The Cygnet Foundation concentrates its giving on environmental stewardship and local climate resilience in California, particularly Greater Los Angeles and nearby coastal areas. It funds organizations that advance practical sustainability solutions—composting and organics diversion, coastal and watershed conservation, marine pollution research—and supports education and community-facing programs that translate science into local action. Grants skew toward mid-sized awards to operational and program support rather than one-off events, with an emphasis on place-based, nonprofit partners.
Concentrated, mid-sized grants focused on environmental and climate causes in California; funding is place-based and programmatic (education, research, implementation) rather than broadly distributed across many national causes.
A $90,000 general-support grant to La Compost anchors The Cygnet Foundation’s recent record and signals a clear preference for practical environmental work in California. The foundation backs organizations that connect sustainability to everyday local systems: organics diversion, coastal and watershed protection, climate resilience, and environmental education. Several of its larger awards go to groups working in Greater Los Angeles and nearby coastal communities, including Crystal Cove Conservancy for education, Algalita Marine Research and Educat for general support, and Arroyos Foothills Conservancy for conservation. The giving pattern is place-based rather than national, with every recent grant going to a California recipient. Education is a recurring tool in the portfolio, but it appears alongside direct conservation and community sustainability work rather than as a separate silo. The Cygnet Foundation also returns to some recipients over multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. Its recent grant list includes both six-figure and smaller operating awards, but the overall profile is built around local environmental groups and university-linked research and education partnerships that translate science into action on the ground.
Composting and organics diversion are a visible part of the foundation’s work. It gave $90,000 to La Compost for general support and later added $4,000 and $2,000 to the same group, indicating repeated support for local waste-diversion efforts. Coastal and marine work is another thread: Crystal Cove Conservancy received $76,000 for education, while Algalita Marine Research and Educat received $50,000 for general support in one year and smaller follow-on grants in later years. The foundation also backs watershed and habitat conservation through groups such as Arroyos Foothills Conservancy, which received $41,000 for conservation. Environmental education appears across the portfolio, including grants to Sustainable Conservation for education and to The Story of Stuff Project for education, showing a mix of field-based conservation and public-facing learning programs.
Typical grants are small to mid-sized, with a p25 of $1,000, a median of $1,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent record includes repeated awards to the same organizations across different years, including La Compost, University of California Davis, Sustainable Conservation, The Story of Stuff Project, North East Trees, California Trout, and Algalita Marine Research and Educat. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time project grants. The foundation is a grantmaker rather than an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments. Available grants show general support, education, conservation, and other non-project-specific support.
$134K
$1.5M
$373K
$158K
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$10K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: LA Compost, Algalita Marine Research and Education, Crystal Cove Conservancy, Arroyos Foothills Conservancy, Climate Resolve
All recent grants in the data went to U.S. recipients, and every grant was made to a California organization. The strongest concentration is in Greater Los Angeles and nearby communities: Los Angeles, El Monte, Pasadena, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Panorama City, and Newport Coast all appear in the recipient list. San Francisco, Davis, Berkeley, and Sacramento also show up, but the giving footprint remains statewide within California rather than national or multi-country.
The recent grants show a consistent emphasis on environmental stewardship in California, especially composting and organics diversion, coastal and marine research and education, watershed and habitat conservation, climate resilience, and environmental education. Named grants include support for La Compost, Crystal Cove Conservancy, Algalita Marine Research and Educat, and Arroyos Foothills Conservancy.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including La Compost, University of California Davis, Sustainable Conservation, The Story of Stuff Project, North East Trees, California Trout, and Algalita Marine Research and Educat. That repeated pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-time gifts.
Its recent grants all went to California recipients. The list includes organizations in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, El Monte, Newport Coast, San Francisco, Davis, Berkeley, Sacramento, Huntington Beach, and Panorama City.
The typical grant size is modest: p25 is $1,000, the median is $1,000, and p75 is $10,000. The recent list also shows larger awards, including $90,000 and $76,000, alongside many $1,000 grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAGUNA OCEAN FOUNDATION | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BUILD IT GREEN | OAKLAND, CA | $13,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CRYSTAL COVE CONSERVANCY | NEWPORT COAST, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LA COMPOST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CALIFORNIA TROUT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARROYOS FOOTHILLS CONSERVANCY | PASADENA, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOCKSHOP | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| XERCES SOCIETY | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACTIVESGV | EL MONTE, CA | $52,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARROYOS FOOTHILLS CONSERVANCY | PASADENA, CA | $41,000 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| LA COMPOST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| NORTH EAST TREES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE STORY OF STUFF PROJECT | BERKELEY, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| ALGALITA MARINE RESEARCH AND EDUCAT | LONG BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARROYO SECO FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA TROUT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALGALITA MARINE RESEARCH AND EDUCAT | LONG BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $43,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| LA COMPOST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $4,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOCKSHOP | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENRICH LA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CLIMATE RESOLVE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE STORY OF STUFF PROJECT | BERKELEY, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CALIFORNIA TROUT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AUDUBON CENTER AT DEBS PARK | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLACK THUMB FARM | PANORAMA CITY, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTH EAST TREES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LA COMPOST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $90,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CRYSTAL COVE CONSERVANCY | NEWPORT COAST, CA | $76,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| CLIMATE RESOLVE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $19,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOCKSHOP | LOS ANGELES, CA | $17,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| LA COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $3,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| THE STORY OF STUFF PROJECT | BERKELEY, CA | $2,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| ENRICH LA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| ARROYOS FOOTHILLS CONSERVANCY | PASADENA, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| WETLANDS WILDLIFE CARE CENTER | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA YIMBY | SACRAMENTO, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOLSA CHICA CONSERVANCY | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALGALITA MARINE RESEARCH AND EDUCAT | LONG BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| BLACK THUMB FARM | PANORAMA CITY, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
BUILD IT GREEN
$13,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$30,000EDUCATION
NORTH EAST TREES
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARROYO SECO FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$10,000EDUCATION
ENRICH LA
$1,000EDUCATION
AUDUBON CENTER AT DEBS PARK
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLACK THUMB FARM
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NORTH EAST TREES
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$10,000EDUCATION
LA COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION
$3,000EDUCATION
ENRICH LA
$2,000EDUCATION
WETLANDS WILDLIFE CARE CENTER
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA YIMBY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BOLSA CHICA CONSERVANCY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLACK THUMB FARM
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT