BHP Foundation
BHP Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. It is a non-profit organization working with others to address the root causes of sustainability challenges relevant to the resources industry. The Foundation says it is solely funded by BHP, which created it and funds its operating costs.
BHP Foundation at a glance
In short: BHP Foundation gave $75.6M across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $1.5M), top state Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $75,642,509
- +35.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- -3.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,483,186
- +40.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $669,784
- Total assets
- $185,422,036
- -25.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (21% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to BHP Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1455 Pennsylvania Ave Nw, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 383-4443
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who BHP Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Nature Conservancy (TNC) ($13.2M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $48.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
187 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 85 grants of 187 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it focuses investments where they can complement BHP’s work in Australia, Canada, and Chile. Its website also describes Education Development Fund initiatives in Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, and Argentina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
Cities
How BHP Foundation gives
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 695% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $44.3M (2023) to $75.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $75.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Arlington, VA | Valdivian coastal reserve - annual disbursement and travel reimbursement | $11,483,513 |
| Great Barrier Reef Foundation | Resilient Reefs Initiative - Phase 2 Scaling | $7,119,258 |
| Makeway Foundation | Nwt on the land youth collaborative (donor collaborative fund) | $6,451,477 |
| Csiro | STEM Champions Project (2022 - 2026) | $3,678,822 |
| University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre (BMC) | Right care, first time, where you live youth mental health | $3,553,928 |
| Indigenous Desert Alliance (Ida) | Keeping the Deserts Connected - Phase 2 | $3,398,820 |
| University of Sydney (The Matilda Centre) | Mentally Healthy Future | $3,137,246 |
| Smartice Sea Monitoring & Information Inc | Ice navigation, economic self determination and culture preservation for inuit youth and communities | $2,506,579 |
| Brookings Institution Washington, DC | Global Collaboration to Advance Anti-Corruption | $2,413,130 |
| Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Eiti) | Eiti: Opening Ownership in the Extractive Industries | $2,250,000 |
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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 | $185,422,036 | $7,311,826 | $77,931,691 | $75,642,509 | 51 | $78,218,822 | $7,568,956 | $11,257,929 |
| 2024 | $250,110,392 | $3,796,445 | $59,262,638 | $55,942,382 | 53 | $59,315,000 | $7,874,978 | $13,437,888 |
| 2023 | $297,060,834 | $36,486,715 | $47,361,916 | $44,275,476 | 48 | $47,437,736 | $6,361,480 | $14,283,401 |
| 2022 | $309,092,778 | $68,102,954 | $56,576,307 | $51,591,748 | 34 | $54,440,192 | $5,593,078 | $14,256,301 |
| 2021 | $314,070,887 | $58,597,006 | $53,630,884 | $50,383,980 | 1 | — | $7,080,223 | $14,231,844 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, BHP Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.3M 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
The Foundation says its investments aim to address the root causes of sustainability challenges and shift systems that impede a more equitable and sustainable future. It provides grant funding to NGOs, think tanks, and national and international institutions. Its stated areas of focus include Indigenous governance and leadership, culture and wellbeing, economic equity, and land and sea, as well as future skills and STEM education for underrepresented young people.
Grantees’ own missions illustrate some of the organizations it supports: Results for Development Institute says it works with change agents to create self-sustaining systems that support healthy, educated people; Conservation International Foundation says it works to secure the benefits nature provides to humanity; and EcoAgriculture Partners says it helps landscape partnerships collaborate, access finance, and influence policy to advance integrated landscape management.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 51 grants totaling $75,642,509. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $11,483,513, with a median of $669,784. Among the largest were $11,483,513 to The Nature Conservancy for the Valdivian Coastal Reserve; $7,119,258 to Great Barrier Reef Foundation for Resilient Reefs Initiative – Phase 2 Scaling; $6,451,477 to Makeway Foundation for the NWT on the Land Youth Collaborative; and $3,678,822 to CSIRO for the STEM Champions Project.
The Foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Vandita Pant as chair; Kristen Ray as president/executive officer; Helen Dransfield as secretary; and Sarah Costello as treasurer, beginning December 9, 2024. Natalie Easton is listed as treasurer through December 9, 2024. Directors listed are Carlos Avila, James William Agar, Heather Anne Brown, and Bronwyn Anne Wilkinson, who began October 31, 2024. JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware is listed as trustee of the Valdivian Trust.
BHP Foundation is led by Kristen Ray, President & Executive Officer on every filing since 2024; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kristen Ray
President & Executive Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vandita Pant
Chair
Director → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
JP Morgan Trust Company Of Delaware
Trustee of Valdivian Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$19K (2022) → $36K (2025)
Carlos Avila
Director
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Anne Brown
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James William Agar
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bronwyn Anne Wilkinson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Easton
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Dransfield
Secretary
On filings since 2023
24 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Costello
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Charles Goodyear (2021–2024) — Chairman · Filing note: Thru 122123
- Former: Geraldine Slattery (2021–2024) — Director · Filing note: Thru 62224
- Former: Mauro Neves (2021–2024) — Director · Filing note: Thru 9123
- Former: Luis Felipe Duchicela (2023–2024) — Director · Filing note: Thru 112423
- Former: Athalie Clare Williams (2021–2023) — Director · Filing note: Thru 81722
- Former: James Ensor (2021–2023) — President & Executive Officer · Filing note: Thru 63023
- Former: Stephen Harris (2021–2023) — Secretary · Filing note: Thru 22023
- Former: Anthony John Patrick Cudmore (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Graham Tiver (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Lopez (2021–2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Jose Flores (2021–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Ben Fothergill (2021) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $36K, to JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware (Trustee of Valdivian Trust).
Frequently asked questions about BHP Foundation
How much does BHP Foundation give each year?
BHP Foundation gave $75.6M across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $55.9M across 53 grants.
What is BHP Foundation's typical grant size?
BHP Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $669,784, and its average grant was $1,483,186, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does BHP Foundation give grants?
BHP Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 21% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Arlington, VA (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does BHP Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 51 grants with a stated purpose on BHP Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Coastal Communities Program - Resilience Network" (3 grants).
Who are BHP Foundation's largest grantees?
BHP Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Nature Conservancy (TNC) ($13,233,513 across 3 grants), Great Barrier Reef Foundation ($7,119,258) and Makeway Foundation ($6,451,477), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is BHP Foundation?
BHP Foundation reported $185.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $78.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does BHP Foundation fund?
The Foundation says its investments aim to address the root causes of sustainability challenges and shift systems that impede a more equitable and sustainable future. It provides grant funding to NGOs, think tanks, and national and international institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from BHP Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is BHP Foundation's EIN?
BHP Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1714573. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does BHP Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Browse active grant opportunities in BHP Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). BHP Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bhp-foundation-morg_a96542f1206f4ddf898c439d75887a68
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_611714573_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{BHP Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bhp-foundation-morg_a96542f1206f4ddf898c439d75887a68},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 BHP Foundation'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.
BHP Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?