← Back to US Funders Directory

Cloud Mountain Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.4M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.4M

Cloud Mountain Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,377,500 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $92.1 million
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $420,000
  • Median Grant: $40,000
  • Number of Grants: 109-110 grants annually
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)
  • Founded: 2001

Contact Details

Address: 237 W 35th St Ste 1001, New York, NY 10001

EIN: 04-3493352

Note: The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not provide phone or email contact information. As a private foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications, direct contact information is not publicly available.

Overview

Cloud Mountain Foundation is a New York City-based private independent foundation established in 2001 by Benjamin Friedman, who serves as president and sole officer. With total assets of approximately $92.1 million and annual giving of $6.4 million, the foundation supports progressive environmental, civic, and media organizations across the United States. The foundation operates exclusively through grantmaking and does not conduct direct charitable activities or make program-related investments. Cloud Mountain focuses on environmental justice, agricultural biotechnology issues, grassroots environmental advocacy, and progressive media organizations. The foundation is characterized by its discretionary approach to grantmaking, funding only preselected organizations rather than accepting public applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Cloud Mountain Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. The foundation makes grants on a rolling basis to preselected organizations throughout the year. Recent grants have ranged from $5,000 to $420,000, with a median grant of $40,000.

Priority Areas

Environmental Advocacy

  • Environmental justice organizations
  • Anti-GMO and agricultural biotechnology opposition
  • Climate and environmental protection
  • Grassroots environmental organizing
  • Community environmental rights

Notable Environmental Grant Recipients (2023):

  • Science & Environmental Health Network: $420,000
  • True North Research: $200,000
  • Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund: $175,000
  • Story of Stuff: $160,000
  • Food and Water Watch: $15,000 (2017)
  • Ruckus Society: $30,000 (2017)

Civic and Social Justice

  • Progressive advocacy organizations
  • Community organizing
  • Social justice initiatives

Notable Civic Grant Recipients (2023):

  • Sustainable Markets Foundation: $270,000
  • New World Foundation: $200,000
  • Proteus Fund: $50,000 (2017)

Media and Communications

  • Progressive media organizations
  • Investigative journalism
  • Environmental communications

Notable Media Grant Recipients (2023):

  • Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism: $270,000
  • Center for Media and Democracy: Over $500,000 (since 2012)
  • Democracy Now!: Amount not specified

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or fund organizations outside of their preselected network. Specific exclusions are not publicly stated, but the foundation's grantmaking history indicates a focus exclusively on progressive environmental, civic, and media organizations aligned with environmental justice and anti-corporate agricultural positions.

Governance and Leadership

Benjamin Friedman - President and Founder Benjamin Friedman is the sole listed officer and employee of Cloud Mountain Foundation. He founded the foundation in 2001 and has led it since inception. Friedman receives no compensation from the foundation according to IRS filings.

Sarah Stranahan - Grant-Making Consultant (2016-2018, possibly ongoing) Sarah Stranahan has served as a grant-making consultant to the foundation, assisting with grant evaluations and recommendations.

The foundation operates with minimal staff - only two people total - and maintains a deliberately low public profile with limited publicly available information about its decision-making processes or strategic priorities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Cloud Mountain Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

According to their IRS Form 990-PF filings, the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, with grants awarded at the discretion of the president, Benjamin Friedman, and potentially with input from grant-making consultant Sarah Stranahan.

Organizations cannot submit standard grant applications, letters of inquiry, or proposals through any public process.

Getting on Their Radar

Research into Cloud Mountain Foundation's grantmaking patterns reveals the following specific insights:

Past Grantee Patterns: Analysis of the foundation's Form 990-PF filings shows they have funded 369 individual grants totaling $16.5 million since 2019, suggesting they work with a network of approximately 100+ organizations over multi-year periods. Organizations that have received funding once often receive repeat grants in subsequent years.

Sector Focus Areas: The foundation has consistently funded organizations working on:

  • Opposition to agricultural biotechnology and GMO crops
  • Environmental justice and community rights
  • Progressive investigative journalism and media
  • Grassroots environmental advocacy and protest organizing

Geographic Distribution: While based in New York, the foundation funds projects across numerous U.S. cities and states, from major urban centers (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco) to smaller communities (Bemidji, MN; Melcroft, PA), indicating national rather than regional focus.

Network Connections: The foundation has supported several pass-through funding entities and collaborative networks (such as Proteus Fund), suggesting that organizations connected to these intermediary funders may be more likely to come to the foundation's attention.

Shared Values Alignment: The foundation consistently supports organizations with progressive positions on environmental issues, particularly those challenging corporate agricultural practices, advocating for community environmental rights, and supporting grassroots organizing and protest movements.

Application Success Factors

Since Cloud Mountain Foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals what attracts their funding:

Alignment with Progressive Environmental Values: The foundation consistently funds organizations that take activist stances on environmental issues, particularly opposing GMO crops, corporate agriculture, and advocating for environmental justice. Organizations must align with these progressive values.

Focus on Grassroots Advocacy: Recipients include organizations that engage in direct advocacy, protest organizing, and community mobilization. The foundation funded the Ruckus Society, which trains protestors, and Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, which helps communities establish rights-based ordinances.

Media and Communications: The foundation values organizations that can communicate environmental and social justice issues to broader audiences, as evidenced by major grants to Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism ($270,000) and Democracy Now!.

Established Track Record: Review of repeat grantees suggests the foundation values proven organizations with established programs rather than start-ups or new initiatives.

Multi-Year Relationships: Many organizations appear in the foundation's grant lists across multiple years, suggesting the foundation builds long-term relationships with its grantees rather than making one-time awards.

Anti-Corporate Positioning: Organizations that challenge corporate practices, particularly in agriculture and environmental sectors, appear frequently in grant lists. Food and Water Watch, which "lobbies the USDA to end field trials of GMO crops," received funding, as did organizations working on sustainable markets and corporate accountability.

National Scope with Local Impact: While the foundation funds nationally, it supports both large national organizations and smaller community-based groups, suggesting value placed on connecting national movements with local implementation.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: Cloud Mountain Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or proposals. Standard grant writing approaches will not work with this funder.

  • Invitation-Only Grantmaking: Grants are awarded entirely at the discretion of president Benjamin Friedman to preselected organizations. Building relationships and getting on their radar requires indirect approaches.

  • Progressive Environmental Focus: The foundation exclusively supports progressive organizations working on environmental justice, anti-GMO advocacy, grassroots organizing, and related media/communications efforts.

  • Consistent Values Required: Organizations must align with the foundation's progressive stance on environmental issues, particularly opposition to corporate agriculture and support for community environmental rights.

  • Multi-Year Relationship Potential: Analysis of grant patterns shows repeat funding over multiple years for aligned organizations, suggesting potential for long-term support once a relationship is established.

  • Network Connections Matter: The foundation supports several pass-through funders and collaborative networks. Organizations connected to these intermediaries (such as Proteus Fund, New World Foundation) may have better chances of coming to the foundation's attention.

  • Review Form 990-PF for Insights: Organizations interested in this funder should carefully study the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer to understand current grantees, funding levels, and patterns.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory