Grants for Environmental Organizations

Protecting wild spaces is now more important than ever

The growing awareness of environmental issues has been a boon to environmental organizations. Finally, people are paying attention to what environmental nonprofits do--and are furnishing them with the money to do it. Many corporations grant money to conservation nonprofits. In addition, long-established private organizations and government agencies make grants to organizations that protect the environment.

Patagonia Environmental Grants

Patagonia, a company specializing in outdoor equipment, makes grants of between $3,000 and $8,000 to small conservation nonprofits. They look for organizations that have specific campaigns, such as protecting a threatened species of wild area, that can rally public support. Grant proposals should detail goals and strategies with a view to quantifiable results.

Patagonia Headquarters
259 West Santa Clara St
Ventura, CA 93001
805-643-8616
patagonia.com

Acres for America

Walmart has partnered with The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to offset its carbon footprint acre by acre. The program will distribute $2.5 million by the end of 2014. The foundation prefers large-scale projects that protect land harboring endangered species; again, numbers and statistics make proposals more compelling.

National Fish and Wildlife Federation
1133 Fifteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
202-857-0166
nfwf.org

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program

Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Environmental Justice program funds several dozen organizations a year. Organizations committed to local or community-based conservation are preferred. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson's top priorities include improving air and water quality, reducing greenhouse gases, and hazardous waste and chemical cleanup. Organizations that focus on these issues are more likely to receive funding.

Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
202-272-0167
epa.gov

Pew Charitable Trusts

Pew Charitable Trusts invests in the arts, education and the environment. As it is a large organization, it asks organizations to first send a letter of inquiry, rather than a proposal, to explain the "who, what, when, where, how and why" of the project. Pew is interested in three campaigns: climate change, marine conservation, and the protection of wilderness and public lands.

Pew Charitable Trusts
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 1700
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077
215-575-9050
pewtrusts.org

Great Lakes Protection Fund

Wind turbines generate energy while keeping our air clean

Many grant-making institutions have a state, local or broad eco-system focus. One of these is the Great Lakes Protection Fund, which, according to its website, funds initiatives that "identify a specific improvement to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem and have a pragmatic plan to produce those improvements." Key areas include pollution prevention, restoring natural habitats, and help conserve the Great Lakes environment through market-based solutions. Such solutions could include green energy projects and carbon offset schemes.

Great Lakes Protection Fund
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 880
Evanston, IL 60201
847-425-8150
glpf.org

References

• Patagonia: Grant Guidelines
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Acres for America
• Environmental Protection Agency: Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
• Pew Charitable Trusts: Environment
• Great Lakes Protection Fund: Current Interests

Resources

• Cyber-Sierra: Environmental Grants