44 private foundations reported environment & conservation grants in Colorado on their IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2023–2025. Historical giving records — not an open application portal.
Themes are derived from the free-text purpose each foundation wrote on its own Part XV filing, so a grant is classified by what the funder said it was for. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from recipient counts and tables.
Across tax years 2023–2025, 44 private foundations reported 144 grants for environment & conservation totaling $10,646,078 to 111 organizations in Colorado. The most-funded Colorado communities were Boulder, Aspen, Denver. Waverley Street Foundation reported the most environment & conservation giving — $2,500,000 across 1 grant. The median grant was $15,000.
Foundation filings are a record of past giving. The UseGrants eligibility check matches you to federal and state opportunities accepting applications today.
| Foundation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Waverley Street Foundation | 1 | $2,500,000 |
| John S and James L Knight Foundation | 1 | $1,794,500 |
| The Rockefeller Foundation | 1 | $1,250,000 |
| Margaret a Cargill Foundation | 1 | $650,000 |
| Patagoniaorg | 29 | $605,000 |
| The New-land Foundation Inc | 25 | $450,000 |
| Wilburforce Foundation | 8 | $435,000 |
| The Hearthland Foundation | 3 | $375,000 |
| The Volgenau Foundation | 2 | $350,000 |
| Aspen Business Center Foundation | 20 | $241,500 |
| Alumbra Innovations Foundation | 1 | $200,000 |
| MRB Foundation Inc | 2 | $195,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| First Nations Development Institute | 4 | $3,290,000 |
| National Trust for Local News | 1 | $1,794,500 |
| Nrel Foundation | 1 | $1,250,000 |
| Indigenous LED a Project of Wild Foundation | 1 | $300,000 |
| Int'l Wilderness Leadership Foundation Inc | 2 | $275,000 |
| Global Greengrants Fund Inc | 2 | $260,000 |
| Conservation Lands Foundation | 3 | $245,000 |
| Meridian Institute | 2 | $210,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy | 2 | $200,000 |
| High Country News | 2 | $160,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute | 3 | $140,000 |
| Western Landowners Alliance | 2 | $135,000 |
| Butterfly Pavillion | 1 | $125,000 |
| Bird Conservancy of the Rockies | 1 | $115,000 |
| Environment America Research & Policy Center Inc | 1 | $100,000 |
44 private foundations reported environment & conservation grants in Colorado on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $10,646,078. The largest by reported dollars were Waverley Street Foundation, John S and James L Knight Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
111 distinct organizations appear as recipients in Colorado, led by First Nations Development Institute, National Trust for Local News, Nrel Foundation. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported environment & conservation grant in Colorado was $15,000, and the largest single reported grant was $2,500,000. Amounts are as reported by the filing foundation for a historical tax year.
The UseGrants feed tracks federal and state opportunities that are open today, each with the eligibility explained in plain English.
Source: public IRS Form 990-PF Part XV filings (tax years 2023–2025). Theme classification is derived from the funder’s own purpose text and is a summary, not a legal categorization. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any foundation listed.
