Environmental Justice Foundations & Grantmakers
131 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 68 that made at least 5 grants gave $1.9B. The largest by giving are The Ford Foundation, Seattle Foundation and M J Murdock Charitable Trust. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
131
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.9B
from the 68 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$46K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$464K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | $844.7M | 4,007 |
| 2 | Seattle Foundation | Seattle, WA | $177.9M | 5,379 |
| 3 | M J Murdock Charitable Trust | Vancouver, WA | $116.6M | 797 |
| 4 | Common Counsel Foundation | Oakland, CA | $101.2M | 621 |
| 5 | Grantham Foundation for the Protection | Boston, MA | $67.0M | 83 |
| 6 | Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc | New York, NY | $60.4M | 646 |
| 7 | Community Partners | Los Angeles, CA | $57.5M | 565 |
| 8 | Ford Philanthropy | Dearborn, MI | $41.6M | 207 |
| 9 | PepsiCo Foundation Inc | Purchase, NY | $37.6M | 57 |
| 10 | The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust | Boston, MA | $34.9M | 24 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Environment & Animals 36 · 68%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 3 · 6%
- International, Foreign Affairs & National Security 2 · 4%
- Human Services 2 · 4%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 1 · 2%
- Religion Related 1 · 2%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (52% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- California 34 · $278.7M
- New York 15 · $1.0B
- Washington 10 · $304.7M
- District of Columbia 10 · $30.3M
- Colorado 6 · $605K
- Pennsylvania 5 · $7.3M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing 68 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
Seattle Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
5,379
Total Given
$177.9M
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
Common Counsel Foundation
Oakland, CA
Assets
$67.5M
Grants
621
Total Given
$101.2M
Grantham Foundation for the Protection
Boston, MA
Assets
$613.2M
Grants
83
Total Given
$67.0M
Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
646
Total Given
$60.4M
Community Partners
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$85.9M
Grants
565
Total Given
$57.5M
Ford Philanthropy
Dearborn, MI
Assets
$221.0M
Grants
207
Total Given
$41.6M
PepsiCo Foundation Inc
Purchase, NY
Assets
$113.0M
Grants
57
Total Given
$37.6M
The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust
Boston, MA
Assets
$467.7M
Grants
24
Total Given
$34.9M
Hispanic Federation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$122.8M
Grants
437
Total Given
$28.2M
Mercury Foundation
Redwood City, CA
Assets
$249.5M
Grants
6
Total Given
$28.0M
Health Resources in Action Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$122.5M
Grants
195
Total Given
$26.2M
Clif Family Foundation
Saint Helena, CA
Assets
$570.8M
Grants
459
Total Given
$24.1M
National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
Washington, DC
Assets
$562.9M
Grants
209
Total Given
$22.2M
Liberty Hill Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$39.6M
Grants
750
Total Given
$21.4M
The Freeman Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$371.5M
Grants
95
Total Given
$20.4M
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$68.8M
Grants
42
Total Given
$19.3M
The Nathan Cummings Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$482.6M
Grants
281
Total Given
$16.6M
National Wildlife Federation
Reston, VA
Assets
$186.8M
Grants
142
Total Given
$16.2M
Equation Campaign and Global Climate Legal Defense
Novato, CA
Assets
$18.0M
Grants
79
Total Given
$11.2M
Movement Strategy Center
Oakland, CA
Assets
$36.4M
Grants
143
Total Given
$11.1M
Grousemont Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$240.5M
Grants
179
Total Given
$10.2M
Vital Strategies Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$114.3M
Grants
79
Total Given
$8.8M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
Which funders in this list give the most?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Ford Foundation ($844.7M across 4,007 grants), Seattle Foundation ($177.9M) and M J Murdock Charitable Trust ($116.6M). Together the top 10 account for 81% of the $1.9B given by the 68 grantmakers in this list that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $46K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $464K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in California (34), New York (15) and Washington (10). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.