Appreciation of Earth and Animal
Appreciation of Earth and Animal is a private foundation based in Middleburg, Virginia. It makes grants to organizations, including wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education, and human-service organizations.
Appreciation of Earth and Animal at a glance
In short: Appreciation of Earth and Animal gave $255K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), top state Florida. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $255,000
- +22.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,200
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,345,345
- -3.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (8 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Appreciation of Earth and Animal
- How to Apply
-
Contact Nancy L Cooper with a written request, current literature, and financial information. The filing states that awards have no restrictions and that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Nancy L Cooper
Mailing address: 1112 Coconut Row, Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone: (540) 687-6381
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Appreciation of Earth and Animal funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Clemson University Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $175K.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 92 grants of 93 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing’s grant-dollar distribution included Florida (27%), Virginia (21%), South Carolina (18%), Washington, DC (12%), and California (8%). Grants also went to organizations in other states, including New Hampshire, New York, and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Appreciation of Earth and Animal open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 25 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 49% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $95K (2021) to $255K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $255K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson University Foundation Clemson, SC | General Support | $40,000 |
| Florida Wild Mammal Association Crawfordville, FL | General Support | $25,000 |
| Dogs Inc Palmetto, FL | General Support | $20,000 |
| Gary Sinise Foundation Woodland Hills, CA | General Support | $20,000 |
| Student Conservation Association Charlestown, NH | General Support | $20,000 |
| 1000 Friends of Florida Tallahassee, FL | General Support | $10,000 |
| America First Legal Washington, DC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Boulder Crest Foundation Bluemont, VA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
| Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter Leesburg, VA | General Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Appreciation of Earth and Animal?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,345,345 | $143,171 | $302,783 | $255,000 | 25 | $255,000 | $742,764 | $261,452 |
| 2024 | $4,504,957 | $833,418 | $232,545 | $208,000 | 20 | $208,000 | $948,918 | $230,609 |
| 2023 | $3,953,411 | $683,040 | $241,573 | $210,000 | 17 | $210,000 | $308,834 | $204,189 |
| 2022 | $3,468,093 | $1,671,268 | $188,169 | $171,000 | 19 | $171,000 | $288,370 | $170,180 |
| 2021 | $1,979,518 | $377,456 | $113,583 | $95,300 | 12 | — | $193,701 | $126,211 |
| 2020 | $1,715,645 | $55,531 | $144,410 | $135,300 | 20 | — | $116,955 | $110,961 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Appreciation of Earth and Animal reported a distributable amount of $261K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Florida Wild Mammal Association says it rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals with the goal of returning them to their native habitat, and Blue Ridge Wildlife Center says it rescues and rehabilitates native wildlife for release back into the wild. 1000 Friends of Florida describes its mission as “Building Better Communities and Saving Special Places,” while the American Horticultural Society says it works to inspire gardening and horticultural practices that sustain healthy communities and a livable planet.
Other 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions concern higher education, support for wounded service members’ families, and posttraumatic growth.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $255,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest were $40,000 to Clemson University Foundation, $25,000 to Florida Wild Mammal Association, and $20,000 each to Dogs Inc, Gary Sinise Foundation, and Student Conservation Association. The listed grant purposes were general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nancy L Cooper as director and president; Nell C Stager as director and vice president; Robert B Dale III as director, secretary, and treasurer; and Nettie C Wheatstone as director.
Appreciation of Earth and Animal's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nettie C. Wheatstone
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy L. Cooper
Dir-Pres
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nell C. Stager
Dir-Vp
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert B. Dale III
Dir-Sec & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Appreciation of Earth and Animal
How much does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give each year?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal gave $255K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $208K across 20 grants.
What is Appreciation of Earth and Animal's typical grant size?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,200, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Appreciation of Earth and Animal that year got $12K on average.
Where does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give grants?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal's top state is Florida, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (21%) and South Carolina (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), Clemson, SC (2 grants), Tallahassee, FL (2 grants) and Purcellville, VA (2 grants).
Does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Appreciation of Earth and Animal's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Appreciation of Earth and Animal's largest grantees?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal's largest 2025 grantees include Clemson University Foundation ($40,000), Florida Wild Mammal Association ($25,000) and Dogs Inc ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Appreciation of Earth and Animal?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $255K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $261K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Appreciation of Earth and Animal fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Appreciation of Earth and Animal?
Contact Nancy L Cooper with a written request, current literature, and financial information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Appreciation of Earth and Animal's EIN?
Appreciation of Earth and Animal's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1687076. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Appreciation of Earth and Animal funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/appreciation-of-earth-and-animal-morg_112e92216636406fbd1f19e9f7cfe5e3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_541687076_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Appreciation of Earth and Animal funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/appreciation-of-earth-and-animal-morg_112e92216636406fbd1f19e9f7cfe5e3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Appreciation of Earth and Animal's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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