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Woka Foundation

Annual Giving
$13.5M
Grant Range
$25K - $1.0M

Woka Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $13,493,986 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $129,420,935 (2023)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $1,000,000
  • Median Grant: $257,500
  • Total Grants (2023): 42 awards
  • Geographic Focus: U.S. national (primarily California, Massachusetts, New York) with some international funding
  • Application Method: Invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://www.wokafoundation.org

Address: 4041 Barcelona Place, Newbury Park, CA 91320

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Contact information for inquiry is available through their website.

Overview

The Woka Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization established in 2020 in response to the 2018 IPCC report on limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The foundation manages assets of approximately $129 million and has committed its first decade of operations exclusively to addressing climate change. Founded and led by Rod Womer (retired U.S. Navy Captain and Test Pilot) and Barbara Karplus (retired tax accountant and schoolteacher), the foundation's mission is "to help create a just world that values environmental vitality and recognizes the dignity of all peoples." The foundation operates under three core principles: addressing root causes rather than symptoms, supporting self-sustaining solutions, and promoting economic transformation toward "a low-waste empathic society based on the sacredness of all life." Since inception, the foundation has grown its grantmaking from 21 awards in 2020 to 42 awards in 2023, totaling nearly $14 million annually.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Woka Foundation operates with a single grant program focused on climate solutions, with awards ranging from $25,000 to $1,000,000 and a median grant of $257,500. Multi-year support is considered for invited requests. Applications are accepted on an invitation-only basis.

Priority Areas

The foundation concentrates funding across five interconnected focus areas:

1. Innovation Supporting the ecosystem of innovators developing and deploying technological climate solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or absorb atmospheric carbon. Recent grants include support for clean energy entrepreneurs and climate technology fellows.

2. Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground Funding efforts to completely halt development of new fossil fuel infrastructure through litigation, research, activism, and movement building. The foundation recognizes fundamental conflicts between fossil fuel industry interests and climate stability.

3. Regenerative Practices Supporting initiatives that restore health to farmland, rangeland, forest, wetland, and ocean ecosystems through methods that enhance biodiversity and naturally draw down carbon. Recipients include organizations focused on regenerative agriculture, ocean farming, and biochar.

4. Gender Equity Backing gender-equitable leadership in climate decision-making spaces, supporting research and accountability, movement building and coordination, and empowerment through education. The foundation emphasizes women's critical roles as environmental stewards and climate leaders.

5. Climate Education and Communications Funding projects and programs that transform cultural views of climate change and advance environmental literacy worldwide through inspiration and empowerment. This includes supporting coalitions that fight climate disinformation and expose fossil fuel industry campaigns.

Notable 2023 Grant Recipients

  • Activate (Berkeley, CA): $1,000,000 for ClimateTech Fellows program
  • New Energy Nexus (Oakland, CA): $1,000,000 for renewable energy entrepreneur support
  • Green America (Washington, DC): $1,000,000 for regenerative agriculture initiatives
  • 350.org: Ongoing support for accelerating demand for just and equitable renewable energy solutions

What They Don't Fund

While explicit exclusions are not published, the foundation's focus is exclusively on climate change solutions. The foundation only supports U.S. registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Based on their stated principles, they likely do not fund:

  • Symptom-based interventions without addressing root causes
  • Programs creating dependency rather than self-sustaining solutions
  • Organizations or projects not aligned with climate action
  • Non-U.S. based organizations (though they may fund U.S. nonprofits working internationally)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Rod Womer - Chief Executive Officer & Board Member Retired Test Pilot, Program Manager, and U.S. Navy Captain. Womer is described as "nurturing Woka into existence" and using "material blessings to help create a more just world."

Barbara Karplus - Secretary/Treasurer & Board Member Mother, wife, tax accountant, and retired schoolteacher involved with education and child advocacy organizations. She "melds her passions for human rights, the environment, and a world of compassion and caring."

Krista Kurth, Ph.D. - Board Member Retired management consultant and former Director of the Green America Center for Sustainability Solutions. Her work focuses on "creating a just and sustainable world" with emphasis on climate action and environmental preservation.

Staff

Robin Baird - Senior Director of Operations and Strategy Former educator and philanthropic consultant who builds community and "makes things happen," guided by belief in "our sacred relationship with, and responsibility to, nature."

Emma Frawley - Director of Program and Operations Plant evolutionary biologist specializing in regenerative food systems. Committed to "restoring ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, and mitigating climate change."

Strategic Advisors

  • Russ Gaskin (Managing Director, CoCreative)
  • Alisa Gravitz (President and CEO, Green America)
  • Diara Holmes (Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP)
  • Lisa Spalding (Senior Partner, The Philanthropic Initiative)
  • Betsy Taylor (Philanthropic Consultant)

Board Compensation

Board members serve without compensation. In 2023, Rod Womer worked 17 hours per week, Barbara Karplus 10 hours per week, and Krista Kurth 3 hours per week, all receiving $0 compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Woka Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grant applications are by invitation only. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has provided specific guidance about how organizations might be considered for invitation:

The best approach is to be recommended to the foundation so they invite you to send a proposal. Networking and getting recommendations from trusted sources is the primary way organizations gain access to submit grant applications.

Selection Factors for Invitations: According to the foundation, they look for:

  • Alignment with Woka Foundation's mission, guiding principles, and priorities
  • Projects that are high impact but lacking funder attention
  • A local element as well as a track record of success

Strategic Advisor Network: Given that the foundation's strategic advisors include leaders from organizations like Green America and CoCreative, and board member Krista Kurth has deep connections in the climate philanthropy space, organizations working in similar networks may have better pathways to consideration.

Current Grantee Relationships: The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with grantees, as evidenced by multi-year support considerations. Organizations currently funded by similar climate-focused foundations or working in partnership with current Woka grantees may be more likely to come onto their radar.

Decision Timeline

The foundation does not publicly disclose decision timelines for invited applications. Given their annual grantmaking volume of 42 grants in 2023, they appear to make decisions on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Success rates for invited applications are not publicly available. However, the foundation has steadily increased its grantmaking volume: 21 awards in 2020, 35 in 2021, 41 in 2022, and 42 in 2023.

Reapplication Policy

As the application process is invitation-only, traditional reapplication policies do not apply. Organizations that have previously been invited may be considered for continued or renewed support, as the foundation explicitly states it considers multi-year funding for invited requests.

Application Success Factors

Since the Woka Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success factors center on alignment and positioning for invitation rather than traditional application strategies:

Alignment with Core Principles

The foundation emphasizes three non-negotiable principles:

  1. Addressing root causes rather than treating symptoms
  2. Supporting self-sustaining solutions to avoid creating dependency
  3. Economic transformation from consumption-based growth toward "a low-waste empathic society based on the sacredness of all life"

Projects must demonstrate how they align with these philosophical foundations, not just the climate focus areas.

High Impact, Underfunded Work

The foundation explicitly seeks "projects that are high impact but lacking funder attention." Organizations should be able to articulate:

  • Why their work has outsized impact relative to funding levels
  • What gaps they fill in the climate solutions ecosystem
  • How additional funding would enable breakthrough results

Local Implementation with Proven Results

The foundation looks for "a local element as well as a track record of success." This suggests they value:

  • Grassroots or community-based approaches (not just policy or research)
  • Demonstrated results, not just promising theories
  • Organizations that can show concrete outcomes from previous work

Strategic Focus Area Alignment

Recent grant patterns reveal specific interests within each focus area:

Innovation: Support for entrepreneur accelerators, fellowship programs, and ecosystem-building initiatives (e.g., Activate's ClimateTech Fellows, New Energy Nexus)

Regenerative Practices: Funding for organizations advancing regenerative agriculture, ocean farming (GreenWave), and biochar initiatives

Movement Building: Large grants to organizations like 350.org and Green America that mobilize constituencies and build widespread demand for solutions

Systems Change: Support for efforts that transform markets, policies, or cultural narratives around climate action

Philosophy of Transformation

The foundation operates under Eleanor Roosevelt's motto: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." This suggests they value:

  • Visionary leadership and bold goals
  • Positive, inspirational approaches to climate action
  • Work that builds hope and possibility alongside urgency

Network Positioning

With strategic advisors from Green America, CoCreative, and philanthropy consulting, and board leadership from climate philanthropy circles, organizations should:

  • Build relationships within the climate philanthropy ecosystem
  • Seek recommendations from trusted intermediaries
  • Demonstrate collaborative approaches that align with their advisors' organizations and values

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is an invitation-only funder - focus efforts on building relationships and seeking recommendations from trusted intermediaries rather than submitting unsolicited proposals
  • Root causes over symptoms - frame work around transformative solutions that address fundamental drivers of climate change, not just mitigation of impacts
  • Underfunded high-impact work is prioritized - articulate why your organization is punching above its weight and lacks sufficient funding attention relative to impact
  • Local + proven success required - demonstrate both grassroots/community implementation and concrete track record of results
  • Grant sizes are substantial - with a median grant of $257,500 and maximum of $1,000,000, this funder makes significant investments; position your organization for meaningful multi-year partnerships
  • Strategic advisor network matters - relationships with Green America, CoCreative, and climate philanthropy circles may provide pathways to invitation
  • Philosophy alignment is critical - demonstrate commitment to self-sustaining solutions, economic transformation, and "sacred relationship with nature" - not just climate metrics

References

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