September 14, 2023

Tracking Green Regrantors: Who’s Funding in the Amazon, Brazil and Beyond?

September 14, 2023/ Michael Kavate

Billionaires and big foundations, often from abroad, may be the megafauna of Amazon philanthropy, but there’s also a growing array of regrantors, intermediaries and grantmaking nonprofits to note.

September 07, 2023

Billionaires Are Backing Brazil and the Amazon. What Do Locals and Longtime Funders Think?

September 07, 2023/ Michael Kavate

A wave of new commitments from foreign billionaires has some Amazon conservationists and activists feeling hopeful. But they’re also voicing concerns about where and how the money’s flowing.

December 23, 2022

Six Questions for Michael Roberts, President and CEO of First Nations Development Institute

December 23, 2022/ Mike Scutari

Michael Roberts heads First Nations Development Institute, which seeks to improve economic conditions for Native Americans. We chatted with him about the best advice he’s ever received, the perils of “racial equity fatigue,” and more.

October 28, 2022

The Arcus Foundation's Dual Mission: Protecting LGBTQ People and Humans' Nearest Relations

October 28, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe

Founded by Jon Stryker, the Arcus Foundation funds in two seemingly disparate arenas: LGBTQ issues and the conservation of great apes and gibbons. As the foundation hones its strategy, social justice is a big theme.

October 03, 2022

What Are Conservation, Pollution and Ag Funders Looking For Right Now? Fundraisers Weigh In

October 03, 2022/ Michael Kavate

Fundraisers in these fields see opportunity and uncertainty, and many organizations are hiring to take advantage. Here are some major shifts they’ve highlighted in the funding landscape.

April 18, 2022

Seven Things to Know from a Conversation with John and Timi Sobrato

April 18, 2022/ Michael Kavate

Their family’s fortune is estimated at nearly $6 billion, and their philanthropy is starting to accelerate. Here’s what John and Timi Sobrato have to say about what drives their giving, the Giving Pledge, DAFs, and more.

March 24, 2022

Round Four: Here’s What You Need to Know About MacKenzie Scott's Latest List of Gifts

March 24, 2022/ Philip Rojc

At long last, our two-time winner for Philanthropist of the Year has dropped another Medium post—this time with the names of grantees included. Here are some key takeaways.

January 14, 2022

This New Global Conservation Fund Aims to Move Dollars Directly to Indigenous Groups

January 14, 2022/ Michael Kavate

Indigenous peoples have long received less than 1% of climate finance—with most such funding going to international NGOs. In the wake of two billion-dollar-plus pledges, a new fund is looking to change that reality.

January 05, 2022

Education and Endangered Wolves Are Top of Mind for This Wall Street Couple

January 05, 2022/ Ade Adeniji

Richard Handler and Martha Hunt Handler each bring their own interests to their family foundation’s grantmaking. For Richard, that’s education. For Martha, that’s wolves. We connected with Martha to find out more.

February 26, 2020

To Protect the Seas from Rising Threats, a Top Grantmaker Looks to Indonesia

February 26, 2020/ Julia Travers

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies keeps a low profile, but it’s one of the key U.S. foundations racing to defend endangered marine ecosystems worldwide—including the vast and biologically diverse seas of Indonesia.

February 12, 2020

In the Latest Big Campus Environmental Gift, a Push to Cross Boundaries

February 12, 2020/ Julia Travers

Higher ed donors are stepping up support for programs focused on conservation, climate change and other green issues. A donation for a new interdisciplinary center at William & Mary shows how such gifts can play out.

November 04, 2019

Another Big Gift for a Zoo—Again with a Focus on Conservation

November 04, 2019/ Julia Travers

Zoos, which are among some of the nation’s oldest nonprofits, are tapping into new veins of money with work on conservation science and environmental education. The latest example of this strategy comes from Indianapolis.

September 11, 2019

Take a Hike: Why a Foundation is Giving Millions for Nature Trails

September 11, 2019/ Julia Travers

Investing in parks and other nature amenities has become a growing part of place-based philanthropy in recent years. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is the latest funder to emerge in this space, and it has some seriously deep pockets.

August 13, 2019

To Protect a Critical Forest in Appalachia, a Foundation Goes Beyond Grantmaking

August 13, 2019/ Julia Travers

A rare opportunity to conserve a large swath of land led the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to make a large and unusual program-related investment. But the sustainable forestry model behind this move is not without its critics.

July 27, 2019

A New Funders Collaborative That is Working to Protect the Long Island Sound

July 27, 2019/ Alyssa Ochs

Twelve foundations have come together in the Tri-State region to protect the Long Island Sound. Here’s what the funder collaborative cares about and how it has been awarding local environmental grants so far.

June 27, 2019

Behind a Big Boost for a Legacy Institution, Deep-Pocketed Conservationists

June 27, 2019/ Julia Travers

Nature-focused legacy institutions like zoos and gardens are finding creative ways to engage the public and appeal to funders, including the billionaire donor class. A major gift to the Chicago Botanic Garden shows this dynamic in action.

April 10, 2019

Why Does Hamilton’s Producer Want to Clone Giant Trees?

April 10, 2019/ Julia Travers

The producer of the wildly successful broadway hit “Hamilton” and his partner recently launched a foundation. Driven by worries about climate change and deforestation, they’re backing work by scientists to clone “Champion Trees.”

April 02, 2019

When Outdoor Companies Band Together to Protect Wild Places

April 02, 2019/ Julia Travers

The Conservation Alliance is a network of outdoor industry companies coming together and making grants to protect the wild lands they rely on. Members pool dues and vote on grantees, mimicking the popular giving circle model at the corporate level.

October 01, 2018

How a Conservation Funder Protects One of the World's Last Great Wildernesses

October 01, 2018/ Julia Travers

The Alaska Conservation Foundation is more than just a local grantmaker. It's also bringing together multiple stakeholders to protect a vast and wild ecosystem at a moment of political division over the environment.

December 27, 2013

Robert W. Wilson Jumps From Building in Apparent Suicide

December 27, 2013/ Chris Packham

The New York Post reports that 87-year-old Robert W. Wilson, one of the top donors coming out of the financial industry, fell to his death from his luxury apartment in an apparent suicide on Monday. Wilson had experienced a debilitating stroke a few months prior to his death, and his friend Stephen Vicusi told the Post, “He always said he didn’t want to suffer, and when the time came, he would be ready.”