Search Through Climate Change Grants in Washington in the U.S.

The Community Response Fund (CRF) distributes funds in response to needs and requests from the community. The CRF complements the board-directed grants which are the core grantmaking strategy for the NWFE. CRF grants provide short-term funding for a specific project or need which has arisen from an eligible organization. CRF funding is for work being done that advances the objectives of our Growth Management and Aquatic Ecosystems programs. We also welcome proposals that will grow the base of environmental advocates and empower communities of color working on solutions to local environmental issues. The Community Response Fund serves two main goals: Grassroots Engagement: We invest in local organizations that are often the first to see, experience and understand environmental needs, threats and trends, but they may lack the resources of larger organizations to respond.  Environmental Movement Building: We support efforts to bring new voices into the environmental movement and encourage proposals that will grow the base of environmental advocates beyond those historically involved.In both cases, sample activities may look like:

• Lead community engagement on a proposed plan, vision or process. 
• File lawsuits or comments to stop proposed projects or activities that violate local, state or federal environmental regulations pertaining to aquatic ecosystems, land use or native species.
• Support leadership development and organizing capacity, particularly in under-resourced communities.
• Support for: trainings, list-building, canvassing and developing and implementing communications needs.

Likely Candidates:

• Community-based, locally-focused organizations 
• Applicants with a need for one-time funds for a discrete project
• Organizations piloting new projects, seeking small start-up funds

Growth ManagementThe goal of the Growth Management Program is to promote smart growth land use policies and to prevent damage to environmentally sensitive areas that are threatened by development, climate change impacts and the weakening of existing environmental laws and regulations. The Northwest Fund seeks to fund work advancing these objectives:

• Encourage transparent, sustainable, inclusive, community-driven land use planning and management within the State of Washington.
• Promote land use practices and policies which seek to reduce impacts, such as carbon emissions, that contribute to climate change.
• Increase the effectiveness of citizen advocates and nonprofit organizations to implement and maintain smart growth land use policies.
• Support compliance with and enforcement of growth management laws and regulations that result in long-term, statewide net benefits for the natural resources of Washington State.

We place emphasis on these strategies to advance our objectives:

•  Use litigation, mediation and other legal tools to enforce and monitor compliance with existing growth management laws.
•  Educate, organize and engage the public in land use planning processes and management that is consistent with smart growth.
•  Promote and defend the use of best available science to achieve growth management objectives.

Aquatic EcosystemsThe goal of the Aquatic Ecosystem program of the Northwest Fund for the Environment is to protect and restore the extensive network of fresh and saltwater ecosystems in the State of Washington and the native species that inhabit these ecosystems. Our program is divided into two areas of emphasis:

• Freshwater ecosystems including rivers, streams, wetlands, and riparian areas. We are concerned with water quality, water quantity and connectivity issues as they affect aquatic ecosystems.
• Saltwater ecosystems of Puget Sound and the Washington Coast, including estuaries and saltwater shoreline areas.

The NWFE seeks to fund work advancing these objectives:

Freshwater Ecosystems

• Improve implementation of water quality standards throughout Washington State, including the protection of waterways  from both point and non-point sources or the weakening of existing environmental regulations.
• Establish and protect adequate instream flow levels statewide to provide healthy habitat for native species.
• Enhance connectivity of freshwater systems – both instream and with other functioning water bodies and sources.
• Prepare and plan for changes in water availability attributed to climate change.

Saltwater Ecosystems

• Reduce and respond to threats to marine resources from external harms such as oil spills, invasive species and climate change impacts.
• Protect marine and estuarine habitat and native species from pollution or weakening of existing environmental regulations.
• Support and promote marine resource management that is sustainable, transparent, community-driven and ecosystem-based in its approach.

The NWFE places emphasis on these strategies to advance our objectives:

• Monitor the implementation and application of existing laws.
• Promote public policies that enhance, protect or restore aquatic ecosystems.
• Litigate to enforce and defend key laws e.g., Clean Water Act (CWA), Shoreline Management Act (SMA), and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as they apply to these areas.
• Participate in ongoing public processes and negotiations.
• Inform and engage the public in the stewardship and protection of aquatic ecosystems and resources

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

Laird Norton Family Foundation

The Laird Norton Family Foundation (LNFF) is a private family foundation in Seattle, Washington, with a mission to honor and reflect the family’s shared values through giving and engage the family in philanthropy as a platform for strengthening family connections.

Primary Grantmaking Programs  

Our grantmaking reflects the values of the Laird Norton family. We give in program areas that reflect the family's shared interests:

Arts in Education

Our Arts in Education grantmaking program supports equitable educational opportunities for students using arts integrated and culturally informed instruction, including sustained professional development for public school teachers. Funding will be directed toward programs that seek to enhance students’ educational outcomes in public Pre-K through grade 12 classrooms rather than to simply increase participation in, or appreciation for, the arts.

• Our current support focuses on organizations that provide: long-term, push-in, professional development opportunities for public Pre-K through grade 12 teachers and schools; programs that aim to serve students furthest from educational justice; and programs with culturally relevant instruction and are focused on the whole child.

Climate Change

Climate change is a global, complex challenge facing our world. The goal of our Climate Change program is to help the planet heal and mitigate adverse impacts of climate change for all people, communities, and the natural world. Grantmaking is centered around carbon sequestration work and recognizes organizations as the experts and stewards to advance climate and environmental justice. Grantmaking is focused in the West Coast of the US.

•  We are focused on supporting work that increased the abilities of forests, coastal ecosystems, and agricultural lands to sequester carbon. Through projects involving healthy forests, blue carbon, and regenerative agriculture, we seek to learn from and follow the lead of communities impacted first and worst as our planet changes. 

Human Services

• Our Human Services grantmaking program supports organizations working directly with youth and young adults (age 12-25) who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or involved with child welfare, juvenile legal or behavioral health systems. Grantmaking is currently only with organizations in King County, WA. 

• Our current support prioritizes organizations that are created and led by the communities they seek to serve, that acknowledge and seek to address racial and social injustice in their work, and that offer programming with the aim of preventing youth and young adult homelessness and creating systems change.

Watershed Stewardship

​Watersheds have social, ecological, and economic significance. The goal of the Watershed Stewardship program is to create enabling conditions for long-term social and ecological health and resilience in places of importance to the Laird Norton Family. Currently, we prioritize work in Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as a few key watersheds in the Western United States, consistent with the Laird Norton family's priorities.

We take a long-term view on healthy watersheds and invest in organizational capacity with an eye to future resilience. We encourage our partners to focus not on single-species recovery or restoration to historical conditions as a primary end-goal, but to also consider the potential value of significantly altered — but functioning — ecosystems as we continue to face the impacts of climate change and other natural and human-caused changes into the future.

​We believe the wellbeing of the people who live in a place must be considered alongside ecological goals; understanding the diverse interests and values of a watershed’s human inhabitants is an important component of long-term success. ​

Rapid Response Grants

Rapid Response grants are small project specific grants of $3,000 to help grassroots organizations respond quickly to the changing political climate with actions and/or strategies that could not have been anticipated.

Examples of potential eligible projects:

• Emergency mobilizations and community meetings in response to a recent police shooting
• Organizing a community defense response to a recently announced white supremacist rally and march
• Planning a direct action at a corporate shareholder meeting that was just announced
• Rapid response legal clinics and know your rights trainings in response to Executive Orders or other sudden policy changes
• A rapid response canvassing effort to educate and connect with targeted community members about the dangers of a religious registry

Purpose

The State Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program provides funding to transit authorities for:

• Replacement, expansion, rehabilitation, and purchase of transit rolling stock.
• Construction, modification, or rehabilitation of transit facilities
• Adapting to technological change or innovation through the retrofitting of transit rolling stock and facilities.

This grant is supported by state funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) (100 percent).

Funding

WSDOT anticipates up to $38 million in state funding for State Buses and Bus Facilities grants in the 2025- 2027 biennium. The Legislature will determine the funding level during the 2025-2027 legislative session. Any transit agency in Washington state is an eligible applicant.

The Arbor Day Foundation

We plant trees because people need trees. Our health and the health of our planet are interconnected, and the simple act of planting trees benefits both. The Arbor Day Foundation works to connect opportunities, people, and organizations to plant trees and forests to help solve some of the most critical issues facing our planet.

Tree Campus Higher Education Program

No matter where you’re from, trees and green space are an integral part of the college experience. They make campuses more livable, healthy, and beautiful, benefiting students and the environment as a whole.

Tree Campus Higher Education was founded to foster that tradition of excellence. The program provides a simple framework for colleges and universities to grow their community forests, achieve national recognition, and create a campus their students and staff are proud of.

Why should my school participate?

• A commitment to trees can significantly reduce the amount of energy your campus, and community, needs to generate.
• Planting and maintaining trees absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Green space provides important mental health benefits to students, faculty, and staff, as well as encourages physical activity.
• Involving students in tree-related service-learning projects helps educate the next generation about the importance of caring for the environment.

Recognition also builds pride among your campus and the wider community. We make it easy for you to share your designation, sending flags, press releases, logos and graphics, and other materials after your acceptance.

Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program

This program provides grants and technical assistance for projects that restore and conserve near-shore areas in Puget Sound. The goal is to ensure Washington's estuaries, bays, and shorelines are intact, functioning, and resilient to climate change.

This grant program is managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife with RCO administering the grants. 

Grant Application Schedule – The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program administers four distinct grant programs:

• Beach Restoration Small Grants
• Restoration and Protection
• Regional Pre-Design (e.g. Learning)
• Shore Friendly

ESRP Beach Restoration Small Grants Program

Beach Restoration Small Grants are intended to fund projects that will serve as demonstration sites for neighboring property owners and other shoreline waterfront landowners.  

OUR GRANTMAKING

Since our founding, the collective membership of Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) has granted millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations across Washington State. Despite these investments, inequity and disparate access to justice, housing, food, art, community culture, healthcare, environmental safety, fair labor, and education persist throughout our state.

At the same time, we know there is no shortage of impactful, hopeful work being done to disrupt systems of oppression and the inequities they perpetuate. We fund change and changemakers in Washington State: the people and organizations driving equitable solutions to the greatest challenges facing our communities.

COLLECTIVE GRANTS

The Collective Grants are our core grantmaking program. Through our Collective Grants, our members invest in three priority areas by granting to organizations working within those areas. The priorities change each year based on our annual funding themes. These unrestricted grants range from $500 to $50,000 or more (up to 30 grants). As part of the application process, organizations can opt into consideration for our Women & Girls Grant.

Our 2025 funding priorities in the thematic areas of Climate & Agricultural Justice, Healthcare, and Education:

• Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change: We will invest in alleviating and reversing the effect of climate change on those communities most impacted by its effects in Washington State.​
  • We are interested in learning more about how climate change has impacted communities in Washington State and the solutions those communities are creating.
• Youth Mental Health: We will invest in culturally relevant mental health and connection-building services for young people (ages 26 and younger) including organizations with counseling staff or working with a network of external providers.
  • We are interested in learning more about systems of mental healthcare and how young people (ages 26 and younger) interact and heal within these systems, including systems designed to address youth addiction recovery.​
  • Adult Educational Opportunities: We will invest in non-traditional adult education programs and educational opportunities in support of adults navigating the requirements of employment and civic participation (this may include immigrant and refugee education services).​
  • We are interested in learning more about non-traditional adult education programs and services designed to support adults (ages 18 and older) as they navigate the requirements of employment and civic participation.​

About WDFW

The Washington State Legislature established the grant program of the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board (FBRB) in 2014 to identify and remove impediments to salmon and steelhead migration. The FBRB evaluates fish passage projects and submits a priority project list to the Governor's Office and the Legislature for funding consideration. 

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program

The PROTECT program was established to help make roadways more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Program funding ($25 million) is available to begin distributing in Jan. 2023 for fish passage projects along arterials and connector roads owned by local governments. Project requests must be $1 million or over.

The grant program is administered jointly by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). All FBRB-funded grant projects must match the principles provided in Revised Code of Washington 77.95.180. 

Climate change and floodplains

Floodplains by Design (FbD) is an ambitious public-private partnership led by Ecology, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and Puget Sound Partnership. FbD works to accelerate integrated efforts to reduce flood risks and restore habitat along Washington's major river corridors. Its goal is to improve the resiliency of floodplains to protect local communities and the health of the environment. FbD also supports important Washington values, such as agriculture, clean water, and outdoor recreation. By working together, organizations can align state and federal investments with locally-driven solutions that address floodplain management challenges and create a more sustainable future.

Floodplains by design grant program

Floodplains by Design (FbD) is our primary grant program for projects that help communities live better in their floodplain. This competitive grant program is a component of a public-private partnership led by Ecology, The Nature Conservancy, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Puget Sound Partnership. It is focused on re-establishing floodplain functions in Washington’s major river corridors, as well as reducing flood risk.

Floodplains provide important habitat for salmon, rich soil for farms, and beautiful backdrops for residents and visitors to Washington. In the past, attempts were made to control rivers, thinking flooding could be stopped by walling off rivers with levees, straightening them, and laying a grid of commercial and residential development across them. Now, salmon runs are disappearing, and more people live in the path of dangerous floodwaters.

Local and Tribal governments, along with nonprofit organizations, are using FbD grants across Washington to complete multi-benefit projects that reduce flood hazards to communities and restore the natural functions of rivers and their floodplains. These FbD projects bring together many different stakeholders in the floodplain to:

• Improve flood protection for communities that live and work in floodplains.
• Conserve and restore habitat for salmon and other important aquatic species.
• Preserve farmland to keep agriculture viable for future generations.
• Improve water quality.
• Enhance outdoor recreation.

Icicle Fund

Our Vision

North Central Washington is a region where nature, the arts, and the area’s natural and human history inspire an appreciation, understanding and stewardship of this special place.

Our Mission

To support the environment, the arts, and history through collaboration in North Central Washington.

Community Grants

Community Grants are one- or two-year unrestricted grants for non-profit organizations that enhance North Central Washington as a region where nature, the arts, and the area’s natural and human history encourage appreciation, understanding and stewardship of this special place. With these unrestricted grants, nonprofits have the flexibility to do their most important work in the community in innovative and impactful ways as they invest in programs, salaries/benefits, technology, capacity-building, communications, and other efforts that strengthen the organization and its long-term mission delivery.

Funding Priorities

The Arts

The Icicle Fund envisions a culture where a diversity of the Arts is accessible and valued as a critical component of vibrant communities in North Central Washington.

We Believe That:

• The Arts nurture the human spirit, transform lives, and connect people to place
• The Arts build strong economies and cohesive communities across social, economic, and racial boundaries
• The Arts are fundamental to a well-rounded education and help all students to succeed in school and life
• Collaboration between community leaders, artists, schools, businesses, and nonprofits ensure sustainable, quality arts programs
• Everyone in NCW deserves access to, and engagement with, the Arts at levels similar to urban areas

Our grant decisions align with the beliefs and vision stated above. We fund art organizations that work towards inspiring an appreciation, understanding and stewardship of NCW.

Environment

Icicle Fund envisions a future where intact North Central Washington landscapes provide opportunities for all people to connect with land and water, fostering a long-term commitment to place.

We Believe That:

• A healthy environment supports plants, animals, and humans while driving a strong economy
• Protecting land and water sustains natural systems and species, and increases our communities’ resilience to climate change
• Environmental education deepens the appreciation, understanding and desire to care for our natural world
• Access to land and water, along with recreational opportunities, can nurture the human spirit, transform lives, and connect people to place
• Equity and inclusion throughout conservation work are critical for healthy human and natural ecosystems
• Collaboration between schools and environmental nonprofits offer a uniquely equitable opportunity to inspire all students to make a lifelong connection with the natural world

Our grant decisions align with the beliefs stated above. We support organizations that foster an appreciation, understanding and stewardship of NCW through conservation, environmental education, and access to lands and water.

History

The Icicle Fund envisions a future where North Central Washington residents and visitors appreciate, understand, and engage with the region’s rich and diverse cultural and natural history. 

We Believe That:

• Understanding and appreciation of our region’s cultural history enhances respect for the diversity of NCW
• Natural history contributes to an understanding of the relationship between the natural world and people
• History preserves our collective memory which helps communities maintain a sense of identity and connection to place
• Collaboration between community leaders, Tribal Governments, and nonprofits ensures rich and diverse cultural and history venues and experiences
• Cultural centers and museums can be places to gather, engage, and learn about the history within our communities
• Learning from cultural history, traditional knowledge, and living practices provides insight into the present and guides the future

We prioritize funding organizations that work towards inspiring an appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of NCW through engagement with the cultural and natural history of the region.

Funding

This is a competitive grant program, awarding grants to an average of 45% of submitted proposals. Grant awards have historically been between $3,000- $35,000, with most between $10,000 $15,000. The minimum grant amount is $3,000.

About our Grant Making

Ninety-nine girlfriends makes annual grants, called Impact Awards, in the Portland Metro/SW Washington region from a pool of money contributed by our members. Impact awards range from $50,000-$100,000 each year, depending on that year’s pool.

We fund equally in four focus areas, selecting nonprofits whose work is aligned with our vision of a more equitable future for all and our values of strength in diversity, collective action, and community impact.

Letters of Interest are due in early April. Then, we use our internal processes to select the ones that are most aligned with our vision and values. These organizations are invited to submit applications. During this time, our member-volunteer teams are learning about implicit bias, equity and inclusion, Trust-Based Philanthropy, and consensus building. 

Guiding Principles

In addition to our eligibility criteria, we apply the following principles and trust-based philanthropy to guide decision-making on grant applications.

Equity - Grant making must be grounded in equity.

Trust - We believe the organizations that apply for our grants are the experts in their field. We will lead with trust, respect, humility and curiosity.

Learning - At our heart, we are a learning organization. We value new approaches as much as experience, we recognize our missteps as learning opportunities, and we learn best together. 

Responsiveness and Transformative Impact - We fund organizations that respond to a critical need and/or are working to address the root causes of systemic issues.

Initiative and risk-taking - We believe that taking risks and exploring new ideas can lead to innovative solutions to complex societal problems.  

We engage women in a collaborative learning environment of inclusiveness and mutual respect, incorporating our collective voices, perspectives, talents, and skills. We educate ourselves about implicit bias, equitable grant making, and consensus-building, and we are embedding racial equity in our work. Each year is a new year of grantmaking at ninety-nine girlfriends. Community context changes as do our members, our grant review teams, and our annual Funding Priority. In the end, what we fund is determined by the votes of our members. 

Focus Areas

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work. Our vision is a more equitable community for all, therefore we prioritize funding that supports communities that are historically and/or currently underserved with respect to socioeconomic status, race, identity, or ability.

We seek to fund organizations working to improve educational equity, opportunity, or education-related services for children and youth from pre-K through high school in the areas of:

• Early childhood education and development
• Out-of-school time and summer learning
• Programs that work to close achievement and opportunity gaps
• Career and/or college readiness tools and skills for high school students
• Arts education, cultural education, and creative expression

We seek to fund organizations working to ensure everyone has equal access to resources and safe spaces, across environmental issues in the areas of:

• Access to environmental resources - healthy food, homes, water and green space
• Countering environmental burdens - pollution in air, water, and land
• Providing educational resources around sustainability and climate change preparedness
• Advancing participation in the green workforce
• Promoting systems change that includes meaningful and inclusive participation in the environmental decision-making process, that promotes environmental justice and equitable environmental policies

We seek to fund organizations delivering trauma-informed services that focus on housing solutions and home stability for families, youth, and adults in the areas of:

• Prevention of homelessness and helping people stabilize and keep their housing
• Emergency, temporary, and transitional housing and shelters
• Housing placement
• Resources and support that help prevent adverse childhood experiences or provide healing resources for families experiencing housing/home instability
• Wrap-around services that strengthen housing/home stability including mental and physical health services, recovery support, and domestic violence advocacy

We seek to fund organizations that advance the economic security and financial well-being of women by removing barriers to work in the areas of:

• Job readiness - including skills training, trades, and education
• Adult literacy and language proficiency
• Financial literacy
• College and post-secondary success
• Accessibility to affordable and reliable childcare
• Accessibility to safe and affordable healthcare including physical, mental, dental, and reproductive health

Ninety-nine girlfriends recognizes the complexities of gender identity and gender expression, and welcome cisgender women, transgender women, and gender non-binary, gender non-conforming, or gender queer persons.

Use of Funds

Funds may be used for general operating or project support to advance your mission. Awardees may choose to have funds disbursed in one payment in 2024, or in two payments: one in 2024 and one in 2025. 

Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program

Building a More Just and Sustainable Outdoor and Environmental Movement Together

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations are on the frontlines of the grassroots work being done to build a better planet but our work is chronically overlooked and underfunded. We know that when our voices are left out, our communities suffer, and our planet does too. With the Liberated Paths Program, we envision a way to bridge that gap.

Through this program, we are working to create a more just and sustainable outdoor and environmental movement by shifting resources to and building power with Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color. The Liberated Paths Program supports outdoor initiatives and organizations that cultivate and celebrate the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color and affirm the many experiences and identities our communities hold, through grantmaking, capacity building, and network building.

Through our Liberated Paths regional grants, we support organizations and initiatives of all sizes located in California, the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington), the Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico), and the Delaware River Watershed that work at the intersection of racial justice, outdoor experiences, and the environment. In 2023, we will also launch grantmaking in North and South Carolina. Our Liberated Paths: Youth Access to Nature Fund supports efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area that increase safe and equitable access to the outdoors for Young People of Color.

We work with leaders and organizations who are rooted within their communities with the lived experiences to understand how to best advance justice and center the needs of the community. We support Leaders of Color to design and lead the types of joyful outdoor experiences and environmental efforts that are most meaningful to them and their communities. 

Liberated Paths support looks like:

• Relationship-driven and trust-based support
• Multi-year grants of $1,000 to $20,000 per year when possible
• Long-term, deep engagement in financial, operational, and fundraising capacity building
• Network building with a cohort of grantees to facilitate shared learning and systems-level changes
• Eligibility that is not hinged on organization size, ability to do impact reporting, or 501(c)(3) status
• Support for organizations and initiatives of all sizes and in all stages of their development
• Prioritized funding for organizations and initiatives led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Capacity building trainings and workshops for grantee partners

Capacity Building

Our model offers financial grants, as well as consistent coaching and mentorship. We want to connect our grantee partners with the tools and resources they need to sustain their vital work. To that end, in addition to trainings and workshops for all grantee partners, we work with each partner to identify areas where they want to grow and tailor our support to their needs. These areas could include: board recruitment, financial sustainability, staffing and hiring considerations, executive leadership coaching, budget planning, program design, insurance and liability considerations, safety, guidance on applications for additional grants, and more.

Network Building

Through Liberated Paths, we seek to bring together organizations and leaders working at the intersection of environment and racial justice. We do this through virtual get-togethers and information sessions. We facilitate network building within each cohort of grantees to facilitate shared learning and systems-level changes.

We also bring together funders and partners through a webinar series to connect, share information about the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program and to also hold critical conversations regarding topics such as the explicit role of race in Liberated Paths, the racial funding gap, and racial bias and its impact in philanthropy.

​The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is launching a new initiative that will invest up to $5 million in support of rigorous, place-based, and inclusive Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) projects in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).

The objective of the initiative is to deploy rigorous, place-based NCS projects in the PNW to accelerate climate change mitigation, while also providing biodiversity and human well-being co-benefits. The foundation is particularly interested in projects that are community-driven and done in partnership through collaborations between Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), non-profit organizations, academic groups, and independent research labs or professional societies.

Definitions: NCS and IPLC

Natural climate solutions (NCS) are nature-based solutions that can provide up to 37% of the cost-effective global CO2 mitigation needed through 2030 to stabilize warming to below 2°C. In the United States, NCS have the potential to mitigate up to 21% of net annual emissions. The PNW is home to significant NCS potential – for example, improved fire management alone in the Cascades is estimated to provide 2.5 Tg CO2e year−1. In Washington state, an analysis of 11 NCS pathways found NCS could account for 4-9% of the State’s net zero goal. To be effective climate change solutions, NCS must be 1) nature-based, 2) sustainable, 3) climate-additional, 4) measurable, and 5) equitable to be effective. 

We use the IPBES’s definition of IPLCs. Specifically, IPLC "is a term used internationally by representatives, organizations, and conventions to refer to individuals and communities who are, on the one hand, self-identified as indigenous and, on the other hand, are members of local communities that maintain inter-generational connection to place and nature through livelihood, cultural identity and worldviews, institutions and ecological knowledge.” Here, local communities are “non-indigenous communities with historical linkages to places and livelihoods characterized by long-term relationships with the natural environment, often over generations.” As such, local communities encompass socially cohesive groups that have ties to a specific geography.

NCS Pathways

What are NCS pathways? NCS pathways are deliberate human actions that protect, restore, and improve management of ecosystems to mitigate climate change. The below table provides some of the more well-established natural climate solution (NCS) pathways, their definition, and some examples of what it means in practice. There are several candidate NCS pathways, but there may be insufficient evidence (i.e., there is still high uncertainty) that these pathways provide climate change mitigation services. 

Liberty Mutual Foundation

Established in 2003, Liberty Mutual Foundation supports the communities in which Liberty Mutual employees live and work. In conjunction with our nonprofit partners, our common purpose is to invest in the expertise, leadership and financial strength of Liberty Mutual Insurance and our employees to advance security and build resiliency for people and communities in vulnerable situations. To further this purpose, we are launching Climate Resiliency as a new priority area of funding. Building on its efforts to strengthen communities, Liberty Mutual Foundation believes philanthropy can play an important role in increasing climate resiliency in vulnerable communities. These efforts can bridge the divide between mitigation and adaptation approaches to climate change. Philanthropy can support innovative solutions, scale-proven strategies, support nature-based climate solutions, strengthen grassroots efforts, and more.

Our grants help nonprofits that work to empower families and individuals who are struggling to thrive amid challenging situations. To that end, our grant-making priorities focus on organizations and programs in Greater Boston, Greater Puget Sound, and select counties of Washington State (defined below) to provide advanced security and resilience for people and communities. We seek to accomplish this through our three strategic goals by:

• Creating a safe and secure place
• Providing access to workforce and educational opportunity
• Creating climate resilient communities

Education RFP

The goal of the Liberty Mutual Foundation Education Initiative is to improve the educational achievement of underserved youth. Programs and services must expand educational opportunities for children and youth using vetted solutions developed with input from experienced staff, instructors, and educators. Furthermore, the Education Initiative will support educational programs at all grade levels that build on prior academic success. Programs and services must also highlight a path to postsecondary education and/or certified career training. The Liberty Mutual Foundation aims to achieve these goals by funding catalytic nonprofits to:

• Create programs and initiatives to accelerate learning, especially for students of color and students with disabilities who came into the pandemic with the fewest opportunities and have experienced the greatest learning loss. This includes programs serving early education and K-12 aimed at Social and Emotional Learning, mental health issues, individualized tutoring, and efforts to deepen and broaden access to learning.
• Expand academic opportunities for low-income and limited English-proficient (LEP) students by increasing instruction by bi-lingual educators and those with knowledge of cultural values. This funding will promote learning in out-of-school-time and during extended learning programs. It should increase programs that ensure a successful transition to high school, programs that emphasize and highlight the path to college success, and programs that offer early college learning.
• Implement programs that foster school readiness, as well as elementary and middle school programs that seek to prevent the achievement gap by employing results-based curricula and focusing on competency-based learning, literacy and/or numeracy.
• Support programs that create pathways for older youth and young adults ages 16 to 24 to re-engage with the educational system. This includes youth who have abandoned school prior to completion and youth who have attained a high school diploma/GED but have not progressed to higher education or training. 

Community Forests Program

The Community Forests Program gives communities a way to preserve their working forest heritage. The grant program balances the many benefits forests provide – from providing money from use of the land, to safeguarding against climate and other environmental changes, to providing opportunities for recreation, education, and cultural enrichment. As Washington's population continues to grow and forestlands are increasingly threatened by development, the Community Forests Program is a valuable tool for preserving working lands for the benefit of Washingtonians now and into the future.

Typical Projects

• Buying land to conserve working forests (required for all projects).
• On purchased land, projects also may restore forest and habitat health and develop recreational facilities.

Our Core Principles:

• Relevance: We continually seek information regarding significant opportunities in our region and in our focus areas to ensure that we are responding to current needs and opportunities.
• Community Engagement: We seek to foster community engagement in protecting wildlife and habitat and in engaging youth skills to build directly on community needs and strengths.
• Focus on Place: Grounded in the Northwest, we fund in urban, rural and tribal communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington where people work to improve the places that they live.
• Expand Opportunity: We give special consideration in our grant making to benefit and expand opportunities for underserved populations in our region.

Wildlife and Habitat Programs: Promoting Biodiversity in a Changing Climate

Conservation efforts that utilize the impacts of climate change when selecting areas for protection.

Engaging a community of citizens, scientists, and conservationists in educating the public about biodiversity and climate change.

Restoring important lands for biodiversity, focal species, and landscape connectivity. Including but not limited to:

• Assessments to identify species and communities at risk, including strategies to work toward ecosystem resilience.
• Identification of barriers to migration and mitigation measures to enhance landscape connectivity.
• Adaptive restoration strategies based on predicted species range expansion and contraction.
• Promoting the biodiversity of the marine and freshwater environments.

Guidelines for Wildlife and Habitat Programs

As development pressures increase, the stewardship of vital ecosystems is critical for protecting wildlife populations and habitat. The effort must be based on solid conservation biology, recognizing the resilience, complexity and interdependence of all life. Conservation of critical habitat and species requires comprehensive strategies and collaboration among partners working in the region, recognizing the limitation of funds available. Stewardship is the shared responsibility of empowered citizens, engaged scientists, collaborating foundations, informed business and property owners, and an accountable government. Healthy and diverse wildlife populations and habitat must be preserved through sound government policies and a range of creative conservation approaches. The principle of sustainability requires that environment, economics and equity are considered together to protect the quality of life at every level.

Our Current Priorities

For those requesting support for youth programs, the Foundation will continue to focus on rural BIPOC organizations and allowing organizations to use awarded funds for general operating support.

Recognizing the critical role of BIPOC organizations, the Charlotte Martin Foundation continues to make it a priority to partner with organizations doing progressive work specifically in the areas of youth education and climate change, with a special emphasis on serving communities of color. Three years ago, we created a fellowship designed around researching BIPOC led organizations within our 5-state region that align with our priorities. We recognize that private funding is inequitably given to white-led organizations and we want to show our commitment to redistributing resources to non-dominant, BIPOC organizations.

Increasing Opportunities for BIPOC:

Increasing racial equity and diversity for youth ages 6-18.

BIPOC led nonprofit organizations with diverse leadership and staff are the focus of our grant-making. Organizations based in rural communities are also a priority for our foundation.

Programs that create opportunities in areas of education, cultural expression and athletics. Including but not limited to:

• Increase access to and the creation of diverse cultural experiences.
• Improve school-based and out-of-school learning opportunities in areas such as science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) and other areas.
• Increase early college awareness and access to post-secondary education.
• Increase access to sports and diversify sports programs.

Guidelines for Youth Programs

Our program funding for youth ages 6-18 falls into three areas: Athletics, Culture and Education. Grants for youth programs must fall within one of these three program areas.

Youth Athletics

Athletics include a wide range of individual and team sports, with an emphasis on the value of sports for lifelong participation. School-sponsored intramural and after school sports programs have been greatly reduced, and middle-school aged youth have been most affected. After school athletics can be the incentive that gets kids involved in programs that also have educational and cultural components. Demand is increasing for athletics programs and facilities in rural areas and inner cities. More girls are getting involved in sports, requiring additional programs and space. Coaches are key to a positive experience for young people, and good coaching requires training.

Youth Culture

Culture includes art, music, dance, literature, theater, ethnic and regional heritage. Positive experiences in culture are essential in educating the whole person and should be an integral part of the lives of youth. Young people can use cultural experiences as creative resources to build self-esteem, promote personal growth, and preserve traditions. Arts and culture programs in the schools are being reduced or eliminated, and many communities, both urban and rural, have limited access to cultural resources.

Youth Education

All young people should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Education, in and out of school, happens best when youth direct their learning and engage in compelling problem-solving and critical thinking. Educators need support to play a vital role in assisting youth to investigate their passions and explore new interests. Rural schools often have less access to resources and curricula than urban schools. Both public and private schools need support.

About Our Program

Our investments are guided by the fundamental belief in the power of live theatre to spark dialogue, bring different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, and provide a lens to process the critical issues of contemporary society.  

Through our Social Impact Theatre grant program, we proudly recognize organizations with production-specific support that are intentional and innovative in engaging with their audiences around these issues and are committed to reaching new audiences. This year, in addition to production-specific grants, we are introducing a new opportunity reflecting our value to support the health and sustainably of the American theater ecosystem.

We understand the current climate for theatres is incredibly challenging – with decreasing revenue sources and increasing costs, many theatres are struggling (and even those thriving face seemingly insurmountable challenges). And yet, we know that in times of challenge, the sector will apply its boundless creativity to adapt models and practices to remain sustainable.

This year, in addition to production specific grant awards, we will be selecting a small number of theatres to receive change capital grants of $10-$25K to kickstart new plans or to adapt and deepen strategies already in process. Awardees will form a cohort to share insights and to support each other and will commit to sharing lessons learned with the Foundation so that we can reshare information to more broadly support the field.

Given our available resources and in the spirit of focusing on our own learning, we will be considering change capital grants in the following three categories:

• Business models. We hear “the current model is broken!” and want to learn how you are experimenting economically. Ex. Letting go of spaces or activating new spaces, shared leadership, cost-sharing partnerships, alternatives to the subscription model etc.
• Building and deepening connection with your community. Are you exploring new programs or projects to increase interconnectivity between your community and the art on stage?
• New leaders. Does your theatre have a leader who has started within the last year who needs capacity to enact their vision and implement necessary changes?

 Grant Process

Interested organizations may request funding for one production and, if interested, one project for which change capital is needed, by submitting an LOI when our grant cycle is open. From this applicant pool, select organizations will be invited to submit a full application. Social impact theatre grants can cover artistic, production, and community engagement expenses.

Na’ah Illahee Fund

Na’ah Illahee Fund is an Indigenous women-led organization dedicated to the ongoing regeneration of Indigenous communities. Through grantmaking, capacity-building and community-based intergenerational programming, we seek transformative change by supporting culturally grounded leadership and organizing. Focused on Indigenous Ecology, Food Sovereignty, and Wise Action, we work to advance climate and gender justice, while creating healthy pathways towards self-determination and movement-building.

Mission

Our Mission is to support and promote the leadership of Indigenous women in the ongoing regeneration of Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

Vision

Our Vision is a prosperous Pacific Northwest region with vibrant Indigenous communities that have found their way back to healthy and thriving cultures, lands, and regenerative economies.

Power of Ceremony & Healing Grant

Na’ah Illahee Fund and The Potlatch Fund have partnered in a collective giving campaign to bring forward the Power of Ceremony & Healing Grant to help bring unity to our people by providing support to those that lift up our people culturally and spiritually. 

The cultural practice of ceremony is essential to Native health for healing our people spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. It plays a critical role in Native people’s lives by connecting us to our traditions, languages, songs, beliefs, ancestors, and ways of healing. Since the Na’ah Illahee Fund (NIF) & Potlatch Fund support the development of a strong, positive Indigenous identity, this grant will support work led by culture keepers and healers to help make our people whole again. NIF & Potlatch Fund will support Native healing by providing support to those individuals who are leading ceremonies, whether they are Smokehouse Lead Workers/Caretakers, Longhouse Lead Speakers/Caretakers, Bundle Keepers, Song Carriers, Sundance Leaders, Sacred Tobacco Ceremony Leaders and those who make ceremonial gear: traditional makers of cedar hats, drums, rattles, regalia, caskets and other traditional items for ceremony purposes (those who sell nothing commercially). In Our Way of Life teachings (based on the Medicine Wheel), passing is part of our way of life and is as valid as anything we do when we are alive.

As Native people, we know we need to heal ourselves before we can help others. Ceremony provides a place to heal through prayer, to use our indigenous language, connect to the land, revive our culture, and support one another. Now is the time to resurrect our traditions and keep them alive before our elders cross over and take their knowledge with them. Through offering this grant, we plan to support the power of our culture keepers and healers leading Native Ceremony and the medicine they bring to heal our communities.

Tourism Regeneration Grant

Tourism Regeneration Grants will foster safer, more inclusive, and sustainable visitor experiences across the state and drive overnight visitation to rural and underserved communities. Project eligibility for Tourism Regeneration Grants ranges from visitor education campaigns to disaster and climate adaptation planning. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for projects that include but are not limited to tourism infrastructure, outdoor recreation, festivals and events, and training programs for visitor/customer services.

Funding

SWT has allocated $780,000 to this grant program.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to match a portion of their grant request with cash or in-kind contributions.

Examples of Grant Projects

• Safety lighting, hand/guard rails, ramps, and elevator repairs/maintenance for infrastructure linked to the tourism sector
• Trail and tourism ambassador programs
• Environmental sustainability efforts at large festivals and events
• Accessibility efforts for people living with disabilities to recreate outdoors
• Cycling infrastructure (includes bike lanes, repair stations, restrooms, etc.)
• Parking/transportation strategies and solutions to discourage single-occupancy vehicles
• Wayfinding enhancements and downtown beautification
• Recreate responsibility messaging, incentives that change visitor behavior 

Tourism Regeneration Grant

Tourism Regeneration Grants will foster safer, more inclusive, and sustainable visitor experiences across the state and drive overnight visitation to rural and underserved communities. Project eligibility for Tourism Regeneration Grants ranges from visitor education campaigns to disaster and climate adaptation planning. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for projects that include but are not limited to tourism infrastructure, outdoor recreation, festivals and events, and training programs for visitor/customer services.

Funding

SWT has allocated $780,000 to this grant program.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to match a portion of their grant request with cash or in-kind contributions.

Examples of Grant Projects

• Safety lighting, hand/guard rails, ramps, and elevator repairs/maintenance for infrastructure linked to the tourism sector
• Trail and tourism ambassador programs
• Environmental sustainability efforts at large festivals and events
• Accessibility efforts for people living with disabilities to recreate outdoors
• Cycling infrastructure (includes bike lanes, repair stations, restrooms, etc.)
• Parking/transportation strategies and solutions to discourage single-occupancy vehicles
• Wayfinding enhancements and downtown beautification
• Recreate responsibility messaging, incentives that change visitor behavior 

Tourism Regeneration Grant

Tourism Regeneration Grants will foster safer, more inclusive, and sustainable visitor experiences across the state and drive overnight visitation to rural and underserved communities. Project eligibility for Tourism Regeneration Grants ranges from visitor education campaigns to disaster and climate adaptation planning. Tourism stakeholders may request up to $50,000 in grant funding for projects that include but are not limited to tourism infrastructure, outdoor recreation, festivals and events, and training programs for visitor/customer services.

Funding

SWT has allocated $780,000 to this grant program.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to match a portion of their grant request with cash or in-kind contributions.

Examples of Grant Projects

• Safety lighting, hand/guard rails, ramps, and elevator repairs/maintenance for infrastructure linked to the tourism sector
• Trail and tourism ambassador programs
• Environmental sustainability efforts at large festivals and events
• Accessibility efforts for people living with disabilities to recreate outdoors
• Cycling infrastructure (includes bike lanes, repair stations, restrooms, etc.)
• Parking/transportation strategies and solutions to discourage single-occupancy vehicles
• Wayfinding enhancements and downtown beautification
• Recreate responsibility messaging, incentives that change visitor behavior 

Under the Farm Bill, WSDA receives grant funding from USDA to enhance the competitiveness of Washington's specialty crops. WSDA conducts an annual competitive application process to award grant funds.

Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. Eligible plants must be intensively cultivated and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops.

Funding Categories

Environmental Stewardship, Conservation, and Climate Smart Agriculture

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that enhance soil health, conservation of agricultural land and water, and address specialty crops contribution to adaptation and/or mitigation of climate change, as well as any other projects that demonstrate environmental stewardship.

Pest Management

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address pests that affect the production of Washington’s specialty crops. Projects submitted to the Pest Management category should include applied research related to the probability and impact of invasive pests, and threats to specialty crops, and research to develop tools to detect, eradicate, and control pests.

Plant Health

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address plant diseases that affect the production of Washington’s specialty crops. Projects submitted to the Plant Health category should include applied research related to the probability and impact of invasive disease, and weed threats to specialty crops, and research to develop tools to detect, and control plant diseases.

Food Safety Research

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address food safety for specialty crops. Such projects might include applied research projects that address "real world" food safety issues related to food and agricultural practices in the specialty crop industry, the impact of agricultural practices on subsequent specialty crop food processing; sciencebased practical and transferrable research projects that focus on food safety issues related to food-borne pathogen detection

Innovative Technologies

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address any innovative technology that will increase the competitiveness of specialty crops.

Training and Education

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address training and/or education that will increase the competitiveness for Washington’s specialty crop industry. Projects might include food safety education and outreach projects to help compliance with the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Domestic Marketing

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that address domestic marketing for Washington’s specialty crops. Projects submitted can pertain to any type of domestic marketing project. 

International Marketing

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that will enhance or increase the opportunity for the exports of Washington’s specialty crops to foreign markets, increasing the competitiveness of specialty crops. 

Small Farm/Regional Marketing

In this Review Category, WSDA will consider projects that enhance and develop small farm/regional markets for Washington’s specialty crop industry. 

 Whidbey Climate Fund Grant

Whidbey Climate ACTION is soliciting proposals to fund local projects that reduce greenhouse gases and enhance sustainability in our community. Successful projects will help reduce our carbon footprint and make Whidbey Island more livable and sustainable for future generations. Grants of up to $5,000 will be funded by the Whidbey Climate Fund, administered via a partnership with Whidbey Community Foundation. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of local volunteers with climate expertise.

Goals

The Whidbey Climate Fund supports climate change mitigation and resilience projects on Whidbey Island. Project outcomes might include but are not limited to the following: 

• Educates community & decision makers on how to live more lightly (e.g., lessening ecological footprint)
• Reduces carbon pollution from local sources – transportation, buildings, etc.
• Reduces/reuses our “waste”
• Benefits a marginalized community living with a greater burden from climate impacts
• Builds community around environmental health
• Improves our local food system
• Improves our aquifer health
• Regenerates soil and sequesters carbon
• Protects & restores ecosystem health

We expect projects to be:

• Credible (e.g. achieved with sound methodologies and practices),
• Additional (e.g. made possible because of the fund),
• Quantifiable (e.g. resulting in measurable carbon reductions or other ecosystem improvements),
• Permanent (e.g. the effects will not be easily undone)

Types of Grants

• Program/Project-based Grants: Whidbey Community Foundation considers requests for Program/Project-based Grants to be awarded as restricted grants. For program/project grants, we require a separate program/project-specific budget to be submitted alongside the organization’s annual budget.