Grants for Climate Change

Learn about grants for climate change and clean energy by browsing our curated list of top climate change funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.

Trends in climate funding

The United Nations and other global organizations have been sounding the alarm on climate change and the transition to clean energy for decades. Most recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called the current climate situation a “code red for humanity” and encouraged immediate and drastic action around the world.

Despite global concern, it is estimated that less than 2% of philanthropic funding is currently dedicated to climate change action. Between 2020 and 2021, the ClimateWorks Foundation estimated that climate change giving rose 25% between 2020 and 2021, three times faster than overall philanthropic giving, according to the report, which used data from Wealth-X and Barton Consulting. That said, according to an updated report from ClimateWorks in 2022, climate change giving decreased overall, despite showing some resilience in light of global economic conditions, falling far short of the scale needed to address the climate crisis.

In the United States, grants for climate change continue to represent a small fraction of all giving (estimated at 2–3%). Despite stagnation in climate philanthropy, one positive trend to note is a 12% increase in foundation funding, which is about $3.7 billion.

Climate change funders have typically included efforts to support clean energy with a particular emphasis on methods like public engagement and advocacy campaigns that encourage the fossil fuel industry to steer investments toward clean energy.

Developing areas of climate change funding

Several new trends have developed across climate change funding. As Michael Kavate, IP’s climate journalist reports, funding rose “60% for combatting super pollutants, particularly methane, likely boosted by more than 20 philanthropies launching the Global Methane Pledge in late 2020 and committing $328 million to reducing emissions of the potent greenhouse gas.”

According to the 2022 ClimateWorks report, funding to decarbonize transportation and industry also saw increases, each rising 24%. “Despite the double-digit gains, all three sectors are still relatively small,” says Kavate, “accounting for 4% each of total foundation funding.” Other top sectors have remained unchanged, though clean electricity remains the largest climate grantmaking category (11%), followed by forests (9%) and food and agriculture (8%), which are virtually unchanged from 2021.

ClimateWorks highlights four growing areas of interest: maritime shipping, the built environment, minerals for the energy transition and corporate accountability.

Overall, climate philanthropy disproportionately funds action across the U.S. and Europe. However, Africa and India have seen the fastest growth of all regions, rising 38% and 37%, respectively, along with Latin America (15%). These three regions receive just 20% of place-based climate grantmaking, though we are seeing a gradual, if not slow, shift in climate funding for the Global South. Only time will tell if this trend continues.

Opportunities for growth in climate change funding

While many climate change funders focus on mitigating greenhouse gases and reducing fossil fuel and coal use, the climate change work of other funders centers on building green jobs, as well as building climate equity through an intersectional lens. It is unclear, however, just how many dollars are going to climate justice efforts, climate migration issues or climate adaptation funding. It remains to be seen how grants for climate change will evolve in the coming years among legacy funders and newcomers — and whether billionaires will be as generous as in years past.

Climate Change Foundation Grants

11th HOUR PROJECT

The 11th Hour Project is an environmental grantmaker that supports “resilient systems for food, energy, water, human health and climate” in the U.S. and globally.

128 COLLECTIVE

This funder supports climate change-focused projects and organizations through two program areas, Climate and Youth Organizing & Climate Education.

776 FOUNDATION

Alexis Ohanian’s 776 Foundation has awarded fellowships for young people working toward climate change mitigation.

ADDITIONAL VENTURES

This funder’s Climate Action grantmaking supports research and development “to create solutions that can safely remove CO2 at costs consistent with gigaton scale.”

ALCOA FOUNDATION

Alcoa’s climate change funding invests in the prevention and management of climate change in geographic areas where its parent company operates. It also supports research and education toward these goals.

PAUL G. ALLEN FAMILY FOUNDATION

Allen’s Environment program works broadly to protect “biodiversity and vulnerable ecosystems” with acknowledgement of climate change and related environmental degradation.

ALL POINTS NORTH FOUNDATION

Grantmaking for clean energy primarily centers around solar energy, including initiatives for “the penetration of solar through education, job training and use of solar electric technologies in the United States.”

AMALGAMATED FOUNDATION

The Amalgamated Foundation has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting organizations involved in climate change and clean energy. Past grants have gone to “local climate justice movements centering those most impacted by climate change.”

AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE

This funder makes climate justice grants around the world with a focus on Indigenous land rights.

ARCADIA FUND

The Arcadia Fund supports and promotes “evidence-based practical solutions to the global biodiversity and climate crises.”

ARKAY FOUNDATION

Arkay’s environment grants are based on the foundation’s commitment to “reducing human impact on the environment to counteract global climate change.”

ASHDEN TRUST

Ashden works collaboratively to move “private and public capital away from polluting corporations to companies that will help achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature rises well below 2 degrees and preferably 1.5 degrees.”

AUTODESK FOUNDATION

While this foundation does not have a giving program for climate change, it appears to give grants to organizations that focus on humanitarian or disaster aid spurred by climate change pressures.

AYRSHIRE FOUNDATION

This funder makes grants for “scientific research and education as well as sustainable or remedial environmental policy.”

BANCKER-WILLIAMS FOUNDATION

The foundation does not name specific grantmaking priorities, but broadly funds organizations and projects related to climate change, clean energy, sustainability, biodiversity, and wildlife conservation.

BANK OF AMERICA FOUNDATION

This corporate funder broadly invests in sustainability and climate change as part of environmental giving.

BARR FOUNDATION

Working mainly in Massachusetts, Barr supports “equitable solutions for clean energy, mobility, and resilient communities.”

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE

This funder does not name climate change as a giving area; support stems from its employee giving and volunteering programs.

BENIFICUS FOUNDATION

At the top of the list of Benificus’s climate change grantees is Stanford University, which used funding to establish the Doerr School of Sustainability.

BEZOS EARTH FUND

This has quickly become a major funder in this space, supporting a range of climate change, clean energy, food and agriculture, and environmental initiatives globally.

BIA-ECHO FOUNDATION

Nicole Shanahan’s environmental funding broadly focuses on climate change and averting climate disaster, as well as conservation efforts that support it’s climate change goals.

MORTON K. AND JANE BLAUSTEIN FOUNDATION

Climate change grantmaking focuses on building bipartisan alliances for equitable energy and climate policymaking in the United States and grassroots organizations led by communities impacted by climate change.

BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES

Mike Bloomberg is “[g]lobally recognized for his work to fight climate change and accelerate the energy transition.” Bloomberg Philanthropies conducts extensive grantmaking in this field.

BOEING COMPANY

Boeing awards grants in 20 states and Washington, D.C. Its areas of focus vary by state, but include environmental protection, conservation and climate change.

BULLITT FOUNDATION

This foundation focuses on developing sustainable and healthy relationships between cities and their neighboring ecosystems. Climate and energy grants support organizations that increase energy efficiency, promote clean energy, and eliminate toxic chemicals in products.

CALDERA FOUNDATION

The Caldera Foundation invests in organizations combating climate disruption and advocating for the sustainable use of the planet’s natural resources.

MARGARET A. CARGILL PHILANTHROPIES

Cargill’s climate change and environmental conservation grantmaking is conducted via its Tropical Forests and Grasslands programs.

CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

This local funder’s giving for climate change and the environment intersect with racial equity.

CHILDREN’S INVESTMENT FUND FOUNDATION

Grantmaking for Climate Change concentrates on “smart urbanization” and “energy sector transformation,” working mainly in Europe, China, and Latin America.

CHRISTENSEN FUND

This funder does not name climate change as an interest. However, it seeks to preserve “Indigenous Peoples’ efforts to secure and exercise their rights to their land, territories, resources, and sovereign systems of governance.”

CLARA LIONEL FOUNDATION

Clara Lionel predominately makes grants for climate resilience and disaster relief related to climate events.

CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY EQUITY FUND

This fund supports community-based organizations that are engaged in the “multiracial community-driven movement to forge and implement climate equity policy solutions.”

CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION

ClimateWorks is a global grantmaker and philanthropy-serving organization supporting a range of climate change mitigation efforts through research, collaboration, and grantmaking in the areas of carbon removal, transportation, land use agriculture.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY FUND

The Climate Emergency Fund provides “catalytic funding to emerging groups to recruit, train, and prepare for non-violent civil resistance.”

COMER FAMILY FOUNDATION

Comer invests in “bold actions to confront the climate crisis and its impact on humanity.” Grants support research, education and vocational training for the emerging renewable energy industry.

THE COMMONWEALTH FUND

This health funder’s Climate Change and Health Care program “seeks to promote the decarbonization of the U.S. health care system” through policy, practice and “research to measure, compare, and reduce the health system’s carbon footprint.”

COMPTON FOUNDATION

Compton conducts climate change-related grantmaking through its Transformative Leadership and Courageous Storytelling initiatives.

CRAIGSLIST CHARITABLE FUND

CCF’s grants broadly support causes related to biodiversity, climate change, domesticated animals, and environmental education.

CRANKSTART FOUNDATION

The Crankstart Foundation’s environmental funding interests involve the creation of green jobs, acceleration of transitions to clean energy, and protection of natural ecosystems.

CROSSCURRENTS FOUNDATION

While the foundation’s giving for environmental issues is not as robust as in other areas, CrossCurrents has made grants totaling almost a quarter-million in recent years to conservation and climate change organizations.

NATHAN CUMMINGS FOUNDATION

The Nathan Cummings Foundation’s climate-related giving looks at the issue from an equity perspective. The funder supports the transition to clean energy, with an emphasis on communities.

DEVON CREEK FOUNDATION

Devon Creek’s climate-related funding prioritizes resource, land and species conservation. The foundation’s geographic priority for its environmental funding appears to be Florida.

ARTHUR VINING DAVIS FOUNDATIONS

This major funder’s environmental solutions program has considerable overlap with its private higher education initiative in that it prioritizes education, research and fellowships at private colleges and universities.

RE:WILD

Formerly the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, this funder supports environmental causes around the world.

DONNER CANADIAN FOUNDATION

The Donner Canadaian Foundation supports the development of a clean energy economy in Canada, but lacks a clear strategy for its work in this area.

DORIS DUKE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Duke runs a robust environmental program that aims make grants for conservation and climate change that also “promote a more equitable society.”

DROPBOX FOUNDATION

Climate change and environmental justice are not stated focus areas of the foundation, but it has made broad grants in this space.

EAGLEMERE FOUNDATION

This funder’s environmental work has addressed dams, strengthened protections for endangered species, and reinforced climate resilience across the world.

EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE

Earthwatch works to engage people and their communities to address environmental conservation and climate change efforts.

EDISON INTERNATIONAL

Climate-related grants tend to focus on educating the public on how to better apply conservation and climate change resilience principles to ensuring a more sustainable future.

ELMO FOUNDATION

This funder does not articulate climate change strategies, but this is its largest givign area. Grants support large national organizations.

ELSEVIER FOUNDATION

Elsevier runs award programs for projects in sustainable chemistry.

EMERSON COLLECTIVE

Emerson’s Environment program works to “support a just transition to a regenerative economy that helps communities most impacted by our changing climate.”

ENERGY FOUNDATION

This foundation targets climate change by developing access to green jobs, improving climate-related health outcomes, and addressing national security issues related to climate risk multipliers.

ENTERGY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Entergy’s climate change work funds energy efficiency and renewable energy, environmental education, and community resilience and mitigation.

EPPLEY FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH

This foundation supports scientific research. Areas of interest include climate change, ecosystem studies and studies of “single species if they are of particular significance in their environments, in the U.S. and abroad.”

FEDEX CARES

Grantmaking for climate change stems from FedEx’s Sustainable Logistics program, which aims “to help the logistics industry and communities we serve move people and goods more sustainably.”

FLORA FAMILY FOUNDATION

Flora’s climate protection program is “chiefly concerned with coal combustion and the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane and black carbon.”

FORD FOUNDATION

Ford’s Natural Resources and Climate Change focus area prioritizes work benefiting or protecting the Global South and Indigenous communities.

FRANKEL FAMILY FOUNDATION

Frankel’s Environment grantmaking addresses the “changing climate conditions on our planet and the developed world’s dependence on fossil fuel as an energy source.”

FUTURA FOUNDATIONS

Working mainly in Sweden, this funder seeks projects that take a long-term approach to questions of the environment and climate change.

GIVE2ASIA

Give2Asia facilitates grantmaking sourced from U.S.-based corporations, foundations and other donors. Asian climate change initiatives are a small area of giving here.

GLOBAL GREENGRANTS FUND

The fund’s Climate Justice initiative supports “projects to restore forests, resist harmful development, and advocate for smart climate policies.” It prioritizes initiatives led by Indigenous and grassroots organizations.

LISA AND DOUGLAS GOLDMAN FUND

Environmental grantmaking supports initiatives for the development and adoption of clean energy to mitigate climate change. Grants tend to be concentrated in the San Francisco area.

GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION

Grand Circle works with grassroots and indigenous groups to protect and preserve land and natural resources that are vital to the global struggle against climate change.

GRANTHAM FOUNDATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

All grantmakingis conducted through a climate lens, and the foundation has established relationships with some of the world’s major environmental organizations.

GEORGE GUND FOUNDATION

The George Gund Foundation supports the arts, economic development, community revitalization, education, the environment, climate change and human services in the Greater Cleveland area of Ohio.

HALLORAN PHILANTHROPIES

Halloran’s climate change grants are broad and primarily conducted through its global development interests.

GEORGE HANLEY FOUNDATION

Grantmaking emphasizes projects that involve environmental education and social and economic empowerment.

HEINZ ENDOWMENTS

Focusing on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this funder focuses on “advancing a clean economy, protecting the environment and public health and pursuing equitable development.”

HEISING-SIMONS FOUNDATION

This major funder’s climate and clean energy program focuses on protecting the “people and planet from the worst impacts of climate change by accelerating the transition to a clean energy future.”

HEWLETT FOUNDATION

Hewlett is one of the biggest funders in the climate space. Its Environment program works to “protect people and places threatened by a warming planet by addressing climate change globally, expanding clean energy, and conserving the North American West.”

HIGH MEADOWS FOUNDATION

This foundation’s climate change interests include environmental education, conservation research, wilderness and landscapes, land management and sustainable food systems.

HIGHTIDE FOUNDATION

HighTide takes a broad approach to its climate change-related funding and does not impose specific requirements.

HIVE FUND FOR CLIMATE AND GENDER JUSTICE

The fund’s grantmaking works to transition to clean renewable energy, reverse the growth of “dirty energy industries,” and help place more women of color in positions of influence and power within the climate movement.

ROY A. HUNT FOUNDATION

Hunt’s environment initiative seeks organizations that protect “natural resources and ecosystems in the United States,” and support “sustainable solutions to altering root causes of environmental damage.”

IKEA FOUNDATION

This foundation prioritizes efforts to reduce carbon emissions in areas where “a relatively small amount of money can change large, complex systems that are currently responsible for a lot of greenhouse-gas emissions.”

INCITE LABS

Incite Labs supports grantmaking in the environment and climate change spaces but does not articulate goals or priorities for this giving.

HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION

Jackson’s grantmaking for climate has gone mainly to organizations and institutes engaged in climate research and policy development toward climate change mitigation and national security.

JOCHNICK FOUNDATION

Grants stemming from the Our Planet program area have supported environmental conservation and clean energy initiatives, including organizations involved in research and “raising public awareness and changing consumer behavior.”

JOYCE FOUNDATION

The Joyce Foundation’s Environment program works to address the “long-term environmental challenges facing the next generation in the Great Lakes region.”

JPB FOUNDATION

A significant portion of JPB’s giving focuses on the organization of communities around environmental and climate justice.

J.M. KAPLAN FUND

Kaplan supports organizations that promote lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce coal-generating activities in countries with high emissions rates, and advocate for carbon pricing.

MAYER AND MORRIS KAPLAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Kaplan Foundation focuses its grantmaking on mitigating the effects of climate change, promoting climate change education and clean energy policies.

KATALY FOUNDATION

This funder’s grants prioritize groups “led by and for the communities most impacted by environmental racism and unjust economic, social, and political systems.”

KENDEDA FUND

Kendeda conducts environmental and conservation grantmaking through its Montana, People, Place and Planet and Southeast Sustainability programs. Each program aims to protect the environment, create sustainability, and educate the public.

KR FOUNDATION

This funder awards grants to risky projects that have the potential for transformative and systemic change. It makes grants through programs for Sustainable Behavior and Sustainable Finance.

KRESGE FOUNDATION

Kresge’s Environment grants help cities “combat and adapt to climate change while advancing racial and economic justice” by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for future impacts of climate change, and advancing “social cohesion and equity.”

LAUGHING GULL FOUNDATION

Grantmaking for Climate Change focuses on supporting “sustainable communities living in balance with the earth and liberated from the inter-generational harm of structural racism and economic inequality.”

LAWRENCE FOUNDATION

The Lawrence Foundation mainly supports initiatives for the adoption of renewable energy.

MAX AND ANNA LEVINSON FOUNDATION

While Levinson has not outlined its strategies for giving in this space, tax filings suggest that this is a major area of focus.

LIBERTY HILL FOUNDATION

Grants for climate change and clean energy are mainly sourced through Liberty Hill’s emPower Outreach program, which helps Californians “overcome barriers to sustainable energy usage commonly experienced in low-income and working-class communities of color.”

LINDEN TRUST FOR CONSERVATION

The Linden Trust for Conservation focuses on market-based approaches that can provide long-term financing for policy work in climate change and conservation.

MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

Mac’s Climate Solutions program is concerned with limiting global warming, mainly through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

MADRE

MADRE’s Advancing Climate Justice program area partners with local women’s organizations to combat the effects of climate change, such as “food shortages, droughts, floods and diseases.”

CHARLOTTE MARTIN FOUNDATION

Prioritizing Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Alaska.the foundation’s Wildlife and Habitat program seeks to “protect and restore vital ecosystems especially in the face of a changing climate with the long-term aim of preserving biodiversity in the region.”

MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION

McKnight’s Midwest Climate & Energy program makes grants for “bold and urgent action on the climate crisis by dramatically cutting greenhouse gas emissions and advancing an equitable clean energy transition.”

MERCK FAMILY FUND

The Merck Family Fund focuses its climate change grantmaking on reducing CO2 emissions through the promotion and implementation of energy efficiency policies and carbon pricing mechanisms.

MERTZ GILMORE FOUNDATION

The foundation’s Climate Change Solutions program is designed to provide investments in sustainable policies and practices in order to trigger significant reductions in global warming pollution.

MEYER MEMORIAL TRUST

This national funder’s climate work intersects with equity work, and focused on climate resiliency.

MICHELIN CORPORATE FOUNDATION

Michelin’s Protecting the Environment initiative seeks to address the “fundamental challenges for the future of our planet” by focusing on the “fight against global warming, the renewing of energies, the preservation of resources and biodiversity.”

MIZE FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Mize Family Foundation funds organizations that promote global environmental justice. It also funds organizations that advocate for increased diversity in the environmental movement.

GORDON AND BETTY MOORE FOUNDATION

This is is one of the largest and most active grantmakers in science and conservation philanthropy. Focus areas include marine and rainforest conservation, sustainable agriculture and food systems, wildfire resilience and a program focused on the San Francisco Bay Area.

CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION

This funder’s climate grants support NGOs that aim to create “global and regional initiatives that help entrepreneurs address finance and policy barriers that prevent access to clean energy,” and organizations that provide technical assistance to communities in the Amazon and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

FREDERICK MULDER FOUNDATION

Mulder funds programs and organizations that promote “natural climate solutions, and the role of capital markets in driving the move to a low carbon economy.”

MUSK FOUNDATION

The Musk Foundation is the personal philanthropic organization of Elon Musk. Its work in the climate change area includes grants to support renewable energy research and advocacy.

NEIGHBORHOOD FUNDERS GROUP

This funder’s climate grants focus on climate justice and occur through a racial equity and gender lens.

NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST

Within New York City the fund aims to help New York become “a climate-smart metropolis,” to improve community health through environmental intervention and to protect existing ecologies in the city. NYCT also makes climate grants for other areas via the Kraft Family Memorial Fund.

NEW WORLD FOUNDATION

This funder’s Climate Action Fund awards grants to organizations that “aim to reverse the devastating impact on society’s dependence on fossil fuels.”

LAIRD NORTON FOUNDATION

The Laird Norton Foundation’s climate change grantmaking focuses on regenerative biological systems, reducing fossil fuel dependency, and promoting renewable energy.

OAK FOUNDATION

Oak Foundation’s environmental program is subdivided into three main focus areas: Energy, Food, and Nature.

OCEANKIND

This funder emphasizes organizations and projects that focus on the intersection between climate change, overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution.

OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

This funder supports the arts, education, the environment, and health throughout the state of Oregon.

ORSKOV FOUNDATION

The Orskov Foundation’s student grants have supported projects that involve the use of clean energy in agriculture and methods for adapting agricultural practice to changing climates.

OVERBROOK FOUNDATION

This foundation’s communities and climate program aims to change individual and collective behaviors towards more sustainable energy use.

PACKARD FOUNDATION

Packard is a major player in the climate field and its giving is broad and deep. Areas of interest include climate leadership development and the reversal of tropical deforestation.

PARK FOUNDATION

Park funds policy development, advocacy, organizing and corporate accountability initiatives related to the adoption of affordable and accessible clean energy. This grantmaking prioritizes the state of New York but has gone to organizations in other parts of the country

PISCES FOUNDATION

This foundation’s climate and energy grants support initiatives to reduce “black carbon, methane and hydrofluorocarbons” as part of the broad effort to “keep global temperature under critical thresholds.”

QUADRIVIUM

Quadrivium’s grants for climate change primarily advocate for “bipartisan passage of a U.S. climate strategy that doubles as an economic growth strategy.”

V. KANN RASMUSSEN FOUNDATION

This funder supports initiatives that relate to climate future, including scientific research, mitigation and planning for a rapidly changing earth.

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE FOUNDATION

This funder makes grants for agriculture-related efforts that promote responsible land stewardship, climate change solutions, freshwater and ocean protections, racial and economic equity and other issues in the U.S.

RESNICK FOUNDATION

Aside from a $750 million gift to Caltech in 2019 for an energy and sustainability research center, this funder makes only a few grants for climate change.

DAVID ROCKEFELLER FUND

The David Rockefeller Fund supports “[n]ew ideas, initiatives, and policy breakthroughs in support of bipartisan U.S. climate leadership.” It is willing to take funding risks with organizations having a difficult time obtaining funding from more traditional funders.

ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND

The fund’s Sustainable Development grantmaking broadly advances climate solutions that are “ecologically based, economically sound, socially just, culturally appropriate, and consistent with intergenerational equity.” Climate grants also stem from the fund’s China program.

ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND

This funder is often drawn to smaller groups doing policy and advocacy work with national implications.

ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION

This iconic foundation places climate at the center of its programming, vowing to “reverse the climate crisis” as part of its work across its priority giving areas.

SEATTLE FOUNDATION

This local funder’s climate change grants focus on resiliency, climate justice and storytelling.

SCHERMAN FOUNDATION

The foundation’s Environmental and Climate Justice giving program works broadly “to empower justice-seeking grassroots EJ groups to develop their own strategic and policy solutions and approaches.”

SEA CHANGE FOUNDATION

The Sea Change Foundation and its international counterpart, Sea Change International, focus on policy development in the areas of climate change mitigation and clean energy production.

SEMPRA FOUNDATION

Tax filings to not reveal grantmaking for climate change and clean energy per se, but the foundation does engage in signature projects to bring energy resources to communities in need in the U.S.

SEQUOIA CLIMATE FOUNDATION

This funder works “across regions and sectors to support grantees taking bold and ambitious actions to drive down emissions and accelerate a just and equitable transition to clean energy.”

THOMAS AND STACEY SIEBEL FOUNDATION

This foundation has run contests that recognize innovative climate solutions and research.

SKOLL FOUNDATION

This funder’s climate work “supports social innovations that mitigate climate change, influence private sector action, advance climate justice in partnership with the hardest-hit communities, and build strong support for climate action globally.”

ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION

This research funder’s interests include energy markets and policy, negative emissions technology innovation, transportation, equitable energy distribution, industrial decarbonization and the adaptation of energy systems to the changing climate.

SUMMIT FOUNDATION

Summit’s Sustainable Cities program area works to support “cities’ efforts towards effective and efficient sustainability.”

SURDNA FOUNDATION

Surdna makes grants to help “communities of color and low-wealth communities to direct infrastructure and land use investment dollars, drive decision-making processes and design policy solutions.”

STARR FOUNDATION

While the Starr Foundation does not name a specific interest in climate change, it broadly funds organizations working in this area.

THE STREISAND FOUNDATION

This is a smaller area of giving for Barbara Streisand’s foundation. Grants mainly go to well-established national organizations.

FLORA L. THORNTON FOUNDATION

This funder broadly funds climate change and environmental work.

THOUSAND CURRENTS

A significant portion of Thousand Currents grantmaking goes to initiatives that promote sustainable agriculture, water management and the limitation of fossil fuel extraction from indigenous lands.

THRESHOLD FOUNDATION

A main goal of this funder’s Land and Climate program is to mitigate climate change through the management of “farms, ranches, and other landscapes so we pull carbon out of the air and return it to soils and living systems.”

TIDES FOUNDATION

Tides currently focuses on women’s leadership in the climate change movement and a fund “that equips communities impacted by climate environmental hazards with the critical resources they need to take on big polluters in the courtroom

TOMBERG FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES

Tomberg broadly conducts grantmaking for climate change initiatives through its environmental giving.

TOMKAT FOUNDATION

Grantmaking prioritizes organizations that work to prevent climate disaster and develop a “new energy economy.”

TRAFIGURA FOUNDATION

This Switzerland-based foundation focuses on “mitigating environmental and social issues caused by transportation or infrastructure at land and sea.”

TURNER FOUNDATION

Climate change and clean energy grantmaking stems mainly from Turner’s air initiative, which aims to scale clean energy technologies, emphasizing wildlife-friendly and affordable sources of energy.

UBS OPTIMUS FOUNDATION

The foundation’s Climate Change program works to “identify and help scale a range of climate solutions to create a cleaner, safer and a more equitable future for all.”

VERE INITIATIVES

Vere Initiatives is the philanthropic vehicle of Dirk and Natasha Ziff. It names “improving the health of our oceans and expanding regenerative agriculture” as two of its main areas of engagement.

VOLO FOUNDATION

This funder’s areas of climate interest include carbon pricing, voting movements that protect climate change efforts, climate change education, sustainable agriculture, clean energy and sustainable transportation and refrigeration.

WALLACE GENETIC FOUNDATION

This foundation’s giving for climate change overlaps with its global development, conservation and sustainable agriculture work.

WALLACE GLOBAL FUND

Climate giving supports divestment and limitation of the fossil fuel industry, grassroots organizing toward climate justice and the adoption of clean energy alternatives and initiatives that provide hands on support for clean energy projects in “front line and indigenous communities.”

Grants for Climate Change

Key Climate Funders

Trends in climate funding

Developing areas of climate change funding

Opportunities for growth in climate change funding

Climate Change Foundation Grants