About Schmidt Family Foundation
The Schmidt Family Foundation funds climate and ocean protection, regenerative food systems, and human rights/ civic-strengthening initiatives with an emphasis on capacity building and policy/market transformation. They support a mix of national advocacy organizations, science and media partners, Indigenous land stewardship projects, and regenerative agriculture innovators — often funding organizations working at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social justice.
Focus Areas
Ocean conservation and stewardship (science, policy and public engagement)Just transition/climate advocacy and capacity building for decarbonizationRegenerative agriculture and resilient, equitable food systemsIndigenous land stewardship and Native community self-determinationIndependent environmental and civic media to strengthen public engagementInternational human rights and capacity building for partner organizations
Who They Fund
Indigenous communitiescommunities in Africa (including agricultural stakeholders)
About Schmidt Family Foundation
The Schmidt Family Foundation’s recent giving is defined by large grants for ocean stewardship, climate action, and human-rights work that links environmental protection to civic and community capacity. One of the biggest awards in the record is $8,000,000 to Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation for ocean stewardship and research, followed by $6,665,000 to Human Rights Watch Inc for capacity building, youth development and leadership, and human rights work in the U.S. and Africa. The foundation also funds Indigenous land stewardship, regenerative food systems, and independent media and research partners that support public engagement around environmental and social change. Its grantmaking shows repeated support for organizations working on system-level issues rather than short-term program projects. Examples include $3,175,000 to Sogorea Te Land Trust for Indigenous communities’ land stewardship, self-determination, and cultural representation, and $3,000,000 to KQED Inc for strengthening civic engagement. Across the record, the foundation backs nonprofits that combine advocacy, research, communications, and community-led implementation.
What Schmidt Family Foundation Funds
In ocean work, the foundation gave $8,000,000 to Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation for ocean stewardship and research, and $3,000,000 to the same grantee for the same purpose in 2023. In climate and energy transition work, $3,400,000 went to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc for encouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels, while $3,200,000 went to Realize Impact for the same theme. Human-rights grantmaking also appears prominently: $2,679,117 to RSF Social Finance supported protecting human rights in Africa, and $2,447,786 to Myriad USA supported human rights in Africa, human rights generally, and a just transition away from fossil fuels. For food systems, the foundation awarded $2,050,000 to Regenerative Agriculture Foundation for working towards a resilient and equitable food system, with another $1,920,700 going to California Farmlink for the same area.
How Schmidt Family Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile, with much larger awards at the upper end of the record. The foundation is a regular funder and also makes program-related investments. The recent grants show repeat support to the same organizations across years, including Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, Human Rights Watch Inc, Grist Magazine Inc, Sustainable Markets Foundation, National Public Radio Inc, and Regenerative Agriculture Foundation. Most grants are made to organizations rather than individuals, and some program areas accept unsolicited proposals while others do not.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$195.5M
Total Assets
$2B
Total Revenue
$103.7M
Total Expenses
$227.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $200K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$200K
Geographic Reach
National45 states funded
About 32% of grants go to recipients in DC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Schmidt Family Foundation Funds
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Schmidt Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 1,271 | $307.8M | 92.7% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 16 | $4.2M |
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