Friday is environment & climate day on The Grant Brief.

What connects these three: all fund conservation and climate work, but at very different scales. One backs $5,000 watershed projects. Another funds $45,000 carbon removal pilots. Knowing which tier you're playing in saves you weeks.

What we know: The foundation made 688 grants in its most recent filing year, totaling $27.9 million, but the median grant was just $5,000. Environment organizations account for the largest share of funding, followed by arts/culture and higher education. California and Maryland together received over 60% of all grants. Top recipients include Resources Legacy Fund ($10.5 million across 16 grants) and Environmental Defense Fund ($6 million across 4 grants), both large intermediaries.

Realistic fit: small to mid-size 501(c)(3)s doing water, watershed, or agriculture work in the foundation's priority counties. Expect awards near the $5,000 to $10,000 median, not the $25,000 ceiling.

What we know: A small funder (47 lifetime grants totaling $1.6 million) with a median grant around $40,000. Washington, Oregon, and California account for over half of all grants. Top recipients include Conservation Biology Institute, Climate Central, Grist Magazine, and EcoAdapt. Despite the "special project" framing, recent awards span climate communications, media, and public education alongside carbon removal pilots.

Realistic fit: research-adjacent climate nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest or California with a specific pilot or public dissemination project ready to go.

What we know: The foundation funds about $1.2 million annually in marine conservation, fisheries, and ecosystem resilience. Grants are typically restricted and may require a 1:1 match plus evidence of board giving. Some site-specific funding (South Florida, Alabama, D.C. Metro) is limited to preselected organizations.

Realistic fit: conservation nonprofits with marine or fisheries focus in eastern North America, a giving board, and the capacity to provide matching funds.

If your work isn't water, marine, or climate science, these aren't the right fit. All three reward geographic specificity and local ties over broad national platforms.

Closing soon (separate from this week's theme):

Heising-Simons Foundation, Open Call for Science Events and Gatherings. Closes July 10, 2026. $20,000 to $80,000 for science convenings in astronomy, physics, and climate science.

hsfoundation.org/grants/for-interested-grantseekers/