Earth Island Institute Inc logo

Earth Island Institute Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Berkeley, CA EIN: 94-2889684 Website

Earth Island Institute Inc is a public charity based in Berkeley, California. Founded in 1982 by environmentalist David R. Brower, it supports environmental initiatives and leaders through fiscal sponsorship, legal advocacy, youth leadership programs, and Earth Island Journal.

Earth Island Institute Inc at a glance

In short: Earth Island Institute Inc gave $1.6M across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), top state California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,642,639
-10.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
44
+10.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$37,333
-18.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$44,472,608
+11.4% vs 2024
Primary geography
California (23% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Earth Island Institute Inc

How to Apply

For project sponsorship, review the application instructions and templates and the budget worksheet. The Brower Youth Awards and John Goddard Prize have separate application information on the organization’s website.

Contact

Mailing address: 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510) 859-9100
Website: https://earthisland.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Earth Island Institute Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Stand: $203KStand$203KIowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development: $139KIowa Valley ResourceConservation and Development$139KKansas Rural Center 1758: $139KKansas Rural Center 1758$139KMarbleseed: $139KMarbleseed$139KMissouri Rural Crisis Center 1877: $139KMissouri Rural Crisis Center1877$139KRenewing the Countryside: $139KRenewing the Countryside$139KIndigenous Peoples Movement: $120KIndigenous Peoples Movement$120KTrade Justice Education Fund 1693: $90KTrade Justice Education Fund1693$90KClimate Access: $82KClimate Access$82KGreenFaith 967: $60KGreenFaith 967$60K

The largest 2025 recipient was Stand ($203K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.

Grant Size Distribution

172 grants across all recorded years

150<$50K12$50–100K8$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 172 (87%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grant dollars were distributed across multiple states. California accounted for 23%, Minnesota and Wisconsin 9% each, and Iowa and Kansas 8% each. Listed recipients also included organizations in Missouri, South Dakota, Washington, DC, New York, and Arizona.

Grant Distribution by State

39states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.

Cities

San FranciscoNew YorkWashingtonLos AngelesOaklandAlbuquerqueColumbusSpringfieldArcataAustinBostonCharlottesvilleDavisMinneapolisPortlandSan DiegoBelfastBismarckClevelandDarmiscotta

How Earth Island Institute Inc gives

  • 16% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 358% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M5 grants2019 22 grants2020 30 grants2021 20 grants2022 38 grants2023 40 grants2024 44 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $138K (2019) to $1.8M (2024). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $1.6M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Stand San Francisco, CAGeneral support$202,500
Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Amana, IAGeneral support$139,000
Kansas Rural Center 1758 North Newton, KSGeneral support$139,000
Marbleseed Spring Valley, WIGeneral support$139,000
Missouri Rural Crisis Center 1877 Columbia, MOGeneral support$139,000
Renewing the Countryside Zumbro Falls, MNGeneral support$139,000
Indigenous Peoples Movement Porcupine, SDGeneral support$120,372
Trade Justice Education Fund 1693 Washington, DCGeneral support$90,000
Climate Access Scotts Valley, CAGeneral support$81,650
GreenFaith 967 New York, NYGeneral support$60,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

The grant totals shown are from the organization’s filings; grant counts were 44 in 2025, 40 in 2024, and 38 in 2023.

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$44,472,608$41,631,441$36,609,203$1,642,63944$1,618,645
2024$39,932,865$30,907,440$34,776,454$1,832,68740$2,264,272
2023$42,478,005$34,936,590$23,826,462$360,79038$1,031,696
2022$29,615,223$23,677,718$22,643,834$358,99820$-1,939,525
2021$28,758,022$23,391,619$15,668,971$986,63830$2,838,619
2020$22,402,365$16,760,146$14,723,029$624,51822$78,865
2019$18,750,303$15,352,923$11,503,269$137,9475$742,309

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Earth Island Institute says it supports environmental initiatives to confront threats to life on Earth. Its stated priorities include supporting activist projects, developing environmental leaders, and engaging the public and decision-makers in approaches to protecting the planet and its species.

The 2025 grants included general support for organizations working in areas such as corporate and government accountability, rural community development, agriculture, and climate communication. The grantees describe their own missions as follows: STAND challenges corporations and governments to respect people and the environment; the Kansas Rural Center promotes the long-term health of land and people through research, education, and advocacy; and Marbleseed supports farmers in sustainable, organic agriculture. The Missouri Rural Crisis Center describes its work as preserving family farms, promoting environmental integrity, and pursuing economic and social justice.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, Earth Island Institute reported 44 grants totaling $1,642,639. Grants ranged from $6,650 to $202,500, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed grant was $202,500 to STAND in San Francisco for general support. Other large grants included $139,000 each to Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development, the Kansas Rural Center, Marbleseed, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, and Renewing the Countryside, all for general support. Indigenous Peoples Movement received $120,372 for general support.

The organization’s website describes a project support program for environmental initiatives seeking an organizational home. Its project sponsorship services include fiscal and administrative support, accounting, training, and technical assistance. The site lists application instructions and templates and a budget worksheet. It says the summer application cycle has closed and that the next cycle is expected to open in January; it does not specify a year for that expected opening.

Earth Island also lists the Brower Youth Awards and the John Goddard Prize. The Brower Youth Awards recognizes young environmental leaders in North America with a $3,000 cash prize, training, and networking opportunities. The John Goddard Prize is described as a competitive cash prize for youth-led environmental initiatives nationwide.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Josh Floum as President and Francisco Martinez as Treasurer. Listed board directors are Ken Alex, Jessian Choy, Elizabeth Delph, Tiauna George, Regina Harmon, Ariana Katovich, Deborah Sivas, and Pia MacDonald.

Earth Island Institute Inc is led by Sumona Majumdar, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2024; 6 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Sumona Majumdar

    Chief Executive Officer

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $173K (2024) → $200K (2025)

  • Josh Floum

    President

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Sowle

    Director of Finance

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $106K (2019) → $194K (2025)

  • Deborah Sivas

    Board Director

    Director → Board Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jessian Choy

    Board Director

    Director → Board Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ken Alex

    Board Director

    Director → Board Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tiauna George

    Board Director

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ariana Katovich

    Board Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pia MacDonald

    Board Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Delph

    Board Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Regina Harmon

    Board Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Phillips

    Project Manager

    Executive Director → Project Manager, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $136K (2019) → $176K (2025)

  • Jessica Diamond

    Project Manager

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $169K (2024) → $187K (2025)

  • Melinda Kramer

    Project Manager

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $169K (2024) → $185K (2025)

  • Mauricio Gomez

    Project Manager

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $182K (2025)

  • Francisco Martinez

    Treasurer

    Treasurer → Vice President, 2022

    Vice President → Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Edward Wang

    Secretary

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (16)
  • Former: Ariela St Pierre (2019–2024) — Secretary
  • Former: Camilla Fox (2019–2024) — Project Manager
  • Former: Dianna Cohen (2020–2024) — Project Manager
  • Former: Julia Cohen (2019–2023) — Project Manager
  • Former: Cyril Kormos (2021–2023) — Project Manager
  • Former: Summer Coish (2022–2023) — Project Manager
  • Former: John de Graaf (2019–2022) — Board Director
  • Former: Kenneth Brower (2019–2022) — Board Director
  • Former: John deGraaf (2021) — Director
  • Former: Joshua Floum (2021) — Board President
  • Former: Mark Major (2021) — Project Manager
  • Former: Barbara Brower (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Sarah Diefendorf (2019–2020) — Project Director
  • Former: Will Green (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Samantha Corti (2020) — Project Director
  • Former: Michael Mitrani (2019) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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

Sumona Majumdar — Chief Executive Officer: $200KSumona MajumdarChief Executive Officer$200KMichael Sowle — Director of Finance: $194KMichael SowleDirector of Finance$194KJessica Diamond — Project Manager: $187KJessica DiamondProject Manager$187KMelinda Kramer — Project Manager: $185KMelinda KramerProject Manager$185KMauricio Gomez — Project Manager: $182KMauricio GomezProject Manager$182KDavid Phillips — Project Manager: $176KDavid PhillipsProject Manager$176K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $200K, to Sumona Majumdar (Chief Executive Officer). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Earth Island Institute Inc

How much does Earth Island Institute Inc give each year?

Earth Island Institute Inc gave $1.6M across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 40 grants.

What is Earth Island Institute Inc's typical grant size?

Earth Island Institute Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $37,333, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Earth Island Institute Inc give grants?

Earth Island Institute Inc's top state is California, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Minnesota (9%) and Wisconsin (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and San Francisco, CA (3 grants).

Does Earth Island Institute Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Earth Island Institute Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (44 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Who are Earth Island Institute Inc's largest grantees?

Earth Island Institute Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Stand ($202,500), Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development ($139,000) and Kansas Rural Center 1758 ($139,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Earth Island Institute Inc?

Earth Island Institute Inc reported $44.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $41.6M.

What does Earth Island Institute Inc fund?

Earth Island Institute says it supports environmental initiatives to confront threats to life on Earth. Its stated priorities include supporting activist projects, developing environmental leaders, and engaging the public and decision-makers in approaches to protecting the planet and its species. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Earth Island Institute Inc?

For project sponsorship, review the application instructions and templates and the budget worksheet. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Earth Island Institute Inc's EIN?

Earth Island Institute Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2889684. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 20, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 30, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
  7. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Earth Island Institute Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/earth-island-institute-inc-morg_dfbc152b765f40f88a7347d187467341

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942889684_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Earth Island Institute Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/earth-island-institute-inc-morg_dfbc152b765f40f88a7347d187467341},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Earth Island Institute Inc'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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