NRDC Action Fund Inc
NRDC Action Fund Inc is based in New York, New York, and is listed as a public charity on Form 990. The organization says it builds political support for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s policy goals, mobilizes the public, and works to elect environmental champions.
NRDC Action Fund Inc at a glance
In short: NRDC Action Fund Inc gave $6.3M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $262K), mostly in New York. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,285,299
- +80.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $261,887
- +65.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $45,000
- Total assets
- $11,466,906
- -33.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (14 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to NRDC Action Fund Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 40 West 20Th Street, New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 727-2700
Website: https://nrdcactionfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who NRDC Action Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was NRDC Action Votes ($3.6M). Together the top 10 received $6.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 107 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes federal advocacy and work in state capitals across the country. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (58%) and Washington, D.C. (31%), with smaller shares going to Illinois (3%), California (3%), and Minnesota (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is NRDC Action Fund Inc open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 24 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $49K; repeat grants $559K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $100K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $689K (2019) to $6.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $6.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NRDC Action Votes New York, NY | Environ. Advocacy | $3,560,000 |
| League of Conservation Voters Inc Washington, DC | Environ. Advocacy | $878,324 |
| Givegreen United Action Washington, DC | Environ. Advocacy | $750,000 |
| Development Now for Chicago Chicago, IL | Environ. Advocacy | $200,000 |
| Vote Save America Washington, DC | Environ. Advocacy | $127,500 |
| Bluegreen Alliance Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Environ. Advocacy | $110,000 |
| Multiplier San Francisco, CA | Environ. Advocacy | $100,000 |
| Natural Resources Defense Council New York, NY | Environ. Advocacy | $100,000 |
| Protect US Families Washington, DC | Environ. Advocacy | $80,000 |
| Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Environ. Advocacy | $55,000 |
Ready to take the next step with NRDC Action Fund Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,466,906 | $9,178,650 | $16,974,368 | $6,285,299 | 24 | $1,037,395 |
| 2024 | $17,342,029 | $15,307,998 | $13,958,047 | $3,475,250 | 22 | $544,977 |
| 2023 | $16,966,028 | $18,315,373 | $16,030,501 | $4,145,856 | 20 | $265,763 |
| 2022 | $14,034,850 | $15,532,584 | $18,429,971 | $1,736,648 | 21 | $12,363 |
| 2021 | $18,771,238 | $21,511,687 | $15,270,217 | $1,951,114 | 20 | $-47,819 |
| 2019 | $9,719,489 | $15,172,296 | $7,707,522 | $689,000 | 14 | $70,200 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is “to build political support for advancing the goals of the Natural Resources Defense Council.” Its 2025 filing describes lobbying and media campaigns on climate and energy policy; efforts to protect environmental laws, wildlife, and wildlands; and campaigns on transportation, public health, buildings, pesticides, lead pipes, and harmful chemicals. It also reports supporting candidates and voter engagement around environmental priorities.
Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the League of Conservation Voters says it works to advance environmental values in policy and elect pro-environmental candidates. Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania says it advocates for conservation policies and holds legislators accountable. The BlueGreen Alliance Foundation says it conducts research and public education on solutions to environmental challenges that create economic opportunities. Other recipients included organizations whose stated missions address sustainable production and a clean environment, public policy research, and broader social welfare.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NRDC Action Fund reported 24 grants totaling $6,285,299. Grant amounts ranged from $7,475 to $3,560,000, with a median of $45,000. The organization says it funds organizations whose environmental missions align with its own and expects grantees to provide periodic status reports. It also says grants to 527 political organizations were intended to support political activities advancing its environmental agenda.
The largest reported grants included $3,560,000 to NRDC Action Votes, $878,324 to the League of Conservation Voters, and $750,000 to GiveGreen United Action. Other grants included $200,000 to Development Now for Chicago, $110,000 to the BlueGreen Alliance Foundation, $100,000 each to Multiplier and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and $55,000 to Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Frances Beinecke as chair as of June 20, 2025, and a director. Listed directors also include Sigmund Anderman, Richard E. Ayres, Anne Bartley, Latosha Brown, Hamilton Candee, Jo Ann Kaplan, John Dawson, and Richard Graves. Christopher Arndt is listed as a director through June 2025.
NRDC Action Fund Inc is led by Manish Bapna, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; none of the 37 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Manish Bapna
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Curtis
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christina Goldfuss
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frances Beinecke
Chair & Director
Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2024
Vice Chair & Director → Chair & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anne Bartley
Director
Director → Chair & Director, 2024
Chair & Director → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Arndt
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denis Dison
Communications Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hamilton Candee
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Welch
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard E. Ayres
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sigmund Anderman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vernice Miller-Travis
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David C. Vladeck
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gerald Torres
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Meinke
Director of Development
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jo Ann Kaplan
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Raben
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Josh McNeil
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Sweeney
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Graves
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ana Mendez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arden Parker
Climate Leadership Collective Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Snell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Dawson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Latosha Brown
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Cassesso
Senior Director & Political Affairs
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Krista McManus
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell Bernard
Chief Counsel
Former COO → Interim President & Chief Counsel, 2021
Interim President & Chief Counsel → Chief Counsel, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Veronica Foo
CFO & Treasurer
CFO & Treasurer → Interim COO, CFO & Treasurer, 2022
Interim COO, CFO & Treasurer → CFO & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Gherlone
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Hector
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Bennett
Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward Yoon
Chief External Affairs Officer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Wilson-Palmer
Chief Communications Officer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mollie Marsh-Heine
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robyn Arville
Chief People Officer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz
Chief of Staff
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (30)
- Former: John H. Adams (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Patricia Bauman (2019–2024) — Chair & Director
- Former: Alexandra Shapiro (2022–2024) — Director of Pac & Candidate Svs
- Former: Eduardo Bhatia (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Cheri Beasley (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Emily Gray - Former (2024) — Associate Director & Major Gifts
- Former: Jacqueline Silvers (2024) — Climate Task Force Program Director
- Former: Emily Gray (2019–2023) — Associate Director & Major Gifts
- Former: Crystal Frierson (2021–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Jon Friedland (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Daniel Kim - Chief Operating (2023) — Officer
- Former: Daniel R. Tishman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Ira Ziering (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jill Soffer (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Gina McCarthy (2021–2022) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Jennifer Bernstein (2021–2022) — CDO & Interim COO
- Former: Daniel Kim (2022) — COO
- Former: Amanda Ng (2019–2021) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Eric Wepsic (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Joann Kaplan (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Rhea Suh (2019–2021) — Former President
- Former: Kayla Calkin (2021) — Federal Campaigns Director
- Former: Andrew Jackson (2019) — Chief Administrative Officer
- Former: Bob Epstein (2019) — Director
- Former: Edward James Olmos (2019) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Reynoso (2019) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Maripat Alpuche (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Michael Finnegan (2019) — Director
- Former: Steven Baginski (2019) — CFO, Treasurer & Finance Advisor
- Former: Wendy Abrams (2019) — Director
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 NRDC Action Fund Inc
How much does NRDC Action Fund Inc give each year?
NRDC Action Fund Inc gave $6.3M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.5M across 22 grants.
What is NRDC Action Fund Inc's typical grant size?
NRDC Action Fund Inc's median grant in 2025 was $45,000, and its average grant was $261,887, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from NRDC Action Fund Inc that year got $49K on average.
Where does NRDC Action Fund Inc give grants?
NRDC Action Fund Inc gives mostly in New York: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (31%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (8 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Philadelphia, PA (2 grants) and Sacramento, CA (2 grants).
Does NRDC Action Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on NRDC Action Fund Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environ. Advocacy" (24 grants).
Who are NRDC Action Fund Inc's largest grantees?
NRDC Action Fund Inc's largest 2025 grantees include NRDC Action Votes ($3,560,000), League of Conservation Voters Inc ($878,324) and Givegreen United Action ($750,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is NRDC Action Fund Inc?
NRDC Action Fund Inc reported $11.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.2M.
What does NRDC Action Fund Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is “to build political support for advancing the goals of the Natural Resources Defense Council.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from NRDC Action Fund Inc?
NRDC Action Fund Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check nrdcactionfund.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is NRDC Action Fund Inc's EIN?
NRDC Action Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3976062. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 18, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). NRDC Action Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/nrdc-action-fund-inc-morg_f4d4ecda988349c6937d9d100e96d5c4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133976062_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{NRDC Action Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/nrdc-action-fund-inc-morg_f4d4ecda988349c6937d9d100e96d5c4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 NRDC Action Fund Inc'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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