Passport Foundation

Quick Stats

• EIN: 26-1580196
• Annual Giving: $3,710,670 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not disclosed
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $22,000,000
• Geographic Focus: National (U.S.)

Contact Details

Address: c/o Foundation Source, 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809

Note: The Passport Foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Contact information for direct inquiries is not publicly available.

Overview

The Passport Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2007 by hedge fund manager John H. Burbank III and his wife Alison Carlson, with an initial endowment of $30 million. The foundation focuses exclusively on environmental health, particularly the impacts of environmental contaminants on human health. Operating with limited public transparency, it does not accept unsolicited proposals and works through strategic partnerships within the environmental health sector. In 2009, the foundation launched its Science Innovation Fund to "expand knowledge of the impacts of environmental contaminants on human health to inform and advance chemicals regulation and risk assessment reform." With $3.7 million distributed across 44 grants in 2023, the foundation supports both advocacy organizations and research institutions working to reduce harmful chemicals in the environment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Science Innovation Fund: Variable amounts (supports research on environmental contaminants and human health)
• Strategic Initiative Grants: Up to $22 million (major multi-year commitments)
• General Operating Support: $1,000 - $500,000 (for aligned organizations)

Priority Areas

• Environmental contaminants and human health impacts
• Chemicals regulation and risk assessment reform
• Endocrine disrupting chemicals research
• Green chemistry and safer alternatives development
• Environmental toxicology studies
• Hydraulic fracturing chemical impacts
• Environmental policy and advocacy
• Environmental justice initiatives

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, based on funding patterns the foundation does not appear to support:

• Direct service programs
• Local community projects without national implications
• General environmental conservation without health components
• Projects outside the United States

Governance and Leadership

John H. Burbank III - President and Co-Founder. Former Chief Investment Officer of Passport Capital, a hedge fund that managed up to $5 billion in assets. His flagship fund returned 219% in 2007 through strategic bets against the housing market.

Alison Carlson - Co-Founder. Developed and chaired grant programs at Passport Foundation before founding the Forsythia Foundation in 2010 with $22 million in support from Passport. Recognized as a leading environmental health philanthropist focusing on reducing toxic chemicals in consumer products.

The foundation is administered through Foundation Source, a company providing foundation management services to private foundations. The foundation is also an active member of the Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN).

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Passport Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals and does not provide public contact information for potential applicants. Grant decisions are made through trustee discretion based on strategic priorities and existing relationships within the environmental health sector.

Getting on Their Radar

• Join the Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN) ecosystem - Passport Foundation is an active HEFN member and likely identifies potential partners through this network
• Collaborate with known Passport grantees including Earthjustice, NRDC, Environmental Defense Fund, Clean Production Action, or Environmental Health Strategy Center on projects aligned with environmental contaminant reduction
• Engage with TiPED protocol development - The foundation has specifically funded development of the Tiered Protocol for Endocrine Disruption, a system to help chemists identify endocrine disrupting potential early in chemical development
• Present research at HEFN conferences where foundation leadership may be in attendance to learn about cutting-edge environmental health work

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation operating without public application cycles, decisions are made on the trustees' timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation operates by invitation only.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Passport Foundation does not accept public applications, organizations that have received funding typically demonstrate:

• Scientific rigor - Peer-reviewed research linking environmental contaminants to specific human health outcomes, particularly studies examining endocrine disruption
• Systems change focus - Work that advances chemicals regulation reform and risk assessment modernization rather than single-issue campaigns
• Bridge between science and policy - Ability to translate complex research findings into actionable policy recommendations
• Prevention emphasis - Projects supporting green chemistry, safer alternatives, and proactive chemical screening align with the foundation's TiPED protocol support
• National or international scale - Work with broader implications beyond local communities
• Collaborative approach - The foundation has funded initiatives bringing together multiple stakeholders, as evidenced by support for coalitions like Bluegreen Alliance

The foundation's $22 million investment in Forsythia Foundation demonstrates willingness to make substantial, transformative grants to organizations with strong mission alignment and leadership connections.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - funding is by invitation only through trustee discretion
• Highly specialized niche - focuses exclusively on environmental contaminants affecting human health, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals
• Science-driven philosophy - values rigorous research, peer-reviewed studies, and evidence-based advocacy
• HEFN membership matters - visibility within the Health and Environmental Funders Network ecosystem appears important for identification
• Strategic portfolio approach - supports complementary organizations across research, advocacy, and legal enforcement
• Limited transparency - no public website, detailed grant listings, or application guidelines available
• Consider Forsythia Foundation - organizations may explore this sister foundation founded by Alison Carlson with Passport's support

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Passport Foundation (EIN 26-1580196). Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261580196 (Accessed March 2026)

2. Inside Philanthropy - Passport Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-p/passport-foundation (Accessed March 2026)

3. InfluenceWatch - Passport Foundation. Available at: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/passport-foundation/ (Accessed March 2026)

4. Instrumentl - Passport Foundation 990 Report. Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/passport-foundation (Accessed March 2026)

5. Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN) - Passport Foundation Member Profile. Available at: https://hefn.org/become-a-member/hefn_member_foundations/passport-foundation/ (Accessed March 2026)

6. Inside Philanthropy (2017) - "Safer Made: Why This Philanthropist Is Laser-Focused on Environmental Health." Available at: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2017-6-27-safer-made-why-a-philanthropist-champions-environmental-health (Accessed March 2026)

7. Candid Foundation Directory - The Passport Foundation. Available at: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=PASS422 (Accessed March 2026)

8. Cause IQ - Passport Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/passport-foundation,261580196/ (Accessed March 2026)

9. InfluenceWatch - Alison Carlson Profile. Available at: https://www.influencewatch.org/person/alison-carlson/ (Accessed March 2026)

10. Food Packaging Forum - "Endocrine disruption and the next generation of chemicals." Available at: https://foodpackagingforum.org/news/endocrine-disruption-and-the-next-generation-of-chemicals (Accessed March 2026)