Windward Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, founded in 2015. The organization operates as a comprehensive fiscal sponsorship platform and grantmaking vehicle for environmentally focused projects. Windward Fund enables grassroots activists and environmental experts to advance their work by providing fiscal sponsorship services, strategic support, and a collaborative platform for donors and environmental initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$432.7M
+21.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$137.7M
+23.7% YoY
Grant Count
458
+55.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$301K
-20.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Windward Fund seeks to build a more impactful environmental movement by connecting people across diverse geographies, sectors, and communities, enabling them to share expertise and resources, and providing a vehicle for effective, community-based, grassroots grantmaking that elevates the voices of those most impacted by environmental degradation.
The organization's primary program areas include:
Environmental Programs: Conservation, climate, and energy issues in the U.S. and abroad, including water solutions in the American West, climate resilience, alternative energy sources, reduction of deforestation, and conservation planning. Work includes convening, grantmaking, communications, coordination among stakeholders, civic and media engagement, and public awareness campaigns.
Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness and Relief: Assisting public agencies on disaster response, improving risk mitigation measures, and developing advanced safety solutions.
Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition: Supporting community food production and strengthening regional food systems by increasing access to information, services, and resources for food producers.
Grantmaking
Windward Fund distributes grants across its environmental and related initiatives. Recent grantmaking activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Windward Fund's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, District of Columbia, and Texas, with additional work in the U.S. and abroad.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $432,729,235
- Total Revenue: $308,245,754
- Total Expenses: $251,319,552
- Total Liabilities: $113,000,000
- Net Income: $311,200,000
Historical Revenue Trend:
- 2023: $212,400,000
- 2022: $198,100,000
- 2021: $274,300,000
- 2020: $158,600,000
Efficiency Metrics:
- Compensation as percentage of expenses: 0.1%
- Employees earning over $100K: 62
Rating: Windward Fund holds a Four-Star rating (94%) based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $432,729,235 | $355,450,224 | $337,278,177 |
| Revenue | $308,245,754 | $212,371,954 | $198,128,051 |
| Expenses | $251,319,552 | $211,847,409 | $203,032,217 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $10,802,148 | $9,541,695 | $2,573,769 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Board Chair and President: Lee Bodner
The organization employs 181 staff members as of 2024, with a workforce breakdown including operations, administrative, finance, and general management functions.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE BODNER | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
| HARRY DRUCKER | SECRETARY & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| BRUCE BOYD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAVID FUKUZAWA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAT GONZALES ROGERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KRISTEN GRIMM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JASMINE HALL RATLIFF | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RACHEL LEON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYNN MCNAIR | PRESIDENT | 40 | $240,597 |
| SARAH SMITH | PROJECT PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $296,200 |
| JAMES WALKER | PROJECT CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $280,165 |
| SARAH LAKE | PROJECT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $258,938 |
| MELANIE ALLEN | PROJECT CO-DIRECTOR | 40 | $253,826 |
| ERIN ROGERS | PROJECT CO-DIRECTOR | 40 | $257,026 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Windward Fund announced the **Environmental Justice Data Fund**, a recent grantmaking initiative focused on environmental justice issues. The organization continues to expand its fiscal sponsorship services and collaborative grantmaking platform for environmental organizations and initiatives.
Request for Proposals: Environmental Justice Data Fund (United ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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