Butler Conservation Fund Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $3,902,290 (2023)
Grant Range: $5,000 - $3,797,580
Typical Grant Range: $5,000 - $25,000
Number of Grants: 16 (2023)
Geographic Focus: North America (NY, ME, SC, GA, BC, AK), South America (Patagonia), Africa (Kenya, Mozambique)
Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 60 Cuttermill Road, Suite 212, Great Neck, NY 11021

Phone: (212) 303-0208

Website: butlerconservationfund.org

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited inquiries or funding requests.

Overview

Butler Conservation Fund Inc (BCF) was established in 1988 by New York philanthropist Gilbert Butler, founder of Butler Capital Corporation (which became Black River Management Company) and a pioneer in the private equity investment industry. BCF is a private foundation that distributed approximately $3.9 million in grants in 2023 across 16 awards. The foundation's mission centers on intensive partnerships with grantees to craft programs and projects with significant impacts on wilderness conservation, strengthened environmental protections, and habitat restoration. BCF has established long-term commitments with leading organizations and focuses funding on multi-year projects that accomplish measurable, impactful, and long-lasting outcomes. The foundation operates exclusively with pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds, maintaining a focused approach on six "legacy geographies" that reflect the founder's personal connections and conservation priorities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Legacy Geography Program (Invitation Only)

Grant Range: $5,000 - $3,797,580 (vast majority fall in the $5,000 - $25,000 range)
Focuses on multi-year commitments with select long-term partners
Largest grants support landscape-scale infrastructure projects involving land and facility ownership and management

Priority Areas

BCF funds projects in three core areas:

1. Land Conservation

Wilderness conservation and preservation
Land acquisition for protected areas
Habitat protection and restoration
Landscape-scale conservation projects

2. Public Advocacy

Environmental law initiatives
Policy work supporting conservation goals
Environmental protection advocacy

3. Outdoor Education

Outdoor science education programs
Programs connecting people to nature in conservation priority areas

Geographic Focus: Six Legacy Geographies

The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in six specific regions:

Upstate New York: Adirondack Region and Shawangunk Ridge (protecting Adirondack Park wilderness, Black River Valley, Tug Hill Plateau)
Maine: North Woods, selected coastal areas, and Cobscook Bay Region
South Carolina and Georgia: Lowcountry coastal areas
British Columbia and Southeast Alaska: Coastal regions
Patagonia: Chilean and Argentine Patagonia regions
Eastern Africa: Mozambique's Niassa Reserve, Kenya's Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Northern Rangelands Trust

What They Don't Fund

Organizations outside their six legacy geographies
Projects unrelated to environmental conservation or outdoor education
General operating support for organizations outside their pre-selected partners
One-off or short-term projects (preference is for multi-year commitments)

Governance and Leadership

BCF is a board-driven entity and, in accordance with the founder's wishes, will always remain so. Each director and officer brings leadership from their respective fields.

Key Leadership:

Gilbert Butler - Founder and environmental philanthropist. A graduate of Milton Academy, Harvard College, and Columbia Business School, Mr. Butler was a pioneer in developing alternative investment vehicles for pension funds, endowments, and other institutions through Butler Capital Corporation.
Ildiko Butler - Shares with her husband a dedication to environmental causes; amateur photographer.
Tony Grassi - Chairs the board of directors of Butler Conservation, Inc. Past chairman of the board of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and former managing director of Crédit Suisse First Boston. Has served on the boards of TNC's Connecticut and Maine chapters, former chairman of the board of American Rivers, and past president of the Wilton (Connecticut) Land Conservation Trust.
Joseph Mancari, CPA - Senior accountant with Black River Management Company and Butler Conservation, Inc. Serves as director of budgeting and planning for programs operated by the Butler Outdoor Education Fund (BOEF) in upstate New York, Maine, South Carolina, and Patagonia.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Butler Conservation Fund only makes contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds or inquiries about funding opportunities. According to their grantmaking approach, the fund's grantmaking centers on a select number of long-term partners, and it does not typically welcome new applicants.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion to organizations with which the foundation has established relationships, typically involving multi-year commitments focused on their six legacy geographies.

Getting on Their Radar

Networking Strategy: According to Inside Philanthropy, the only realistic approach for organizations interested in this funder is to "network with one of the fund's previous grantees to determine how to get on this funder's radar."

Known Major Grantees Include:

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - particularly for Heart of the Adirondacks projects
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - including projects protecting Niassa Reserve in Mozambique
Lewa Conservancy and Northern Rangelands Trust in Northern Kenya

Organizations working in BCF's six legacy geographies on land conservation, environmental advocacy, or outdoor education might explore connections through these established partners, though success remains unlikely given the foundation's closed application policy.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through board discretion to pre-selected partners rather than through a formal application and review process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation maintains ongoing, multi-year relationships with its select group of partner organizations.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the Butler Conservation Fund does not accept unsolicited applications or new applicants.

For organizations that somehow establish a relationship with the foundation (likely through connections with existing grantees), the following factors appear central to BCF's grantmaking philosophy:

Long-term, Multi-year Commitment: BCF explicitly states it "has established long-term commitments with leading organizations and focuses funding on multi-year projects that accomplish measurable, impactful and long-lasting outcomes."
Intensive Collaboration: BCF "works intensively with grantees to craft programs and projects with significant impacts."
Geographic Alignment: Projects must align with one of the six legacy geographies that reflect the founder's personal connections.
Measurable Impact: Projects must demonstrate "measurable, impactful and long-lasting outcomes" in wilderness conservation, environmental protections, or habitat restoration.
Landscape-Scale Ambition: The largest grants support "landscape-scale infrastructure projects involving land and facility ownership and management."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Closed to New Applicants: This foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications or welcome new applicants. Do not attempt to submit proposals or inquiries.
Pre-selected Partners Only: BCF works exclusively with a select group of long-term partner organizations through multi-year commitments.
Legacy Geography Focus: All funding is concentrated in six specific regions with personal significance to the founder: Adirondacks/Shawangunk Ridge (NY), Maine, SC/GA Lowcountry, BC/Alaska, Patagonia, and East Africa.
Long-term Relationships: This is not a funder for one-off projects. BCF emphasizes intensive, multi-year collaborations with established partners.
Major Organizations Favored: Known grantees include leading conservation organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Wildlife Conservation Society.
Networking is the Only Path: Inside Philanthropy advises that the only potential route to consideration is networking with current grantees to understand how to get on the funder's radar—though success remains unlikely.
Wide Grant Range: While typical grants fall in the $5,000-$25,000 range, the foundation has made grants exceeding $3.7 million for landscape-scale infrastructure projects, indicating significant capacity for major initiatives with the right partners.

References

All sources accessed December 2024.