Woodwell Climate Research Center conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature. We partner with leaders and communities for just, meaningful impact to address the climate crisis.
Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc backs climate science that connects people, nature, and solutions, and its largest recent award went to the Alaska Institute for Justice for scientific research. The pattern points to a funder that supports research institutions and applied climate work rather than individual recipients: its recent grants go to universities, research laboratories, and mission-driven organizations working on climate-related science and analysis. Woodwell’s own internal Fund for Climate Solutions also signals a preference for projects and partnerships that move research toward actionable outcomes. Among the larger recent grants, the center gave $689,671 to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks and $603,242 to Harvard University in Boston. It also supported the University of California Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois in Chicago, and the University of Connecticut. Recipients span Arctic, coastal, forest, and resilience-related research settings, matching Woodwell’s stated interests in permafrost and Arctic systems, soil and forest carbon, climate risk and resilience, water quality and hydrology, tropical forest protection, and sustainable agriculture. The organization’s giving is national in scope, with a strong concentration in research-heavy institutions and climate-adjacent partnerships.
Climate science is the clearest throughline in Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc’s recent grantmaking. It awarded $1,554,963 to the Alaska Institute for Justice in Anchorage for scientific research, showing support for work tied to climate-relevant inquiry in Alaska. It also gave $689,671 to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, another signal of interest in northern research settings. The center’s funding also reaches coastal and resilience work. It awarded $96,373 to Buzzards Bay Coalition in New Bedford for scientific research, and later gave that organization $73,606 and $62,727 in additional grants, indicating a recurring relationship around the same partner. In higher education, Woodwell supported Harvard University in Boston with $603,242 for scientific research, while the University of California Santa Barbara received $377,495. These grants align with the foundation’s focus on research projects, institutional research support, and applied scientific inquiry.
$5.7M
$56M
$24.3M
$35M
Most grants fall between $19K and $113K, with a median of $48K.
25th Percentile
$19K
Median
$48K
75th Percentile
$113K
Robert Max Holmes
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Typical awards sit at a median of $47,998, with the 25th percentile at $18,830 and the 75th percentile at $112,559. The recent list shows both very large project grants and many mid-sized research awards, suggesting a portfolio that mixes flagship commitments with smaller institutional supports. The same grantees appear across multiple years, including the Alaska Institute for Justice, the University of Alaska, Harvard University, Buzzards Bay Coalition, Bryn Mawr College, and Northeastern University. Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc is a Pure DAF Provider, does not fund individuals, and makes no program-related investments. The active Fund for Climate Solutions does not accept unsolicited applications, while Just Access does.
Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc gives nationally, and every grant in the provided recipient distribution went to U.S. organizations. Massachusetts appears frequently among recent recipients, including Harvard University in Boston, Northeastern University in Boston, Buzzards Bay Coalition in New Bedford, and Tufts in Boston. Alaska is another visible cluster through the Alaska Institute for Justice in Anchorage and the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Other recipient cities include Santa Barbara, Tempe, Chicago, Storrs, College Park, and Gainesville.
The recent grants go mainly to universities, research institutions, and mission-driven nonprofits. Examples in the data include Harvard University, the University of Alaska, the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, and Buzzards Bay Coalition. The foundation’s stated beneficiary types are researchers and scientists, academic institutions and universities, and research laboratories.
The typical grant size is $47,998 at the median, with a 25th percentile of $18,830 and a 75th percentile of $112,559. The recent list also includes much larger awards, such as $1,554,963 to the Alaska Institute for Justice and $689,671 to the University of Alaska.
Yes. The recent grants include repeated awards to the Alaska Institute for Justice, the University of Alaska, Harvard University, Buzzards Bay Coalition, Bryn Mawr College, and Northeastern University. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than single-time support only.
The foundation’s listed focus areas include climate science, permafrost and Arctic systems, soil and forest carbon, natural climate solutions, climate risk and resilience, water quality and hydrology, tropical forest protection, and sustainable agriculture. Its active Fund for Climate Solutions is oriented toward actionable climate science and partnerships.
The active Just Access (Municipal Risk Assessment Program) accepts unsolicited requests. The Fund for Climate Solutions does not accept unsolicited applications and is described as an internal grant program supporting projects and partnerships.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Woodwell Climate Research Center that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Municipal government or policy staff, or relevant NGOs/nonprofits working with municipalities and community resilience; applicants must provide information about their community via the application form.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Institute for Justice | Anchorage, AK | $1,330,255 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Harvard University | Boston, MA | $648,744 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | $628,741 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Alaska | Fairbanks, AK | $505,059 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | Fairbanks, AK | $404,390 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of California Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $339,430 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $264,097 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Chicago, IL | $258,197 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Resources Legacy Fund | Sacramento, CA | $200,000 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $161,381 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | $160,283 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst | Woods Hole, MA | $153,316 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| World Wildlife Fund Inc | Washington, DC | $150,478 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Rainforest Foundation Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Buzzards Bay Coalition | New Bedford, MA | $92,234 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | $78,014 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Regents of the UC Irvine | Irvine, CA | $51,411 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Alaska Pacific University | Anchoraged, AK | $42,855 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | $33,543 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Maryland | College Park, MD | $28,306 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) | Bethel, AK | $24,999 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Macalester College | New Haven, CT | $13,650 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Trustees of Columbia University | New York, NY | $12,587 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Colorado State University | Fort Collins, CO | $8,191 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| University of Florida Board of Trustees | Gainesville, FL | $5,602 | 2026 | Scientific Research |
| Alaska Institute for Justice | Anchorage, AK | $1,554,963 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| University of Alaska | Fairbanks, AK | $689,671 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Harvard University | Boston, MA | $603,242 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| University of California Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $377,495 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $288,567 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Chicago, IL | $227,385 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | $213,138 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| University of Maryland | College Park, MD | $184,259 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Trustees of Tufts College | Boston, MA | $72,318 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $64,211 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Buzzards Bay Coalition | New Bedford, MA | $62,727 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, AZ | $56,616 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | $56,213 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Bryn Mawr College | Bryn Mawr, PA | $48,505 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| GeoHazards International | Menlo Park, CA | $47,128 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | $43,420 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| The College of William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA | $41,404 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Colorado State University | Fort Collins, CO | $33,595 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Anchorage, AK | $31,466 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| The Council on Strategic Risks | Washington, DC | $29,044 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst | Woods Hole, MA | $25,707 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Univ of Florida Board of Trustees | Gainesville, FL | $18,740 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Regents of the UC Irvine | Irvine, CA | $18,722 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| International Cryosphere Climate ICCI | Pawlet, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | Scientific Research |
| Alaska Institute for Justice | Anchorage, AK | $1,177,164 | 2024 | Scientific Research |
University of Connecticut
$628,741Scientific Research
University of Alaska
$505,059Scientific Research
University of Alaska Fairbanks
$404,390Scientific Research
University of California Santa Barbara
$339,430Scientific Research
Arizona State University
$264,097Scientific Research
Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
$258,197Scientific Research
University of Massachusetts Amherst
$78,014Scientific Research
Regents of the UC Irvine
$51,411Scientific Research
University of Alabama
$33,543Scientific Research
University of Maryland
$28,306Scientific Research
Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC)
$24,999Scientific Research
Colorado State University
$8,191Scientific Research
University of Florida Board of Trustees
$5,602Scientific Research
University of Alaska
$689,671Scientific Research
University of California Santa Barbara
$377,495Scientific Research
Arizona State University
$288,567Scientific Research
Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
$227,385Scientific Research
University of Connecticut
$213,138Scientific Research
University of Maryland
$184,259Scientific Research
University of Massachusetts Amherst
$56,213Scientific Research
The College of William & Mary
$41,404Scientific Research
Colorado State University
$33,595Scientific Research
Univ of Florida Board of Trustees
$18,740Scientific Research
Regents of the UC Irvine
$18,722Scientific Research
International Cryosphere Climate ICCI
$15,000Scientific Research
