Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4,525,000 (2024)
• Total Assets: $52.4 million (2023)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation-only)
• Grant Range: $15,000 - $50,000 (typical)
• Average Grant: $10,000
• Number of Grants: 86 awards (2023)
• Geographic Focus: National (U.S.), with selective international grants
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 4701 Sangamore Road, Suite 133 South, Bethesda, MD 20816

Phone: 301-229-3008

Email: cdf@cornelldouglas.org

Website: www.cornelldouglas.org

Executive Director: Cynthia Duffy (cduffy@cornelldouglas.org)

Overview

The Cornell Douglas Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation established in 2006 by Ann Cornell, granddaughter of Henry A. Wallace, who served as Secretary of Agriculture and Vice President under FDR. With assets exceeding $52 million and annual giving of approximately $4.5 million, the foundation provides grants to organizations promoting environmental health and justice, environmental stewardship, and sustainability of resources. The foundation is part of the Wallace family philanthropic legacy, which traces back to the Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Company and the Wallace Genetic Foundation established in 1959. In addition to grantmaking, the foundation presents the annual Jean and Leslie Douglas Pearl Award to individuals and organizations dedicated to improving lives and providing a sustainable earth for future generations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Cornell Douglas Foundation operates without formal grant programs or application cycles. All grants are awarded through an invitation-only process at the discretion of the foundation's trustees.

Typical Grant Range: $15,000 - $50,000 Average Grant: $10,000 Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited proposals accepted

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on the following interconnected environmental and social justice issues:

1. Environmental Health & Justice

   • Protection from toxic chemicals and pollutants
   • Communities impacted by extractive industries
   • Environmental health research and advocacy
   • Public health impacts of environmental degradation

2. Land Conservation

   • Ecosystem preservation and restoration
   • Protection of critical habitats
   • National parks and public lands
   • Local and regional conservation efforts

3. Watershed Protection

   • Clean water advocacy
   • River and stream conservation
   • Marine and freshwater ecosystems
   • Water quality monitoring and protection

4. Sustainability of Resources

   • Sustainable agriculture and food systems
   • Renewable energy and climate solutions
   • Circular economy initiatives
   • Resource conservation

5. Mountaintop Removal Mining

   • Appalachian communities affected by mining
   • Anti-mountaintop removal advocacy
   • Research and documentation of mining impacts
   • Environmental justice in coal country

6. Financial Literacy

   • Financial education for elementary and high school students
   • Economic empowerment programs
   • Building capacity for sustainable livelihoods

Recent Grantees

The foundation has supported a diverse portfolio of environmental organizations, including:

Environmental Conservation: Rock Creek Conservancy, Honeybee Conservancy, Audubon Naturalist Society, Beyond Pesticides, Grand Canyon Trust, Adventure Scientists, Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, Rainforest Action Network, Pollinator Partnership

Sustainable Food Systems: Center for Food Safety, Rooftop Roots

Environmental Health: Toxic Free Future, Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, Clean Water Fund

Social Impact: Living Classrooms, World Central Kitchen, Doctors Without Borders, The End Fund

Advocacy and Legal: Southern Environmental Law Center

What They Don't Fund

While the foundation does not publish explicit exclusions, their focused environmental and sustainability mission suggests they do not fund:

• Projects outside environmental health, conservation, and sustainability
• Capital campaigns or endowment building
• Organizations without 501(c)(3) status
• For-profit enterprises
• Individual scholarships (except through established programs)

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

President: Ann Cornell

• Granddaughter of Henry A. Wallace (FDR's Vice President and Secretary of Agriculture)
• Founded the Cornell Douglas Foundation in 2006
• Active in environmental philanthropy through the Wallace family legacy

Executive Director: Cynthia Duffy

• Primary contact for foundation matters
• Oversees grant administration and foundation operations

Directors: Holly Cornell Lowen (Secretary), Alex Cornell (Treasurer)

Board Compensation: None of the directors receive compensation for their roles

Foundation Philosophy

Ann Cornell, naming the Pearl Award in honor of her parents, articulated the foundation's values: "Despite challenges that often confront the recipients, they are committed to act as catalysts for positive change and determined to promote the rights of individuals to live in a world with clean water, air, and sustainable land."

The foundation's grant philosophy states: "We believe that the organizations to which we give recognize critical needs of communities, seek to minimize risks to the natural world, and believe that each generation should feel a sense of pride in how they hand the baton of environmental health and well-being to future generations."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Cornell Douglas Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation has publicly stated: "The Cornell Douglas Foundation regrets that we are unable to accept any unsolicited proposals at this time. We respectfully ask that there be no phone calls, letters of inquiry, emails, or other correspondence to the Foundation seeking advice on how to be considered for a grant, or how to be placed on the list of solicited organizations."

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, identifying and soliciting proposals from organizations that align with their mission and priorities. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on their knowledge of the environmental field and strategic priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not have a public application process or fixed decision timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications (not accepted). The foundation made 86 grants in 2023 from their solicited list.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

The Jean and Leslie Douglas Pearl Award

In addition to grantmaking, the Cornell Douglas Foundation presents the annual Pearl Award to individuals and organizations dedicated to environmental health, justice, and sustainability.

Award Purpose

Named in honor of Ann Cornell's parents, the Pearl Award recognizes those who "are committed to act as catalysts for positive change and determined to promote the rights of individuals to live in a world with clean water, air, and sustainable land."

As described by the foundation: "Distinct from metamorphosis, where a butterfly emerges from a cocoon suddenly and magically, the pearl is conceived first in pain, laboriously worked on, and results unexpectedly in a jewel." - Jeanne Chiang

Recent Pearl Award Recipients

2020 Recipients:

• Marc Edwards & The Flint Water Study Team
• Curt Ellis
• Raina Rippel & The Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project
• Laura N. Vandenberg, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, recognized for outstanding leadership in research on endocrine disruptors)

2016 Recipients:

• Beyond Pesticides
• Oceanic Preservation Society
• Tracey Woodruff

2014 Recipients:

• Tyrone B. Hayes, Ph.D.
• Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
• Frederica P. Perera, Ph.D.
• SkyTruth
• Arlene Blum, Ph.D. (Green Science Policy Institute)
• Theo Colborn, Ph.D. (Endocrine Disruptor Exchange)
• John Peterson Myers, Ph.D. (Environmental Health Sciences)

Understanding This Funder's Approach

Strategic Focus

The Cornell Douglas Foundation operates as a strategic, proactive funder rather than a responsive one. Their approach involves:

1. Trustee-Driven Strategy: The board identifies priority issues and organizations rather than responding to external proposals
2. Field Knowledge: Deep engagement with environmental health and conservation communities to identify impactful organizations
3. Relationship-Based: Preference for organizations with proven track records and established reputations
4. Multi-Year Thinking: Support for organizations working on systemic, long-term environmental challenges

Types of Organizations They Fund

Analysis of their grantee list reveals patterns:

• Established environmental nonprofits with national or regional reach
• Advocacy organizations working on policy and legal change
• Research institutions advancing environmental health science
• Grassroots groups in communities directly impacted by environmental injustice
• Conservation organizations protecting specific ecosystems or species
• Educational initiatives building awareness and capacity
• International humanitarian organizations (selective grants to Doctors Without Borders, The End Fund)

Geographic and Thematic Patterns

• Appalachian Focus: Strong support for organizations addressing mountaintop removal mining
• National Scope: Most grants support U.S.-based organizations working nationally or regionally
• Local Impact: Willingness to support local conservation efforts (e.g., Rock Creek Conservancy in D.C.)
• Selective International: Occasional grants to international organizations aligned with mission
• Environmental Justice: Emphasis on communities disproportionately affected by environmental harm

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. No Direct Application Path: Organizations cannot apply to this foundation. All grants are by invitation only, and the foundation explicitly requests no contact regarding grant opportunities.

2. Build Sector Visibility: The best strategy is to become a recognized leader in environmental health, conservation, or sustainability work. The foundation identifies grantees through their knowledge of the field.

3. Pearl Award Recognition: The Pearl Award recipients provide insight into the types of work and approaches the foundation values - combining scientific rigor, advocacy, grassroots mobilization, and persistence in addressing environmental challenges.

4. Wallace Family Legacy: Understanding the foundation's connection to Henry Wallace and the broader Wallace Genetic Foundation network provides context for their environmental and social justice focus.

5. Mountaintop Removal Priority: This specific issue area appears to be a distinctive priority, with the foundation supporting Appalachian communities and anti-mining advocacy.

6. Environmental Health Science: The foundation has particular interest in research and advocacy around toxic chemicals, endocrine disruptors, and public health impacts of environmental hazards.

7. Catalysts for Change: The foundation explicitly values organizations that act as "catalysts" - those driving systemic change rather than merely providing services. Look for evidence of this approach in their grantee list.

References

1. Cornell Douglas Foundation official website. https://www.cornelldouglas.org/ (Accessed January 1, 2026)
2. Cornell Douglas Foundation Grants page. https://www.cornelldouglas.org/grants (Accessed January 1, 2026)
3. Cornell Douglas Foundation Pearl Award page. https://www.cornelldouglas.org/pearlaward (Accessed January 1, 2026)
4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc (EIN 65-1287707). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/651287707 (Accessed January 1, 2026)
5. GuideStar Profile - Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/65-1287707 (Accessed January 1, 2026)
6. Candid Foundation Directory - Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=CORN144 (Accessed January 1, 2026)
7. Inside Philanthropy - Cornell Douglas Foundation profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-d/cornell-douglas-foundation (Accessed January 1, 2026)
8. "Inside the Beltway, Under the Radar: What's David Wallace Douglas Up To?" Inside Philanthropy, July 8, 2014. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2014/7/8/inside-the-beltway-under-the-radar-whats-david-wallace-dougl.html (Accessed January 1, 2026)
9. Earthworks - "Pearl Award for Environmental Health, Justice and Sustainability." https://earthworks.org/blog/pearl-award-for-environmental-health-justice-and-sustainability/ (Accessed January 1, 2026)
10. FracTracker Alliance - "FracTracker Receives Cornell Douglas Pearl Award." April 2020. https://www.fractracker.org/2020/04/cornell-douglas-pearl-award-2020/ (Accessed January 1, 2026)
11. University of Massachusetts Amherst - "Vandenberg honored by Cornell Douglas Foundation with Pearl Award." https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/news-events/vandenberg-honored-cornell-douglas-foundation-pearl-award (Accessed January 1, 2026)
12. Instrumentl - Cornell Douglas Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/cornell-douglas-foundation-inc (Accessed January 1, 2026)