beautification and necessity — green infrastructure is both. Cities that invest in it will not just survive extreme weather and public health pressures; they will thrive, attracting residents, businesses, and enhance quality of life.
Texas Trees Foundation stands at this intersection of environmental necessity and civic possibility. The next great civic investments will be environmental — and their roots, quite literally, will run deep. Learn more about the project here.
This blog was authored by Heather Stevens, SWMD Transformation Project Campaign Advisor, and President & CEO, Rise360.