United States Energy Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $156,172,399 (2023)
Total Revenue: $286,003,328 (2023)
Grant Range: $5,000 - $20,000,000 (average ~$100,000)
Number of Grants: 617 (2023)
Geographic Focus: National (U.S. only) with regional offices in West, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast
Application Method: Invitation only (no public application process)
Rating: 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator (97%)

Contact Details

Main Office:
55 2nd Street, Suite 2400
San Francisco, CA 94105-3492

Phone: 415-561-6700

Regional Offices:

Raleigh, NC
Chicago, IL
Washington, DC
Las Vegas, NV

Note: U.S. Energy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry. Organizations interested in funding should explore networking opportunities through the foundation's regional offices and existing grantee relationships.

Overview

The United States Energy Foundation (EIN: 83-1740146) was established as a partnership of philanthropies focused on securing a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis. In 2019, the U.S. Energy Foundation separated from Energy Foundation China, with the U.S. entity retaining its distinct mission focused exclusively on domestic clean energy work. For more than 30 years, the foundation has supported hundreds of grantees annually in the public interest to educate policymakers and the general public about the benefits of a clean energy economy for everyone. With over 100 staff members based throughout the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Western regions, the foundation distributed more than $156 million in grants in 2023. The organization operates as a donor-advised fund, allowing partner philanthropies to direct distribution of contributed funds while maintaining strategic coherence across a diverse portfolio of clean energy initiatives. Charity Navigator awarded the foundation a Four-Star rating (97%) for its financial transparency and operational effectiveness.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The U.S. Energy Foundation does not operate traditional grant programs with fixed deadlines or application cycles. Instead, it operates an invitation-only grantmaking model where foundation staff proactively identify and invite organizations to submit proposals based on strategic priorities. Grants range from $5,000 to $20 million, with the vast majority staying under $500,000 and an average grant size of approximately $100,000.

The foundation makes hundreds of grants each year (617 in 2023) totaling more than $100 million annually, supporting diverse organizations including business groups, environmental advocates, labor organizations, equity-focused entities, community groups, faith-based organizations, consumer advocates, policy experts, think tanks, and universities.

Priority Areas

Four Key Sectors:

Power/Electricity: Advancing renewable wind and solar technologies coupled with grid modernization to create robust, competitive clean energy markets
Transportation: Addressing transportation's contribution to nearly 30% of U.S. air pollution through energy efficiency and innovative technologies like battery storage and electric vehicles
Buildings: Making every building—homes, schools, offices—cleaner, healthier, more affordable, energy-efficient, and fossil-fuel free
Industry: Scaling clean production methods in communities most affected by industrial pollution

Cross-Cutting Themes:

The foundation emphasizes four interconnected outcomes across all sectors:

Jobs: Growth in clean energy employment sectors and equitable opportunity in the emerging clean energy economy
Health: Air quality improvements, particularly for vulnerable and frontline communities
Security: Enhanced energy resilience and domestic supply diversity
Equity: Ensuring BIPOC, frontline, and low-income communities receive clean energy benefits and addressing chronic disinvestment in communities of color

Geographic Strategy:

Work is organized around five focus areas: West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Federal policy levels, with dedicated regional teams advancing state and regional climate and clean energy policies.

Recent Grant Examples

Rocky Mountain Institute
Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Beneficial Electrification League
Partnership Project
Clean Grid Alliance
Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
New Economy for Working Houston
American Lung Association
West Harlem Environmental Action
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (Chicago)
Native Sun Community Power Development (Minneapolis)
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
PolicyLink
Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy
Consumer Reports
Dreamcorps (Oakland)
Environmental Protection Network
Equiticity (Chicago)

What They Don't Fund

Work outside the United States (exclusively U.S.-focused)
Organizations that accept foreign funding
Product or vendor endorsements
Individual projects unrelated to clean energy policy, education, or advocacy

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Jason Mark has served as Chief Executive Officer since January 2019. He previously held roles as senior vice president of U.S. programs and transportation program director at the foundation. Prior to joining the U.S. Energy Foundation, Mark served as Director of Clean Vehicles Program and Director of California Office at Union of Concerned Scientists (2000-2006). He holds a Master of Arts in Energy from University of California - Berkeley.

Mark has stated about the foundation's mission: "Their impressive backgrounds and experience will help guide Energy Foundation's work and support our mission to secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis."

Board of Directors

The board comprises industry experts in policy, technology, clean energy, law, and philanthropy:

Leadership:

Stuart Clarke (Board Chair) - Director, Watershed Protection Program at William Penn Foundation
Bryan Garcia (Board Vice Chair) - President and CEO of Connecticut Green Bank

Board Members:

Melanie Audette - Senior Vice President, Member and Partner Engagement at Mission Investors Exchange
Chad Boettcher - Co-founder and President of Impact Guild
Carlos Curbelo - Principal at Vocero LLC
Arvin Ganesan - Chief Executive Officer of Thermal Battery Corporation
Jason Mark - Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Energy Foundation
Heather McTeer Toney - Executive Director of Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign
MaKara Rumley, Esq. - Founder and CEO of Hummingbird
Kelly Speakes-Backman - Executive Vice President, Public Affairs at Invenergy LLC
Nicole Systrom - Strategic Advisor at Galvanize Climate Solutions
Sue Tierney - President and Managing Principal at Analysis Group, Inc.
Patrick Woodcock - President and CEO of Maine State Chamber

Recent board additions (2024) include MaKara Rumley and Patrick Woodcock, bringing additional expertise in consulting and business leadership to support the foundation's strategic direction.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The U.S. Energy Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry.

Instead, the foundation operates through an invitation-only model where program staff proactively identify organizations aligned with strategic priorities and invite them to submit grant proposals. This approach is described as "investing with intention" - building and managing grant portfolios of powerful coalitions focused on promoting clean energy.

The foundation's FAQ page states: "U.S. Energy Foundation does not currently accept unsolicited grant requests. Grantseekers who have not been invited by the U.S. Energy Foundation to submit a proposal may want to visit the Foundation Center, GuideStar, and other resources to locate other funding opportunities."

Getting on Their Radar

While the foundation doesn't accept cold applications, organizations interested in clean energy work can explore several strategic approaches:

Regional Office Networking: The foundation maintains regional offices in Raleigh, NC; Chicago, IL; Washington, DC; and Las Vegas, NV, in addition to the main San Francisco headquarters. Grantseekers may be able to network with foundation staff through these regional offices, particularly those working on state and regional climate and clean energy policies.

Grantee Network Connections: The foundation supports hundreds of organizations annually. Networking with existing grantees through LinkedIn or sector-specific events may provide insights into the foundation's priorities and potentially lead to introductions with foundation staff.

Sector Visibility: Given the foundation's focus on policy development, advocacy, and education around clean energy, organizations should build visibility in these spaces through:

Participation in clean energy policy discussions at state and regional levels
Engagement in coalitions working on transportation electrification, building electrification, grid modernization, or industrial decarbonization
Demonstrated work with environmental justice and frontline communities on equitable clean energy transitions
Publication of research or policy analysis that advances clean energy solutions

Alignment with Partner Priorities: The foundation works alongside numerous philanthropic partners including Hewlett Foundation, Packard Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Heising Simons Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and others. Organizations funded by these partner foundations may have increased visibility to U.S. Energy Foundation staff.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, decision timelines vary based on strategic priorities and proposal complexity.

Success Rates

With 617 grants awarded in 2023 and an invitation-only model, success rates for invited proposals are likely higher than typical open application processes, though specific figures are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only model. Organizations are not submitting unsolicited applications that could be rejected or resubmitted.

Application Success Factors

Since the U.S. Energy Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, the following factors are critical for organizations hoping to be identified and invited to submit proposals:

Strategic Alignment with Foundation Priorities:

The foundation explicitly states its mission: "accelerates the transition to a clean energy economy by supporting policy solutions that create robust, competitive markets"
Focus on one or more of the four key sectors: Power, Transportation, Buildings, or Industry
Work must be U.S.-based; the foundation does not work outside the U.S.

Emphasis on Four Key Methods:

Empower Local Expertise: Organizations engaging regional and state leadership to ensure equitable distribution of clean energy benefits
Support Sound Solutions: Groups advancing innovative technologies that strengthen economies and deliver public benefits
Engage the Public: Coalitions mobilizing diverse stakeholders (from farmers to military officials) to advocate for clean energy
Communicate Success: Organizations sharing progress stories to build momentum toward decarbonization

Equity and Justice Focus: The foundation places significant emphasis on environmental justice and equity. Organizations should demonstrate:

How their work benefits BIPOC, frontline, and low-income communities
Commitment to addressing chronic disinvestment in communities of color
Support for the Justice40 initiative and similar equity-centered approaches
Capacity to work alongside governments to ensure agencies design programs that meet community needs

Policy and Advocacy Capacity: A significant portion of the foundation's grantmaking supports policy development, education, and advocacy. Strong candidates include:

Policy experts and think tanks producing actionable research
Organizations with proven ability to educate policymakers
Coalitions with capacity to influence state, regional, or federal clean energy policy
Groups with established relationships in state capitals or with federal agencies

Examples of Funded Work: Recent grantees span a wide spectrum from major national organizations (Rocky Mountain Institute, American Lung Association, Consumer Reports) to local grassroots groups (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization in Chicago, Native Sun Community Power Development in Minneapolis), suggesting the foundation values both scale and community-level impact.

Coalition-Building Capacity: The foundation explicitly seeks to "build and manage grant portfolios of powerful coalitions," indicating preference for organizations that can work collaboratively across sectors and with diverse stakeholder groups.

Cross-Sector Appeal: The foundation supports diverse organizational types including business groups, environmental advocates, labor organizations, faith-based groups, consumer advocates, community organizations, and universities - suggesting that cross-sector partnerships and the ability to engage non-traditional clean energy allies is valued.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only model means traditional grant writing is not applicable - focus instead on building organizational visibility, demonstrating impact in clean energy policy/advocacy, and networking with foundation staff through regional offices or existing grantees
Equity must be central, not peripheral - the foundation emphasizes that addressing climate change requires advancing equity and protecting democracy; proposals should demonstrate authentic engagement with environmental justice communities
Policy impact is paramount - the foundation funds education and advocacy that influences state, regional, and federal clean energy policy; organizations need demonstrated capacity to move policy, not just implement programs
Regional strategy matters - with dedicated staff in West, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions plus Washington DC, organizations should understand and articulate their fit within regional clean energy priorities
Think beyond environmental organizations - the foundation's grantee roster includes labor unions, business groups, faith organizations, and consumer advocates; diverse stakeholder engagement is a strategic priority
The foundation values both scale and grassroots - grant sizes range from $5,000 to $20 million, and grantees include both major national organizations and local community groups; impact matters more than organizational size
Operating as part of a donor-advised fund means the foundation coordinates with major philanthropic partners (Hewlett, Packard, MacArthur, ClimateWorks, etc.) - visibility to these partner foundations may create pathways to U.S. Energy Foundation support

References

Information accessed: December 2024