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    5. Shearwater Foundation
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    Shearwater Foundation

    ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
    HUNTSVILLE, ALWebsite2565330529EIN: 63-1280360

    About Shearwater Foundation

    The Shearwater Foundation concentrates its giving on bird and habitat conservation, both internationally and in Alabama, while also supporting youth and community-focused education programs. Funding is directed to a small set of repeat grantees, indicating sustained partnerships rather than one-off gifts. Grants tend to be mid-sized and targeted to mission-aligned nonprofits working on conservation and local youth services.

    Focus Areas

    Bird conservation and habitat protection (international and U.S.)Regional land and ecosystem conservation in AlabamaYouth development and early-childhood/after-school support in local communitiesCommunity revitalization programs serving children and families

    Giving Approach

    Concentrated giving with repeat, multi-grant support to a few core organizations (notably bird conservation groups), mid-sized grants rather than many small awards, and a mix of international conservation and local community/education investments.

    Funding Style

    unrestricted supportgeneral operating supportcore/general support

    About Shearwater Foundation

    Bird conservation is the clearest throughline in The Shearwater Foundation’s recent grantmaking, with support going to groups working on biodiversity, habitat protection, and environmental education alongside child and community services. The foundation’s largest recent award, $25,000, went to American Bird Conservancy for general support, and Jocotoco Foundation received $20,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. Those gifts fit a pattern of repeat support for conservation organizations that work in the U.S. and internationally. The foundation also backs local nonprofits serving children and families, including Our Kids Inc in Nashville and Village of Promise in Huntsville. Across the recent grants list, the support is mostly general operating or general support rather than tightly restricted project awards. That suggests a funder that uses flexible dollars to sustain a small circle of mission-aligned organizations. The active grant program description also points to biodiversity conservation, child welfare, education, health care for underserved populations, and limited primary ecological research as eligible areas, with an emphasis on land purchase and environmental education for biodiversity work.

    What Shearwater Foundation Funds

    In biodiversity and bird conservation, the foundation gave $25,000 to American Bird Conservancy for general support and $20,000 to Jocotoco Foundation for general support. Those awards align with its stated emphasis on biodiversity conservation, including tropical land purchase and environmental education. In Alabama land and ecosystem conservation, it awarded $7,000 to The Nature Conservancy of Alabama for general support. On the youth and family side, The Shearwater Foundation supported Our Kids Inc with $12,000 for general support in 2025 and $6,000 in 2023, showing repeated backing for the same local service provider. It also gave $10,000 to Village of Promise for general support, tying its education and community support priorities to a Huntsville-based nonprofit.

    How Shearwater Foundation Gives

    Recent grants cluster around mid-sized awards, with a p25 of $7,000, a median of $12,000, and a p75 of $20,000. The largest listed gift is $25,000, and several awards sit at the $20,000 level. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including Jocotoco Foundation, American Bird Conservancy, and Our Kids Inc, which points to recurring support rather than one-time funding. The foundation’s active grant program accepts unsolicited applications. Its philosophy tags emphasize unrestricted support, general operating support, core/general support, and flexible funding, matching the general-support pattern in the recent grants list.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $57K

    Total Assets

    $1.1M

    Total Revenue

    $57K

    Total Expenses

    $67K

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $7K and $20K, with a median of $12K.

    25th Percentile

    $7K

    Median

    $12K

    75th Percentile

    $20K

    Geographic Reach

    Regional4 states funded

    About 25% of grants go to recipients in TN.

    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

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    flexible funding

    Notable grantees: Jocotoco Foundation, American Bird Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy of Alabama, Our Kids Inc, Village of Promise

    Where Shearwater Foundation Makes Grants

    Grantmaking is regional and reaches both Alabama and other U.S. locations. Tennessee is the top state by grant count, while 25% of grants went to recipients in the foundation’s Alabama headquarters state. Recent awards also landed in Virginia, Maryland, and Alabama cities including Huntsville and Birmingham. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the provided data, with 12 grants and no non-U.S. recipients listed in the recent grants sample.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Shearwater Foundation

    What kinds of organizations does The Shearwater Foundation support?

    The foundation supports biodiversity conservation, environmental education, child welfare, education, health care for underserved populations, and social justice, with limited primary ecological research also named in its grant program. Recent grants show a strong emphasis on bird conservation and habitat protection, plus youth and family service organizations.

    Does The Shearwater Foundation accept unsolicited applications?

    Yes. The active grant program states that it accepts unsolicited applications for its general grant program and annual project grants.

    What is a typical grant size?

    The grant size profile centers on mid-sized awards: p25 is $7,000, median is $12,000, and p75 is $20,000. Recent grants include awards at those levels and a highest listed gift of $25,000.

    Are grants mostly one-time or recurring?

    Recurring support is evident in the recent grants list. Jocotoco Foundation received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; American Bird Conservancy appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Our Kids Inc received awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

    Where does The Shearwater Foundation give most often?

    Tennessee is the top state by grant count in the provided data. Alabama, the headquarters state, received 25% of grants, and recent awards also went to recipients in Virginia, Maryland, Huntsville, and Birmingham.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCYTHE PLAINS, VA$25,0002025GENERAL SUPPORT
    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATIONBALTIMORE, MD$20,0002025GENERAL SUPPORT
    OUR KIDS INCNASHVILLE, TN$12,0002025GENERAL SUPPORT
    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATIONBALTIMORE, MD$20,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT
    OUR KIDS INCNASHVILLE, TN$12,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT
    VILLAGE OF PROMISEHUNTSVILLE, AL$10,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT
    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCYTHE PLAINS, VA$7,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT
    THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF ALABAMABIRMINGHAM, AL$7,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT
    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATIONBALTIMORE, MD$20,0002023GENERAL SUPPORT
    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCYTHE PLAINS, VA$20,0002023GENERAL SUPPORT
    OUR KIDS INCNASHVILLE, TN$6,0002023GENERAL SUPPORT
    IMPACT AMERICABIRMINGHAM, AL$6,0002023GENERAL SUPPORT

    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY

    $25,000
    THE PLAINS, VA2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATION

    $20,000
    BALTIMORE, MD2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    OUR KIDS INC

    $12,000
    NASHVILLE, TN2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATION

    $20,000
    BALTIMORE, MD2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    OUR KIDS INC

    $12,000
    NASHVILLE, TN2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    VILLAGE OF PROMISE

    $10,000
    HUNTSVILLE, AL2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY

    $7,000
    THE PLAINS, VA2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF ALABAMA

    $7,000
    BIRMINGHAM, AL2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    JOCOTOCO FOUNDATION

    $20,000
    BALTIMORE, MD2023

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY

    $20,000
    THE PLAINS, VA2023

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    OUR KIDS INC

    $6,000
    NASHVILLE, TN2023

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    IMPACT AMERICA

    $6,000
    BIRMINGHAM, AL2023

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from Shearwater Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowCloses Aug 1, 2026Award: Up to $25K

    Shearwater Foundation Annual Project Grants

    Biodiversity conservationEnvironmental educationChild welfare+4 more

    Who can apply: Grants awarded to charitable organizations (not individuals). Support discrete projects with clearly defined, limited goals achievable within one year. Salaries should be no more than 40% of the request. No unrestricted/general operating grants, no support for individuals, sectarian religious organizations, political initiatives, or to retire accumulated debt. Primary ecological research applicants should contact the foundation before applying.

    Deadline: Proposals must be submitted electronically and received by August 1st each year.

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    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.