The Martin Foundation concentrates its giving in a small number of fairly large grants that emphasize local environmental conservation capacity in Southwest Florida and support for higher-education arts. A substantial portion of funds have gone to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for intern dormitory/housing, indicating interest in building organizational infrastructure and workforce development for conservation; a single large grant to the Vermont College of Fine Arts shows willingness to fund arts education outside the region as well.
The Martin Foundation Inc has shown a clear preference for funding infrastructure that helps organizations do their work, especially in Southwest Florida. Its largest recent grant went to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for an intern dorm, and related awards to the same organization supported an intern dormitory, a solar project, and a climate policy position. That pattern points to a funder willing to back both physical assets and staff capacity when it sees a strong institutional fit. The foundation also gives outside Florida, including a series of grants to Vermont College of Fine Arts and related names in Montpelier for general support. Those awards sit alongside grants to universities, hospitals, housing organizations, and environmental groups, suggesting a portfolio that crosses conservation, arts education, health, and community recovery. Recent grants also include support for Naples-area institutions such as Naples Botanical Garden, Naples Zoo, Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, and Collier Community Foundation. The result is a grantmaker that combines local investment with a small number of larger awards and a national reach.
Environmental conservation is the clearest thread in the recent grants. The Martin Foundation Inc gave $175,000 to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for a solar project and $125,000 for Solar Project Phase 1, showing interest in conservation infrastructure as well as operations. It also supported the University of Minnesota with $175,000 for Bee Lab and $100,000 for Bee Lab, along with $75,000 to the University of Minnesota Foundation for the Spivek Bee Innovation Fund. In health and workforce development, the foundation awarded $120,000 to UMass Boston for a nurse practitioner scholarship fund and another $100,000 to the University of Massachusetts Boston for Fund 10169 - Martin Foundation Nurse Practitioners. Community recovery and local services also appear in the record: Naples Botanical Garden received $150,000 for a storm water system, and Collier Community Foundation received $90,000 for the Collier Comes Together Fund. The foundation also made $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County for matching support toward a new house.
Typical grants cluster at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, even though the recent file also includes several six-figure awards. The pattern shows both repeated support and one-off gifts: Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Vermont College of Fine Arts, and University of Massachusetts Boston all appear in multiple years, while other recipients show up only once. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it funds individuals as well as organizations. Program-related investments are not part of the profile. The latest 990 year on file is 2025.
$2.3M
$38.7M
$4.5M
$2.7M
Most grants fall between $15K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a very small number of recipients; repeat large support to a single local conservation organization and occasional one-off large grants to higher-education institutions.
Notable grantees: Conservancy of Southwest Florida / Conservancy of SW Florida, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Inc.
Grantmaking is national, but Florida receives the most awards, with 25% of grants going to recipients in the state. Naples, FL appears frequently in the recipient record through organizations such as Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples Botanical Garden, Naples Zoo, Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, Collier Community Foundation, and NCH Healthcare Foundation. Outside Florida, awards land in Montpelier, VT; Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; New York, NY; and Lawrence, MA. All recorded grants in the provided distribution are to U.S. recipients.
Recent grants show a strong mix of environmental conservation, higher-education arts, health workforce support, and community recovery. Examples include the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for an intern dorm and solar work, Vermont College of Fine Arts for general support, and UMass Boston for nurse practitioner scholarship funding.
The grant-size distribution centers on $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes several larger awards, including multiple grants of $100,000 or more.
Yes. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida appears multiple times across 2024 and 2025, Vermont College of Fine Arts appears in both years, and the University of Massachusetts Boston appears in both years. That pattern shows recurring support rather than only one-time gifts.
Florida receives the most grants, accounting for 25% of grants in the recipient-state distribution. Naples, FL appears repeatedly among recipients, while other awards go to Montpelier, VT; Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; New York, NY; and Lawrence, MA.
Yes. The profile identifies the foundation as funding individuals, alongside its organizational grantmaking. The recent grants list also shows awards to universities, nonprofits, hospitals, and community organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONSERVANCY OF SWFL | NAPLES, FL | $200,000 | 2026 | PHYTHON & SENIOR CLIMATE POLICY POSITION |
| NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN | NAPLES, FL | $150,000 | 2026 | STORM WATER SYSTEM |
| UMASS BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $120,000 | 2026 | NURSE PRACTITIONER SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| VERMONT COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS | MONTPELIER, VT | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LAWRENCE GENERAL HOSPITAL | LAWRENCE, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| QUESTSCOPE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2026 | BEE LAB |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | PLASTICS SOLUTION FUND |
| SOLIHTEN INSTITUE | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | NEW YORK, NY | $90,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EARTHJUSTICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $65,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TAIKO ARTS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SURFRIDER | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FORESTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK PROJECT |
| INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | FLORIDA REPORTER |
| OCEAN CONSERVANCY | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | TRASH FREE OCEANS PROGRAM AND GLOBAL GHOST GEAR INITIATIVE |
| NORTHWEST STRAITS | BELLINGHAM, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | DERELICT GEAR REMOVAL AND GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NAPLES SHELTER | NAPLES, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | MAINTENANCE FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING |
| ASSOCIATION TO BENEFIT CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED | MEMPHIS, TN | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FREEDOM EDUCATION PROJECT PUGET SOUND | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEVADA CITY COMMUNITY BROADCAST GROUP | NEVADA CITY, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBUR | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACLU FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPRINGBOARD TO OPPORTUNITIES | JACKSON, MS | $25,000 | 2026 | GUARANTEED INCOME FUND |
| SECOND HARVEST OF SILICON VALLEY | SAN JOSE, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF MN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANSICO MARIN FOOD BANK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | MONTGOMERY, AL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WGBH | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BEAR YUBA LAND TRUST | GRASS VALLEY, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHEAST WILDERNESS TRUST | MONTPELIER, VT | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OXFAM | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AUDBON OF THE WESTERN EVERGLADES | NAPLES, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR TACOMA & PIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTH KING TOOL LIBRARY | FEDERAL WAY, WA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BELOVED ASHEVILLE | ASHEVILLE, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | HURRICANE RELIEF |
| VOLUNTEER FLORIDA FOUNDATION | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $15,000 | 2026 | FLORIDA DISASTER FUND |
| CHARITY NAVIGATOR | SADDLE BROOK, NJ | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEAM IMPACT | QUINCY, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BRIDGE FUND OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FEEDING THE CAROLINAS | CLEMMONS, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VINDEKET FOODS | COLLINS, CO | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TACOMA PHOTO CENTER | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PAROLE PREP NY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
UMASS BOSTON
$120,000NURSE PRACTITIONER SCHOLARSHIP FUND
LAWRENCE GENERAL HOSPITAL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
QUESTSCOPE
GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
$100,000BEE LAB
ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS
$100,000PLASTICS SOLUTION FUND
SOLIHTEN INSTITUE
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TAIKO ARTS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SURFRIDER
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
$50,000OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK PROJECT
TRASH FREE OCEANS PROGRAM AND GLOBAL GHOST GEAR INITIATIVE
NORTHWEST STRAITS
$50,000DERELICT GEAR REMOVAL AND GENERAL SUPPORT
NAPLES SHELTER
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER
$35,000MAINTENANCE FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING
DUCKS UNLIMITED
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WGBH
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BEAR YUBA LAND TRUST
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AUDBON OF THE WESTERN EVERGLADES
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR TACOMA & PIERCE COUNTY
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTH KING TOOL LIBRARY
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VINDEKET FOODS
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TACOMA PHOTO CENTER
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PAROLE PREP NY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT