To sustain life on the planet, people must value and understand that they are a part of the environment, and that their actions make a difference. Accordingly, the Foundation makes grants to efforts that instill an ecological ethic in the individual and in our communities, andwhich encourage grassroots environmental action based on such an ethic.
FOCUS
Our geographic focus is Northern California, although rarely grants have been made to organizations west of the Rocky Mountains or in the Pacific Northwest. We fund only 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. We emphasize grants for eco-spirituality, grassroots action, environmental eduation, capacity building, citizen participation, collaborative efforts, innovative programs, land acquisition, planning and training. We will provide support for general purposes, pilot projects, and equipment and seed money for a start up. Grant awards range from $1,000 to $5,000; in the past few years, the average grant has been about $1,500. The total grant allocation may vary from grant cycle to grant cycle.
We do not fund conferences, expeditions, lobbying, debt retirement, emergency grants, endowments, fellowships, professorships, scholarships, art projects, program-related investments, nor do we make multi-year grants. We usually do not fund botanical gardens, individuals, public agencies, research institutions, zoos or aquariums.
GRANT PROCESS
The Foundation has two grant cycles each year. To be considered by the first cycle, applications must be received by March 15. To be considered for the second cycle, applications must be received by September 15. Grant awards will be made approximately six weeks after these submittal dates.
The process of deciding which proposals get funded takes place at a meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board as a whole reviews all proposals and determines which grants will receive the funding and the amount of the grants. If your proposal is to be funded, we will notify you by mail, and send a Grant Letter and Agreement for your signature. After we receive signed copies of hte Letter and Agreement, your check will be sent. We will ask you to verify receipt of the check by returning the lower portion of the letter accompanying the check. As a condition of hte grant, you will be asked to provide an End-of-Grant Report to the Foundation at the end of the funding period, usually one year. This report is reviewed by the Board.
