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The Energy Foundation

Annual Giving
$156.2M

The Energy Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $156,172,399 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 617 grants awarded (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly (specific amounts not disclosed)
  • Geographic Focus: United States (regional focus on West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and federal level)

Contact Details

Headquarters: 55 Second Street, Suite 2400 San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: (415) 561-6700

Website: https://www.ef.org

Media Contact: Omer Farooque, Senior Director, Communications Email: omer.farooque@ef.org

Additional Regional Offices:

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

Overview

The U.S. Energy Foundation (EIN: 94-3126848) was established in January 1991 as a $20 million collaboration between the Pew Charitable Trusts, Rockefeller family foundations, and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The foundation's mission is to "secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis." Over more than 30 years, the foundation has become one of the leading philanthropies supporting clean energy policy and advocacy in the United States. In 2023, the foundation distributed over $156 million in grants to 617 organizations working on clean energy solutions. The foundation operates as a partnership of philanthropies, with major support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (contributing $319 million between 2001-2018) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation ($50.7 million in the same period). The foundation maintains a staff of over 100 people based across its regional offices.

Funding Priorities

Geographic and Programmatic Focus

The Energy Foundation organizes its work around four priority sectors and five geographic regions:

Priority Sectors:

  1. Power - Promoting renewable energy (wind and solar) alongside grid modernization to ensure access to cost-effective clean energy technologies
  2. Transportation - Addressing the fact that nearly 30% of U.S. air pollution comes from transportation through electric vehicle advancement and energy efficiency
  3. Buildings - Making structures cleaner, healthier, more affordable, energy-efficient, and fossil-fuel free
  4. Industry - Empowering communities affected by industrial pollution while scaling clean manufacturing that strengthens the economy, improves health, and creates jobs

Geographic Regions:

  • West - Leveraging vast wind and solar resources to decarbonize the economy and deliver clean electricity
  • Midwest - Supporting the booming clean energy sector with abundant resources and growing policy action
  • Northeast - Advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy policies, with priority states of Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
  • Southeast - Capturing economic, health, and security benefits through energy efficiency and clean energy industries
  • Federal - Supporting U.S. federal action on climate and clean energy

Strategic Approaches

The foundation employs four key methods:

  1. Local Engagement - Collaborating with regional coalitions and community leaders
  2. Innovation Support - Advancing technologies that drive economic and public benefits
  3. Public Advocacy - Mobilizing diverse stakeholders including farmers, business leaders, health professionals, and military officials
  4. Success Communication - Sharing progress narratives toward clean energy adoption

Priority Areas

Clean Energy Advocacy: Organizations that advocate for and galvanize investment in clean energy are significantly represented among grantees, including the Rocky Mountain Institute, Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, Beneficial Electrification League, Partnership Project, and Clean Grid Alliance.

Policy Development: Major climate policy organizations including the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, PolicyLink, Center for Applied Environmental Law, Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest.

Health and Environmental Justice: Fund for a Better Future, American Lung Association, West Harlem Environmental Action, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign.

Public Engagement: Advanced Energy Institute, Potential Energy Coalition, Action for the Climate Emergency.

Labor and Workforce: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, New Economy for Working Houston.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept foreign funding and focuses exclusively on U.S. clean energy policy and advocacy work. They do not support organizations outside the clean energy and climate sectors.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

The board consists of 11 members with diverse expertise in clean energy, policy, technology, law, and philanthropy:

  • Stuart Clarke (Board Chair) - Director, Watershed Protection Program at William Penn Foundation
  • Bryan Garcia (Vice Chair) - President and CEO of Connecticut Green Bank
  • Jason Mark - Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Energy Foundation
  • 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
  • Heather McTeer Toney - Executive Director of Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign
  • MaKara Rumley - Founder and CEO of Hummingbird
  • Nicole Systrom - Strategic Advisor at Galvanize Climate Solutions (former Board Chair)
  • Sue Tierney - President and Managing Principal at Analysis Group, Inc.
  • Patrick Woodcock - President and CEO of Maine State Chamber

Senior Leadership

Jason Mark, Chief Executive Officer (since January 2019), stated: "Each of [our board members] will help guide EF's work and support our mission to secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis."

Jane Breyer, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships (since 2016)

Nicole Systrom, former Board Chair, emphasized the foundation's commitment to equity: "The obvious one to carry forward is building a more inclusive, equitable movement, which means increasing both EF's skill and fluency with equity as an organization and in our support to equity-focused groups." She noted that significant clean energy commitments in Illinois (2022) and Minnesota (early 2023) depended on "broad and inclusive educational campaigns."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Energy Foundation does not have a public application process. As explicitly stated on their website: "U.S. Energy Foundation does not currently accept unsolicited grant requests" and "We do not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry."

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis for grant proposals. Grants are awarded through a strategic approach where foundation staff identify and invite organizations aligned with their programmatic priorities to submit proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

While the Energy Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations interested in their work can:

Connect Through Regional Networks: The foundation maintains offices in San Francisco, Raleigh, Chicago, Washington DC, and Las Vegas, with over 100 staff members across these locations. Organizations working in the West, Midwest, Northeast, or Southeast regions may encounter foundation staff at regional clean energy conferences and policy convenings.

Network with Current Grantees: Organizations can research current and past grantees through the foundation's website and public 990 filings. Building relationships with existing grantees may provide insights into the foundation's priorities and approaches. Grantees can be found via LinkedIn and other professional networks.

Monitor Foundation Communications: The foundation regularly publishes blog posts, reports, and updates about their strategic priorities and emerging focus areas on their website at ef.org. Understanding their evolving priorities can help organizations align their work strategically.

Alternative Funding Resources: For organizations seeking similar funding opportunities, the foundation recommends exploring "the Foundation Center, GuideStar, and other resources to locate other funding opportunities" in the clean energy and climate space.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly available as the foundation operates through an invitation-only process. Organizations invited to submit proposals would receive timeline information as part of that invitation.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. With 617 grants awarded in 2023 from an invitation-only pool, the foundation maintains a strategic approach to grantmaking rather than competitive open applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of the grantmaking process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Energy Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors differ from open-application foundations. However, research reveals key characteristics of successful grantees:

Alignment with Priority Sectors and Regions: Successful grantees work directly in the foundation's four priority sectors (Power, Transportation, Buildings, Industry) and five geographic focus areas (West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Federal). Organizations should demonstrate clear impact within these parameters.

Policy and Advocacy Focus: The foundation emphasizes supporting "policy solutions that create robust, competitive markets" and organizations that "educate policymakers and the general public about the benefits of a clean energy economy." Grantees typically engage in policy development, advocacy, and public education rather than direct service delivery or technology development alone.

Equity and Inclusion Commitment: Board Chair Nicole Systrom emphasized that "building a more inclusive, equitable movement" is both "the right direction from a moral and strategic standpoint." Successful grantees demonstrate commitment to environmental justice, community empowerment, and equitable clean energy transitions. Examples include the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy and West Harlem Environmental Action.

Coalition-Building Capacity: The foundation supports organizations that can mobilize "diverse stakeholders including farmers, business leaders, health professionals, and military officials." Successful grantees demonstrate ability to build broad coalitions beyond traditional environmental advocacy circles.

Track Record in Clean Energy: Established organizations with proven impact in clean energy policy and advocacy are prominently featured among grantees, including Rocky Mountain Institute, Clean Grid Alliance, and American Lung Association. The foundation appears to prioritize organizations with demonstrated expertise and influence.

Regional and Community Connections: The foundation values "collaborating with regional coalitions and community leaders" and organizations with deep roots in specific geographic areas. For example, their support for Indiana clean energy work involves partnerships with the McKinney Family Foundation and Herbert Simon Family Foundation.

Measurable Policy Outcomes: Systrom highlighted that recent commitments in Illinois and Minnesota succeeded through "broad and inclusive educational campaigns," suggesting the foundation values grantees who can demonstrate concrete policy wins and measurable progress toward clean energy adoption.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-Only Process: The Energy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations cannot apply directly but must be invited by foundation staff to submit proposals.

  • Strategic Alignment is Critical: Organizations working outside the four priority sectors (Power, Transportation, Buildings, Industry) or five geographic regions (West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Federal) are unlikely to be considered for funding.

  • Policy and Advocacy Focus: The foundation supports organizations that influence policy and educate stakeholders, not direct service providers or technology companies alone. Demonstrating policy impact and advocacy capacity is essential.

  • Equity as a Strategic Priority: The foundation's leadership has explicitly prioritized building "a more inclusive, equitable movement." Organizations should integrate environmental justice and equity considerations throughout their work, not as add-ons.

  • Coalition-Building Valued: The foundation seeks grantees who can mobilize diverse stakeholders and build broad-based support for clean energy policies. Demonstrating ability to work across sectors and constituencies strengthens positioning.

  • Partnership of Philanthropies: The foundation operates as a collaborative supported by major foundations including Hewlett, MacArthur, Packard, and ClimateWorks. Organizations may have better success connecting with foundation staff through these partner institutions' networks.

  • Network with Current Grantees: Given the invitation-only model, building relationships with current grantees and attending regional clean energy events where foundation staff may be present offers the best pathway to getting on the foundation's radar.

References

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