Arcus Foundation

Charity Number: CUSTOM_56549619

Annual Expenditure: £28.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $28 million USD (approximately ??22 million)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 2-6 months
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $1,500,000 USD (approximately ??20,000 - ??1,200,000)
  • Typical Grant: $100,000 - $150,000 USD (approximately ??79,000 - ??119,000)
  • Geographic Focus: International - 12 priority countries in Americas and Africa (Social Justice); 24 ape-range landscapes in 18 countries in Asia and Africa (Conservation)

Contact Details

  • Website: https://www.arcusfoundation.org
  • US Headquarters: 44 West 28th Street, New York, NY 10001, United States
  • UK Office: 95 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1AW
  • Phone: +1 (212) 488-3000
  • Email: Contact form available at arcusfoundation.org/contact
  • Technical Assistance: fluxxhelp@arcusfoundation.org (for grant portal support)

Overview

Founded in 2000 by Jon Stryker, heir to the Stryker Corporation medical supply fortune, the Arcus Foundation is an international charitable foundation with a dual mission: achieving social justice inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity and race, and ensuring conservation and respect of the great apes. With offices in New York City and Cambridge, UK, the foundation has total assets of $253 million and distributes approximately $28 million annually through 330 grants. Since inception, Stryker has contributed over $500 million to the foundation. As of 2012, Arcus was the largest LGBT activism funder in America. The foundation's philosophy is captured in the quote from leadership: “Conservation without social justice is neither ethical nor possible.” The name “Arcus” comes from the Latin “arcus pluvium” (rainbow), chosen by Stryker to reflect both LGBTQ symbolism and the architectural concept of an arc that “supports, shelters, and spans distances.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Social Justice Program (LGBTQ Rights)

  • Amount: $25,000 - $1,500,000 USD; majority between $100,000 - $150,000 per year
  • Application Method: Primarily invitation-only; occasional public calls (Requests for Concepts)
  • Focus: Supporting LGBTQ movements, policy protections, safety, acceptance and inclusion
  • Geographic Priority: 12 countries including Southern US states (Arizona, California Central Valley, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina), East and Southern Africa (Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda), and Caribbean/Central/South America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago)

Great Apes & Gibbons Program

  • Amount: Similar range; grants from small one-time contributions to multi-year investments
  • Application Method: Rolling basis via Initial Funding Concept (IFC) submission
  • Focus: Conservation and protection of great apes and gibbons, sustainable habitat management
  • Geographic Priority: 24 priority ape-range landscapes in 18 countries across Asia and Africa, plus captive ape work in US and Kenya
  • Current Strategy: 10-year plan to be reevaluated in 2026

Priority Areas

Social Justice Program:

  • Strong LGBTQ movements and community organizing
  • Increased safety for vulnerable LGBTQ community members (including trans migrants, asylum seekers)
  • Policy protections and advocacy against anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ legislation
  • Acceptance and inclusion initiatives
  • Support for LGBTQ communities of color and youth leadership
  • Voter engagement and grassroots organizing capacity building

Great Apes & Gibbons Program:

  • Habitat protection and conservation in priority landscapes
  • Community-based conservation approaches
  • Long-term care for rescued apes
  • Integration of conservation with economic development objectives

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Scholarships
  • Lobbying purposes
  • Political campaigns
  • Film production
  • Medical research
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Governance and Leadership

Founder and President: Jon Stryker - Architect, philanthropist, and social and environmental activist from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Stryker has described the foundation's dual focus areas as “bound by the common themes of compassion and justice.”

Co-Executive Directors: Annette Lanjouw and Jason McGill. According to Stryker, “Annette and Jason bring an impressive combination of strength and experience to the role they will share.”

Philosophy: Leadership has articulated that “Conservation without social justice is neither ethical nor possible” and noted that “Destruction of nature exposes us to a panoply of diseases, and creates and exacerbates social injustice and political repression around the world.”

The foundation's board and staff bring diverse experiences, perspectives, and expertise to social and environmental justice goals.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Social Justice Program:

  • Currently invitation-only; unsolicited applications are not accepted
  • Occasional public Requests for Concepts (RFC) announced via website, social media, and email distribution lists
  • Organizations may submit only one application per open call, either independently or in collaboration
  • All applicants must demonstrate impact in one or more of Arcus' 12 priority countries
  • US-based applicants must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status

Great Apes & Gibbons Program:

  1. Confirm eligibility
  2. Submit Initial Funding Concept (IFC)
  3. If invited, submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
  4. If invited, submit full proposal

Required for All Applicants:

  • Registered organizational entity with legal standing
  • Board-approved Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy that specifically includes and lists sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Compliance with all applicable federal and local EEO laws

Decision Timeline

  • Typical timeframe: 2-6 months from application to decision
  • Notifications provided through grant portal

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. In 2024, the foundation made 330 grants totaling $28 million.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available materials. Current and former grantees may respond to open calls when issued.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Alignment is Critical: All Social Justice applicants must demonstrate impact in one of the 12 priority countries. Conservation projects must align with priority ape-range landscapes.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

  • New York City Anti-Violence Project: research, training, advocacy for LGBTQ communities to live free from violence
  • Santa Fe Dreamers Project: protecting LGBTQ immigrants and asylum seekers in New Mexico
  • Movement Voter Fund: strengthening LGBTQ+ and BIPOC grassroots voter engagement
  • Equality Federation: nationwide coordination among state/national LGBTQ organizations responding to anti-trans policies
  • California Rural Legal Assistance: implementing Transgender Youth Privacy Act through judicial education
  • Ushiriki Consortium: network protecting apes and forest habitats in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Gibbon Conservation Society: Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
  • Greenpeace: three-year, $1 million grant protecting critical ape habitats in Congo Basin and Indonesia
  • Humane Society International: long-term care for 60+ chimpanzees at Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia

Key Terminology Used by Funder:

  • Social justice (not just human rights)
  • Inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Community-based conservation
  • Intersection of social and environmental justice
  • Movement building

Strategic Priorities:

  • Intersectional approach linking social justice and conservation
  • Community involvement and leadership
  • Multi-year partnerships preferred over one-off grants
  • Direct services combined with policy advocacy
  • Building organizational capacity

EEO Policy Non-Negotiable: The requirement for a board-approved EEO policy explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity is mandatory - ensure this is in place before applying.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model for Social Justice: Don't submit unsolicited applications; monitor website and join mailing list for public calls. Build relationships and visibility in priority geographic areas.
  • Geographic specificity matters: Clearly demonstrate how your work impacts one of the 12 Social Justice priority countries or falls within Conservation priority landscapes. Generic or broad geographic approaches unlikely to succeed.
  • EEO policy is mandatory: Have board-approved policy explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity before applying - this is a hard requirement.
  • Intersectional approach valued: Projects connecting social justice with environmental issues, or demonstrating intersectionality (race, gender identity, etc.) align with foundation philosophy.
  • Multi-year thinking: While one-time grants exist, majority of funding (??79,000-119,000 annually) suggests foundation prefers sustained partnerships.
  • Community-based leadership: Recent grants emphasize grassroots organizing, community involvement, and leadership from affected populations.
  • Be patient with timeline: Allow 2-6 months for decisions; plan accordingly and don't expect rapid turnaround.

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