Cedar Tree Foundation
The Cedar Tree Foundation is a Boston-based private foundation supporting environmental change through grantmaking and programs. It is a U.S.-focused family foundation created by the late pediatrician and entrepreneur Dr. David H. Smith.
Cedar Tree Foundation at a glance
In short: Cedar Tree Foundation gave $9.2M across 119 grants in 2024 (avg $77K), top state District of Columbia. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,205,505
- -25.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 119
- +13.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $77,357
- -34.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $85,860,491
- -0.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (33 of 109, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cedar Tree Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says its current funding priorities are not open to unsolicited grant requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 225 Franklin St 26Th Floor, Boston, MA 02110-2853
Phone: (617) 695-6767
Website: https://cedartreefound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Cedar Tree Foundation
Who Cedar Tree Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Society for Conservation Biology ($1.9M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
550 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 295 grants of 550 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as U.S.-focused. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were DC (33%), Massachusetts (16%), New York (7%), New Mexico (6%), and Montana (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cedar Tree Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 109 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $100K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 201% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6.9M (2021) to $12.3M (2023). In 2024 it made 119 grants totaling $9.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Society for Conservation Biology Washington, DC | Project Support for Smith Fellows Program | $1,664,075 |
| Center for Environmental Health Oakland, CA | Project Support for Children's Environmental Health | $250,000 |
| Society for Conservation Biology Washington, DC | Project Support for Smith Fellows Program | $247,430 |
| All Souls Church Unitarian Washington, DC | Project Support for Building Repair Campaign | $200,000 |
| Practical Farmers of Iowa Ames, IA | Project Support for Promoting Regenerative Grazing | $175,000 |
| Conservatory Lab Charter School Foundation Dorchester, MA | Project Support for Environmental Science Teachers | $160,000 |
| Advancement Project Education Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $150,000 |
| Center for Civic Policy Albuquerque, NM | Project Support for the New Mexico Dream Team | $150,000 |
| Center for Civic Policy Albuquerque, NM | General Support | $150,000 |
| Chinese Progressive Association Brooklyn, NY | Project Support for Black Future Labs | $150,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $85,860,491 | $8,467,224 | $12,792,191 | $9,205,505 | 119 | $10,131,613 | $7,373,841 | $5,045,149 |
| 2023 | $86,624,071 | $2,048,968 | $15,352,773 | $12,318,134 | 105 | $13,468,777 | $1,502,766 | $4,186,930 |
| 2022 | $86,446,972 | $4,072,972 | $10,718,006 | $7,999,500 | 101 | $8,905,763 | $3,820,432 | $5,065,631 |
| 2021 | $119,892,393 | $12,564,904 | $11,225,184 | $6,892,808 | 91 | $8,165,429 | $11,801,668 | $5,582,517 |
| 2020 | $114,630,365 | $7,469,490 | $9,592,271 | $11,773,359 | 134 | — | $6,244,400 | $5,374,378 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cedar Tree Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says its grantmaking and programs reflect Dr. Smith’s belief in the power of individuals and organizations to make significant changes. Its current funding priorities include Children’s Environmental Health, Regenerative Grazing, Civic Engagement, Rooted in Justice, and the CEE-Change Fellowship. Its historical grantmaking has also included environmental education, sustainable agriculture, and environmental justice.
The foundation’s 2024 grants included support for conservation biology, children’s environmental health, regenerative grazing, environmental science education, and civic engagement. Among the grantees’ stated missions, the Society for Conservation Biology says it advances the science and practice of conserving Earth’s biological diversity; the Center for Environmental Health says it protects people from toxic chemicals and promotes safer products and practices; and Practical Farmers of Iowa says it equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 119 grants totaling $9,205,505. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $1,664,075, with a median of $50,000. The largest listed grant was $1,664,075 to the Society for Conservation Biology for project support for the Smith Fellows Program. Other notable awards included $250,000 to the Center for Environmental Health for children’s environmental health; $175,000 to Practical Farmers of Iowa for promoting regenerative grazing; and $160,000 to Conservatory Lab Charter School Foundation for environmental science teachers.
The foundation’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says it is no longer awarding new grants. The David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship is described as a two-year postdoctoral fellowship for early-career conservation scientists; the foundation’s board and staff say the program will be transferred out with an endowment and continue operating.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joan M. Smith as president, Andrea L. Smith as vice president, Kristin Leader as clerk, Rachel Alternative as board member, Jennifer L. Smith as treasurer, and Sophia Kolehmainen as executive director.
Cedar Tree Foundation is led by Sophia Kolehmainen, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 4 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sophia Kolehmainen
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$178K (2020) → $205K (2024)
Joan M. Smith
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea L. Smith
Vice President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Jennifer L. Smith
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$9K (2020) → $9K (2024)
Kristin Leader
Clerk
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Rachel Alternative
Board Member
Treasurer → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jody Leader (2020–2022) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $205K, to Sophia Kolehmainen (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Tree Foundation
How much does Cedar Tree Foundation give each year?
Cedar Tree Foundation gave $9.2M across 119 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.3M across 105 grants.
What is Cedar Tree Foundation's typical grant size?
Cedar Tree Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $77,357, across 119 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cedar Tree Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does Cedar Tree Foundation give grants?
Cedar Tree Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (16%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (13 grants), Boston, MA (7 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Oakland, CA (5 grants).
Does Cedar Tree Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Cedar Tree Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 119) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project Support for Youth Program" (3 grants).
Who are Cedar Tree Foundation's largest grantees?
Cedar Tree Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Society for Conservation Biology ($1,911,505 across 2 grants), Center for Civic Policy ($300,000 across 2 grants) and Center for Environmental Health ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Cedar Tree Foundation?
Cedar Tree Foundation reported $85.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $10.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cedar Tree Foundation fund?
The foundation says its grantmaking and programs reflect Dr. Smith’s belief in the power of individuals and organizations to make significant changes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cedar Tree Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cedar Tree Foundation's EIN?
Cedar Tree Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3601934. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cedar Tree 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cedar Tree Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cedar Tree Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cedar-tree-foundation-morg_ded2e6fb54444610be8524cf2fea09cb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133601934_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cedar Tree Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cedar-tree-foundation-morg_ded2e6fb54444610be8524cf2fea09cb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Cedar Tree 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.
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