Chalten Trust is a climate-focused environmental funder that concentrates its giving on organizations working to protect the planet from climate change through advocacy, conservation, and legal strategies. The foundation gives both large, catalytic gifts to philanthropic intermediaries and mission-driven groups and smaller grants to local conservation and advocacy organizations, with an emphasis on general operating support. Its portfolio mixes national advocacy and voter-engagement groups with specialist conservation and litigation partners, and it also supports community foundations in places where it has ties.
Chalten Trust’s largest recent grants go to philanthropic intermediaries used to finance climate work at scale: Marin Community Foundation received $2,669,106 in 2024 and another $2,422,000 in 2025, both marked for philanthropy related to protecting the planet from climate change. That pairing shows a funder comfortable with very large, repeat commitments when it wants to channel money through pooled vehicles rather than only through direct operating grants. Beyond those anchor gifts, the trust backs a mix of conservation, legal, and advocacy organizations. Rewild received $515,000 in 2024 for the same climate-protection theme, while Raincoast Conservation Foundation was awarded $200,000 in 2023 as a general-purpose grant. The portfolio also includes climate advocacy and electoral organizations such as Activate America, 314 Action, League of Conservation Voters Inc, and California Environmental Voters, along with smaller grants to local Western U.S. groups and community foundations. The pattern is consistent with a climate-focused environmental funder that uses general support, advocacy funding, and operating support to move money into organizations working on policy, conservation, litigation, and place-based protection.
Chalten Trust gives across several climate-related channels, but advocacy is a clear theme. In 2025, it awarded $200,000 to Activate America for advocacy related to protecting the planet from climate change, then added $20,000 to 314 Action and $20,000 to League of Conservation Voters Inc for the same broad purpose. California Environmental Voters also received $15,000 in 2025 for climate advocacy. The trust also backs conservation work tied to land and species protection. Rewild received $515,000 in 2024 for philanthropy related to protecting our planet from climate change, while Raincoast Conservation Foundation got a $200,000 general-purpose grant in 2023. Legal strategies are part of the portfolio too. Cottonwood Environmental Law Center received $75,000 in 2023 as a general-purpose grant, fitting the trust’s use of litigation-oriented environmental work alongside advocacy and conservation. Community-based environmental support appears as well through Ventura Citzens for Hillside Preservation Inc and Soar Inc, both funded in 2025 for advocacy related to climate protection.
Chalten Trust’s recent grants show a wide spread in size, from a p25 of $52,125 to a median of $137,500 and a p75 of $436,250. The portfolio is heavily skewed by a few very large gifts: the two Marin Community Foundation grants sit far above the median, while most other awards are in the five- and low six-figure range. The same recipient can appear across multiple years, as with Marin Community Foundation and Activate America, which points to repeat relationships rather than purely one-off grants. The foundation also makes program-related investments, and its grants often arrive as general support or general-purpose support rather than tightly restricted project funding. It funds organizations, not individuals.
$2.7M
$119.3M
$5.3M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $52K and $436K, with a median of $138K.
25th Percentile
$52K
Median
$138K
75th Percentile
$436K
About 17% of grants go to recipients in WA.
GREG CURTIS
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Concentrated, mission-driven giving: a few very large grants (notably one multi-million dollar gift) alongside several mid-size and smaller awards. Mix of repeat support to key partners (e.g., Activate America, Marin Community Foundation) and one-off grants to specialist conservation, legal, and local community organizations; predominantly unrestricted/general operating support.
Notable grantees: Marin Community Foundation, Rewild, Activate America, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Cottonwood Environmental Law Center
Chalten Trust’s giving is regional, with the highest concentration in Washington state and 17% of grants landing in Wyoming, the headquarters state. Recent recipients cluster in California and the West: Novato, Oakland, Ventura, and Stuart appear in the grant list, alongside North Bend, Bozeman, and Jackson. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 14 grants to U.S. organizations.
Its recent grants support climate philanthropy intermediaries, advocacy and voter-engagement groups, conservation organizations, environmental law groups, and local preservation efforts. Named recipients include Marin Community Foundation, Activate America, Rewild, Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, and Ventura Citzens for Hillside Preservation Inc.
Yes. Marin Community Foundation appears in both 2024 and 2025, and Activate America appears in both 2023 and 2025. That pattern suggests the trust maintains ongoing relationships with some recipients rather than only making one-time awards.
Typical grant size is $52,125 at the 25th percentile, $137,500 at the median, and $436,250 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards range from $10,000 to multi-million-dollar grants, with the largest gifts going to Marin Community Foundation.
Its giving is regional, with the highest grant count in Washington state and 17% of grants going to recipients in Wyoming. The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, including organizations in California, Washington, Montana, Texas, Florida, and the District of Columbia.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NOVATO, CA | $2,422,000 | 2025 | PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACTIVATE AMERICA | OAKLAND, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| 314 ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS | OAKLAND, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VOTEWATER INC | STUART, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOAR INC | VENTURA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VENTURA CITZENS FOR HILLSIDE PRESERVATION INC | VENTURA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NOVATO, CA | $2,669,106 | 2024 | PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| REWILD | AUSTIN, TX | $515,000 | 2024 | PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RAINCOAST CONSERVATION FOUNDATION | NORTH BEND, WA | $200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT |
| COTTONWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER | BOZEMAN, MT | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $44,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT |
| ACTIVATE AMERICA | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL ADVOCACY GRANT |
MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$2,422,000PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
ACTIVATE AMERICA
$200,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS INC
$20,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
314 ACTION
$20,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
$15,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
VOTEWATER INC
$10,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
SOAR INC
$10,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
VENTURA CITZENS FOR HILLSIDE PRESERVATION INC
$10,000ADVOCACY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$2,669,106PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
REWILD
$515,000PHILANTHROPY RELATED TO PROTECTING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; GENERAL SUPPORT
RAINCOAST CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT
COTTONWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
$75,000GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JACKSON HOLE
$44,500GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT
ACTIVATE AMERICA
$20,000GENERAL ADVOCACY GRANT