Foster environmental stewardship through education by supporting outdoor education for children, teacher professional development, and preserving natural places.
Jeffers Foundation’s largest recent grant went to environmental preservation work, a signal that protection of natural places sits alongside its education-focused giving. In 2023, the foundation awarded $125,000 to Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc for Environmental Preservation Programs, followed by support for classroom-based conservation education through $45,000 to Minnesota Trout Unlimited for Trout in the Classroom 2022-2023 School Season. That pairing shows a pattern of funding both the places and the learning experiences tied to them. The foundation also backed the field infrastructure that supports environmental education in Minnesota, including general operating support for the MN Association for Environmental Education. Its stated program areas center on environment and education, with emphasis on outdoor education, school gardens, teacher professional development, and early childhood nature play. The active grant programs reinforce that orientation: they are built around outdoor classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, transportation to environmental learning sites, and schoolyard gardens used as educational resources. Grants are primarily made in Minnesota, and the foundation’s recent recipients include schools, environmental education organizations, and conservation-oriented partners.
Outdoor learning is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s program design. Minnesota schools and 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for the Outdoor Classroom Grant, the Innovation in Outdoor Education Grant, and transportation support for classes traveling to nature centers, regional parks, scientific natural areas, and residential environmental learning centers. School gardens are another defined area: the Garden Grant and Starter Grants support gardens used as educational resources for students, including creation or improvement of schoolyard garden spaces. The foundation also supports conservation education that connects students to natural systems. A recent $45,000 grant to Minnesota Trout Unlimited funded Trout in the Classroom 2022-2023 School Season, tying aquatic habitat education to K-12 learning. It also funded general operating support for the MN Association for Environmental Education, indicating support for the broader educational network behind these programs.
$0
$10.5M
$382K
$632K
Most grants fall between $23K and $65K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$23K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$65K
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Typical grant size sits at $23,125 at the 25th percentile, $37,500 at the median, and $65,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows both larger institutional grants and smaller project support, including a $2,500 transportation grant for school buses. The foundation uses a mix of program support and general operating support, and its active programs are structured as project-year or annual grants, including matching grants for outdoor learning spaces. Recipients in the recent list appear as one-time awards in the provided data rather than a repeated multi-year sequence. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications.
Jeffers Foundation gives most often in Minnesota, which accounts for 75% of its grants. The recent recipient list is entirely U.S.-based. Minnesota grantees include Chanhassen, Bloomington, and New London, showing a pattern that reaches beyond the foundation’s Prior Lake headquarters into multiple parts of the state. The foundation’s active programs are also centered on Minnesota, especially for outdoor classrooms, transportation to outdoor learning sites, and outdoor learning space improvements.
The foundation focuses on environment and education, with program areas that include outdoor education, school gardens, teacher professional development, and early childhood nature play. Its active grant programs also support outdoor classrooms, transportation to environmental learning sites, and outdoor learning spaces.
Yes. Several active programs say they accept unsolicited applications, including the Outdoor Classroom Grant, Transportation Grant, Innovation in Outdoor Education Grant, and Garden Grant programs.
Among recent grants, the 25th percentile is $23,125, the median is $37,500, and the 75th percentile is $65,000. Program-level awards also range from smaller amounts such as $2,000 transportation or garden support to matching grants up to $5,000.
Minnesota is the top state by grant count, and 75% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent Minnesota recipients include organizations in Chanhassen, Bloomington, and New London.
The active programs are aimed at schools and 501(c)(3) organizations in Minnesota, with one garden program also available to educational settings in the United States. Beneficiary types named in the data include K-12 students, public and private schools or school districts, classroom teachers, and school program staff.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Jeffers Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: The school or organization must be located in Minnesota and must be a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization with a nine-digit Federal Tax ID number. Travel must be within Minnesota and completed in 2026. Funds support specific field trips or projects, not overhead or programming costs such as salaries.
Deadline: Rolling review; grants end December 31, 2026.
Who can apply: Schools or other qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations throughout Minnesota may apply. The organization must have a nine-digit Federal Tax ID number. Projects must be specific outdoor learning spaces and not overhead or programming costs such as salaries. Matching funds are required, and no more than 50% of matching funds may be in-kind. Projects must be completed within two years.
Deadline: Rolling review; grants end December 31, 2026.
Who can apply: Schools or qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations in Minnesota may apply. The organization must have a nine-digit Federal Tax ID number and propose a new, out-of-the-box outdoor education idea. Projects must be completed within two years. Funds support specific projects, not overhead or programming costs such as salaries. Matching funds are required, and no more than 50% of matching funds may be in-kind.
Deadline: Rolling review; grants end December 31, 2026.
Who can apply: The school or organization must be located in Minnesota and must be a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization with a nine-digit Federal Tax ID number. Any kind of outdoor garden is eligible if it is used as an educational resource for students. The project must be completed within two years. Funds support specific projects, not overhead or programming costs such as salaries.
Deadline: Rolling review; grants end December 31, 2026.
Who can apply: Teachers who have participated in a Jeffers Workshop may receive a class set of Journals each school year. Some restrictions and certain requirements apply. Journals must be picked up in Prior Lake or shipping must be paid.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Oak Brook, IL | $125,000 | 2023 | Environmental Preservation Programs |
| Minnesota Trout Unlimited | Chanhassen, MN | $45,000 | 2023 | Trout in the Classroom 2022-2023 School Season |
| MN Association for Environmental Education | Bloomington, MN | $30,000 | 2023 | General Operating |
| New London - Spicer Schools | New London, MN | $2,500 | 2023 | School Busses |
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
$125,000Environmental Preservation Programs
Minnesota Trout Unlimited
$45,000Trout in the Classroom 2022-2023 School Season
MN Association for Environmental Education
$30,000General Operating
New London - Spicer Schools
$2,500School Busses
