Three Cairns Foundation makes a small number of large, strategic grants focused on catalytic international impact. Their largest single commitment supports early-stage financing for renewable energy projects in Africa, while other funding goes to care coordination and to general support for global advocacy/capacity organizations. They favor intermediaries and flexible general operating support that can scale projects or networks rather than many small community grants.
Three Cairns Foundation Inc concentrates its largest commitments on early-stage catalytic financing for renewable energy projects in Africa. A $5,000,000 grant to Stichting Development Fund supported the pipeline of bankable sustainable energy projects, with the stated aim of emissions reduction, expanded renewable energy access, and job creation. That pattern fits a funder that backs project preparation, intermediaries, and organizations that can move capital into climate work rather than dispersing many small awards. The foundation also supports climate talent and capacity-building through programs tied to graduate education, fellowships, and workforce development. Its grantmaking includes support for students from developing economies at the Yale School of the Environment and fellowship-style work at Columbia Business School. In addition, the foundation funds communications and policy-oriented climate efforts, along with general support for organizations working on advocacy and strategic initiatives. Recent grants show a mix of very large catalytic awards and smaller general-purpose grants, with repeat support to some recipients across different years.
In climate finance, Three Cairns Foundation Inc backed Stichting Development Fund with $5,000,000 to provide early-stage catalytic funding for a pipeline of bankable sustainable energy projects in Africa. The purpose language ties the grant to emissions reduction, renewable energy access, and job creation. The foundation also invests in talent development. Through the Three Cairns Climate Program for the Global South at the Yale School of the Environment, it supports students from developing economies with financial and non-financial aid, career development, and summer work support in home countries. A separate strand of giving supports applied climate training at Columbia Business School through fellowship-style programs for MBA and EMBA students completing semester- or year-long projects on climate and business solutions. The foundation additionally funds communications organizations and initiatives that build public awareness of climate issues and support climate policy.
Three Cairns Foundation Inc gives in a narrow band of large grants: the typical grant size is $1,625,000 at the 25th percentile, $2,750,000 at the median, and $3,875,000 at the 75th percentile. The pattern is strategic rather than diffuse, with a small number of sizable awards and repeat support to the same organizations across years. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Grants shown in the data are often general-purpose or flexible support, and the active programs point to both unsolicited and non-unsolicited pathways depending on the initiative.
$2.3M
$90.6M
$12.8M
$3.2M
Most grants fall between $1.6M and $3.9M, with a median of $2.8M.
25th Percentile
$1.6M
Median
$2.8M
75th Percentile
$3.9M
About 50% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Three Cairns Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 8 | $15.5M | 80.0% |
| 2 | Netherlands |
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Highly concentrated: very few but large grants (one $5M anchor grant, two seven-figure gifts, and repeat support to select grantees). Prefers catalytic, program-level investments and flexible general-purpose funding to intermediaries rather than broad, distributed small grants.
Notable grantees: Stichting Development Fund, Community Funds Inc, Activate Global Inc
Grantmaking is regional, with most awards going to recipients in California and 0% to recipients in the foundation’s New York headquarters state. The recent grants list also includes New York, NY recipients and one grant to the Netherlands, showing a mix of U.S. and international beneficiaries. Named recipient locations in the data include Berkeley, CA; New York, NY; and the Netherlands through Stichting Development Fund.
The foundation supports climate and energy intermediaries, communications groups, talent-development programs, and research or advocacy initiatives. Recent programs include climate philanthropy, an incubated talent marketplace initiative, Yale School of the Environment support for students from developing economies, and fellowship-style work at Columbia Business School.
Typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $1,625,000, the median is $2,750,000, and the 75th percentile is $3,875,000. The recent grants list also shows a $5,000,000 award, which sits above that typical range.
Yes. It funds student and talent-development programs at Yale School of the Environment and Columbia Business School, including support for students from developing economies, career development, summer work support in home countries, and semester- or year-long climate projects.
Yes. The recent grants data includes a grant to Stichting Development Fund in the Netherlands. The recipient country distribution also shows 20% of grants to NL, alongside 80% to U.S. recipients.
Yes. California is the top state by grant count, while the foundation’s New York headquarters state received 0% of grants in the data provided. The recipient locations listed include Berkeley, CA and New York, NY, along with one international recipient.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $10M |
20.0% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FUNDS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2025 | CARE COORDINATION FUND |
| ACTIVATE GLOBAL INC | BERKELEY, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COMMUNITY FUNDS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | CONGESTION PRICING GO FUND |
| Global Carbon Market Utility Governing Council Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $4,837,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| Allied Climate Partners Inc | New York, NY | $2,500,000 | 2024 | General Purpose |
| Activate Global Inc | Berkeley, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | General Purpose |
| Stichting Development Fund | Gr | $5,000,000 | 2023 | Provide early-stage catalytic funding to support and grow the pipeline of bankable sustainable energy projects in Africa, to achieve emissions reduction, expand access to renewable energy, and create job opportunities in emerging economies |
| Activate Global Inc | Berkeley, CA | $500,000 | 2023 | General Purpose |
COMMUNITY FUNDS INC
$1,500,000CARE COORDINATION FUND
COMMUNITY FUNDS INC
$300,000CONGESTION PRICING GO FUND
Global Carbon Market Utility Governing Council Inc
$4,837,000GENERAL PURPOSE
Allied Climate Partners Inc
$2,500,000General Purpose
General Purpose
Stichting Development Fund
$5,000,000Provide early-stage catalytic funding to support and grow the pipeline of bankable sustainable energy projects in Africa, to achieve emissions reduction, expand access to renewable energy, and create job opportunities in emerging economies