Foundations Catalyzing Ocean + Blue Carbon Solutions: July 2021

The Tiffany & Co Foundation tends to fund established organizations. Having said that, if you are working on an innovative way to save coral reefs or have expertise in dealing with toxic mining waste, you may be able to get their attention since these two areas are of specific interest to them.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is very involved in making sure fishing and marine aquaculture are sustainable. It may be easier to approach them through one of their grantees, such as the Conservation International Foundation.

THe Pisces Foundation focuses on water policy, clean water for all, and community water science projects. One of their grantees, Alliance For The Great Lakes protects the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. They look for community solutions to problems.

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The Gaia Fund supports organizations like CalCAN and California Foodshed Funders. Though there's a definite California focus to their grantmaking, they have also given grants to national nonprofits such as the Bionutrient Food Association ($150,000), the National Young Farmer's Coalition ($60,000), and the Rodale Institute ($50,000). You will not need to educate them on regenerative agriculture — only why your project delivers systems-level impact.

Though the check sizes are smaller, the Ira and Robert Gordon Foundation has made strategic and timely gifts to further soil science as it relates to climate and sustainable agriculture. By betting on new solutions and nascent research, their small grants have led to federal funding, partnerships, and collaborations that would not have been possible otherwise. See my interview with Roberta Gordon here.

Though I had not heard of the Woka Foundation before embarking on this research, I was pleasantly surprised to see their list of grantees. They fund Mad Ag, a pioneer in regenerative ag, the International Biochar Initiative, as well as GreenWave, a promising ocean farming solution. They are open to considering projects that are high impact but lacking funder attention. They like a local element as well as a track record of success.

RAF was created with initial funding from the 11th Hour Project of the Schmidt Family Foundation. Other funding partners include the Cedar Tree Foundation, TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation, Globetrotter Fund, and Armonia LLC. They fund systems-level changemakers such as Fibershed. The Regenerative Agriculture Foundation has an invitation-only process for grantmaking. But they do allow you to submit your idea via a form on their website.

The Lawson Valentine Foundation supports advocacy, organizing policies, and leadership development. It funds food systems such as local sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, or workers’ rights in environmental justice. For example, the Carrot Project supports agricultural businesses, securing their futures by breaking down financial barriers. If you have a Northeast US focus, you may have a better chance of getting funded.