There are 200,000+ foundations across the world that provide funding to NGOs. As a significant portion of these are interested in climate change it is not feasible to provide a comprehensive list. Here we provide a select list of the top foundations interested in climate change and the environment.
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation:
The Hewlett Foundation has consistently remained one of the largest US foundation supporters of climate change and environmental issues. Most notably, the foundation gave a multi-year grant of $461 million to Climate Works Foundation in 2008. In 2011 alone, the Hewlett Foundation issued $203 million in grants through 591 grants, averaging about $345,000 per grant. From 2003-2011, the foundation contributed $818 million to environmental projects.
Hewlett’s Environment Program focuses on the conservation of the North American west, the expansion of clean energy, and climate change. The Energy and Climate program, a sub-category the foundation’s Environment Program, mostly provides large grants to foundations such as Climate Works Foundation, and the Energy Foundation (see below), which make smaller grants available to NGOs. For interested NGOs, the foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry year round. You can learn more about eligibility requirements and application information here.
The Energy Foundation:
The Energy Foundation is supported by grants made by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, among others. This grant-making institution promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency, with specific focus on the US and China.
The Energy Foundation as a Climate Program that focuses on climate education and awareness, as well as policy implementation and advocacy. Since 2009, the foundation has issued a total of around $46 million through 345 grants on the issue of climate. You can browse of a database of previously funded projects at this link.
The foundation makes grants to registered 501 (c) (3) organizations and accepts applications year round. For more information on how to apply, click here.
The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is among one of the largest funders for climate change and the environment. The foundation has highlighted “revalue ecosystems” as one of their key areas of focus, under which they list “Developing climate change resilience” as one approach. The Rockefeller Foundation addresses climate change through programs focusing on urban environments in Asia, African agriculture and US policy. The foundation has committed $60 million towards their Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCRN).
Grants range from $25,000 to around $1 million. The foundation website features a grants and grantee database where you can browse previously funded projects. For application information and eligibility requirements, please click here.
David and Lucille Packard Foundation:
In 2012, the Packard Foundation awarded $252 million in grants. The foundation supports conservation and climate change projects, primarily in California and the West Coast of the United States. The Packard Foundation has a Conservation and Science Program, which invests in public policy reform and changes in private sector on issues such as biodiversity/natural habitat conservation, climate change and agriculture.
The foundation has a Local Grantmaking program under their Conservation and Science Program, which mostly focuses on environmental education for youth. The program allocates $14 million annually to local NGOs and institutions in Northern California. The foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry through their online form year-round. For information on the application process and eligibility requirements, click here.
The Oak Foundation:
The Oak Foundation is a group of philanthropic organizations that addresses issues of global, social and environmental concern. In 2012, the Oak Foundation issued about $33 million in grants for environmental projects. Since 1983, this foundation has given over 2,700 grants globally. The foundation provides grants ranging from about $20,000 to $6 million in size; however, it rarely funds projects of fewer than $25,000 except in rare circumstances. The Oak Foundation supports environmental efforts through Marine Conservation and Climate Change. While the Marine Conservation program focuses mainly in the Mesoamerica, the North Pacific/the Arctic and the EU, the Climate Change program mostly focuses on the US, Canada, Europe, India, China and Brazil.
The Oak Foundation typically provides funds to organization invited to apply by program staff; however, they also accept Letters of Inquiry year-round. To read more about their application process, click here. You can also browse a database of projects that they have funded here.
Avina Stiftung
Avina Stiftung is a Swiss foundation that supports social and environmental sustainability in Switzerland and abroad. The foundation has a funding program specifically for environmental projects with most of their supported work based in Switzerland. However, the foundation also supports private Swiss development work in Latin America as well as selected initiatives with a global focus. In the past Avina funded a rural development project in Peru. Avina Stiftung grants for environmental projects average around $37,000. For the application form and more information on Avina’s formal criteria, please click here.
