About Arcus Foundation
A private grantmaking foundation dedicated to advancing LGBTQ human rights and the conservation and respect of great apes and gibbons so that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world.
Focus Areas
LGBTQ human rights and social justice (global, with country/regional priorities)Great apes & gibbons conservationMovement building and capacity strengtheningPolicy and legal protectionsResearch, monitoring and evaluation
Who They Fund
rescued chimpanzees and other great apes (orangutans, gibbons)locally based trans-led organizations and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary peopleLGBTQ youth of color / emerging LGBTQ leaders of colorforest and Indigenous communities in ape-range countriescommunities affected by extractive industries (mining) impacting ape habitats
About Arcus Foundation
A defining feature of Arcus Foundation’s recent grantmaking is its sustained support for sanctuary care for rescued chimpanzees. The largest grants on file include multiple awards to Save the Chimps Inc. for general operating support, alongside a separate grant for permanent sanctuary care for chimpanzees rescued from research, entertainment, and the pet trade. That animal-conservation work sits alongside a second core lane: LGBTQ human rights. In that area, Arcus has backed trans-led movement infrastructure, young LGBTQ leaders of color, and collaborative funds designed to strengthen safety, legal protections, and social inclusion. The pattern is not limited to direct grants to single organizations. Arcus also funds intermediaries such as Borealis Philanthropy, International Trans Fund, Proteus Fund Inc, and Forest Peoples Programme, indicating a mix of direct operating support and pooled or collaborative grantmaking. The grant record shows recurring support across multiple years for both conservation and LGBTQ rights, with large awards continuing into 2025. Together, the portfolio points to a foundation that backs long-term movement capacity, policy work, and on-the-ground care for species and communities it prioritizes.
What Arcus Foundation Funds
In great ape conservation, Arcus gave $977,449 to the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education & Conservation for implementation of the Conservation Action Plan for great apes in the Eastern DRC, with work on mining, disease, tenure, management, and governance. It also supported Forest Peoples Programme with $460,900 for forest peoples’ land rights and landscape governance for ape conservation in Lobeke National Park, Cameroon; Messok-Dja, Republic of Congo; and Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. For sanctuary work, it awarded $1,291,118 to Save the Chimps Inc for refuge and exemplary care to chimpanzees in permanent sanctuary. On the LGBTQ side, Arcus provided $750,000 to Borealis Philanthropy’s Fund for Trans Generations to build a free and safe future for transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people.
How Arcus Foundation Gives
Arcus Foundation’s typical grant size sits at a p25 of $10,000, a median of $60,810, and a p75 of $100,000, but the recent record also includes repeated seven-figure awards. The same organizations recur over several years, including Save the Chimps Inc, Borealis Philanthropy, International Trans Fund, Proteus Fund Inc, and the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education & Conservation. That pattern suggests multi-year support rather than isolated one-off gifts. The foundation is a regular funder and the available grant descriptions show a mix of general operating support, pooled funds, and capacity-building or technical-assistance support. Unsolicited applications are accepted in some active programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$33.2M
Total Assets
$302M
Total Revenue
$44M
Total Expenses
$45.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $61K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$61K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
National36 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Arcus Foundation Funds
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Arcus Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 912 | $78.1M | 57.7% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 98 |
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