Earthsense Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1996. The organization is designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and has maintained tax-exempt status since January 1997. The foundation operates as an independent grantmaking organization focused on conservation, education, and innovative approaches to environmental sustainability.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
+8.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$388K
+25.0% YoY
Grant Count
17
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+17.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities center on projects and foundations engaged in ocean and global conservation of species and habitats. Key focus areas include:
- Ocean conservation and marine protected areas
- Global species and habitat conservation
- Environmental education
- Innovative technologies for sustainability
- Visual arts as a tool to spotlight critical environmental issues and showcase solutions
- Climate emergency initiatives
- Biodiversity protection and planetary boundaries awareness
- Media outreach and science-based education for environmental action
Specific program initiatives include support for nature multimedia projects addressing climate crisis and biodiversity, ocean education and marine protection efforts, and environmental documentary films for distribution to schools, science institutions, and museums.
Grantmaking
The foundation appears open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants funded in recent years.
Grant Range
approximately $44,000
Average Grant
approximately $44,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports various U.S. cities and states, with primary funding activity in:
- California
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Washington
- Colorado (foundation established in CO in 1996)
Major metropolitan areas receiving support include New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2024: $2,677,895
- 2023: $2,459,250–$2,460,000
- Historical: $5.1M (reported in one filing)
Annual Activity:
- 2024 Total Revenue: $691,306
- 2024 Total Expenses: $479,855
- 2023 Total Revenue: $671,000
- 2023 Total Expenses: $379,000
- Total Liabilities (2023): $24,300
Expense Ratio: Approximately 56.4% of total revenue spent on programs
Filing Requirements: The foundation files Form 990-PF annually with the IRS.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,677,895 | $2,459,250 | $2,165,277 |
| Revenue | $691,306 | $670,658 | $586,822 |
| Expenses | $479,855 | $378,500 | $656,502 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $846,696 | $625,023 | $951,511 |
| Net Investment Income | $651,635 | $621,229 | $538,367 |
| Distributable Amount | $199,593 | $236,556 | $240,396 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Shannon O'Leary-Joy – President, serving full-time without compensation
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHANNON O'LEARY-JOY | PRESIDENT | 40 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported documentary and media initiatives, including grantees announced through the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund. The organization continues active grantmaking focused on environmental education, ocean conservation, and climate emergency response initiatives.
2024 Sundance Institute Documentary Fund Grantees AnnouncedSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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