Sustainable Markets Foundation
Sustainable Markets Foundation is a public charity based in New York, NY. Formed in 2001, it supports work related to environmental protection, energy efficiency, consumer protection, health and safety, and good government, including programs in clean energy and just transition, pollution prevention, and environmental conservation.
Sustainable Markets Foundation at a glance
In short: Sustainable Markets Foundation gave $11.5M across 48 grants in 2025 (avg $240K), top state Delaware. 65% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,543,302
- -12.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- -9.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $240,485
- -3.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $58,500
- Total assets
- $59,103,600
- +15.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 65% first-time grantees (31 of 48, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Delaware (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sustainable Markets Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The earlier profile states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and identifies recipients through a strategic selection process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 40 West 37Th St Ste 1000, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 764-0521
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sustainable Markets Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fossil Free Media ($4.0M). Together the top 10 received $9.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
303 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 170 grants of 303 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Delaware (39%), New York (18%), Illinois (9%), Washington (9%), and the District of Columbia (7%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sustainable Markets Foundation open to new grantees?
65%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 31 of 48 grantees (65%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $267K; repeat grants $192K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $60K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $5.4M (2021) to $13.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 48 grants totaling $11.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil Free Media Dover, DE | Clean Energy And Just Transition | $4,000,000 |
| Soc Prot Underground NTWKS Chicago, IL | Environmental Conservation | $1,024,379 |
| 350Seattle Seattle, WA | Environmental Conservation | $900,000 |
| Ctr for Law and Human Values Ossining, NY | Journalism And Civics | $600,000 |
| Rockefeller Phil Adv New York, NY | Clean Energy And Just Transition | $500,000 |
| Reloop Amer Research Inst Wilmington, DE | Environmental Conservation | $440,000 |
| Third Act Education Fund Nassau, NY | Env. Conserv. & Pollution Prev. | $401,500 |
| Center for Biological Diversi Tucson, AZ | Clean Energy And Just Transition | $400,000 |
| IIFDS Batani Yarmouth, ME | Human Rights | $356,666 |
| Food and Water Watch Washington, DC | Pollution Prevention | $335,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,103,600 | $47,524,141 | $41,302,876 | $11,543,302 | 48 | $4,218,216 |
| 2024 | $51,207,046 | $47,993,848 | $41,478,897 | $13,230,207 | 53 | $2,340,075 |
| 2023 | $44,167,374 | $39,210,071 | $30,565,908 | $7,182,435 | 86 | $1,139,145 |
| 2022 | $34,451,318 | $42,011,341 | $25,863,297 | $5,503,840 | 77 | $-1,096,212 |
| 2021 | $17,976,931 | $19,381,628 | $18,319,398 | $5,430,998 | 39 | $77,447 |
| 2020 | $17,113,701 | $23,478,528 | $17,312,676 | $5,440,312 | 52 | $144,329 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its mission is to promote environmental protection, energy efficiency, consumer protection, health and safety, and good government. Its programs include public education about a safe and healthy energy sector and equitable transitions that protect workers, communities, and economies; research and education on pollution prevention; and research and education on environmental protection, natural-resource conservation, recycling, and clean air, water, and ecosystems.
Its 2025 grants included support for organizations working on climate justice, species protection, food and water safety, consumer and public-interest issues, and civic participation. For example, 350 Seattle describes its work as organizing for climate justice and systems change, while the Center for Biological Diversity describes its mission as securing a future for species through science, law, and creative media. Food & Water Watch describes its work as research and public education on safe, accessible, sustainably produced food and water.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 48 grants totaling $11,543,302. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $4,000,000, with a median of $58,500. Among the largest grants were $4,000,000 to Fossil Free Media for clean energy and just transition; $1,024,379 to SOC PROT UNDERGROUND NTWKS for environmental conservation; $900,000 to 350Seattle for environmental conservation; and $600,000 to Ctr for Law and Human Values for journalism and civics. Other notable awards included $500,000 to Rockefeller Phil Adv for clean energy and just transition and $400,000 to the Center for Biological Diversity for clean energy and just transition.
Grant recipients must sign an agreement affirming that funds will be used for the described program and charitable purposes. The foundation requires a final narrative and financial report and supplements its oversight with regular meetings and site visits.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Hitchcock as President; Stephen Kleinberg as Secretary and Treasurer; John Richard as Vice President; and Jay R. Halfon as Director and General Counsel.
Sustainable Markets Foundation is led by Elizabeth Hitchcock, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Hitchcock
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Richard
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
STEPHEN KLEINBERG Secretary
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
JAY R HALFON Director
General Counsel
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: JAY R HALFON dir gen Couns (2023–2024) — CEO
- Former: Stephen Kleinberg (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Jay R. Halfon (2020–2022) — Director & General
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.
Frequently asked questions about Sustainable Markets Foundation
How much does Sustainable Markets Foundation give each year?
Sustainable Markets Foundation gave $11.5M across 48 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $13.2M across 53 grants.
What is Sustainable Markets Foundation's typical grant size?
Sustainable Markets Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $58,500, and its average grant was $240,485, across 48 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sustainable Markets Foundation that year got $267K on average.
Where does Sustainable Markets Foundation give grants?
Sustainable Markets Foundation's top state is Delaware, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (18%) and Illinois (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Brooklyn, NY (3 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does Sustainable Markets Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on Sustainable Markets Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Clean Energy And Just Transition" (18 grants), "Environmental Conservation" (17 grants) and "Journalism And Civics" (5 grants).
Who are Sustainable Markets Foundation's largest grantees?
Sustainable Markets Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fossil Free Media ($4,000,000), Soc Prot Underground NTWKS ($1,024,379) and 350Seattle ($900,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sustainable Markets Foundation?
Sustainable Markets Foundation reported $59.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $47.5M.
What does Sustainable Markets Foundation fund?
The organization states that its mission is to promote environmental protection, energy efficiency, consumer protection, health and safety, and good government. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sustainable Markets Foundation?
The earlier profile states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and identifies recipients through a strategic selection process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sustainable Markets Foundation's EIN?
Sustainable Markets Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4188834. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sustainable Markets Foundation 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 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Sustainable Markets Foundation funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sustainable Markets Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sustainable Markets Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sustainable-markets-foundation-morg_0157b295adaa496d899d48150042322e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134188834_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sustainable Markets Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sustainable-markets-foundation-morg_0157b295adaa496d899d48150042322e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Sustainable Markets 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.
Sustainable Markets Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?