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Huang Chen Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.3M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M

Huang Chen Foundation Inc - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $298,121 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Estimated $10,000 - $100,000
  • Average Grant Size: $37,644
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States) with emphasis on Southeast Asia and Africa for rainforest conservation
  • Total Assets: $5.44 million (2024)

Contact Details

Overview

The Huang Chen Foundation Inc was established in 2020 as a private family foundation by Geoffrey Chen, a former Credit Suisse FX trading desk head who left banking in 2017 to manage his own capital. The foundation was formed using trading profits and received an initial contribution of $5.14 million in its founding year. With current assets of $5.44 million, the foundation has maintained consistent grantmaking activities, distributing approximately $300,000 annually to organizations focused on nature conservation, climate change mitigation, and humanitarian causes related to environmental issues. The foundation's mission centers on addressing the intersection of environmental destruction and human displacement, with particular emphasis on rainforest conservation. Geoffrey Chen sits on the board of Rainforest Trust, an international conservation organization, and has personally funded the preservation of over 100,000 acres of rainforest in Southeast Asia and Africa through his foundation work.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Huang Chen Foundation operates as a private foundation without publicly advertised grant programs. Funding decisions appear to be made at the discretion of the foundation's directors.

Historical Grant Activity:

  • 2024: $298,121 distributed (number of grants not specified)
  • 2023: $338,800 distributed across 9 grants
  • 2022: $329,586 distributed across 12 grants
  • 2021: $1,001,068 distributed across 18 grants
  • 2020: $408,605 distributed across 11 grants

Priority Areas

Based on the foundation's mission statement and leadership activities:

Environmental Conservation (Primary Focus)

  • Rainforest protection and preservation
  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Carbon emissions reduction

Climate-Related Humanitarian Issues

  • Climate refugees and population displacement
  • Communities affected by environmental degradation
  • Migration related to climate change

The foundation's website emphasizes: "We live in a world where financial capital is abundant, yet nature is scarce and peace is fragile." It highlights that rainforest destruction emits 10% of global carbon emissions annually and is the leading cause of biodiversity loss.

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified, though the foundation's narrow focus on environmental conservation and climate-related humanitarian issues suggests limited interest in unrelated causes.

Governance and Leadership

Geoffrey Chen - Director and Founder

  • Serves without compensation
  • Former FX trading desk head at Credit Suisse
  • Former FX trader at Royal Bank of Scotland
  • Board member of Rainforest Trust
  • Based in Singapore where he manages his family office, Three Quays
  • Two decades of experience in financial markets
  • Founded the foundation in 2020 using trading profits
  • Personal mission: "passionate supporter of rainforest conservation and finding solutions against climate change"

Angela C. Huang - Director

  • Listed in 2020-2022 filings
  • Works alongside Geoffrey Chen in conservation efforts
  • Dedicated to fighting deforestation in Southeast Asia

Andrew Chih Chun Huang - Director

  • Listed in 2020-2022 filings

All directors serve without compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Huang Chen Foundation operates as a private family foundation making grants at the discretion of its directors. There is no online portal, application form, or published guidelines for unsolicited funding requests.

Based on the foundation's grantmaking pattern (9-18 grants annually with an average size of $37,644), grants appear to be directed to organizations already known to the foundation's leadership or identified through the directors' networks in the conservation sector.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations seeking to align with the foundation's interests should note:

Foundation's Core Concerns: The foundation emphasizes urgency in its mission statement: "At the rate our forests are being destroyed, the wildlife we enjoy today may not be around for our children to experience tomorrow."

Known Funding Pattern:

  • Geoffrey Chen and his wife Angela have funded the preservation of over 100,000 acres of rainforest in Southeast Asia and Africa
  • The foundation works with established conservation organizations (evidenced by Chen's board service with Rainforest Trust)
  • Focus appears to be on measurable conservation outcomes (protected acres, carbon emissions reduction, biodiversity preservation)

Geographic Interest: While based in Minneapolis, the foundation has funded projects across multiple U.S. states (California, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, Illinois, Washington D.C.) and internationally in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This is a private family foundation operating through director discretion; unsolicited proposals are unlikely to be considered
  • Conservation Focus: Primary interest is rainforest protection, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation
  • Connection to Rainforest Trust: Geoffrey Chen's board service suggests affinity for organizations with proven track records in creating protected conservation areas
  • Financial Markets Background: The founder's experience in FX trading and capital management may influence the foundation's approach to measuring return on conservation investment
  • Southeast Asia and Africa Priority: Geographic focus on regions with significant rainforest ecosystems under threat
  • Moderate Grant Sizes: Average grant of ~$37,600 suggests support for specific projects rather than large-scale organizational funding
  • Consistent but Selective: With only 9-18 grants made annually from assets of $5.4 million, the foundation is highly selective in its funding decisions

References

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