About Sam Shine Foundation
The Sam Shine Foundation concentrates its giving on land conservation and environmental stewardship in Southern Indiana and the surrounding region, backing both on-the-ground land trusts and organizations that combine conservation with education. Grants are typically large, unrestricted general support awards to mission-driven conservation groups and regional intermediaries, indicating a preference for long-term ecosystem protection and community-focused environmental programming.
Focus Areas
Regional land trusts and permanent land protection (Southern Indiana and nearby states)River and watershed conservation / riverfront preservationEnvironmental education and youth conservation programsCapacity-building support for regional conservation NGOs and community foundations
Who They Fund
regional land trusts and conservation NGOs (Southern Indiana and nearby states)youth and students engaged in environmental educationlocal/riverfront communities in Southern Indiana and adjacent regions
About Sam Shine Foundation
A large share of Sam Shine Foundation Inc’s recent grantmaking supports conservation groups working on land protection, watershed stewardship, and environmental education, with especially strong ties to Southern Indiana. The foundation’s awards often appear as general support rather than project-specific funding, which points to flexible backing for organizations carrying long-term conservation work. Recent grants include $931,500 to Sycamore Land Trust in Bloomington and $568,000 to River Heritage Conservancy in Jeffersonville, both in Indiana. The foundation also made seven-figure-level commitments in the recent record, including $3,301,280 to Nokuse Education Inc in Freeport, Florida and $1,023,828 to The Nature Conservancy in Arlington, Virginia. That mix shows a funder willing to support both local land conservation groups and larger national organizations engaged in environmental stewardship. Its grantees include land trusts, conservation law and advocacy groups, and education-focused nonprofits, with several awards recurring across multiple years to the same organizations.
What Sam Shine Foundation Funds
Land protection is a central theme. Sam Shine Foundation Inc gave $931,500 to Sycamore Land Trust in Bloomington for general support, and it also supported Central Indiana Land Trust with $305,500 in 2025 and $200,000 in 2023. River and watershed work appears alongside that land-trust focus: River Heritage Conservancy in Jeffersonville received $568,000 in 2023, $375,000 in 2024, and $390,000 in 2025, all for general support. The foundation also backed conservation infrastructure and advocacy, including $140,000 in 2025 to Conservation Law Center in Bloomington. Environmental education is another visible thread; Nokuse Education Inc received $3,301,280 in 2025 and $310,298 in 2024. Smaller awards to organizations such as the Indiana Native Plant Society and Indiana Karst Conservancy show attention to specific conservation communities and habitats.
How Sam Shine Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around a median of $59,178, with a lower quartile of $25,000 and an upper quartile of $282,724. The pattern includes both modest awards and very large commitments, so the distribution is wide. Recurring support is common: River Heritage Conservancy, Nokuse Education Inc, The Nature Conservancy, Central Indiana Land Trust, Conservation Law Center, and Falls of the Ohio Foundation each appear in multiple years. The foundation’s recent awards are listed as general support, and the pattern suggests sustained, relationship-based giving rather than one-off project grants.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.5M
Total Assets
$135.9M
Total Revenue
$6M
Total Expenses
$7.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $283K, with a median of $59K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$59K
75th Percentile
$283K
Geographic Reach
Regional5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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