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Best Leaders 2025: John Palfrey

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Monday, November 17, 2025

John Palfrey is used to thinking about the biggest issues confronting society and what we should all do about them. And in these turbulent times, Palfrey, the president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, has reaffirmed his and the foundation's commitment to supporting democracy, creativity, learning and diversity.“I have a relentlessly positive nature, and I do, for better and for worse, often see what is possible and then have the temerity to think we can go get it,” Palfrey said in an interview with U.S. News & World Report. “I think that form of optimism is very helpful, particularly on the darkest of days.”With $9.2 billion in assets, the MacArthur Foundation is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic organizations. In 2024 alone, the foundation paid out more than $350 million in grants. This year, the foundation announced it would increase its grants for 2025 and 2026 because of the federal government’s cuts to funding – which could be devastating for the arts, environmental protection, public safety and more.Meet America's Best LeadersU.S. News & World Report selected its 2025 Best Leaders in public service, business, healthcare and education.See the Top 25 of '25The foundation makes “Big Bets,” investing in initiatives intended to bring about transformative change. For example, in October, the foundation announced it would participate in Humanity AI, an initiative to help ensure that artificial intelligence is a positive tool for society, funding efforts to safeguard democracy from negative effects of the new technology and to protect artists and other creators from theft of their intellectual property.MacArthur also makes “enduring commitments” to invest in journalism that promotes inclusive news narratives and supports a healthy democracy, and it funds initiatives in Chicago, where it is headquartered, to support racial equity and a more inclusive community.It’s perhaps most famous for the MacArthur Fellowships – referred to as “genius grants” – which award 20 to 30 extraordinary creative people in various fields with $800,000 each over a five-year period.Palfrey, 53, likens the foundation to “sort of a nonprofit venture capital” fund.“We prize creativity and effectiveness. And so we are constantly looking for people and institutions and networks that are creative and have new ideas and different ways of approaching topics,” he says.As an educator and acclaimed legal scholar who previously worked at Harvard University and Phillips Academy, Andover, Palfrey has studied some of the most complex challenges facing a democratic society – such as education’s need to respect both free speech and diversity and the influence of technology on society. He understands the fraught nature of these issues and has written seven books, such as “Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces,” to address them head-on.But Palfrey did not anticipate the recent need to advocate for American democracy itself.“The First Amendment, our freedom of expression, the freedom of the press, the freedom to give, the freedom to invest,” he says. “These are 250-year-old American traditions that are unbroken.” And all of a sudden, he says, “they need advocates in a way that they haven’t before.”In addition to the foundation’s ongoing support of the independent press, Palfrey has spearheaded the creation of Press Forward, a new initiative supported by several foundations to rebuild local news.He’s also been touring the country to speak on the importance of democracy and the First Amendment as well as continuing that dialogue in essays and social media.Watching other institutions, such as universities, agree to substantial changes in policy in light of federal government demands, Palfrey thought of historian Timothy Snyder’s first rule for resisting tyranny: “Do not obey in advance.” So, in April 2025, Palfrey and colleagues at other foundations decided to “unite in advance,” issuing a statement that they must have the freedom to give to the causes they believe in. More than 700 foundations from across the ideological spectrum have since signed on.

From finding MacArthur ‘geniuses’ to funding transformative change

John Palfrey is used to thinking about the biggest issues confronting society and what we should all do about them. And in these turbulent times, Palfrey, the president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, has reaffirmed his and the foundation's commitment to supporting democracy, creativity, learning and diversity.

“I have a relentlessly positive nature, and I do, for better and for worse, often see what is possible and then have the temerity to think we can go get it,” Palfrey said in an interview with U.S. News & World Report. “I think that form of optimism is very helpful, particularly on the darkest of days.”

With $9.2 billion in assets, the MacArthur Foundation is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic organizations. In 2024 alone, the foundation paid out more than $350 million in grants. This year, the foundation announced it would increase its grants for 2025 and 2026 because of the federal government’s cuts to funding – which could be devastating for the arts, environmental protection, public safety and more.

Meet America's Best Leaders

U.S. News & World Report selected its 2025 Best Leaders in public service, business, healthcare and education.

See the Top 25 of '25

The foundation makes “Big Bets,” investing in initiatives intended to bring about transformative change. For example, in October, the foundation announced it would participate in Humanity AI, an initiative to help ensure that artificial intelligence is a positive tool for society, funding efforts to safeguard democracy from negative effects of the new technology and to protect artists and other creators from theft of their intellectual property.

MacArthur also makes “enduring commitments” to invest in journalism that promotes inclusive news narratives and supports a healthy democracy, and it funds initiatives in Chicago, where it is headquartered, to support racial equity and a more inclusive community.

It’s perhaps most famous for the MacArthur Fellowships – referred to as “genius grants” – which award 20 to 30 extraordinary creative people in various fields with $800,000 each over a five-year period.

Palfrey, 53, likens the foundation to “sort of a nonprofit venture capital” fund.

“We prize creativity and effectiveness. And so we are constantly looking for people and institutions and networks that are creative and have new ideas and different ways of approaching topics,” he says.

As an educator and acclaimed legal scholar who previously worked at Harvard University and Phillips Academy, Andover, Palfrey has studied some of the most complex challenges facing a democratic society – such as education’s need to respect both free speech and diversity and the influence of technology on society. He understands the fraught nature of these issues and has written seven books, such as “Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces,” to address them head-on.

But Palfrey did not anticipate the recent need to advocate for American democracy itself.

“The First Amendment, our freedom of expression, the freedom of the press, the freedom to give, the freedom to invest,” he says. “These are 250-year-old American traditions that are unbroken.” And all of a sudden, he says, “they need advocates in a way that they haven’t before.”

In addition to the foundation’s ongoing support of the independent press, Palfrey has spearheaded the creation of Press Forward, a new initiative supported by several foundations to rebuild local news.

He’s also been touring the country to speak on the importance of democracy and the First Amendment as well as continuing that dialogue in essays and social media.

Watching other institutions, such as universities, agree to substantial changes in policy in light of federal government demands, Palfrey thought of historian Timothy Snyder’s first rule for resisting tyranny: “Do not obey in advance.” So, in April 2025, Palfrey and colleagues at other foundations decided to “unite in advance,” issuing a statement that they must have the freedom to give to the causes they believe in. More than 700 foundations from across the ideological spectrum have since signed on.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

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Federal Cash for Lead Pipe Replacement Isn’t Making It to Illinois Communities

This story, a partnership between Grist, Inside Climate News, and Chicago-area public radio station WBEZ, is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Lead pipes are ubiquitous. At this point, no state has gotten rid of all of its toxic lead service lines, which pipe drinking water to homes and businesses. But some cities like Chicago, New York […]

This story, a partnership between Grist, Inside Climate News, and Chicago-area public radio station WBEZ, is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Lead pipes are ubiquitous. At this point, no state has gotten rid of all of its toxic lead service lines, which pipe drinking water to homes and businesses. But some cities like Chicago, New York City, and Detroit have more lead plumbing than others, and replacing it can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Biden-era infrastructure law, promised $15 billion for lead pipe replacements across the country to be disbursed over five years.  But in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency sent earlier this week, a group of Illinois congressional delegates allege that $3 billion appropriated for lead pipe replacements nationwide for the fiscal year that ended in September has not reached communities yet. They warn that the delay is a “dangerous politicization” that puts children and families at risk. “It feels like it’s targeting blue states or blue cities that might require more of this mitigation.” “Federal resources are not partisan tools—they are vital lifelines intended to serve all Americans,” the letter notes. “Using federal funds as leverage against communities based on political considerations represents a dangerous abuse of power that undermines public trust and puts lives at risk.”  The move comes as communities in Illinois, which is among the top five states with the most lead service lines, and across the country are grappling with the overwhelming cost of removing the hazardous metal piping from water systems. The Trump administration has already withheld congressionally appropriated funding for infrastructure and energy projects from Democrat-led states like New York, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts. Now, lawmakers fear money for lead pipes is stuck in Washington too.  “I think that they’re playing games,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, one of the lawmakers who led the effort to send the letter. “It feels like it’s targeting blue states or blue cities that might require more of this mitigation than other parts of the country.”  Lead is toxic and dangerous to human health. Lead plumbing can flake and dissolve into drinking water, which can lead to brain damage, cardiovascular problems, and reproductive issues. The EPA advises that there is no safe level of lead exposure. A spokesperson for the federal agency said it is “actively working” on allotments for lead service line replacements. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for disbursing the federal funds to local governments, did not respond to a request for comment. The Chicago Department of Water Management said it received $14 million from the Illinois EPA for the 2025 financial year and was approved for $28 million for the next fiscal year.   “The estimated replacement cost for the Chicago region alone is $12 billion or more, and statewide, it could be $14 billion,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Whatever amounts would come to Chicago would not be enough to do the entire job, but the federal component is vital to get the ball rolling.” Chicago has more than 412,000 lead service lines, the most of any city in the country. So far, the city has replaced roughly 14,000 lead pipes at a cost of $400 million over the past five years. That’s due in part to the high cost of replacing lead pipes. In Chicago, a single lead pipe replacement can cost on average $35,000. Federal rules require that Chicago replace all its pipes by 2047, but city officials have cited concerns over the unfunded federal mandate.  “This is impacting people’s health,” said Chakena Sims, a senior policy advocate with Natural Resources Defense Council. “The federal government politicizing access to safe drinking water is an all-time low,” she added. “It’s encouraging to see our Illinois congressional leaders stand up for communities.”  

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‘They’re playing games’: Illinois lawmakers press Trump administration over stalled lead-pipe funding

Congress appropriated $15 billion to replace lead pipes across the country. Is the Trump administration withholding it?

Lead pipes are ubiquitous. At this point, no state has gotten rid of all of its toxic lead service lines, which pipe drinking water to homes and businesses. But some cities like Chicago, New York City, and Detroit, have more lead plumbing than others, and replacing it can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Biden-era infrastructure law, promised $15 billion for lead pipe replacements across the country to be disbursed over five years.  But in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency sent earlier this week, a group of Illinois congressional delegates allege that $3 billion appropriated for lead pipe replacements nationwide for the fiscal year that ended in September has not reached communities yet. They warn that the delay is a “dangerous politicization” that puts children and families at risk. “Federal resources are not partisan tools — they are vital lifelines intended to serve all Americans,” the letter notes. “Using federal funds as leverage against communities based on political considerations represents a dangerous abuse of power that undermines public trust and puts lives at risk.”  The move comes as communities in Illinois, which is among the top five states with the most lead service lines, and across the country are grappling with the overwhelming cost of removing the hazardous metal piping from water systems. The Trump administration has already withheld congressionally appropriated funding for infrastructure and energy projects from Democrat-led states like New York, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts. Now, lawmakers fear money for lead pipes is stuck in Washington too.  “I think that they’re playing games,” said Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, one of the lawmakers who led the effort to send the letter. “It feels like it’s targeting blue states or blue cities that might require more of this mitigation than other parts of the country.”  Lead is toxic and dangerous to human health. Lead plumbing can flake and dissolve into drinking water, which can lead to brain damage, cardiovascular problems, and reproductive issues. The EPA advises that there is no safe level of lead exposure. A spokesperson for the federal agency said it is “actively working” on allotments for lead service line replacements. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for disbursing the federal funds to local governments, did not respond to a request for comment. The Chicago Department of Water Management said it received $14 million from the Illinois EPA for the 2025 financial year and was approved for $28 million for the next fiscal year.   “The estimated replacement cost for the Chicago region alone is $12 billion or more, and statewide, it could be $14 billion,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Whatever amounts would come to Chicago would not be enough to do the entire job, but the federal component is vital to get the ball rolling.” Chicago has more than 412,000 lead service lines, the most of any city in the country. So far, the city has replaced roughly 14,000 lead pipes at a cost of $400 million over the past five years. That’s due in part to the high cost of replacing lead pipes. In Chicago, a single lead pipe replacement can cost on average $35,000. Federal rules require that Chicago replace all its pipes by 2047, but city officials have cited concerns over the unfunded federal mandate.  “This is impacting people’s health,” said Chakena Sims, a senior policy advocate with Natural Resources Defense Council. “The federal government politicizing access to safe drinking water is an all-time low,” she added. “It’s encouraging to see our Illinois congressional leaders stand up for communities.”   This story was originally published by Grist with the headline ‘They’re playing games’: Illinois lawmakers press Trump administration over stalled lead-pipe funding on Nov 13, 2025.

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How Can Detroit Repair Past Harms? Reparations Recommendations Are In

Detroit’s Reparations Task Force has submitted its long-anticipated report of recommendations to the City Council for programs to repair harms and compensate Black residents for historically unjust city policies

Detroit’s Reparations Task Force, the first of its kind for the city, submitted its long-anticipated report of recommendations to the City Council.The task force, created through a 2021 voter-approved ballot initiative, recommends programs to repair harms and compensate African American residents for historically unjust city policies. Key proposals include cash payments and housing grants for eligible Detroiters, expanding African-centered education, firing “high-risk” police officers and ending water shutoffs for delinquent bills.Details of the report were shared with BridgeDetroit after it was submitted to the City Council at the end of October. The full document is available online here.The task force recommended three criteria to determine who is eligible to receive compensation through reparations programs: 1. A descendant of an African enslaved in the U.S. or in the diaspora3. A current resident of Detroit who has been a Detroit resident for at least 20 yearsThe task force documented “historical atrocities” inflicted on African American residents since before Detroit’s founding. Recommended policies are the culmination of dozens of meetings and hundreds of hours of discussion.“We have been guided as a Task Force by our understanding that the wealth and imperialist power of the United States may be attributed directly to profits generated by the enslavement of our ancestors – through the slave trade, chattel slavery, peonage, and prison labor,” the report states. “In colonial America and the United States, extraction of Black labor and the violence with which this extraction was conducted, ensured the accumulation of wealth by whites, so that their heirs today continue to enjoy economic security and prosperity.” The final product tackles a broad range of issues and suggests a multitude of new investments. Some changes are within the city’s power, like creating grants, while others require changes in state law, like ending qualified immunity for police. It’s unclear how much reparations programs would cost. The task force recommends finding revenue by creating a downtown entertainment tax, an additional fee on casino revenue and a $5 million fund for neighborhood corridor development. It also suggests clawing back tax breaks from developers that fail to meet benchmarks and creating a new fee on city contracts. A reparations administrative office is recommended to ensure accountability and long-term success. It would be overseen by an independent board of appointed residents and charged with administering reparations payments, establishing programs, tracking outcomes and coordinating public feedback. The task force was charged with suggesting policies, not implementing them. The City Council will decide what to do with the recommendations. Project Manager Evan Daugherty said the task force hopes to hold public discussions on the report but can’t take action without the City Council extending the task force. Their business ended Oct. 31, he said, though the council could ask members to stay on longer to roll out the recommendations to residents. Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield introduced legislation that established the reparations effort. Chief of Staff Brian White said Tuesday that her team is still reviewing the report. Detroit’s task force builds on decades of local advocacy from figures like “Reparations Ray” Jenkins and U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., who pushed for federal reparations. The report acknowledges reparations were historically paid to other groups, including Japanese Americans who were interred during World War II, Holocaust victims and even former slave owners. The city’s 2021 ballot initiative established a task force to suggest housing and economic development programs that address historic discrimination. Unlike past efforts, the task force is focused on seeking municipal reparations to repair harms caused by the City of Detroit. “The devastating consequence of Detroit municipal policies over the last 50 years has been the handing over of City governance to corporate control,” the report states. “There has been intensive development of the downtown core — to the neglect of traditional neighborhoods, and the concession of the people’s valuable assets, such as the Water and Sewerage Department and Belle Isle, to suburban and State interests.” The task force laments that city policies “reflect the same racial and political biases that characterized policies of previous eras” despite most city leaders being African Americans. It argues city leaders stood by as thousands of residents lost their homes through illegal overassessment and have not held corporations accountable for delivering benefits negotiated in tax abatement agreements.“Our City leaders have surrendered their authority to the corporate establishment and entities like the Detroit Downtown Development Authority, leaving the welfare of neighborhood communities unattended and underfunded,” the report states. “Now Detroit consists of two cities, one thriving, the other neglected and plundered.” Here’s a summary of recommendations: A reparations office would distribute housing grants worth up to $40,000 in down payment assistance and up to $30,000 for home repairs. The task force recommended building at least 1,000 new housing units for African Americans that are affordable for someone making 50% of the area median income ($35,350). It called for creating rent control policies and renovating vacant properties into shelters for unhoused residents. The task force wants to end the transfer of city-owned land to the Detroit Land Bank Authority and establish a new redevelopment program that prioritizes residents. The task force also wants to stop delinquent water bills from becoming a lien on property and eliminate sewage fees. The report recommends refunding African American property owners who lost homes to tax foreclosure with money from auction sales. It recommends freezing property taxes for residents who were overassessed by the city. The task force recommends providing up to $100,000 in grants for businesses displaced by urban renewal projects. It suggests creating other grants for co-ops, start-ups, grocery stores and community-based businesses. It recommends building 10 new commercial strip malls that provide five years of rent-free space for African American–owned businesses. Commercial areas should be designated as tax increment financing zones, according to the task force, allowing tax revenues to be reinvested within the zone. City contracts should give more preference to African American-owned businesses, according to the report. Recommendations call for free post-secondary training for skilled trades careers and online financial literacy courses. The report also calls for giving city-owned land to local farmers to support community food networks. Policing and law enforcement The task force proposed recommendations to address ongoing issues with police misconduct. It includes paying restitution to people injured or killed by police, ending qualified immunity, and firing “high risk” officers identified by the Detroit Police Department and officers who shoot unarmed citizens. The task force recommends hiring more Black residents at DPD and in local courts to better reflect the city’s racial demographics. It calls for adding staff to process citizen complaints against police officers and create a permanent archive for police body camera footage. The report calls for dissolving a DPD command center that monitors school campuses across the city. It also seeks to dismantle the “One Detroit” violent crime initiative, a partnership between local law enforcement and federal agencies like the DEA, AFT and FBI. The task force argued the partnership “represses citizens in an overlay of multiple surveillance and policing operations,” while city leaders credit it for decreasing violent crime. Funding should be increased for community violence intervention, DPD’s mental health co-response unit and other restorative justice programs, according to the report. Unaffordable water bills have caused residents to live in unsanitary conditions and lose their homes, according to the report. The task force calls for a moratorium on residential water shutoffs and a new affordability program that doesn’t charge residents more than 3% of their household income. The task force calls for renegotiating a $50 million annual lease with the Great Lakes Water Authority and the terms of its service agreement to create a more equitable cost-sharing scheme. The report highlights how Detroit pays 83% of sewerage system costs, while suburban residents pay 17%.Decades of disinvestment, state-imposed emergency management and racially biased funding formulas left the Detroit Public Schools Community District unable to meet the needs of its predominantly African American student population, according to the task force. Reparations school grants are recommended to fund STEM fellowships, free high-speed internet for students and other academic, athletic and mental health programs. The task force also suggested finding new uses for shuttered school buildings. The report recommends lobbying the state Legislature for funding to reduce class sizes, upgrade school infrastructure, hire more African American teachers and introduce educators to African-centered education. The task force aims to rebuild the foundations of health, environment and food access in neighborhoods.The report sets a goal for creating 100 acres of community-controlled agricultural land by 2035. It recommends creating a food sovereignty fund to support Black-owned grocers, co-ops, kitchens and food markets. The task force suggests dedicating vacant city land as food distribution centers and offering funding to grocers that open in food deserts. The task force recommends creating “environmental reparations zones” in polluted census tracts to coordinate environmental monitoring and clean up. Detroit’s high rate of asthma hospitalization and toxic air quality poses a major threat to the wellbeing of residents, according to the report. The task force hopes to cut emergency room visits due to asthma in half within a decade. Possible solutions include in-home air filters, ongoing air quality monitoring and creating buffer zones between homes and industrial facilities. The task force recommends creating an Office of African American Cultural Programs to support the arts. This includes historic preservation projects, grants for galleries and studios, plus efforts to rename public sites in honor of significant African American leaders. This story was originally published by BridgeDetroit and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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Grijalva Will Be Sworn in as the House's Newest Member, Paving the Way for an Epstein Files Vote

After weeks of delay, Democrat Adelita Grijalva of Arizona is set to be sworn in as the newest member of the House

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the House returns Wednesday for the first time in months, Democrat Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in as its newest member, nearly seven weeks after winning a special election in Arizona to fill the seat last held by her late father.Grijalva's swearing-in is expected to be among the first actions by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who had previously declined to seat her until the chamber reconvened following a deal to end the government shutdown. The official ceremony is set for 4 p.m. EST, shortly before the House is expected to begin voting. For Grijalva, it's the end of a weekslong delay that she and other Democrats said was intended to prevent her signature on a petition to eventually trigger a vote to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with The Associated Press, she said the thought of finally being sworn in was “emotional” and “very much a roller coaster.”“We’ve been waiting for this so long that it’s still surreal,” she added.Grijalva’s arrival will kick off a busy day on Capitol Hill as hundreds of House members return, their trips potentially complicated by travel delays caused by the shutdown. Lawmakers who win special elections typically take the oath of office on days when legislative business is conducted. But with the House out of session since Sept. 19, Johnson had said he would swear her in when everyone returned. He did swear in two Republican members this year when the chamber was not in legislative session. “I don’t think he’s thought of anything that he’s doing, in this case, as anything personal,” Grijalva said. “It feels personal because, literally, my name was attached. I also know that if I were a Republican, I would have been sworn in seven weeks ago.”She will start her House tenure by voting on the Senate-passed legislation to reopen the government. Grijalva and most Democrats are expected to oppose it because it does not extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire at the end of the year. Republicans can still pass the bill with their slim majority. The 218th signature on an Epstein file discharge petition Grijalva would be the final necessary signature on a discharge petition linked to legislation that would require the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents and communications related to Epstein and his sex trafficking operation.The Epstein Files Transparency Act, co-sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is supported by all Democrats and three Republicans, Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina.Grijalva can add her signature to the petition once she is sworn into office. But her move will not mean a vote right away, due to House rules.Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, the top Democrat con the House Rules Committee, said he expects voting on the Epstein bill to take place in early December. Arizona’s first Latina congresswoman Rep. Raúl Grijalva, Adelita’s father, died in March after more than two decades in the House, where he built a reputation as a staunch progressive.Adelita Grijalva has long been active in local politics. She served on the Tucson Unified School District board before joining the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where she became only the second woman to lead the board.She won the Sept. 23 special election with ease to complete the remainder of her father’s term, representing a mostly Hispanic district in which Democrats enjoy a nearly 2-to-1 voter registration advantage over Republicans. Grijalva said the win was emotional. “I would rather have my dad than have an office,” she said.She told the AP that environmental justice, tribal sovereignty and public education are among her priorities, echoing the work her father championed.“I know that the bar is set very high, and the expectation is high of what we’re going to be able to do once sworn in,” she said.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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Business With a Backbone

Patagonia’s new report highlights how the company acts as a connector, working with local communities and governments to build a global community to protect wild places.

Ulrich Eichelmann has seen many rivers over his lifetime as the head of RiverWatch, an organization dedicated to protecting the world’s waterways. He’s spent time on the Tigris floating through Turkey and Iraq, on the Tagliamento in Italy, and traveled along the Danube as it winds across Europe. Yet none, he said, have measured up to the Vjosa River. From the Greek Pindus Mountains, its rushing headwaters flow 169 miles to Albania’s Mediterranean coast, calming as it finally nears the sea.  “The river is a bit like an intact living being,” Eichelmann said. “It starts young and fast in the mountains of Greece, and it ends as an old river near the Adriatic Sea.” The Vjosa is dam-free, a rare feat in a world where the majority of rivers are confined by barriers. While hydropower dams may provide so-called “clean” energy, they also destroy ecosystems and emit methane. Fish can get trapped, unable to reach their spawning grounds, while nearby communities can be displaced. The Vjosa, however, remains one of Europe’s last free-flowing systems of water. The entire watershed is still untouched and is now likely to remain that way, thanks to a public-private coalition that created Europe’s first wild river national park in Albania — fighting dozens of planned dams along the way.  Outdoor apparel company Patagonia’s support was integral to the effort, providing both resources and advocacy that helped turn local activists’ bold vision into reality. In 2015, activists launched the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of a Balkan hydropower boom. But the coalition needed international attention, and in 2018, Patagonia joined in, bringing much-needed funding and creativity that helped turn the campaign into a global cause. Once slated for the Kalivaç Dam, this stretch of Albania’s Vjosa River was spared when an administrative court in Tirana decided against the project in 2021. Andrew Burr Its quiet support is typical of Patagonia’s long history of environmental activism. But until now, the company has never attempted to measure its full impact — both successes and shortcomings. That’s about to change: Patagonia has just released its comprehensive “Work in Progress Report,” outlining the company’s improvements and challenges, and sharing a roadmap for others in the private sector. “Businesses created a lot of the environmental problems that we as humans are now navigating,” said Patagonia’s CEO, Ryan Gellert. “We’ve got an outsized responsibility to do something about it.” Gellert recognizes the paradox of a company fighting for a healthier planet while also selling consumers products they may not need. “I can sit here and make an argument that we should grow as fast as we can so we have more money to give away,” he said. Conversely, as a producer of apparel that requires fossil fuels, he sees the argument that “the best we could do for the planet is shut down.” The truth, he said, lies somewhere in between. Spelling out these nuances — and how to prove business can be a positive force for change — is what the company hopes to tease out in its 134-page report.  Patagonia’s environmental activism began close to home in Ventura, California, where it awarded its first grant in 1973 to Friends of Ventura River, even offering the group office space at its nearby headquarters. “We’ve got a really long history on river protection,” Gellert noted. When plans to divert the nearby Ventura River threatened both its health and the surf break at its mouth, Patagonia employees began showing up at council meetings. The experience taught them that they could shape local conservation decisions — and that rivers knit together the entire ecosystem of a community. That led to the company’s 1985 “Earth Tax,” which set aside one percent of all sales for grassroots environmental groups — a model that later helped inspire the “1% for the Planet” movement.  Patagonia’s work has grown to include causes around the globe — from defending the Tarkine rainforest in Tasmania in 2018 to helping add five new marine protected areas to Korea in 2023. The company also encourages its own employees to volunteer and attend non-violent direct action training, as well as covering their bail. Though this approach alienates some customers, it has become a central part of the company’s ethos.  The company has expanded its grants program with the Holdfast Collective, a collection of nonprofit trusts that now own 98 percent of Patagonia. It uses every dollar received to protect nature and advocate for causes and candidates that put the planet first. Its goal is to distribute company profits to causes like saving the Vjosa, which it has contributed nearly $5 million dollars to since 2023.  After its European team raised alarm over the Vjosa’s future, the company helped produce two films, as well as financially supported the Save the Blue Heart campaign. They launched a petition that drew international attention, including from celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio. Simultaneously, the company decided to also give money to the Albanian government, allowing them to back grassroots advocacy while also helping shape policy decisions. The result of this symbiosis was the government’s 2023 announcement of the Vjosa Wild River National Park.  Albanian Minister for culture and environment, Mirela Kumbaro, and Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of the Vjosa National Park, on June 13, 2022 in Tirana, Albania. Nick St. Oegger This victory, Gellert said, shows the power of Patagonia’s lead-from-behind ethos. He remembers the team’s first visit to the river almost 10 years ago. They spent their first night camping along the riverbank, before taking the next few days to raft the rapids and participate in a local protest. At the time, Gellert wasn’t confident they could save the river: Finding a way to engage with political leaders took patience and years of dialogue, particularly as Albania faced contested elections. Gellert met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in person several times to discuss the Vjosa’s future, serving as a mediator between local advocates and the government.  Engaging with communities along the Vjosa was also key to keeping dams away, explained Olsi Nika, executive director of EcoAlbania, a coalition member organization. The river is home to some 100,00 people, who rely on it for fishing, agriculture and cultural traditions, as well as over a thousand species. With Patagonia’s help, EcoAlbania brought together residents, artists, scientists, and lawyers to build a successful front against dam construction, resulting in Albania’s first-ever environmental lawsuit.  The courts ultimately ruled in its favor, blocking a dam and setting an important legal precedent. Nika — who, along with his collaborator Besjana Guri, won a Goldman Prize award for their advocacy for the river this year — said that victory opens the door for future lawsuits. “We are following dozens of open cases in the court to oppose the construction of hydropower.” Patagonia’s role, which has since been formalized through a memorandum with the government, remains crucial. Two years after the Vjosa was designated a national park. pressures on the local water supply are mounting as developers race to build resorts and accommodations just outside its borders, said Besjana Guri, who recently left EcoAlbania to found a nonprofit focusing on empowering women and youth. “Now, we might have small threats,” Guri said, “but if they are not managed well and if the people are not totally aware, they can become big threats.” Besjana Guri along a stretch of the Vjosa River in Albania. Nick St. Oegger The country has approved a 10-year plan to manage the park’s more than 31,000 acres, said Daniel Pirushi, who handles environmental policy and development for the Albanian Ministry of Tourism and Environment. Visitors will be strictly zoned to specific areas. Sensitive river sections will have limits on how many out-of-towners can arrive. The government is also working to improve wastewater systems for rural communities along the Vjosa Basin to address pollution. In December, the government established a formal office to help with the park’s enforcement and environmental oversight. A visitor center is planned to feature local exhibitions and activities that would improve public awareness of how special the ecosystem is. “The establishment of a national park, especially one of this scale and complexity, cannot be achieved overnight,” Pirushi wrote in an email. “The protection of the Vjosa is not a symbolic act but a concrete, evolving process grounded in science, policy, and partnership.” Working together, Patagonia has learned, is what makes these kinds of lasting environmental protections possible. After achieving a turning point for the Vjosa campaign, the company is looking to inspire other businesses, especially outdoor companies, whose work is closely tied to the Earth’s health. As Alison Huyett, a senior strategist at Patagonia who led the report, said, the goal is to show business audiences “activism doesn’t have to be scary.” We’re in business to save our home planet. Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California. As a certified B Corporation and a founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism, as well as its contributions of more than $230 million to environmental organizations. Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet. LEARN MORE This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Business With a Backbone on Nov 12, 2025.

Business
Government
Agriculture

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