Advocates for Climate Innovation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,558,500 (2023)
• Total Assets: $19.9 million
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $1,000,000+
• Number of Grants: 20 (2023)
• Geographic Focus: National (U.S. federal policy)
• Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited proposals

Contact Details

Website: https://advocatesforclimate.org/

Address: New York, NY

Note: This foundation operates proactively and does not accept unsolicited applications. They are open to contact if you want to learn more about how they choose grantees.

Overview

Advocates for Climate Innovation (ACI) was founded in 2006 by Larry Linden and Roger Ullman as the Linden Trust for Conservation and rebranded in 2025. With approximately $19.9 million in assets and annual giving of $1.6-2 million, ACI focuses exclusively on U.S. federal climate policy through market-based approaches. Since 2015, the foundation has concentrated on securing transformative federal policies for climate solutions that lack adequate support. ACI is currently focused on two critical yet under-resourced areas: carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere (since 2017) and next-generation geothermal power production (since 2023). The foundation has been instrumental in shaping carbon removal provisions in the Energy Act of 2020, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Led by financial professionals with deep experience in investment and management, ACI operates through both a 501(c)(3) foundation and a related 501(c)(4) organization called Climate Innovation Action.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

ACI operates through an invitation-only, initiative-based model rather than traditional grant programs. The foundation typically works on a very small number of projects at any given time but is highly committed to driving measurable outcomes for each.

Grant Amounts:

• Large Strategic Grants: $600,000 - $1,000,000+ (for anchor partners like Resources for the Future and WWF)
• Mid-Level Grants: $200,000 - $500,000 (for policy research and coalition partners)
• Smaller Strategic Grants: $50,000 - $200,000 (for specialized policy analysis)

Priority Areas

Current Focus (2025):

1. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): Supporting policies and programs to ensure CDR can close the gap between actual and desired net emission levels by mid-century, including R&D spending, economic incentives, and regulatory measures
2. Next-Generation Geothermal Power: Advancing policies to support geothermal as a complement to other clean power production techniques

Past Grantees Include:

• Resources for the Future (up to $600,000 annually)
• World Wildlife Fund (approximately $1 million)
• Alliance for Market Solutions ($2.2 million in 2019 for carbon tax advocacy)
• Bipartisan Policy Center
• Carbon Capture Coalition
• Carbon180
• Rhodium Group
• Energy Futures Initiative
• World Resources Institute
• Environmental Defense Fund
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Wildlife Conservation Society
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation
• Brookings Institution
• Center for American Progress
• Climate Leadership Council
• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Environmental Law Institute
• Great Plains Institute
• League of Conservation Voters
• Niskanen Center
• Students for Carbon Dividends
• The Nature Conservancy

Geographic Focus: U.S. federal policy level, though past conservation finance work has included international projects (Brazil, Costa Rica, Chilean Patagonia)

What They Don't Fund

• Projects not directly related to federal climate policy or their two current priority areas
• State or local climate initiatives (focus is federal)
• Direct service provision
• General operating support for organizations not aligned with their specific policy objectives
• Grassroots organizing or public education campaigns (they focus on policymaker education)

Governance and Leadership

Roger Ullman - Chief Executive

• Serves as CEO of both Advocates for Climate Innovation (501c3) and Climate Innovation Action (501c4)
• Co-founded the predecessor Linden Trust for Conservation with Larry Linden in 2006
• Former Managing Director of investment banking at Merrill Lynch, where he founded the firm's M&A business in Latin America
• Previously managed the world's leading Forest Stewardship Council certifier at Rainforest Alliance (2002-2006)

Larry Linden - Co-Founder

• Spent the 1970s at MIT Energy Laboratory, the Pentagon, and the White House, focused on air pollution and energy policy
• Former partner at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs
• Personally active in advocating with members of Congress for ACI's objectives through their 501(c)(4) partner, Climate Innovation Action
• Also serves on the board of World Wildlife Fund

The organization operates with a dual structure:

• Advocates for Climate Innovation (501c3): Private foundation focused on research, policy analysis, and education
• Climate Innovation Action (501c4): Advocacy arm enabling direct lobbying and political engagement

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Advocates for Climate Innovation takes a highly proactive approach to grantmaking and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Their process involves:

• ACI takes the initiative in designing the objectives of each project
• They recruit both the organizations and additional funders needed to achieve those objectives
• They provide both funding and substantial staff time and execution management
• Grants are often unrestricted to give partners maximum flexibility

The foundation states: "The funder is open to contact if you want to learn more about how it chooses its grantees," though this does not constitute an invitation to submit proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

ACI operates through pre-existing networks of policy experts and climate professionals. They identify partners through:

Policy Expertise and Track Record: The foundation looks for organizations with demonstrated expertise in federal climate policy, particularly those who have:

• Published influential research or analysis on carbon removal or geothermal energy
• Established relationships with federal policymakers and congressional staff
• Track records of successful policy advocacy or coalition building
• Technical expertise in their priority areas

Coalition Participation: Many grantees are identified through participation in climate policy coalitions ACI leads or supports (e.g., Carbon Capture Coalition) and engagement in federal policy processes where ACI is active.

Research and Think Tank Community: Resources for the Future and similar organizations suggest ACI values rigorous, non-partisan research capabilities and the ability to translate technical concepts for policymakers.

The WWF Connection: Larry Linden's role on WWF's board suggests that conservation organizations with climate policy expertise may have pathways through existing institutional relationships.

Application Success Factors

Given ACI's proactive, invitation-based model, "success factors" are better understood as characteristics that make organizations attractive partners:

Bipartisan Approach: The foundation explicitly seeks "bipartisan approaches that create incentives to stimulate innovation." Their grantee portfolio includes organizations across the political spectrum, indicating they value ability to work with both Republican and Democratic policymakers and market-based solutions that appeal across ideological lines.

Policy Impact Orientation: Evidence from their work on major federal climate legislation shows they prioritize organizations positioned to directly influence federal legislation with track records of turning research into policy outcomes.

Technical Rigor: Their largest grants go to research powerhouses like Resources for the Future, indicating they value high-quality, credible analysis and deep technical expertise in complex climate solutions.

Coalition Leadership: Their role in "recruiting organizations and additional funders" suggests they look for organizations willing to work in coalition structures with ability to leverage ACI's investment to attract other funders.

Rapid Response Capability: Their involvement in multiple federal legislative efforts suggests they need partners who can respond quickly to legislative windows and work intensively during critical legislative periods.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Don't Apply - Build Relationships: This is not a foundation to approach with proposals. Focus on becoming a recognized expert in federal climate policy, particularly carbon removal or geothermal energy.
• Bipartisan Credibility is Essential: ACI's theory of change centers on bipartisan, market-based solutions. Partisan approaches are unlikely to be selected.
• Think Federal Policy Impact: ACI measures success by federal legislative outcomes. Demonstrate direct pathways to influencing Congress or federal agencies.
• Quality Over Quantity: With only 20 grants in 2023, ACI makes very few but highly strategic investments.
• Be Prepared for Partnership: ACI provides substantial staff time and execution management - they're hands-on partners, not passive funders.
• Current Window is Narrow: With focus exclusively on carbon removal and geothermal, organizations working on other climate solutions are unlikely to receive support until priorities shift.

References

• Advocates for Climate Innovation official website: https://advocatesforclimate.org/ (Accessed March 11, 2026)
• Inside Philanthropy profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-a/advocates-for-climate-innovation (Accessed March 11, 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990PF filings: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133748063 (Accessed March 11, 2026)
• InfluenceWatch - Linden Trust for Conservation profile: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/36242/ (Accessed March 11, 2026)
• Resources for the Future supporter spotlight: https://www.resources.org/archives/addressing-global-crisis-good-science-and-sound-policy/ (Accessed March 11, 2026)