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ClimateWorks Foundation

Annual Giving
$178.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $10.0M

ClimateWorks Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $178.8 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $470.9 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $10,000,000 (most grants below $500,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Global (50+ countries), with international scope preferred

Contact Details

Address: 235 Montgomery Street, #1300, San Francisco, CA 94104

Phone: 415-433-0500

Email (Media): media@climateworks.org

Website: https://www.climateworks.org

Newsletter Signup: https://www.climateworks.org/sign-up/

Note: ClimateWorks does not accept unsolicited grant proposals but occasionally releases open calls for proposals. Sign up for their newsletter to be notified of funding opportunities.

Overview

Founded in 2008, ClimateWorks Foundation is a major global climate philanthropy based in San Francisco. With total assets of $470.9 million and annual grantmaking of approximately $178.8 million (2023), ClimateWorks has awarded over $2 billion to more than 850 grantees across 50 countries since inception. The foundation operates as a catalyst for accelerating climate progress, connecting global funders and implementing partners to create scalable climate solutions. As a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charity, ClimateWorks employs researchers, strategists, and grantmakers with expertise spanning climate science, strategic philanthropy, public policy, and social/economic development. In 2023, the foundation received the Stars of STEM award from the Museum of Science in Boston. ClimateWorks emphasizes a proactive, strategic approach to grantmaking rather than responding to unsolicited proposals.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

ClimateWorks operates through 11 distinct global programs, each addressing critical climate mitigation sectors:

  1. Adaptation & Resilience - Supporting communities facing climate risks, with specific focus on extreme heat in urban areas
  2. Aviation - Decarbonizing air transportation
  3. Carbon Dioxide Removal - Advancing carbon removal technologies and strategies
  4. Cooling - Clean cooling solutions through the Clean Cooling Collaborative
  5. Food & Agriculture - Sustainable food systems and agricultural practices
  6. Forests & Land Use - Forest conservation and sustainable land management
  7. Industry - Industrial decarbonization
  8. Just Transition - Ensuring equitable climate action
  9. Maritime Shipping - Decarbonizing shipping sector
  10. Power - Clean energy and renewable power systems
  11. Road Transportation - Transportation electrification and decarbonization
  12. Sustainable Finance - Climate-aligned financial systems

Grant Amounts: Grants range from $5,000 to $10 million, though most grants remain below $500,000.

Application Method: Invitation only/selective calls for proposals. No open rolling application process.

Priority Areas

  • International scope: When funding in North America and Europe, ClimateWorks primarily supports organizations whose work has international reach
  • Systems-level change: Integrated solutions that address multiple priorities simultaneously (climate, health, jobs, ecosystem protection)
  • Evidence-based strategies: Data-driven approaches based on emissions profiles, political context, and proven effectiveness
  • Collaborative approaches: Projects that involve multiple stakeholders and funders
  • Climate and social justice: Participatory approaches that tackle climate and social justice challenges together
  • Regional expertise: Specific support for initiatives in China and India with context-specific strategies

What They Don't Fund

While ClimateWorks does not publish explicit exclusions, their funding patterns indicate:

  • Domestic-only projects in developed countries: North American and European grantees typically must have international scope
  • Smaller organizations without international reach: The foundation is characterized as "not a likely source of funding for first-time grantseekers, particularly smaller organizations"
  • General operating support for local initiatives: Focus is on strategic, systems-level interventions rather than grassroots operations

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Franklin M. ("Lynn") Orr, Jr. (Board Chair) - Stanford University
  • Nancy Lindborg (Vice Chair) - President and CEO, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
  • John Podesta - Center for American Progress
  • Antha Williams - Bloomberg Philanthropies
  • Jonathan Pershing - The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
  • Arunabha Ghosh - Council on Energy, Environment and Water
  • Naoko Ishii - University of Tokyo
  • Caio Koch-Weser - European Climate Foundation
  • Carlos Lopes - University of Cape Town
  • Kyung-Ah Park - Temasek
  • Helen Mountford - President and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation

The board comprises "leaders of some of the world's most reputable philanthropic, academic, and business institutions active in efforts to tackle climate change."

Executive Leadership

  • Helen Mountford - President and CEO
  • Michael Bosse - VP, Programs
  • Suman Sureshbabu - VP, Programs
  • Surabi Menon - VP, Global Insights & Action
  • Irene Kim - VP, Philanthropic Partnerships
  • Makeeba Browne - VP, Justice & Equity
  • Negar Naraghi - VP, Human Resources
  • Brian McCracken - Chief Financial Officer
  • Shawn Reifsteck - Managing Director

Leadership Perspective

Helen Mountford, President and CEO, emphasizes collaborative, strategic philanthropy: "Climate philanthropy is vital because it can fill critical gaps, help raise ambitions, elevate important voices, and quickly move funds to the highest priorities." She advocates for integrated solutions that address multiple crises simultaneously and stresses the importance of data-driven, coordinated grantmaking approaches.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

ClimateWorks Foundation does not have an open public application process. The foundation is proactive in its grantmaking and generally does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.

Occasional Opportunities: ClimateWorks periodically releases specific calls for proposals (RFPs) for targeted initiatives. Recent examples include:

  • Adaptation and Resilience Fund: RFPs for innovative finance for urban resilience and strengthening institutions to address extreme heat in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia

How to Stay Informed:

  1. Sign up for ClimateWorks' newsletter at https://www.climateworks.org/sign-up/
  2. Follow ClimateWorks on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/climateworks)
  3. Review their grants database for patterns in funded work

Eligibility for Specific RFPs: When ClimateWorks does issue calls, eligibility is often broad, including nonprofits, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, cooperatives, labor unions, international organizations, city-focused networks, academic institutions, consultancies, and even public sector banks and private enterprises that align with the mission. Organizations already receiving ClimateWorks funding are typically eligible to apply.

Decision Timeline

ClimateWorks does not publish specific timelines for decision-making. Timelines likely vary by program and specific RFP. For their occasional open calls, specific deadlines are provided (e.g., the Adaptation and Resilience Fund had a September 19, 2025 deadline).

Success Rates

ClimateWorks does not publish success rates or application statistics. The foundation awarded 326 grants in 2023 and 345 grants in 2022, supporting more than 850 different grantees since 2008.

Competitiveness: This is described as "a highly competitive giving space" where ClimateWorks is "not a likely source of funding for first-time grantseekers, particularly smaller organizations."

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Organizations that have previously received ClimateWorks funding are explicitly stated as eligible for new RFPs when they are released.

Application Success Factors

Since ClimateWorks does not accept unsolicited applications and instead identifies strategic funding opportunities, traditional "application success factors" do not apply. However, organizations can position themselves strategically:

What ClimateWorks Values (Based on Leadership Statements and Grantmaking Patterns)

  1. International Scope and Scale: ClimateWorks seeks "innovation and climate solutions that scale." When funding North American or European organizations, they prioritize international work.

  2. Data-Driven, Evidence-Based Approaches: The foundation emphasizes coordination based on "emissions profiles, political context, and evidence." Solutions should be grounded in rigorous analysis.

  3. Collaborative Mindset: ClimateWorks provides "guidance, advice, brainstorming, administrative support" to grantees and values partners who engage collaboratively. CEO Helen Mountford advises climate philanthropists to practice "collaborative grantmaking by tapping into the climate community and partnering with fellow funders."

  4. Integrated Solutions: The foundation prioritizes "integrated solutions that tackle existing priorities while benefiting climate, such as cost of living, health, jobs, and ecosystem protection."

  5. Justice and Equity Focus: ClimateWorks has a dedicated VP for Justice & Equity and emphasizes "participatory approaches, particularly to tackle climate and social justice challenges."

  6. Willingness to Share Learning: The foundation values partners who contribute to collective knowledge, as evidenced by Mountford's advice to "share learnings and demonstrate how people can directly benefit from collective action."

ClimateWorks' Commitments to Grantees

The foundation has formalized five commitments that signal what they value in partnerships:

  • Strong partnerships with open communication channels
  • Responsiveness (72-hour acknowledgment standard)
  • Clear expectations about grant requirements
  • Respect for grantee expertise
  • Full cost funding covering true project expenses

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not an accessible funder for cold applications. ClimateWorks does not accept unsolicited proposals and is described as not suitable for first-time grantseekers or smaller organizations.

  • Monitor for specific RFPs. Sign up for the newsletter and watch for targeted calls for proposals in your area of work. These are your only opportunities to apply.

  • International scope is critical. Unless you're based in the Global South, your work must have clear international reach and impact at scale.

  • Think systems-level, not project-level. ClimateWorks funds strategic interventions that can catalyze broader change, not individual local projects.

  • Emphasize collaboration and data. Strong proposals will demonstrate evidence-based strategies, collaborative partnerships, and integration with broader climate philanthropy efforts.

  • Justice and equity matter. Frame your work in terms of equitable climate solutions that benefit communities, not just technical fixes.

  • Review the grants database. Study ClimateWorks' past grants to understand the types of organizations and initiatives they fund in your sector.

References

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