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Summit Charitable Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$7.1M

Summit Charitable Foundation Inc (The Summit Foundation)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,084,250 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 118 awards (2023)
  • Average Grant Size: ~$60,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (US) and International (Latin America, particularly Mesoamerican Reef region)
  • Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Foundation Type: Private family foundation

Contact Details

Address: 1717 K St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20006-5321

Phone: 202-912-2900

Website: www.summitfdn.org

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or proposals. Grantmaking is conducted through invitation and proactive identification of organizations.

Overview

Summit Charitable Foundation Inc., operating as The Summit Foundation, was established in 1991 by Roger and Victoria Sant. Roger Sant is Chairman Emeritus and co-founder of AES Corporation, an international power utility. Both founders have committed to The Giving Pledge, pledging to give away at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. In 2023, the Sant Foundation merged with The Summit Foundation, consolidating their philanthropic efforts.

The foundation is a multigenerational private family foundation committed to promoting the health and well-being of the planet—its people and its natural environment. Currently led by President Lex Sant (who has served as trustee since 1991 and president since 2018), the foundation distributed over $7 million in grants in 2023 across 118 awards. The foundation pursues its mission through three distinct program areas: Equality for Women and Girls, Resilient Mesoamerican Reef, and Sustainable Cities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Equality for Women and Girls

  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and portions of Mexico; modest US portfolio focused on young BIPOC-led efforts (started 2021)
  • Focus Areas: Leadership development and reproductive health rights; sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice
  • Director: Kathy Hall

2. Resilient Mesoamerican Reef

  • Geographic Focus: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras
  • Focus Areas:
    • Expanding and strengthening marine protected areas
    • Reforming unsustainable fisheries
    • Reducing nutrient pollution
    • Protecting and restoring critical habitats
    • Addressing threats including nutrient pollution, unsustainable fishing, and coastal development
  • Director: Cheri Recchia (Ph.D., biological oceanographer from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/MIT)
  • Investment Commitment: Over $1 million planned over five years

3. Sustainable Cities

  • Geographic Focus: United States
  • Focus Areas:
    • Radically increasing sustainability of US cities through transformative climate action
    • Expanding and electrifying transit networks
    • Promoting alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles
    • Removing fossil fuels from buildings
    • Supporting grassroots, policy, and environmental justice organizations
    • Aim for full carbon neutrality by 2050
  • Director: Nick Sifuentes (native of L.A. region, motivated by growing up in the county with the worst air quality in the US)
  • Priority Populations: Organizations comprising and working in frontline communities, BIPOC-led organizations, entities focused on equitable climate solutions

Priority Areas

  • Environmental Conservation: Marine ecosystem protection, biodiversity preservation, climate action
  • Gender Equality: Transforming social, reproductive, and economic lives of marginalized women and girls
  • Urban Sustainability: Science-based, measurable, scalable climate solutions in cities
  • Environmental Justice: Grassroots community-based organizations challenging power structures that inhibit climate progress
  • Equity-Centered Work: Prioritizes frontline communities and equitable approaches across all programs

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly listed, the foundation:

  • Does not fund outside their three core program areas
  • Does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Focuses on specific geographic regions for each program (Mesoamerica for reef conservation, US for sustainable cities, Latin America and select US for women and girls)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

  • Roger W. Sant - Chair and Founder
  • Lex Sant - President (since 2018, trustee since 1991)
  • Shari Sant - Secretary
  • Cristián Samper - Trustee
  • Alison Sant - Trustee
  • Chrissie Sant - Trustee
  • John Sant - Trustee
  • Michael Sant - Trustee
  • Shira Saperstein - Trustee
  • Lindi von Mutius - Trustee
  • Kathryn Fuller - Trustee Emerita

Key Staff:

  • Katie Banks - Chief Financial Officer
  • Jason Hicks - Treasurer
  • Jen Ruffner - Director of Grants Management
  • Sioban Reyes - General Counsel
  • Justin Davis - Operations and Administration Manager
  • Lea Mann - Program Associate, Sustainable Cities
  • Elizabeth Sullins - Program Associate, Resilient Mesoamerican Reef
  • Rebecca Contreras - Program Assistant, Equality for Women and Girls
  • Pavla Teie - Executive Assistant

Leadership Philosophy: Nick Sifuentes, Director of Sustainable Cities, has noted in public presentations that the foundation takes a strategic approach to advocacy, stating: "The 'general public' is almost never your audience" when discussing targeted advocacy strategies for climate action.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Summit Foundation explicitly states on their website: "In pursuit of our program strategies, we do not accept unsolicited proposals, requests, or letters of inquiry."

The foundation identifies and invites potential grantees through:

  • Proactive research and identification by program staff
  • Established relationships within their focus sectors
  • Trustee and staff networks in environmental conservation, gender equality, and urban sustainability fields

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available, as grants are made on an invitation-only basis. Organizations are identified and approached by the foundation rather than applying through a formal process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - grants are made by invitation only.

Application Success Factors

Note: Since this foundation operates by invitation only, these factors reflect what the foundation values based on their public statements and program priorities:

For Sustainable Cities Program:

  • Frontline community leadership: Prioritizes organizations comprising and working in frontline communities
  • Solutions-oriented approach: Values work that is "timely, measurable, and scalable"
  • Science-minded: Emphasizes evidence-based climate solutions
  • Strategic geography: Focuses on "geographies and issue areas where their grantees can make the most impact in the shortest amount of time"
  • Systems change: Supports organizations that "challenge the structures that inhibit climate progress"
  • Concrete action: Values grantees working on expanding transit networks, electrifying transportation, and removing fossil fuels from buildings

For Mesoamerican Reef Program:

  • Geographic alignment: Organizations working in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras
  • Science-based conservation: Emphasis on protecting biodiversity and ecosystem resilience
  • Multi-level approach: Funds international organizations and locally-based groups
  • Addressable threats: Focus on nutrient pollution, unsustainable fishing, and coastal development

For Equality for Women and Girls:

  • Focus on youth: Current emphasis on changing young people's lives in Mesoamerica
  • BIPOC leadership: US portfolio specifically seeks young BIPOC-led and -focused organizations (since 2021)
  • Reproductive health and rights: Strong emphasis on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice
  • Regional expertise: Works with organizations in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Central America more broadly

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - they identify and invite grantees proactively
  • The foundation values equity-centered, frontline community-led work across all programs
  • They prioritize science-based, measurable, and scalable solutions over experimental or theoretical approaches
  • Geographic alignment is critical - each program has specific geographic focus areas
  • The foundation supports multi-level approaches, funding both grassroots organizations and larger international/national groups
  • Systems change orientation - they seek organizations challenging power structures and achieving transformative rather than incremental change
  • Strong emphasis on timely, actionable solutions that can deliver impact in the shortest time frame
  • If your organization aligns with their priorities, focus on building visibility in the relevant sectors (urban climate action, marine conservation, gender equality in Latin America) where foundation staff and trustees are active

References

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