Foundation for Human Conservation
Foundation for Human Conservation is a private foundation based in Port Ludlow, Washington. Its stated mission is to inspire and financially assist people and organizations working on America’s population challenges.
Foundation for Human Conservation at a glance
In short: Foundation for Human Conservation gave $9K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $712.5), mostly in Washington. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,550
- -23.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $713
- -36.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $750
- Total assets
- $28,083
- +29.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (6 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Foundation for Human Conservation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants may contact Willard J Van Ry in writing or by email. Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) and align with the mission.
- Contact
Application contact: Willard J Van Ry
Mailing address: 20-B Fairway Lane, Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Phone: (360) 745-5111
Website: https://www.humanconservation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Foundation for Human Conservation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Central Valley Animal Rescue ($2K). Together the top 10 received $8K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Port Ludlow, Washington. In 2025, 68% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, 12% to Oregon, 12% to Connecticut, 6% to Texas, and 2% to Virginia. Its listed grants also included $100 to a recipient in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Foundation for Human Conservation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 12 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $425; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $150 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 33% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 977% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2019) to $13K (2022). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $9K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central Valley Animal Rescue Quilene, WA | Support of Mission | $2,000 |
| Compassionate Choices Portland, OR | Support of Mission | $1,000 |
| Americares Stanford, CT | Support of Mission | $1,000 |
| Washington National Parks Seattle, WA | Support of Mission | $1,000 |
| Jefferson Emery Fire Dept Port Townsend, WA | Support of Mission | $1,000 |
| Habitat Port Townsend, WA | Support of Mission | $1,000 |
| Mercy Ships Garden Valley, TX | Support of Mission | $500 |
| Tri Area Food Bank Port Hadlock, WA | Support of Mission | $500 |
| Salvation Army Alexandra, VA | Support of Mission | $150 |
| Cascade PBS Seattle, WA | Support of Mission | $150 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,083 | $18,312 | $11,955 | $8,550 | 12 | $11,950 | $312 | $1,223 |
| 2024 | $21,726 | $17,349 | $12,232 | $11,200 | 10 | $12,229 | $349 | $939 |
| 2023 | $16,609 | $15,238 | $14,056 | $12,500 | 9 | $14,055 | $238 | $786 |
| 2022 | $15,427 | $13,062 | $14,168 | $12,850 | 11 | $14,168 | $62 | $786 |
| 2021 | $16,533 | $12,040 | $12,468 | $11,150 | 17 | $12,468 | $40 | $824 |
| 2020 | $16,961 | $8,911 | $7,647 | $6,550 | 13 | — | $11 | $804 |
| 2019 | $15,697 | $8,813 | $8,135 | $6,200 | 8 | — | $13 | $756 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Foundation for Human Conservation reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to inspire and financially assist individuals, scientists, researchers, organizations, and agencies striving to meet America’s population challenges. Its research agenda identifies ecological carrying capacity, infrastructure, economic prosperity, sustainability, global warming, and immigration as subjects for study.
In 2025, the foundation gave $100 to Wikimedia Foundation. Wikimedia describes its mission as enabling people to develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain and disseminate it globally. Other 2025 recipients included animal rescue, parks, food assistance, emergency services, health, and media organizations; their listed grant purpose was “support of mission.”
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 12 grants totaling $8,550. Grants ranged from $100 to $2,000, with a median of $750. Its largest listed grant was $2,000 to Central Valley Animal Rescue in Quilene, Washington. Other $1,000 grants went to Compassionate Choices, Americares, Washington National Parks, Jefferson Emery Fire Dept, and Habitat.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Willard J Van Ry as trustee.
Foundation for Human Conservation is led by Willard J. Van Ry, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Willard J. Van Ry
Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Human Conservation
How much does Foundation for Human Conservation give each year?
Foundation for Human Conservation gave $9K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $11K across 10 grants.
What is Foundation for Human Conservation's typical grant size?
Foundation for Human Conservation's median grant in 2025 was $750, and its average grant was $713, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Foundation for Human Conservation that year got $425 on average.
Where does Foundation for Human Conservation give grants?
Foundation for Human Conservation gives mostly in Washington: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Oregon (12%) and Connecticut (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (3 grants) and Port Townsend, WA (2 grants).
Does Foundation for Human Conservation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Foundation for Human Conservation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Mission" (12 grants).
Who are Foundation for Human Conservation's largest grantees?
Foundation for Human Conservation's largest 2025 grantees include Central Valley Animal Rescue ($2,000), Compassionate Choices ($1,000) and Americares ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation for Human Conservation?
Foundation for Human Conservation reported $28K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Foundation for Human Conservation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to inspire and financially assist individuals, scientists, researchers, organizations, and agencies striving to meet America’s population challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Human Conservation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Foundation for Human Conservation's EIN?
Foundation for Human Conservation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2532644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 31, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 18, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Figures come from Foundation for Human Conservation'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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