Butler Parklands

Private foundation · EIN 04-3032409 · since 1989butlerparklands.org·North America, South America·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $700k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$5,000

Typical grant (median)

20 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Butler Parklands says it does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so an organisation that has not been invited should not send it a request.
If your work fits, its stated focus is parks and trails, outdoor recreation and land conservation, with priority given to North America and South America, and its recorded grants have chiefly gone to conservation groups, land trusts and conservancies.
Its typical grants fall mostly between $1,000 and $700,000, and half of its 52 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less, so a small request matches most of its usual giving, although its largest grant was about $2,800,000 to Cobscook Shores.
In its most recent filing, 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so existing relationships appear to matter a great deal, and any approach should aim to lead to an invitation rather than a cold request.

Overview

Butler Parklands is a US private foundation based in Great Neck, NY.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

Butler Parklands is primarily a park-building entity, focused on building and operating parks in North and South America. It invests in large parks with world-class trails, facilities and programmes, working in partnership with local organisations to preserve landscapes and support outdoor recreation, public well-being and environmental awareness. Its parks combine conservation with public access, active recreation and education, and are open to visitors of all abilities and skill levels. The organisation's recorded grants have chiefly supported environmental work through conservation groups, land trusts and conservancies. It does not accept unsolicited grant requests or proposals.

Themes

Parks and trails
Outdoor recreation
Land conservation

Geographic Focus

Priority: North America; South America.

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 52 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York94%

Maine<1%

Texas<1%

Massachusetts<1%

South Carolina<1%

Florida<1%

1 other state: <1%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 4%

The largest single recipient received 68% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to organisations Butler Parklands had funded in earlier filings.
4% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Argentina).
93% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

20 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $5,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 20 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k5%

$1k–$2.5k20%

$2.5k–$5k10%

$5k–$10k25%

$10k–$25k20%

$25k–$50k5%

$50k–$100k0%

$100k–$250k5%

$250k–$500k0%

$500k–$1M5%

$1M and over5%

Median $5,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Cobscook Shores · Environmental
$1,673,9412024 tax year
Penobscot River Trails · Environmental
$777,6022024 tax year
Banco Des Bosques · Environmental
$170,0002024 tax year
Natural Resources Defense Council · Environmental
$25,0002024 tax year
Connecticut River Conservancy · Environmental
$20,0002024 tax year
Mid-Coast Conservancy · Environmental
$15,0002024 tax year
Maine Coast Heritage Trust · Environmental
$10,0002024 tax year
Open Space Institute Land Trust · Environmental
$10,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Joseph Mancari- Elected 42624 — Treasurer
Robert Charles Howe — Director Of Parklands
Lauren Simpson — Secretary / Clerk
R Bradford Malt- Resigned 1524 — Director
Carl Carlson — Director
Ildiko Butler — Director
Kristine Tompkins — Director Emerita
Dana Beach — Director
Anthony P Grassi — Chairman / Director
Gilbert Butler — President / CFO / Director
Kim Elliman- Elected 61424 — Director Emeritus
Thomas Phillips- Elected 61424 — Director
Jennifer Mcgovern — Controller

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$8,310,327	$2,935,820	$83,066,592	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$9,860,228	$3,902,290	$90,633,990	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$7,279,710	$2,739,223	$111,585,516	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.