Towards Sustainability Foundation

• The foundation funds only 501(c)(3) public charities whose work promotes efficient use of natural resources and human capital, and its filing lists areas such as sustainable farming, ocean biodiversity protection, climate justice and environmental science education, so a charity working in or near these areas, or able to explain how a general grant would advance that purpose, has a case to make; no geographic focus is stated, though most grants in the filing went to New York, Massachusetts, Iowa and District of Columbia.
• Typical grants fall between $10,000 and $110,000, with a median of $25,000 and half of grants at $25,000 or less, so a request near $25,000 sits at the centre of past giving, though this band is typical rather than a ceiling.
• Send a cover letter requesting a grant that explains the proposed use and how it advances the foundation's purpose, enclosing your latest financial statement, IRS determination letter and most recently filed Form 990 with Schedule A. Applications for consideration toward the fiscal year ending 30 September should arrive by 15 May.
• Because 94% of grant dollars in the filing went to organisations the foundation had also funded in one of the two earlier filings, a newcomer should expect repeat recipients to dominate, though a first approach remains reasonable; organisations that are not 501(c)(3) public charities should not apply.

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

• Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences · Organic Farming Research Program
  $110,0002024 tax year
• Cornell University Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future · Sustainable Biodiversity Research Program
  $110,0002024 tax year
• Planned Parenthood Federation of America · General Support
  $100,0002024 tax year
• Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition and Science Policy · AFE/New Entry Sustainable Farming
  $95,0002024 tax year
• Womens Microfinance Initiative · General Purposes
  $30,0002024 tax year
• Food Project · General Purposes
  $30,0002024 tax year
• Essex County Greenbelt · General Purposes
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Green America · General Purposes
  $25,0002024 tax year

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

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.