About Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia gives some of its largest recent grants to research institutions, with Temple University in Philadelphia receiving $303,669 in 2023 and The Commons in Washington, DC receiving $120,000 that same year. That pattern fits a funder centered on natural history research, systematics, and environmental research rather than broad discretionary philanthropy. Its grant program structure also points to a strong internal research mission: active programs include the Gallagher Fellowship, Jessup Awards, Eckelberry Endowment, and Bohlke Endowment, all tied to research, collections, publication, and natural history work in Philadelphia. Recent grants show support for universities, conservation organizations, community groups, and applied research partners, including the Trustees of the University of Illinois, Johns Hopkins University, The Nature Conservancy, and Growing Great. The foundation’s giving reaches beyond academic labs alone. It also supports watershed-related and community-based work, with awards to organizations such as Friends of the Upper Delaware River, the Delaware River Basin Commission, and Congreso De Latinos Unidos. Across these grants, the Academy appears to fund scientific inquiry, environmental study, and public-facing research partnerships.
What Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Funds
Natural history and systematics are central to the Academy’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $84,004 to Temple University for research, and in 2023 it awarded $85,338 to the Trustees of the University of Illinois for research. Those grants fit a pattern of support for institutional science rather than individual awards. Environmental research is another clear thread: The Commons received $90,023 in 2025 and $120,000 in 2023, both for research, while Johns Hopkins University received $39,343 in 2023 for research. The foundation also funds watershed and conservation-related work. Friends of the Upper Delaware River received $28,433 in 2025 and $27,349 in 2023, and the Delaware River Basin Commission received $20,000 in 2023. Community-connected environmental work appears as well, including a $18,600 grant to Congreso De Latinos Unidos in Philadelphia for research.
How Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Gives
Typical grant sizes cluster in the tens of thousands: p25 is $17,641, median is $28,433, and p75 is $55,658. The recent list includes repeated support to several recipients across multiple years, including Temple University, The Commons, Growing Great, and Friends of the Upper Delaware River, indicating recurring relationships rather than isolated one-off awards. The active program list is entirely internal and research-linked, with named programs for fellowships, awards, and endowments. All listed active programs are based in Philadelphia and none accept unsolicited applications.
