Harder Foundation
The Harder Foundation is a private foundation based in Naples, Florida. It describes its work as long-term, relationship-based grantmaking to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem health in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, with a focus on public forests and lands, rivers and watersheds, and nearshore marine ecosystems and estuaries.
Harder Foundation at a glance
In short: Harder Foundation gave $1.6M across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), top state Washington. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,600,000
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $36,364
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $32,500
- Total assets
- $38,945,396
- +7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (5 of 44, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Harder Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website describes an invitation-based process: invited organizations submit proposals, which are reviewed and approved within scheduled grant cycles. The published calendar lists proposal deadlines of June 20 and October 10 for 2025 cycles.
- Review Cycle
- June 20 and October 10, 2025, for the cycles listed on the foundation’s website.
- Deadline
- June 20 and October 10, 2025, for the cycles listed on the foundation’s website.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5051 Castello Drive 11, Naples, FL 34103-8983
Phone: (239) 649-0565
Website: https://theharderfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Harder Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Washington Conservation Action Ed Fund ($123K). Together the top 10 received $618K.
Grant Size Distribution
221 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 180 grants of 221 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its core geography is the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. Its priorities include salmon habitat in the Pacific Northwest, grizzly bear conservation in the Northern Rockies, and protections for state and federal public lands. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Washington (30%), Montana (25%), Oregon (15%), Alaska (9%), and California (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Harder Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 44 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Conservation Action Ed Fund Seattle, WA | General Support | $122,500 |
| Columbia Riverkeeper Hood River, OR | General Support | $60,000 |
| Idaho Conservation League Boise, ID | General Support | $60,000 |
| Montana Wilderness Association DBA Wild Montana Helena, MT | Project Support | $60,000 |
| Wild Salmon Center Portland, OR | Project Support | $60,000 |
| People and Carnivores Bozeman, MT | Project Support | $55,000 |
| Earthjustice San Fransisco, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Futurewise Seattle, WA | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Heart of the Rockies Missoula, MT | Project Support | $50,000 |
| Endangered Speicies Coalition Wahington, DC | Operating Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Harder Foundation?
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 | $38,945,396 | $5,166,339 | $2,494,858 | $1,600,000 | 44 | $2,243,157 | $4,878,761 | $2,161,188 |
| 2024 | $36,218,054 | $4,342,495 | $2,371,900 | $1,500,000 | 43 | $2,061,524 | $3,972,874 | $2,067,277 |
| 2023 | $34,231,321 | $1,651,678 | $2,211,989 | $1,500,000 | 44 | $2,008,150 | $1,367,840 | $1,910,635 |
| 2022 | $34,791,627 | $1,484,392 | $2,268,101 | $1,500,000 | 46 | $2,034,343 | $1,170,634 | $1,948,957 |
| 2021 | $35,397,412 | $3,583,956 | $2,197,161 | $1,500,000 | 44 | $2,000,082 | $3,311,878 | $2,175,421 |
| 2020 | $33,739,323 | $1,199,255 | $1,976,621 | $1,250,000 | 41 | — | $927,183 | $1,836,283 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harder Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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 stated mission is “Preserving biodiversity and ecosystem health in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies.” Its current priorities include protecting and restoring salmon habitat from headwaters to tidewaters, protecting and connecting grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies, and strengthening protections for state and federal public lands. Its grantmaking approach emphasizes strategic and collaborative funding and identifiable biodiversity-protection outcomes.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the work: Columbia Riverkeeper says its mission is to protect and restore the Columbia River’s water quality and the people, fish, and wildlife connected to it. Wild Salmon Center says it works to conserve wild salmon ecosystems across the Pacific Rim. People and Carnivores says it works with regional communities to protect and reconnect Northern Rockies carnivores and prevent human-carnivore conflicts. Other 2025 grantees describe work in conservation policy, environmental law, land use, and protection of Alaska’s lands and waters.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $1,600,000 through 44 grants. Awards ranged from $7,500 to $122,500, with a median grant of $32,500. Its 2024 and 2023 grant totals were each $1,500,000, through 43 and 44 grants, respectively.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $122,500 to Washington Conservation Action Ed Fund; $60,000 each to Columbia Riverkeeper, Idaho Conservation League, Montana Wilderness Association dba Wild Montana, and Wild Salmon Center; and $55,000 to People and Carnivores. The foundation’s filing identifies the purposes as general support, project support, or operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John S Driggers as president, Robert L Langbauer as vice president-treasurer, Jay A Herbst as secretary, and Del Langbauer and Betsy Buffington as trustees.
Harder Foundation is led by John S. Driggers, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John S. Driggers
President
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $123K (2025)
Del Langbauer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betsy Buffington
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Robert L. Langbauer
Vp-Treasurer
On filings since 2020
$77K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Jay A. Herbst
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: William H. Langbauer (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $123K, to John S Driggers (President).
Frequently asked questions about Harder Foundation
How much does Harder Foundation give each year?
Harder Foundation gave $1.6M across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 43 grants.
What is Harder Foundation's typical grant size?
Harder Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $32,500, and its average grant was $36,364, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Harder Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does Harder Foundation give grants?
Harder Foundation's top state is Washington, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Montana (25%) and Oregon (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (4 grants), Anchorage, AK (4 grants), Bozeman, MT (3 grants) and Portland, OR (2 grants).
Does Harder Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of Harder Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project Support" (17 grants).
Who are Harder Foundation's largest grantees?
Harder Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Washington Conservation Action Ed Fund ($122,500), Columbia Riverkeeper ($60,000) and Idaho Conservation League ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Harder Foundation?
Harder Foundation reported $38.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Harder Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “Preserving biodiversity and ecosystem health in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Harder Foundation?
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 Harder Foundation's EIN?
Harder Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6048242. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Harder Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Harder Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Harder Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/harder-foundation-morg_685d36b530564db29314434be4f25d6b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_386048242_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Harder Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/harder-foundation-morg_685d36b530564db29314434be4f25d6b},
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 Harder Foundation'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.
Harder Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?