Rachel Kropa is Managing Director of Nonprofit and Science at Robert Downey Jr’s FootPrint Coalition, a coalition of investors, donors, and storytellers committed to scaling technologies to restore the planet. FootPrint Coalition’s Science Engine is an initiative that enables scientists to share and crowdfund their research on climate and biodiversity crises by engaging directly with the platform’s audience. Science Engine thus adresses the current problem that the current system of science funding does not move at the pace of the climate emergency. That is why the Footprint Coalition has pioneered Fast Grant Models to Fund Environmental Research with the added feature of crowdfunding to bring a wide community of support into the scientific process. All run by scientists themselves.
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BREAKING THE WALL TO INNOVATIVE FAST GRANT MODELS TO FUND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
Science Engine
Robert Downey Jr., Rachel Kropa
Robert Downey Jr. is a two-time Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner best known for his performance in the title role of the blockbuster franchise “Iron Man.” Downey’s character as Iron Man/Tony Stark contributed in defining what became an unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making. “Avengers Endgame,” the film that starred Downey in his iconic role for its final run, garnered more than $2.79 billion at the worldwide box office. Following his Marvel tenure, Downey has shifted to writing, producing, and starring in his own projects under his Team Downey banner, the production company he and his wife Susan launched in 2010. Downey made his acting debut under the direction of Robert Downey Sr. in “Pound.” Since then, he has amassed over 90 acting credits over his illustrious career. Previously, Downey earned a Golden Globe Award for his performance as the lead role in the action-adventure “Sherlock Holmes.” Downey was also nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his work in Ben Stiller’s 2008 comedy hit “Tropic Thunder.” His performance as Kirk Lazarus also received Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations. In 1992, Downey was honored with his first Academy Award nomination in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenborough’s acclaimed biopic “Chaplin,” for which he also received a Golden Globe Award nomination. His role as Chaplin earned him a BAFTA Award and a London Film Critics’ Circle Award. In addition to his film and television work, Downey is the founder of FootPrint Coalition, which launched in 2019. FootPrint Coalition is a business and nonprofit solely focused on the adoption and scaling of sustainable technologies.
Rachel Kropa is a founder and the Managing Director of Nonprofit + Science at Robert Downey Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition. She is also a founder and Managing Partner at Range Media Partners. She has 18 years of experience at the intersection of the entertainment and nonprofit spheres. Previously, Kropa was the Co-Director of the Foundation at Creative Artists Agency, a global entertainment and sports agency headquartered in Los Angeles, where she led social impact programs and environmental initiatives for the company and its clients. Kropa holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Virginia and an Archaeology Certificate from UCLA, she chairs the Los Angeles board of Peer Health Exchange, she sits on the Board of Directors of the Environmental Media Association, and she is a member of Sierra Club’s Arts + Entertainment Council.