Potential Environmental Conservation Funding and Education Sources

​We are often asked for help in locating funding for green burial projects. As a nonprofit educational and certification organization, the GBC is not in a position to broker funding.
 
Instead, we are providing this partial list of foundations and programs to help fund seekers become familiar with some of the environmental funding and information resources available. Please note that this is a fluid list, as funding sources are sometimes seasonal, annual, or temporary. We have organized them here by general area of interest.
 
Keep in mind that green burial as a conservation, climate change, community land preservation, or other related strategy will probably be new to most of these granting entities. Grant requests may be denied because there is no precedent for funding these initiatives. But they won’t be funded until the people awarding grants are familiar with the deep connection between green burial and these arenas of need. The more we bring this agenda to those who have the capacity to help us make it a reality, the greater our chances of gaining their support.

Environmental Conservation Organizations

PictureCarolina Memorial Sanctuary, Mills River, NC
City Forests Credits
Conservation International
Environmental Protection Agency Grants
National Environmental Education Foundation
National Recreation and Parks Association Grant Fundraising Resources
The Conservation Fund
The Environmental Defense Fund
​The Land Trust Alliance
The Natural Resources Defense Fund
The Nature Conservancy​The Trust for Public Land
The US Climate Change Network
The Wallace Global Fund
The Wilderness Society: Land and Water Conservation Fund

Corporate Environmental Funders

Bloomberg Philanthropies
MacArthur Foundation
Patagonia Environmental Grants and Support
​Service Objects
​The Bezos Earth Fund (website pending)
The Conservation Alliance
The Corporation for National & Community Service: Environmental Grant Opportunities
​The Walt Disney Company Conservation Fund
​Wells Fargo Environmental Grant Programs

Charitable Foundations with Environmental Missions

PictureRamsey Creek Preserve, Westminster, SC graveside ceremony
Cornell Douglas Foundation
​​Fluor Foundation Grants: Environmental
​Gannett Foundation Community Action Grants
New Earth Foundation
Pew Charitable Trusts
​RiverStyx Foundation
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Environmental Grants
The Each Foundation
​The Kresge Foundation: Environment
The Leo DiCaprio Foundation: Environmental Grants
The Lightfoot Foundation

Organizations that Help Locate Funding Sources

Diane and Eyal Gutentag Fund
​Environmental Grantmakers Association
Global Green Grants Fund Canada and North America
Grant Watch
Green Grant Writer
Inside Philanthropy: Environmental Conservation and Justice Funders
Small Business Administration Environmental Grants & Loans
​The Society for Nonprofits: Funding Alert for Environment

Some Examples of Regional Funders

PictureHow about memorializing with a functional item like a birdbath made of native fieldstone? Photo courtesy of Lee Webster, New Hampshire Funeral Resource, Education & Advocacy
These are just a few examples of regional programs and agencies that may offer funding for aspects of green burial projects, such as plant inventories or educational programming. Locate regional funders in your area by searching online, asking for assistance from established conservation entities in your area or state, and ask around your town or city offices for local conservation groups, commissions, or other organizations. You may be surprised at what you  find!

California ReLeaf
Canadian Environmental Grants and Funds
New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
New York Department of Environmental Conservation
North Carolina Office of Environmental Education Grants
The Nebraska Environmental Trust