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Growald Climate Fund Inc

Annual Giving
$35.1M
Grant Range
$0K - $4.2M

Growald Climate Fund Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $35,058,535 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $40.97 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $100 - $4,200,000
  • Number of Grants: 132 annually
  • Geographic Focus: Global (US, Europe, Asia, Africa with focus on electricity sector transformation)
  • Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process

Contact Details

Website: www.growaldclimatefund.org

Address: 1 Harvard Street, Suite 202, Brookline, MA 02445

Contact Form: Available on website at growaldclimatefund.org/contact

Note: The fund does not list public phone or email addresses. Inquiries can be submitted through their online contact form.

Overview

Founded in 2007 by Eileen Rockefeller Growald (great-granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller) and her husband Paul Growald, the Growald Climate Fund is a private foundation dedicated to catalyzing rapid transformation of the global electricity system to clean, renewable sources. With approximately $41 million in assets and $35 million in annual charitable disbursements, the fund operates as a venture philanthropy organization that takes strategic risks on innovative, early-stage climate solutions. The fund works both domestically and internationally, deploying a unique blend of capacity-building resources, collaborations, and financial support to invest in cutting-edge and scalable approaches to tackling carbon pollution. In 2018, the fund committed $25 million specifically to the electricity sector and has supported nearly 80 organizations worldwide. The fund is recognized as an influential climate grantmaker that "punches above its weight" through strategic partnerships, including a $500 million collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sequoia Climate Foundation for equitable energy transition in the Global South.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Growald Climate Fund operates through a venture philanthropy model with four key pillars:

Venture Philanthropy: Incubating, seeding, and scaling start-up and early-stage climate organizations into world-class climate leaders. Grants range from $100 to $4.2 million, with multi-year support provided.

Field Innovation: Identifying and targeting key bottlenecks and challenges for the energy transition field, supporting research and convening around energy transition.

Organizational Development: Providing high-touch organizational development and programmatic guidance to help grantees grow into healthy, effective, and sustainable organizations.

Collective Impact: Leading ALFIE (Aligned Funders in International Energy), an informal community of funders aligned in their efforts to encourage clean electricity globally.

Note: This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are awarded through strategic identification and invitation by the fund's leadership and board.

Priority Areas

The fund focuses exclusively on climate change mitigation through electricity sector transformation:

  • Clean Electricity Transition: Supporting organizations working to transition the electricity sector from fossil fuels to clean, renewable sources (38% of global CO2 emissions come from electricity)
  • Energy Policy & Diplomacy: Supporting diplomatic efforts and policy advocacy for clean energy transition
  • Financial Flows: Highlighting financial risks of fossil fuels and opportunities in clean energy investments
  • National Campaigns: Supporting ground-level campaigns in key countries and states for electricity sector transformation
  • Pollution Reduction: Addressing air, water, and land contamination from fossil fuel electricity production
  • Underrepresented Leaders: Supporting climate leaders from traditionally underfunded and minority communities
  • Organizational Capacity Building: Building a strong pipeline of talent and organizational infrastructure within the climate sector

Geographic Focus:

  • United States
  • Europe (particularly through European Climate Foundation partnership)
  • Southeast Asia (energy transition partnership)
  • Africa (through Power Shift Africa)
  • Global South (equitable energy transition initiatives)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the fund's narrow focus on electricity sector transformation means they do not fund:

  • Climate initiatives outside the electricity/energy sector
  • General environmental conservation unrelated to clean energy
  • Direct service delivery programs
  • Individual scholarships or research grants
  • Organizations without clear potential for scalability and systemic impact

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Eileen Rockefeller Growald - Co-founder & President
  • Paul Growald - Co-founder & Vice President
  • Steve Toben - Secretary
  • Swati Mylavarapu - Board Member
  • Lande Ajose - Board Member
  • Vikas Mehta - Board Member
  • Adam Rockefeller Growald - Board Emeritus

Executive Leadership

  • Joanna Messing - Chief Executive Officer (Compensation: $317,407)
  • Martha Belcher - Interim Chief of Operations (Compensation: $199,986)
  • Kabir Bavikatte - Director (Compensation: $215,317)

Senior Staff

  • Andrea Guerrero García - Director, Field Innovation
  • Kartikeya Singh - Director, Collective Impact
  • Maria Laura Rojas - Director, Venture Portfolio
  • Yeja Dunn - Director, People Operations
  • Richard Juang - General Counsel

Leadership Insights

Eileen Rockefeller Growald has stated: "Climate change is the greatest threat to our planet" and "When we talk about decarbonising the global economy, there are already technologies out there to address this, and more will emerge over time." She has also expressed her legacy goal: "I want to be remembered for having done my best at protecting our world—with nature and the environment."

The fund's founders believe that "philanthropy plays an important role in de-risking the market for investing in environmental protection" and that "a small amount of capital, used strategically and innovatively, can have an outsized impact."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Growald Climate Fund does not accept unsolicited applications. This is a private foundation that strategically identifies and invites organizations to receive funding based on the trustees' discretion and the fund's strategic priorities.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Strategic identification by fund leadership and board members
  • Invitation-only processes
  • Trustee discretion based on alignment with fund priorities
  • Recommendations from partner organizations and funder networks

The fund operates as a venture philanthropy organization that proactively seeks out high-risk, high-reward opportunities in the climate space, particularly early-stage organizations working on electricity sector transformation.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available, as the fund does not have a formal application cycle. Grant decisions are made on an ongoing basis by the board and executive team.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

While the Growald Climate Fund does not accept unsolicited applications, their publicly stated selection criteria provide insight into what they look for when identifying potential grantees:

Key Selection Criteria

  1. High Risk, High Reward Innovation: The fund seeks organizations with "high risk, high reward" innovative approaches that are willing to test new solutions to climate challenges.

  2. Measurable Results: Organizations must demonstrate quantifiable progress and clear metrics for success.

  3. Scalability: The fund looks for "ideas, organizations and leaders with potential for exponential impact" - not just incremental change.

  4. Clear Exit Strategy: They seek "organizations with a pathway to sustainability beyond our involvement," meaning grantees should have a plan to become financially sustainable.

  5. Focus on Electricity Sector: Organizations must be "poised to create an outsized impact on the transformation of the electricity sector."

  6. Organizational Openness: Grantees must be willing to receive "high-touch organizational development and programmatic guidance" as they grow.

  7. Collaborative Approach: The fund values organizations that work in partnership with other stakeholders, as reflected in their own collaborative approach through ALFIE and other networks.

Funded Organization Examples

Recent grantees (2023) provide insight into their priorities:

  • European Climate Foundation ($4.2M) - Large-scale policy and advocacy work
  • International Research & Exchanges Board ($3.4M) - International program support
  • SED Fund ($2.6M) - General organizational support
  • Climate Action Network Europe ($1M) - Project-specific work
  • Power Shift Africa - African perspectives on climate and energy
  • ClimateVoice - Mobilizing workforces on climate policy
  • Carbon Tracker - Data-driven climate and energy analysis

Strategic Priorities

The fund has explicitly stated they focus on:

  • Early-stage and start-up climate organizations needing seed funding
  • Underrepresented leaders from traditionally underfunded communities
  • Organizations working on energy policy, diplomacy, financial flows, and pollution reduction
  • Research and convening initiatives that advance the field
  • Building organizational capacity and talent pipelines in the climate sector

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Applications: This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals. Do not submit applications unless specifically invited.
  • Venture Philanthropy Model: They operate like venture capitalists, seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities with potential for exponential impact and scalability.
  • Electricity Sector Focus: Only organizations working directly on electricity sector transformation to clean, renewable sources will be considered.
  • Multi-Year, High-Touch Support: The fund provides not just money but intensive organizational development support, expecting grantees to be open to guidance.
  • Global Scope: While US-based, they fund internationally with particular interest in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Global South.
  • Relationship-Driven: Getting funded likely requires connections through their network of partner organizations, the ALFIE funder collaborative, or introductions from existing grantees.
  • Strategic Partnerships Matter: The fund values collaborative approaches and often works through partnerships with other major foundations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, European Climate Foundation, and World Economic Forum initiatives.

References

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