Earth Today | EFJ reset

IN HER own words, Nicole Adamson has spent her career “analysing risk, allocating capital, leading teams, and building systems that support long-term value creation”. She is keen to take that part of her biography to a new sector, in a new role at the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ).

Three months into the job as chief executive officer, she told The Gleaner this week that the next 12 months of her tenure are to see fundraising receive top priority even as the entity is supported to excel at its core business.

“EFJ is at a pivotal moment in its history. Our longstanding funding from debt-for-nature swaps has come to an end at the same time that international development financing is tightening. My immediate priority is to reset EFJ on a path of sustainable financing – while preserving its legacy as a trusted grant maker and adapting our operating model to today’s funding realities,” Adamson said.

“Progress will be measured by our ability to diversify revenue streams, strengthen strategic partnerships, and position EFJ as a credible vehicle for delivering measurable environmental and social impact. Equally important will be maintaining strong governance, timely reporting, and continued support to our grantees during this transition,” she added.

For Adamson, it is important to balance urgency in environmental action with building long-term, financially sustainable impact for an entity committed to environmental protection.

“We have to be disciplined about outcomes, embedding monitoring and learning into programmes, and designing projects that attract long-term capital rather than one-off funding. I plan to prioritise interventions that build systems, partnerships, and financing structures that endure beyond a single grant cycle,” said the woman, who was most recently employed to the VM Group.

Adamson is also looking to grow the child development side of the EFJ’s work.

“Environmental protection and child development are deeply interconnected. Children are among the most vulnerable to environmental degradation, whether through food insecurity, climate-related disasters, or poor access to clean water and safe spaces. We’re looking at how we can increase our interventions in this critical area and so it’s a priority even as we’re seeking institutional funding,” she explained.

To help to make it happen, the new CEO – who succeeds Barrington Lewis who spent 17-plus years with the EFJ – said she will lean into her role.

“My role is to articulate a clear strategic direction for EFJ, communicate transparently, and create space for dialogue and compromise,” Adamson said.

“EFJ’s greatest strength is its legacy. For over three decades, we have pioneered innovative funding mechanisms and supported community-based and civil society organisations across the length and breadth of Jamaica. We have robust systems for grant management, strong governance, and deep, trusted relationships with grantees. That institutional credibility, combined with our national reach, positions us as a convener, fund manager, and partner of choice,” she added.

Looking ahead, Adamson said success for her would mean the EFJ “operating on a diversified and sustainable financial footing, with strong partnerships and a clear value proposition to funders”.

“Internally, it would mean continued excellence in governance, data-driven decision-making, and staff capacity. Externally, success would be reflected in stronger, more resilient grantees and measurable outcomes,” she noted.

Adamson is intent on getting there.

“For the past three months I’ve focused on listening, observing, and learning. We prioritised finalising the annual audit and ensuring our governance systems – one of EFJ’s core strengths – remained solid. Hurricane Melissa struck just before I assumed the role, so a key early focus was supporting affected members and grantees, including opening a response window to help them recover. I’ve also initiated discussions with partners on deeper collaboration, recognising that the growing demand for capital requires us to work more strategically and collaboratively,” she said.

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