Environment Now
Environment Now is a private nonprofit foundation established in 1989 and based in Newport Beach, California. The organization operates as an action-oriented environmental foundation focused on protecting and restoring California's natural ecosystems through strategic grantmaking, advocacy, and direct action.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.5M
+3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+1.9% YoY
Grant Count
61
+17.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
-13.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Environment Now reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Environment Now's mission is to advance the right to a healthy environment and create measurably effective environmental programs that protect and restore California's waters and forests. The foundation's ultimate goal is to restore the balance and health of California's ecosystems.
The organization focuses on three primary program areas:
Water — Securing clean, sufficient water for life needs, including work on water quality, water flows in rivers and streams, and policies that recognize water as a fundamental right for both humans and nature.
Forests — Ending commercial logging on national forests and protecting forest ecosystems.
Rights — Advancing the right to a healthy environment through rights-based strategies and the rights of nature movement.
The foundation approaches these issues through a strategic combination of enforcing existing laws, setting new legal precedents, supporting community leadership, advancing sound science, and demonstrating the viability of sustainable solutions.
Grantmaking
Environment Now makes grants to support grassroots voices and campaigns advancing environmental goals. Recent grants documented include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Environment Now primarily funds projects in California, with additional grantmaking activity in New York and Oregon. The foundation's work extends to major U.S. cities including San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C., with some international project involvement.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $31.4 million (2023)
Total Revenue: $3.53 million (2023)
Total Expenses: $2.1 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $28,200 (2023)
Total Giving: $1,539,200
The foundation is tax-exempt as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been recognized as tax-exempt since October 1990.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,502,266 | $31,391,691 | $29,599,522 |
| Revenue | $839,315 | $3,534,285 | $673,221 |
| Expenses | $2,225,662 | $2,102,433 | $1,800,822 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,264,070 | $2,147,610 | $1,785,628 |
| Net Investment Income | $791,041 | $3,492,844 | $589,380 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,581,154 | $1,460,784 | $1,546,053 |
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
212 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Earth Island Institute ($175,000), California Coastkeeper Alliance ($120,000), Restore the Delta ($55,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RUSSIAN RIVERKEEPER HEALDSBURG, CA | SONOMA WEST STORMWATER (SEE RLF CONDITIONAL GRANT) | $19,200 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOUNDATION OAKLAND, CA | GROUNDWATER, SURFACE FLOWS, AND AG POLLUTION ADVOCACY | $45,000 |
| INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES SAN FRANCISCO, CA | HABITAT AND RIVER RESTORATION FOR SALMON | $25,000 |
| GOLDEN STATE SALMON ASSOCIATION SANTA ROSA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| NATIVE AMERICAN LAND CONSERVANCY BANNING, CA | FENNER BASIN LANDSCAPE CULTURAL STUDY | $20,000 |
| LEADERSHIP COUNSEL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FRESNO, CA | CLEAN WATER: AT THE SOURCE AND AT THE TAP | $40,000 |
| CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TUCSON, AZ | PROTECTING CALIFORNIAS WATER FROM OIL INDUSTRY POLLUTION | $40,000 |
| SAN DIEGO COASTKEEPER SAN DIEGO, CA | CROSS-BORDER POLLUTION & STATE BACTERIA STANDARDS | $30,000 |
| CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TUCSON, AZ | FLOWING KERN PHASE 2 | $20,000 |
| CALIFORNIA INDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE BERKELEY, CA | SITES STORAGE AND DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECTS | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Linda Sheehan — Executive Director, compensation of $232,916
Doug Bevington — Forest Program Director, compensation of $96,125
Kevin Wells — Chair
Robert Wells — Vice Chair/Secretary
Paul Heeschen — Treasurer
The foundation operates with a staff of 3 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDA SHEEHAN | FOUNDATION MANAGER | 40 | $240,833 |
| KEVIN WELLS | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| ROBERT WELLS | VICE CHAIR/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| PAUL HEESCHEN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DAN EMMETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAVID BECKMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEBORAH SIVAS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 450, Newport Beach, CA 92660-7620
Phone: 949-644-1850
Website: www.environmentnow.org
EIN: 95-4247242
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Environment Now fund?
Environment Now's mission is to advance the right to a healthy environment and create measurably effective environmental programs that protect and restore California's waters and forests. The foundation's ultimate goal is to restore the balance and health of California's ecosystems. The organization focuses on three primary program areas: **Water** — Securing clean, sufficient water for life needs, including work on water quality, water flows in rivers and streams, and policies that recognize w…
How do I apply for a grant from Environment Now?
Environment Now makes grants to support grassroots voices and campaigns advancing environmental goals. Recent grants documented include: • California Coastkeeper Alliance: $115,000 (Defending California Waters) • Restore the Delta: $60,000 (Delta Water Quality and Flows) • Save California Salmon: $45,000 (Water for Fish/Tribal Water) Typical grant awards range from $500 to $175,000. The foundation reported total giving of $1,539,200 in recent filings, with documented grants totaling approximate…
Where does Environment Now make grants?
Environment Now primarily funds projects in California, with additional grantmaking activity in New York and Oregon. The foundation's work extends to major U.S. cities including San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C., with some international project involvement.
What size grants does Environment Now award?
In 2024, Environment Now awarded 61 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $25K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Environment Now required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Environment Now reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Environment Now's EIN?
Environment Now's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4247242. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Environment Now's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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