Grantham Foundation for the Protection
The Grantham Foundation for the Protection is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports environmental work, including climate research and technology development, and makes grants to organizations engaged in climate research and advocacy.
Grantham Foundation for the Protection at a glance
In short: Grantham Foundation for the Protection gave $67.0M across 83 grants in 2024 (avg $807K), top state District of Columbia. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,961,311
- +9.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- -11.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $806,763
- +23.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500,000
- Total assets
- $613,210,691
- -3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (23 of 83, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (12% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Grantham Foundation for the Protection
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It reviews proposals by invitation only and cannot consider proposals with indirect costs above 10%.
- Contact
Mailing address: 53 State Street Flr 33, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 346-7500
Website: https://granthamfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Grantham Foundation for the Protection funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Conservation International ($4.5M). Together the top 10 received $30.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
374 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 83 grants of 374 (22%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing’s reported grant-dollar shares include 12% to recipients in Washington, DC, 12% in New York, 11% in Massachusetts, and 8% in California. The 2024 grants also include recipients in Virginia and several recipients whose locations are not specified in the filing data provided.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 83 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Grantham Foundation for the Protection open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 23 of 83 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $404K; repeat grants $961K. How we count
Medians: $165K first-time, $502K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 91% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 177% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $29.9M (2020) to $67.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 83 grants totaling $67.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation International Arlington, VA | Natural Resource Conservation and Protection | $4,500,000 |
| Stichting Foundation for International Law for the Environment | Natural Resource Conservation and Protection | $4,100,000 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | Support for the Grantham Institute | $3,250,948 |
| Stichting SED Fund | Climate Education | $3,000,000 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | Climate Science & Policy Research | $2,750,000 |
| Carbon Gap Ltd | Climate Science & Policy Research | $2,723,000 |
| Meliore FUP | Climate Communications | $2,500,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | Climate Science & Policy Research | $2,500,000 |
| Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine | Support for the Grantham Institute | $2,458,300 |
| Project Innerspace Marshfield, MA | Climate Science & Policy Research | $2,400,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $613,210,691 | $64,885,941 | $84,074,589 | $66,961,311 | 83 | $71,933,396 | $13,240,360 | $40,607,763 |
| 2023 | $637,818,928 | $39,985,210 | $92,405,194 | $61,325,572 | 94 | $62,948,078 | — | $43,819,308 |
| 2022 | $683,892,370 | $190,782,543 | $82,607,692 | $54,586,116 | 78 | $54,962,008 | $168,586,939 | $41,345,948 |
| 2021 | $585,096,833 | $210,457,800 | $48,703,252 | $35,108,973 | 60 | $35,220,762 | $155,444,137 | $47,318,765 |
| 2020 | $416,698,466 | $32,951,540 | $40,333,780 | $29,914,304 | 59 | — | $10,782,851 | $35,921,493 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Grantham Foundation for the Protection reported a distributable amount of $40.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website says that communicating the risks of climate change and environmental degradation, and the urgency of addressing them, is a top priority. It also says that environmental advocacy and applied research into climate solutions rely mainly on philanthropic and governmental funding, and that it makes grants to journalists, NGOs, and scientists to support advocacy and research.
The foundation’s listed grant areas include clean firm energy, agriculture, toxicity, and carbon removal. Its website describes support for long-duration energy storage, grid transmission, geothermal energy and geologic hydrogen; regenerative agriculture and interventions to reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint; work addressing pesticides and plastic petrochemicals; and scalable carbon dioxide removal.
Grantees’ own stated missions illustrate the kinds of organizations it supports. The Windward Fund says it advances public awareness about conservation, climate and environmental issues, sustainable food systems, and protection of natural resources. New Venture Fund says it provides fiscal sponsorship and aims to direct philanthropic capital toward a just, equitable, and sustainable future. Cascade Climate says it works to accelerate interventions that harness Earth’s natural systems to stabilize the climate. ClimateWorks Foundation says it connects philanthropy, grantees, and strategic partners to deliver climate solutions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 83 grants totaling $66,961,311. Grants ranged from $11,000 to $4,500,000, with a median of $500,000. Examples include Conservation International ($4,500,000) for natural resource conservation and protection; Stichting Foundation for International Law for the Environment ($4,100,000) for natural resource conservation and protection; the London School of Economics and Political Science ($3,250,948) for support for the Grantham Institute; and Project InnerSpace ($2,400,000) for climate science and policy research. Other 2024 grantees included Windward Fund ($2,750,000), Carbon Gap Ltd ($2,723,000), and New Venture Fund ($2,500,000).
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says proposals are reviewed by invitation only and that it cannot consider proposals with indirect costs above 10%.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeremy Grantham, Hannelore Grantham, Oliver Grantham, Rupert Grantham, and Isabel Grantham Rappoport as trustees, and Ramsay Ravenel as president. The foundation’s website says its five trustees are members of the Grantham family.
Grantham Foundation for the Protection is led by Ramsay Ravenel, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ramsay Ravenel
President
Executive Director → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hannelore Grantham
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Isabel Grantham Rappoport
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Grantham
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Oliver Grantham
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rupert Grantham
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Grantham Foundation for the Protection
How much does Grantham Foundation for the Protection give each year?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection gave $67.0M across 83 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $61.3M across 94 grants.
What is Grantham Foundation for the Protection's typical grant size?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection's median grant in 2024 was $500,000, and its average grant was $806,763, across 83 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Grantham Foundation for the Protection that year got $404K on average.
Where does Grantham Foundation for the Protection give grants?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection's top state is District of Columbia, with 12% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (12%) and Massachusetts (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (10 grants), New York, NY (9 grants), Boston, MA (4 grants) and Cambridge, MA (3 grants).
Does Grantham Foundation for the Protection give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 83 grants with a stated purpose on Grantham Foundation for the Protection's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Climate Science & Policy Research" (42 grants), "Food and Agriculture Research" (14 grants) and "Natural Resource Conservation and Protection" (6 grants).
Who are Grantham Foundation for the Protection's largest grantees?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection's largest 2024 grantees include Conservation International ($4,500,000), Stichting Foundation for International Law for the Environment ($4,100,000) and London School of Economics and Political Science ($3,250,948), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Grantham Foundation for the Protection?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection reported $613.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $71.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $40.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Grantham Foundation for the Protection fund?
The foundation’s website says that communicating the risks of climate change and environmental degradation, and the urgency of addressing them, is a top priority. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Grantham Foundation for the Protection?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Grantham Foundation for the Protection's EIN?
Grantham Foundation for the Protection's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6856456. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Grantham Foundation for the Protection accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Grantham Foundation for the Protection funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/grantham-foundation-for-the-protection-morg_20b322d190934874bcb9c08c84c287a4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046856456_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Grantham Foundation for the Protection funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/grantham-foundation-for-the-protection-morg_20b322d190934874bcb9c08c84c287a4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Grantham Foundation for the Protection'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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