OVERVIEW: This funder supports environmental work in a 12-county region in Puget Sound.
IP TAKE: The Russell Family Foundation makes meaningful grants for environmental education and sustainable food systems in the Puget Sound area. While it doesn’t accept requests for funding, networking with grantees will be productive if your organization works in either of these specific areas. Also of interest here is the foundation’s impact investing for clean energy transition. Use the contact page to get in touch.
PROFILE: The Russell Family Foundation, based in Gig Harbor, Washington, works in the Puget Sound region and Pierce County. The foundation was established in 1999, when the Russell family sold the Frank Russell Company to Northwestern Mutual Life. Jane and George Russell established the foundation with the proceeds of that sale. The Russell Family Foundation’s mission is to “invest[…] in people and places to advance environmental sustainability and address the climate crisis.” In addition to grants, this funder makes impact investments in companies and endeavors that align with its mission. The foundation gives in Washington’s Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Thurston, Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan Counties. Over a 17-year period, RFF has awarded over 800 grants for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound, totaling $41 million.
It is worth mentioning here that George Russell is also interested in global issues. He was chairman of the EastWest Institute, where he spearheaded a project called “Reframing Perceptions of Islam and Muslims in America.” He founded One Chicago, One Nation, a project working to change the perceptions of Islam and Muslims in America. He has also been interested in the destruction of nuclear waste, strengthened U.S.-Russia relations, and humanitarian aid. These interests are not currently reflected in the Russell Family Foundation’s giving.
Grants for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture
The foundation’s grants and investments for the environment stem from four separate initiatives.
Catalytic Climate Finance is the foundation’s commitment “to supporting urgent action through every aspect of our work, to help limit the climate crisis so that all people can thrive in a way that is reparative for the Earth.” The program maintains four “core principles.”
The foundation’s investments serve to “to accelerate global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring that, by 2030, what is emitted across the portfolio is no more than what is removed from the atmosphere.”
Investments also fund “promising climate movements, solutions, and campaigns.”
The foundation is committed to aligning and collaborating with “other organizations focused on climate action, for greater impact.”
Giving and investments pursue a “just transition” to clean energy by centering “vulnerable communities and workers.”
Climate investments include the Aperio Group and SOSV, an accelerator for “life sciences, technology, and food systems” ventures. The foundation has also invested in fossil-free funds at Invesco Management, Generation Investment Management and the Harlem Capital Fund.
Russell’s Environmental Education initiative “provides support to organizations that offer outdoor environmental education experiences for youth.” Funding focuses on “programs serving middle and high school-age students who live in Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Jefferson, Mason, and South King Counties.” Applications are accepted by invitation only.
Past environmental grantees include Braided Seeds Environmental Education, the Environmental Science Center of Burien, Harbor Wildwatch and the Great Peninsula Conservancy.
Food for Climate Solutions works to address “climate change while fostering a thriving regional food system.” Areas of specific focus include farmland stewardship and the adoption of sustainable farming and distribution technologies for a stronger regional food infrastructure. All giving from this program prioritizes “organizations serving historically excluded communities,” acknowledging the disproportionate impact that climate change has and will have on food access for these communities. The foundation is not accepting applications for this program at this time.
Grantees include the Seattle Parks Foundation’s Restaurant 2 Garden program, Viva Farms of Mount Vernon, Washington State University’s Kitsap County Extension Food for Climate Solutions program and the Washington Water Trust.
Jane’s Fellowship is “a year-long program that brings together a diverse group of leaders who are actively serving Pierce County and working to address a wide range of community challenges.” Fellows meet twice a month to “share in skills training, experiential learning, and community building.”
Residents of Pierce County who are over the age of 24 and “feel called to lead, serve and collaborate around a community vision are encouraged to apply.” Information about past fellows, time commitments and the application process is available at the program page.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $3,000 to $65,000, but these figures do not account for the foundation’s impact investments.
Grantmaking is mainly limited to the state of Washington, where the foundation has supported environmental nonprofits of every size.
This funder does not accept applications for grants, but residents of Pierce County may apply for the Jane’s Fellowship program.
For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s Brows Grants page.
Submit questions to this foundation via its contact page.
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