Cornell Douglas Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation funds work on watershed protection, sustainability of resources, land conservation, and environmental health and justice, so a small charity working in one of these areas should check whether its work fits.
- The foundation gives only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so an organisation that has not been preselected should not send one.
- Typical grants fall between $10,000 and $200,000, with about 8 in 10 of its 57 grants in that band, a median of $50,000, and half of its grants at $50,000 or less, so a modest request near that level fits its usual giving; its largest grant was $500,000, so the band is not a ceiling.
- No geographic focus is stated, and the grants mainly in New York, District of Columbia, Wyoming, Arizona, California and the United States do not limit who may apply.
Overview
Cornell Douglas Foundation is a US private foundation based in Bethesda, MD.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Cornell Douglas Foundation provides grants to organisations that promote its vision: advocating for environmental health and justice, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and furthering respect for sustainability of resources. Its named areas of focus are watershed protection, sustainability of resources, land conservation, and environmental health and justice. It values organisations that recognise critical needs in communities, seek to minimise risks to the natural world, and believe each generation should feel pride in passing on environmental health and well-being to future generations. It describes these organisations as sharing its mission and fulfilling it through their extraordinary work.
Themes
- Watershed Protection
- Sustainability of Resources
- Land Conservation
- Environmental Health & Justice
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, District of Columbia, Wyoming, Arizona, California and the United States.
How to apply
The Foundation gives only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Grant size: In its TY2025 filing, half of its 57 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours organisations that recognise critical community needs, seek to minimise risks to the natural world, and value passing environmental health and well-being to future generations.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 21%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 8% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 57 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Doctors Without Borders · General support$500,0002025 tax year
- World Central Kitchen · General support$500,0002025 tax year
- Community Foundation of Jackson Hole · General support$450,0002025 tax year
- Earthjustice · General support$400,0002025 tax year
- Southern Environmental Law Center · General support$250,0002025 tax year
- Center Biological Diversity · General support$200,0002025 tax year
- Ny Botanical Garden · General support$200,0002025 tax year
- SkyTruth · General support$200,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Alex Cornell — Treasurer
- Holly Cornell Lowen — Secretary & Director
- Ann Cornell — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $5,185,044 | $4,862,000 | $96,304,415 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $4,863,121 | $4,525,000 | $108,422,152 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $5,801,668 | $5,423,200 | $113,634,996 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Cornell Douglas Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD
- cornelldouglas.org
Applying to Cornell Douglas Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD
- cornelldouglas.org