Building Collective Power

Social movements are how that happens. When people organise together, they shift what communities believe is possible, what governments prioritise, and how institutions act. Throughout history, coordinated action across diverse groups – from grassroots communities to institutional leaders – has transformed systems and embedded new norms into the structures that shape how we live and work.

Through Sunrise Organising Labs, we build the infrastructure for this kind of collective power — helping people and organisations develop strategic capacity, convene networks for coordinated action, and direct resources where they can unlock the greatest impact. By strengthening the ability of communities to organise, we help turn shared resources into the power needed to accelerate a fast and fair energy transition.

Goal

Our overall goal is to scale a powerful movement ecosystem to secure, enforce, and expand the public, private, and community action needed to hasten the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The Opportunity

Political moment creating urgency

Climate impacts cascade across borders while vested interests slow progress. With 89% of people globally wanting stronger government action, there's widespread public support that has the potential to translate into the organised power needed to shift entrenched systems and secure lasting change.

Connecting climate to lived concerns

Most people are motivated by everyday challenges: cost of living, energy access and reliability, and job security. When we connect the energy transition to these real time concerns, we can build broader coalitions capable of influencing decision-makers across finance, policy, and industry.

Movement capacity gaps create opportunity

Strategic capacity – how movements map power, design interventions, and organise action – determines collective impact. Strengthening these capabilities across the ecosystem of allies in favour of a faster and fairer energy transition can unlock transformation at scale.

Proven models for systems change

Successful social movements demonstrate that lasting transformation comes from coordinated action across diverse actors over time. Applying these lessons with long-term infrastructure thinking can build durable power for the energy transition.

How we pursue this goal

Building strategic capacity

Strengthening the ability of partners and teams to design effective strategies, understand power dynamics, and organise interventions that achieve measurable outcomes.

Engaging influential constituencies

Working with communities, organisations, and leaders whose participation can accelerate the transition by connecting climate solutions to the challenges people face.

Coordinating diverse networks

Connecting diverse networks around shared goals and supporting effective collaboration that makes collective action possible across sectors and borders.

Directing resources strategically

Providing funding to the people and organisations best positioned to drive systemic change, informed by analysis of where support can unlock the greatest impact across the system.