The Biomimicry Institute
The purposes of this corporation shall be to naturalize biomimicry in the culture by promoting the transfer of ideas, designs, and strategies from biology to sustainable human systems design. About biomimicry: efforts to address climate change, consumption, pollution, deforestation, and the myriad of other issues that threaten the planet have to date been primarily reactive and wholly insufficient. The strategies we relied on to provide food, water, energy, shelter and comfort to a growing population are now seen as compounding rather than solving the problems. Biomimicry is a new science that studies nature's best ideas, abstracts the deep design principles, and then emulates these designs and processes to solve human problems. The Biomimicry Institute is the foremost authority and all around go-to place for biomimicry information, through its four main programs: biomimicry design challenges & education programs, innovation program, systems change program, and asknature.
The Biomimicry Institute at a glance
In short: The Biomimicry Institute gave $106K across 2 grants in 2024 (avg $53K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $106,489
- -50.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 2
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $53,245
- -50.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $53,245
- Total assets
- $2,450,360
- +11.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Maryland (63% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who The Biomimicry Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The OR Foundation ($67K). Together the top 2 received $106K.
Grant Size Distribution
6 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4 grants of 6 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Biomimicry Institute gives
- Giving grew 311% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $26K (2021) to $217K (2023). In 2024 it made 2 grants totaling $106K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The OR Foundation Cambridge, MD | Grant for their partnership on design for transformation project and their work leading the accra, ghana pilot project. | $67,189 |
| Yale University School of the Environment New Haven, CT | Gift for the school of enviroment, specifically the yale center for green chemistry and green engineering to support research and testing to assess environmental degradability of chemical compounds. | $39,300 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,450,360 | $3,948,697 | $3,249,497 | $106,489 | 2 | $39,313 |
| 2023 | $2,203,288 | $3,215,008 | $3,154,314 | $216,733 | 2 | $35,850 |
| 2022 | $2,118,943 | $2,688,978 | $2,546,403 | $81,280 | Total only | $6,239 |
| 2021 | $1,924,122 | $2,006,526 | $2,193,118 | $25,898 | 2 | $4,419 |
| 2020 | $2,169,536 | $1,988,906 | $1,681,417 | $40,499 | Total only | $8,168 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About The Biomimicry Institute
Based on IRS filings
The Biomimicry Institute is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in Bozeman, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 2 grants totaling $106K. Net investment income was $39K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Biomimicry Institute is led by Amanda Sturgeon, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2023; 5 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amanda Sturgeon
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$26K (2023) → $218K (2024)
Kent Snyder
President
Treasurer → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beth Rattner
Director Systems Change & Former
Executive Director → Director Systems Change & Former, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $103K (2024)
Megan Dwyer
Asknature Brand Marketing Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$101K (2022) → $112K (2024)
Angela Nahikian
Board of Director
Vice President → President, 2022
President → Board of Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Bunch
Board of Director
Secretary → Board of Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Evelyn Arce Erickson
Board of Director
Board of Director → Director, 2023
Director → Board of Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Kinzer
Board of Director
Director → Board of Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Painter
Board of Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Howley
Asknature Chief Editor
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$102K (2021) → $104K (2024)
Miranda Berger
Head of Developemnt & Communications
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$103K (2024)
Erin Rovalo
Treasurer
Board of Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Davidge
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Billy Almon (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Lauren Birney (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Lisa Gautier (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Daniela Pigosso (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Dimitri Deheyn (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Janine Benyus (2020) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Kamal El-Wattar (2020) — Board of Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $218K, to Amanda Sturgeon (Chief Executive Officer). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Biomimicry Institute
How much does The Biomimicry Institute give each year?
The Biomimicry Institute gave $106K across 2 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $217K across 2 grants.
How large is The Biomimicry Institute?
The Biomimicry Institute reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.9M.
What is The Biomimicry Institute?
The Biomimicry Institute is a public charity focused on Science & Technology, based in Bozeman, MT. It holds $2.5M in total assets as of 2024.
Where does The Biomimicry Institute operate?
The Biomimicry Institute has awarded grants in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland.
What is The Biomimicry Institute's EIN?
The Biomimicry Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-1153859. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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