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The Grantham Foundation For The Protection Of The Environment

Annual Giving
$61.3M
Grant Range
$10K - $3.7M

The Grantham Foundation For The Protection Of The Environment

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $61,346,003 (2023)
  • Number of Awards: 94 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $3,700,000
  • Median Grant: $475,000
  • Geographic Focus: International (U.S. focus on California, New York, and Massachusetts)
  • Application Method: Invitation only
  • Assets: $637,818,928 (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 53 State Street, 33rd Floor, Boston, MA 02109

Phone: 617-346-7500

Email: info@granthamfoundation.org

Website: www.granthamfoundation.org

Note: The foundation reviews proposals by invitation only and cannot consider proposals with indirect costs above 10%.

Overview

The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment was established in 1997 by British investor Jeremy Grantham and his wife Hannelore. With assets of approximately $638 million and annual giving exceeding $61 million, the foundation seeks to protect and improve the health of the global environment, focusing exclusively on climate change and environmental issues. The foundation views climate change as "the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced" and employs a dual strategy of supporting basic research to map out issues and find solutions, alongside public advocacy to drive structural changes. In 2019, Jeremy Grantham committed to devote 98 percent of his roughly $1 billion net worth to addressing climate change. The Granthams are signatories of The Giving Pledge. The foundation operates through proactive grantmaking, establishing long-standing relationships with major environmental organizations rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate specific named grant programs but makes grants through an invitation-only process across several strategic areas. The median grant size is $475,000, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $3.7 million. In 2023, the foundation made 94 awards totaling over $61 million.

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and reviews proposals by invitation only.

Priority Areas

Research Institutions: The foundation has established or co-founded several major climate research centers:

  • Grantham Institute at Imperial College London (2007) - £12 million commitment, recently extended to £12 million through 2034
  • Grantham Research Institute at London School of Economics (2008)
  • Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at University of Sheffield
  • Divecha Centre for Climate Change at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

The Granthams' total investment in Imperial and LSE of over £24 million represents one of the largest private donations to climate change research in the UK.

Major Environmental Organizations: The foundation maintains "long-standing relationships" with established organizations including:

  • Rare
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • World Wildlife Fund
  • Rocky Mountain Institute
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Savanna Institute

Specific Focus Areas:

  • Low-carbon energy development
  • Carbon drawdown and sustainable agriculture
  • Fossil fuel phase-out
  • Climate communication and journalism
  • Grassroots environmental advocacy
  • Green technology innovation (up to 20% of grant program goes to jumpstarting green enterprises from research universities)

Climate Journalism: The foundation supports climate-focused journalism organizations including Carbon Brief, Inside Climate News, Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, and Center for Public Integrity (which has received more than $1 million in recent years).

Large-Scale European and U.S. Climate Organizations: Major recipients include European Climate Foundation, Foundation for International Law for the Environment, Energy Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, and Windward Fund, with some receiving approximately $5 million each in recent years.

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their strategic focus areas of climate change and environmental protection
  • Proposals with indirect costs above 10%
  • Unsolicited applications (they only review proposals by invitation)

Governance and Leadership

Founders: Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham (established 1997)

President & CIO: Ramsay Ravenel - manages all aspects of the foundation, including grantmaking and endowment management.

Related Entity - Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust: This related public charity has independent trustees who are CEOs of major environmental organizations including Rare, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund US, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

Leadership Philosophy

Jeremy Grantham has articulated a clear urgency-driven approach: "Number one is that time is precious. If you make a mistake, the world will not end, but if you dither around and do nothing, it very well may end." He emphasizes making "bigger, longer grants and look for leverage—emerging or overlooked areas with high potential."

On the foundation's approach, Grantham states: "We answer to nobody. We know this is an urgent topic, and I know I don't have that long to do it."

Grantham describes a strategic shift in his thinking: "I began to realize that there were major-league deficiencies in capitalism which had not been on my radar screen," and recognizes that "anyone with a brain knows that climate change needs governmental leadership."

On the foundation's dual focus, their website states that "both environmental advocacy and applied research into climate solutions are vital" to solving the climate crisis.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Grantham Foundation reviews proposals by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding. The foundation is described as "neither transparent nor accessible" and prefers a proactive grantmaking approach, meaning they typically identify and reach out to organizations they want to fund rather than accepting applications.

The foundation establishes long-standing relationships with organizations in their priority areas and maintains an updated but limited website.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation builds relationships through existing networks in the climate and environmental sectors. Specific strategies this funder uses include:

Geographic Proximity: The foundation shows strong preference for organizations in three states: California, New York, and Massachusetts. Groups outside of these three states will face significant challenges in getting noticed.

Sector Leadership: The foundation's related trust has independent trustees who are CEOs of major environmental organizations (Rare, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund US, Rocky Mountain Institute), suggesting that visibility within these networks may be valuable.

Academic Research Connections: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to support "terrific ideas in the great research universities that are just shy of being able to go into a commercial effort," allocating up to 20% of their grant program to jumpstarting green enterprises from university research.

Established Track Record: The foundation maintains long-standing relationships with major environmental organizations and appears to value proven track records in climate advocacy and research.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The foundation made 94 awards in 2023, 78 awards in 2022, and 60 awards in 2021, suggesting an active but selective grantmaking schedule.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not available due to the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking. With 94 awards made in 2023 from an invitation-only pool, the foundation maintains highly selective relationships with grantees.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or reapplications. Funding relationships appear to be ongoing and relationship-based rather than project-by-project.

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have successfully received funding share these characteristics:

Scale and Impact Potential: The foundation seeks "emerging or overlooked areas with high potential" and has committed to making "bigger, longer grants." Recent grant recipients range from small journalism organizations to major international environmental NGOs.

Dual Focus on Research and Advocacy: The foundation explicitly values "both environmental advocacy and applied research into climate solutions." Successful grantees typically engage in one or both of these approaches.

Innovation and Commercial Viability: Jeremy Grantham has stated interest in supporting green enterprises from research universities "that are just shy of being able to go into a commercial effort," indicating value placed on innovations approaching commercialization.

Long-term Relationships: The foundation describes "long-standing relationships" with major environmental organizations, suggesting that sustained partnerships rather than one-off projects align with their strategy.

Geographic Alignment: Organizations based in or working substantially in California, New York, and Massachusetts have historically received the majority of domestic funding, though the foundation also makes significant international grants, particularly in Europe.

Climate Focus: The foundation concentrates exclusively on climate change and environmental protection, with particular interest in fossil fuel phase-out, low-carbon energy, sustainable agriculture and carbon drawdown, and climate communication.

Efficiency: The foundation notes they "cannot consider proposals with indirect costs above 10%," indicating a preference for organizations with lean overhead structures.

Recent Funding Examples: Major recipients include European Climate Foundation, Foundation for International Law for the Environment, Energy Foundation (each receiving approximately $5 million), Carbon Brief, Inside Climate News, Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, and Center for Public Integrity (over $1 million).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only funder: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Focus on building visibility within climate and environmental networks rather than submitting applications.

  • Geographic preference: Strong focus on California, New York, and Massachusetts for U.S. grants, though significant international giving also occurs, particularly in Europe.

  • Dual strategy valued: The foundation explicitly seeks both "environmental advocacy and applied research into climate solutions" - organizations demonstrating both capacities may be particularly attractive.

  • Urgency-driven: Leadership emphasizes that "time is precious" and seeks organizations that can move quickly and effectively on climate solutions.

  • Long-term partnerships: The foundation values "long-standing relationships" over one-time projects, suggesting they seek sustained partnerships with proven organizations.

  • Overhead restrictions: Keep indirect costs at or below 10% - this is a firm requirement for consideration.

  • Leverage and innovation focus: Foundation seeks "emerging or overlooked areas with high potential" and supports university research approaching commercial viability, indicating interest in innovative, scalable solutions.

  • Network through major organizations: With trustees connected to The Nature Conservancy, WWF, Rare, and Rocky Mountain Institute, visibility within these networks may provide pathways to foundation awareness.

References

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