Grantham Foundation for the Protection
The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 1997 by British investor Jeremy Grantham and his wife Hannelore. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated exclusively to addressing environmental protection and climate change through strategic grantmaking and advocacy.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$613.2M
-3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$67.0M
+9.2% YoY
Grant Count
83
-11.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$807K
+23.7% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to protect and improve the health of the global environment. The organization views climate change as "the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced" and frames environmental protection as a critical race against time.
The foundation supports work across several key areas:
- Climate science and policy research
- Environmental solutions and technology development
- Basic research to map environmental issues and identify solutions
- Public advocacy to drive structural economic and policy changes
The foundation emphasizes that humanity already possesses the knowledge and technology to build a sustainable society, including advances in solar power, wind power, battery technology, and electrification. However, the foundation believes the pace of implementation must accelerate significantly to avoid catastrophic climate outcomes.
Grantmaking
The foundation reviews proposals by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation cannot consider proposals with indirect costs exceeding 10%.
Grant Range
$10,000 to $3,700,000
Review Cycle
.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has an international focus with specific emphasis on:
- United States (particularly California, New York, and Massachusetts)
- Global environmental initiatives
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2023):
- Total assets: $637,818,928
- Total revenues: $39,985,210
- Total expenses: $92,405,194
- Annual giving: $61,346,003
Staffing: The foundation operates with 0 employees on staff.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $613,210,691 | $637,818,928 | $683,892,370 |
| Revenue | $64,885,941 | $39,985,210 | $190,782,543 |
| Expenses | $84,074,589 | $92,405,194 | $82,607,692 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $71,933,396 | $62,948,078 | $54,962,008 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,240,360 | — | $168,586,939 |
| Distributable Amount | $40,607,763 | $43,819,308 | $41,345,948 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Conservation International ($4,500,000), London School of Economics and Political Science ($3,250,948), Carbon Gap Ltd ($2,723,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 350ORG BROOKLYN, NY | ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION | $500,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY LLC GOLDEN, CO | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $150,000 |
| ALTASEADS SAN PEDRO, CA | MARINE SCIENE & POLICY RESEARCH | $340,000 |
| BETTER CLIMATE FUND WASHINGTON, DC | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $500,000 |
| CAMBRIDGE IN AMERICA NEW YORK, NY | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $504,633 |
| CARBON GAP LTD | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $2,723,000 |
| CARBON MAPPER PASADENA, CA | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $1,500,000 |
| CARBON REMOVAL FOUNDATION | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $1,130,000 |
| CARBON TRACKER INITIATIVE NEW YORK, NY | CLIMATE FINANCE | $500,000 |
| CASCADE CLIMATE SOMERVILLE, MA | CLIMATE SCIENCE & POLICY RESEARCH | $1,825,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ramsay Ravenel serves as Executive Director of the foundation.
Jeremy Grantham, the founder, committed in 2019 to devote 98 percent of his approximately $1 billion net worth to addressing climate change. The Granthams are signatories of The Giving Pledge.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEREMY GRANTHAM | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| HANNELORE GRANTHAM | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| OLIVER GRANTHAM | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| RUPERT GRANTHAM | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| ISABEL GRANTHAM RAPPOPORT | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| RAMSAY RAVENEL | PRESIDENT | 40 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 53 State Street, 33rd Floor Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-346-7500
Email: info@granthamfoundation.org
Website: www.granthamfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Grantham Foundation for the Protection fund?
The foundation's mission is to protect and improve the health of the global environment. The organization views climate change as "the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced" and frames environmental protection as a critical race against time. The foundation supports work across several key areas: • Climate science and policy research • Environmental solutions and technology development • Basic research to map environmental issues and identify solutions • Public advocacy to drive structural…
How do I apply for a grant from Grantham Foundation for the Protection?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $10,000 to $3,700,000 • Median grant size: $475,000 • Annual giving: Approximately $61-66 million • Number of awards: 94 grants in 2023 **Application Process:** The foundation reviews proposals by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation cannot consider proposals with indirect costs exceeding 10%. **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** Notable grants include: • Windward Fund: $3,675,000 for Climate Science & Policy Research
Where does Grantham Foundation for the Protection make grants?
The foundation has an international focus with specific emphasis on: • United States (particularly California, New York, and Massachusetts) • Global environmental initiatives
What size grants does Grantham Foundation for the Protection award?
In 2024, Grantham Foundation for the Protection awarded 83 grants totaling $67.0M — an average of about $807K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Grantham Foundation for the Protection required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Grantham Foundation for the Protection reported a distributable amount of $40.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
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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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