The John and Elaine French Family Foundation is focused squarely on environmental and climate work, funding legal action, policy advocacy, voter education, and on-the-ground conservation primarily in Idaho and at the national level. They prioritize organizations that pursue climate mitigation (e.g., methane containment), defend public lands, and strengthen democratic engagement to drive pro-climate policy. Grants are typically unrestricted or for general operating support, indicating trust in grantee strategy and an emphasis on capacity and impact rather than project-specific funding.
A defining feature of the John and Elaine French Family Foundation is its repeated support for climate and public-lands advocacy, especially efforts tied to methane containment, oil drilling on public lands, and voter education around climate policy. Across the recent grants list, Earthjustice, Idaho Conservation League, and Advocates for the West each appear multiple times, showing a pattern of ongoing support rather than isolated gifts. The foundation’s giving also reaches civic engagement work in Washington, DC, through League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, which it backed in multiple years for democracy and voter education connected to climate issues. In Idaho, the foundation supports both statewide conservation groups and organizations working on legal and policy strategies, including general operating support for Idaho Conservation League and unrestricted or restricted support for Advocates for the West. The mix of unrestricted awards and purpose-specific grants suggests a funder that uses both flexible operating support and targeted funding to advance environmental and climate goals. Its recent grants are concentrated in a relatively small set of organizations, with several receiving funding year after year.
The foundation’s climate mitigation work includes multiple grants to Earthjustice for methane containment to help mitigate global warming. It also supports policy and legal efforts aimed at public lands: Advocates for the West received restricted support for work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands, along with an unrestricted award for operational uses. In Idaho conservation work, Idaho Conservation League received general operating support in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and ICL Climate Fund received funding to focus efforts on combating climate change in Idaho. Civic engagement is another clear theme. League of Conservation Voters Education Fund was funded in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis, and increase voter participation.
Typical grant size centers around $42,500, with the middle half of awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. The recent grants show repeat support to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to sustained relationships rather than one-time checks. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Awards appear in both unrestricted or general operating form and in purpose-restricted form, indicating a mixed approach that combines flexible support with targeted issue-specific grants.
$260K
$3.8M
$300K
$315K
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $43K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$43K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Concentrated, mid-to-large grants to a small set of repeat grantees (multiple grants per organization), favoring unrestricted or general operating support for advocacy, litigation, and capacity-building rather than many one-off small gifts.
Notable grantees: Earthjustice, Idaho Conservation League, League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Advocates for the West
Grantmaking is regional, with a strong concentration in Idaho: 70% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Boise appears frequently through Idaho Conservation League, Advocates for the West, and ICL Climate Fund, while Hailey appears through The Nature Conservancy of Idaho and Wood River Land Trust. Outside Idaho, Washington, DC is a recurring recipient location through League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, and San Francisco appears through Earthjustice. All recent grants in the data went to US recipients.
Its recent grants center on environmental and climate work, especially methane containment, public-lands protection, climate mitigation in Idaho, and voter education tied to climate policy. The grants also include legal and advocacy support, including efforts related to oil drilling on public lands.
Yes. Several grants are described as general operating fund or unrestricted for operational uses, including awards to Idaho Conservation League, The Nature Conservancy of Idaho, Wood River Land Trust, and Advocates for the West.
The typical grant size is $42,500. The middle 50% of awards fall between $10,000 and $50,000, which shows a mix of smaller operating grants and larger strategic awards.
The same organizations appear across multiple years. Idaho Conservation League, Earthjustice, Advocates for the West, League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, The Nature Conservancy of Idaho, and Wood River Land Trust all received repeated support in the recent-grants list.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth Justice | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | Unrestricted giving. |
| Advocates for the West | Boise, ID | $55,000 | 2026 | Unrestricted giving for $30K. $25K for restricted giving to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands. |
| Idaho Conservation League | Boise, ID | $55,000 | 2026 | Unrestricted giving. |
| The Nature Conservancy of Idaho | Hailey, ID | $25,000 | 2026 | Matching grant for boring insect control on Silver Creek preserve. |
| Wood River Land Trust | Hailey, ID | $25,000 | 2026 | Hailey Hot Springs Ranch Acquisition |
| LCV Education Fund | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | Unrestricted giving. |
| Earthjustice | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming. |
| League of Conservation Voters Educa | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis. |
| Idaho Conservation League | Boise, ID | $35,000 | 2025 | General operating fund. |
| Advocates for the West | Boise, ID | $30,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted for operational uses. |
| Advocates for the West | Boise, ID | $25,000 | 2025 | Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands. |
| ICL Climate Fund | Boise, ID | $25,000 | 2025 | To focus efforts on combating climate change in Idaho. |
| The Nature Conservancy of Idaho | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted for operational uses. |
| Wood River Land Trust | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2025 | General operating fund. |
| Idaho Conservation League | Boise, ID | $60,000 | 2024 | General operating fund. |
| Advocates for the West | Boise, ID | $55,000 | 2024 | Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands. |
| Earthjustice | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming. |
| League of Conservation Voters Educa | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis. |
| Wood River Land Trust | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2024 | General operating fund. |
| The Nature Conservancy of Idaho | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted for operational uses. |
| Idaho Conservation League | Boise, ID | $60,000 | 2023 | General operating fund & We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that fights the climate crisis. |
| Earthjustice | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming. |
| Advocates for the West | Boise, ID | $50,000 | 2023 | Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands. |
| League of Conservation Voters Educa | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis. |
| Wood River Land Trust | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2023 | General operating fund. |
| The Nature Conservancy of Idaho | Hailey, ID | $10,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted for operational uses. |
Earth Justice
$75,000Unrestricted giving.
Advocates for the West
$55,000Unrestricted giving for $30K. $25K for restricted giving to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands.
Matching grant for boring insect control on Silver Creek preserve.
Wood River Land Trust
$25,000Hailey Hot Springs Ranch Acquisition
Unrestricted giving.
We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming.
We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis.
Advocates for the West
$30,000Unrestricted for operational uses.
Advocates for the West
$25,000Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands.
ICL Climate Fund
$25,000To focus efforts on combating climate change in Idaho.
The Nature Conservancy of Idaho
$10,000Unrestricted for operational uses.
Advocates for the West
$55,000Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands.
We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming.
We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis.
The Nature Conservancy of Idaho
$10,000Unrestricted for operational uses.
General operating fund & We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that fights the climate crisis.
We would like Earthjustice to use these funds in any way that assists with methane containment to help mitigate the effects on global warming.
Advocates for the West
$50,000Restricted to their work on rolling back oil drilling on public lands.
We believe the efforts of LCV's Education Fund to promote democracy, educate voters about the climate crisis and enhance the likelihood of increased voter participation will help to ultimately change public policy in ways that mitigate the worst effects of the crisis.
The Nature Conservancy of Idaho
$10,000Unrestricted for operational uses.