Most environment funders want polished proposals and detailed budgets upfront. Eden Foundation II starts with a conversation. Applicants email the foundation describing their work and motivations, and the foundation follows up from there.

What we know: This is a young foundation based in Massachusetts with roughly $9.1 million in assets but minimal grantmaking history so far. Its only recorded grant is $1,000 to Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention in New Hampshire, so there's no track record yet showing what ecology or sustainability awards actually look like in practice. The application process is informal: email a description of your work, background, and scientific motivations, then wait for follow-up questions.

Realistic fit: Scientists, researchers, or nonprofits doing ecology and sustainability work in rural settings who are comfortable with an early-stage, relationship-first funder.

The informal process here cuts both ways. No formal RFP means less competition, but it also means no published award size or selection criteria. Before investing time, confirm via email what funding levels and project types they're currently prioritizing. If you know a rural ecology nonprofit in New England looking for flexible funders, send this their way.