The Cedar Tree Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 13-3601934 · since 2005cedartreefound.org·United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$9.2M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$5,000 to $150k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$50,000

Typical grant (median)

119 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

The Cedar Tree Foundation funds work in children’s environmental health, regenerative grazing, civic engagement, sustainable agriculture, environmental justice and environmental education, so a good fit means sitting squarely in one of those themes.
It gives with a priority on the US, and it works by invitation only, so it does not accept unsolicited requests; unless you have been invited, this is not one to approach cold.
A realistic request would be modest: about eight in ten of its grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $150,000, the median grant is $50,000, and half of its grants across recent filings were $50,000 or less, though its largest grant has been around $1,750,000.
A large majority of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, so it leans toward sustained relationships rather than one-off new asks.
Note too that it says there will be no additional funding opportunities through Rooted in Justice.

Overview

The Cedar Tree Foundation is a US private foundation based in Boston, MA.

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

The Cedar Tree Foundation describes its grantmaking as focused on transformative initiatives in regenerative grazing, children’s environmental health, sustainable agriculture and environmental justice, alongside civic engagement. Its children’s environmental health work supports campaigns and programmes to reduce children’s exposure to toxic chemicals in products and their environments, with particular concern for children of colour and communities most affected by environmental threats. Its regenerative-grazing work seeks improved soil health and climate resilience. In civic engagement, it has supported organisations led by and working with Black, Latino, Asian and Indigenous people, using community-informed programmes to build long-term political power and capacity. Its environmental education grants supported organisations building environmental literacy and youth stewardship through science, leadership and hands-on outdoor learning.

Themes

Children’s environmental health
Regenerative grazing
Civic engagement
Sustainable agriculture
Environmental justice
Environmental education

Geographic Focus

Priority: US.

How to apply

The site says there will be no additional funding opportunities through Rooted in Justice.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 83% 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 324 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

For its civic-engagement docket, the foundation prioritised organisations led by and primarily working with Black, Latino, Asian and Indigenous people.
It favoured a community-informed approach to setting mission and programming.
It favoured work building communities’ long-term political power and capacity.
It looked for compliance and governance infrastructure to prevent fraud and abuse.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

District of Columbia33%

Massachusetts19%

New Mexico6%

Montana6%

New York5%

California4%

6 other states: 13%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 14%

The largest single recipient received 21% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to organisations The Cedar Tree Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
8% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

119 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $50,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 119 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k7%

$5k–$10k5%

$10k–$25k16%

$25k–$50k19%

$50k–$100k19%

$100k–$250k32%

$250k–$500k1%

$500k–$1M0%

$1M and over1%

Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Society for Conservation Biology · Project support for smith fellows program
$1,664,0752024 tax year
Center for Environmental Health · Project support for children's environmental health
$250,0002024 tax year
Society for Conservation Biology · Project support for smith fellows program
$247,4302024 tax year
All Souls Church Unitarian · Project support for building repair campaign
$200,0002024 tax year
Practical Farmers of Iowa · Project support for promoting regenerative grazing
$175,0002024 tax year
Conservatory Lab Charter School Foundation · Project support for environmental science teachers
$160,0002024 tax year
Center for Civic Policy · Project support for the new mexico dream team
$150,0002024 tax year
Advancement Project Education Fund · General support
$150,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Sophia Kolehmainen — Executive Director
Jennifer L Smith — Treasurer
Rachel Alternative — Board Member
Kristin Leader — Clerk
Andrea L Smith — Vice President
Joan M Smith — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$10,718,006	$7,999,500	$86,446,972	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$15,352,773	$9,318,134	$86,624,071	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$12,792,191	$9,205,505	$85,860,491	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.