About Climate Connectors
We know the field from both sides of the table.
Zack spent years raising money for nonprofits before moving into grantmaking, and founded Climate Connectors in 2024. Nicole has advised both foundations and climate nonprofits.
Founder & Principal
Zack Braunstein
Zack started out as a farmer and teacher, then spent years working in nonprofits. He later joined the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group, a philanthropic regranter, as Chief of Staff, where he helped grow annual grantmaking from $10M to $30M.
At Climate Connectors, he advises climate organizations and the funders who back them on strategy, giving, and fundraising. Past projects include helping launch new funder collaboratives and bringing multilateral partners together around COP outcomes. He has worked alongside the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and philanthropies including CIFF, Hewlett, IKEA Foundation, OSF, Rockefeller, and Sequoia.
Zack chairs the board of Work on Climate. He also sits on Labstart’s advisory board and Accountable Now’s Independent Review Panel, and is a graduate of the Rockwood Leadership Institute’s Art of Leadership for Philanthropic Leaders program.
Strategy & Partnerships
Nicole Papetti
Nicole started out in corporate consulting. At PwC she rose to Consulting Manager, leading strategy and transformation projects for Fortune 500 and private equity clients.
She has also designed grantmaking strategies for client foundations, vetted more than 100 nonprofits, and built fundraising plans for climate groups. Now she leads partnerships and works across our client engagements.
Tell us what you’re working on.
We’ll be straight with you about whether we’re the right fit, and if we’re not, we’ll point you to someone who is.
or email hello@climateconnectors.com
