Philanthropy for Big Visions: 15 Conservation and Social Impact Funds Supporting Entrepreneurs

There is a quiet revolution happening in philanthropy.

Across the world, a generation of wealthy individuals, many of them parents and grandparents, are looking at the state of the planet and feeling something close to urgency. They have built fortunes. They have lived well. And now they are asking a harder question: what happens next? What happens to the forests, the oceans, the communities, and the children?

The answer many of them have landed on is not to write checks to large bureaucratic institutions and hope for the best. It is to find entrepreneurs with a clear-eyed view of a problem, a credible plan to solve it, and early evidence that their approach is working. These philanthropists are not looking for perfection but they are looking for traction. They want to see that you have started, that people are responding, that the idea is alive in the world and growing.

If you have a big vision and you are capable of delivering on it, and you can show even modest evidence of momentum, there is more money available to you than most social entrepreneurs realize. The landscape of philanthropic capital has expanded dramatically over the past two decades.

It now spans conservation, health, education, sustainable tourism, climate technology, community development, and more. The funds described in this guide are not passive endowments waiting to be petitioned. They are active, strategic, and hungry for founders who can change things at scale.

This guide profiles 15 of the most important philanthropic funds supporting social entrepreneurs working health, tourism and conversation today. Each one has a distinct philosophy, a distinct focus, and a distinct way of working with the people it backs.

What they share is a belief that the right person with the right idea, given the right support, can change the world.

1. Skoll Foundation

The Skoll Foundation was created by Jeff Skoll, the first president of eBay, and it has become one of the most prestigious sources of philanthropic capital for social entrepreneurs anywhere in the world. Its flagship program, the Skoll Awards for Social Innovation, provides $2 million in unrestricted funding to organizations that have already demonstrated real-world impact and are ready to scale.

Skoll is not for early-stage founders. It is for people who have already proven something and need the resources and the network to go further. The foundation operates across sectors including conservation, public health, education, economic opportunity, and human rights. What it looks for above all else is the potential for systemic change: not just solving a problem in one place, but shifting the conditions that create the problem in the first place.

What they fund:

• Unrestricted grants of $2 million per awardee through the Skoll Awards
• Multi-year support with access to the Skoll Global Threats Fund for larger systemic challenges
• Connections to the Skoll World Forum, one of the most influential gatherings of social entrepreneurs globally

Who they support:

• Proven social entrepreneurs with demonstrated impact and a clear path to scale
• Organizations working on climate, health, food systems, peace and security, and inclusive economies
• Leaders who can articulate a theory of change and show evidence it is working

What they look for:

• A track record of measurable impact
• A scalable model that can be replicated or expanded
• Leadership with the vision and capacity to drive systemic change
• Organizations that are not yet at full scale but are clearly on the right trajectory

2. Omidyar Network

Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, and his wife Pam created Omidyar Network as something genuinely unusual: a hybrid philanthropic and impact investing firm that makes both grants and equity investments, often in the same sector, sometimes in the same ecosystem. This flexibility allows it to support a much wider range of organizational models than traditional foundations.

Omidyar Network works across responsible technology, economic inclusion, civic participation, and what it calls property rights and financial inclusion in emerging markets. It is particularly interested in the intersection of technology and social impact, and it has backed organizations that use digital tools to extend access to financial services, civic information, and economic opportunity to people who have historically been excluded.

What they fund:

• Grants ranging from $50,000 to several million dollars
• Equity investments in for-profit social enterprises
• Policy and advocacy support alongside capital

Who they support:

• Social entrepreneurs building scalable platforms and systems
• Organizations working on financial inclusion, civic technology, responsible AI, and media
• Both nonprofits and for-profit companies with a clear social mission

What they look for:

• Demonstrated traction and a scalable model
• A commitment to systemic change rather than incremental improvement
• Founders who understand both the social problem and the business or organizational mechanics of solving it
• Willingness to engage with policy and ecosystem-level change, not just direct service delivery

3. Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, known as DRK, is one of the most founder-focused philanthropic organizations in the world. It was built on the insight that the most important variable in a social enterprise is the quality of the leader, and that early-stage organizations with exceptional founders often fail not because the idea is wrong but because they run out of money and support before they can prove it.

DRK provides up to $300,000 over three years to early-stage social enterprises, paired with intensive capacity-building support including leadership coaching, operational guidance, and access to a network of advisors and fellow grantees. It works across education, health, environment, economic development, and human rights.

What they fund:

• $300,000 in unrestricted funding over three years
• Hands-on operational and leadership support
• Access to a global network of DRK Fellows and advisors

Who they support:

• Early-stage social entrepreneurs, typically in the first three years of their organization
• Founders with a clear and urgent problem, a credible solution, and early evidence of impact
• Organizations in education, health, environment, economic development, and human rights

What they look for:

• Exceptional founding leadership with deep commitment to the mission
• A scalable model with a clear theory of change
• Early traction: some evidence that the approach is working, even if the organization is small
• A willingness to engage deeply with DRK’s support and network

4. Echoing Green

Echoing Green has been funding social entrepreneurs since 1987, making it one of the oldest and most respected fellowship programs in the field. It provides early-stage funding and support to founders who are at the very beginning of their journey, often before they have a fully formed organization, and it has an extraordinary track record of backing people who go on to lead major movements and institutions.

The Echoing Green Fellowship provides approximately $100,000 over 18 months, along with leadership development, peer community, and access to a global alumni network that includes some of the most influential social entrepreneurs alive today. It works across climate, education, health, racial equity, and community development.

What they fund:

• Approximately $100,000 over 18 months for nonprofit fellows
• Recoverable grants for for-profit social ventures
• Leadership development programming and peer community

Who they support:

• Very early-stage founders, often pre-organization or in the first year
• Entrepreneurs from communities directly affected by the problems they are solving
• Leaders working on climate, education, health, racial equity, and economic justice

What they look for:

• A bold, original idea with the potential for systemic impact
• Deep personal connection to the problem being solved
• Leadership qualities: resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to inspire others
• Commitment to equity and inclusion in both the mission and the organization itself

5. Rainforest Trust

The Blue Moon Fund operated for over a decade as one of the most innovative and flexible philanthropic organizations in the conservation and sustainability space. Over its lifetime it distributed approximately $130 million in grants, supporting projects in biodiversity, water management, sustainable agriculture, and community-based conservation. Though it has wound down its active grantmaking, its model and legacy remain deeply influential in how conservation philanthropy thinks about grassroots and systemic approaches.

Blue Moon was distinctive in its willingness to fund both grassroots activism and systemic policy change, often in the same region or ecosystem. It believed that lasting conservation required both the people on the ground and the policy frameworks that protected their work.

What they funded:

• Grants ranging from small seed funding to multi-million dollar projects
• Program-related investments in sustainable enterprises
• Support for both local organizations and national policy campaigns

Who they supported:

• Grassroots conservation organizations with deep community roots
• Entrepreneurs and organizations working on sustainable land use and water management
• Projects at the intersection of conservation and community economic development

What they looked for:

• Innovative approaches to persistent conservation challenges
• Strong local leadership and community engagement
• A clear connection between conservation outcomes and human wellbeing
• Willingness to work at both the local and systemic level

6. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife Betty, and it operates at a scale that few private foundations can match. With an endowment of over $9 billion, it makes large, long-term grants in environmental conservation, scientific research, and patient care. In conservation, it has been one of the most significant funders of ecosystem protection, sustainable fisheries, and climate science in the world.

The Moore Foundation is not primarily a social entrepreneur fund in the traditional sense. It tends to work with established organizations and research institutions. But it is deeply relevant to entrepreneurs working on conservation and environmental science because it funds the ecosystem of knowledge, policy, and practice that social entrepreneurs operate within, and it does make grants to innovative organizations that are developing new approaches to conservation challenges.

What they fund:

• Grants ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars
• Long-term multi-year commitments to major conservation programs
• Scientific research and monitoring infrastructure

Who they support:

• Conservation organizations working on ecosystem protection, sustainable fisheries, and climate
• Scientific institutions developing new tools and knowledge for environmental management
• Collaborative initiatives that bring together multiple organizations around a shared goal

What they look for:

• Scientific rigor and evidence-based approaches
• The potential for large-scale, lasting impact on ecosystems and communities
• Strong organizational leadership and governance
• Collaborative approaches that leverage the work of multiple partners

7. David and Lucile Packard Foundation

The Packard Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States, with an endowment of over $9 billion and a grantmaking portfolio that spans conservation, science, population and reproductive health, and children’s health and development. In conservation, it has been a major funder of ocean health, land conservation, and climate solutions for decades.

What makes the Packard Foundation particularly interesting for social entrepreneurs is its commitment to mission investing: it has committed up to $250 million in program-related investments, including loans and equity, to support organizations that align with its mission. This means it can back social enterprises that need capital in forms that traditional grants cannot provide.

What they fund:

• Grants ranging from $125,000 to several million dollars
• Program-related investments including loans and equity up to $250 million committed
• Multi-year support for major conservation and health initiatives

Who they support:

• Conservation organizations working on oceans, land, and climate
• Health organizations focused on reproductive health and children’s wellbeing
• Social enterprises that need both grant and investment capital to scale

What they look for:

• Clear, measurable impact goals and a credible plan to achieve them
• Strong organizational leadership and financial management
• Innovative approaches that can be replicated or scaled
• Alignment with the foundation’s strategic priorities in conservation and health

8. MacArthur Foundation

The MacArthur Foundation is best known for its MacArthur Fellows Program, the so-called “genius grants” that provide $800,000 in no-strings-attached funding to exceptionally creative individuals. But the foundation’s broader grantmaking is equally significant, spanning conservation, criminal justice reform, nuclear security, journalism, and more.

For social entrepreneurs, the MacArthur Foundation is relevant both as a direct funder and as a shaper of the philanthropic landscape. Its 100andChange competition, which awards a single $100 million grant to one organization with a bold plan to solve a critical problem, has become one of the most watched events in social impact philanthropy. It signals what the foundation believes is possible when you give a great organization the resources to go all the way.

What they fund:

• MacArthur Fellows grants of $800,000 over five years to individuals
• Institutional grants ranging from $125,000 to over $750,000
• Program-related investments including loans and equity
• The 100andChange competition: a single $100 million grant every few years

Who they support:

• Exceptionally creative individuals across all fields through the Fellows Program
• Organizations working on conservation, criminal justice, nuclear security, and journalism
• Social enterprises with bold, scalable solutions to major global challenges

What they look for:

• Exceptional creativity and originality
• A track record of achievement and the potential for much greater impact
• Bold ambition: the foundation is explicitly interested in organizations that want to solve problems completely, not just manage them
• Strong leadership and organizational capacity

9. Patagonia Environmental Grants

Patagonia is a company, not a foundation, but its environmental grantmaking has become one of the most respected and distinctive sources of philanthropic capital for grassroots conservation organizations in the world. Through its environmental grants program, Patagonia gives approximately 1% of its annual sales to environmental causes, which has amounted to over $140 million in grants since 1985.

Patagonia’s grants are deliberately small, typically ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, because the foundation believes in funding the organizations that larger funders overlook: the scrappy, local, direct-action groups that are doing the hard work of confronting environmental destruction on the ground. It is not looking for polished grant applications. It is looking for organizations that are actually fighting.

What they fund:

• Grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $20,000
• Occasional larger grants for strategic campaigns
• In-kind support including product donations and marketing exposure

Who they support:

• Grassroots environmental organizations, particularly those working on direct action and advocacy
• Groups confronting specific, local environmental threats
• Organizations working on conservation, environmental justice, and climate in the US and select international locations

What they look for:

• A clear, specific environmental threat being addressed
• Direct action and advocacy approaches, not just research or education
• Deep community roots and local leadership
• A willingness to take on powerful interests and fight for systemic change

10. Bezos Earth Fund

The Bezos Earth Fund is the newest and largest fund on this list. Jeff Bezos committed $10 billion to the fund in 2020, making it one of the largest philanthropic commitments to environmental causes in history. The fund focuses on two interconnected challenges: transforming the way humanity produces and uses energy, and protecting and restoring the natural systems that sustain life on Earth.

The Bezos Earth Fund operates at a scale that is genuinely unprecedented in conservation philanthropy. Its grants range from $1 million to over $100 million, and it is explicitly looking for transformative, systemic solutions rather than incremental improvements. It has backed natural climate solutions, decarbonization technology, advanced monitoring systems using AI and satellite data, and major conservation initiatives across multiple continents.

What they fund:

• Grants ranging from $1 million to over $100 million
• Support for natural climate solutions, decarbonization, and nature conservation
• Investment in technology and science for environmental monitoring and management

Who they support:

• Large conservation organizations and research institutions
• Technology companies and social enterprises developing climate solutions
• Collaborative initiatives that bring together science, policy, and practice
• Entrepreneurs and organizations working on food systems, land use, and ocean health

What they look for:

• Transformative potential: the ability to change systems, not just improve outcomes
• Scientific credibility and rigorous evidence
• The capacity to operate at scale and leverage additional capital and partnerships
• Bold ambition matched by organizational capability and leadership

Smaller Funds Worth Knowing

Not every great conservation entrepreneur needs a million-dollar grant to get started. Some of the most important early funding in the field comes from smaller, more focused funds that are specifically designed to back individuals and organizations at the earliest stages of their work. These five funds are less well known than the giants above, but for the right entrepreneur, they can be exactly the right fit.

11. Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund was created by the adventure travel industry to give something back to the destinations and communities that make adventure travel possible. It is a rare example of an industry-led philanthropic fund that genuinely understands the relationship between tourism, conservation, and community wellbeing, because the people running it have spent their careers in that space.

ATCF funds grassroots projects that conserve natural and cultural resources in adventure travel destinations, with a strong emphasis on community involvement and measurable outcomes. Its grants are small, typically between $10,000 and $20,000, but they are targeted at exactly the kind of early-stage, community-rooted projects that larger funders often overlook. For an entrepreneur working at the intersection of tourism and conservation, this fund is one of the most relevant entry points in the philanthropic landscape.

What they fund:

• Grants of $10,000 to $20,000 for grassroots conservation projects
• Projects focused on biodiversity, climate resilience, and community resilience
• Initiatives that must be completed within two years

Who they support:

• Local communities, NGOs, tour operators, accommodations, and indigenous groups
• Organizations working in active adventure travel destinations
• Projects that directly involve local stakeholders in design and delivery

What they look for:

• A clear connection between the project and the conservation of natural or cultural resources
• Genuine community involvement, not just community consultation
• Measurable outcomes and a realistic plan to achieve them within the grant period
• Projects that address root causes of conservation challenges, not just symptoms

12. Whitley Fund for Nature

The Whitley Fund for Nature, based in the United Kingdom, has been described as the Green Oscars of conservation. Its annual Whitley Awards celebrate and fund grassroots conservation leaders in the Global South, people who are doing extraordinary work in their own countries and communities, often with very little outside support.

Whitley Awards provide £40,000 to conservation leaders who have already demonstrated meaningful impact, and Gold Awards of up to £60,000 are available to previous winners who are ready to take their work to the next level. The fund has supported conservation heroes in over 80 countries, and its alumni network is one of the most remarkable communities of practice in global conservation. For a conservation entrepreneur based in a developing country, a Whitley Award is not just funding. It is recognition that can open doors to a much wider world of support.

What they fund:

• Whitley Awards of £40,000 for emerging conservation leaders
• Gold Awards of up to £60,000 for previous winners scaling their work
• Access to the Whitley alumni network and ongoing mentorship

Who they support:

• Nationals of countries in the Global South working on conservation in their own communities
• Leaders with demonstrated impact and deep community engagement
• Conservationists working on ecosystem protection, species recovery, and community education

What they look for:

• Proven conservation leadership with a track record of real-world impact
• Deep roots in the community and ecosystem being protected
• A clear vision for how the award will accelerate existing work
• The ability to inspire and mobilize others around a conservation goal

13. Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, established by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, is one of the most accessible sources of funding for conservationists working on threatened species anywhere in the world. It is particularly valuable because it funds work on species that are endangered, data-deficient, or simply overlooked by mainstream conservation funders, the species that fall through the cracks of larger programs.

Grants range from small awards of up to $5,000 to larger project grants of up to $25,000. These are not large sums, but for a researcher or conservationist working in a developing country, they can be transformative. The fund has supported thousands of species conservation projects globally, and its application process is relatively accessible compared to larger foundations.

What they fund:

• Small grants of up to $5,000 for targeted species conservation work
• Larger project grants of up to $25,000 for in situ conservation and species recovery
• Capacity building for local conservationists working on threatened species

Who they support:

• NGOs, researchers, and individual conservationists working on threatened species
• Projects focused on species that are endangered, data-deficient, or overlooked
• Conservation work in developing countries where funding is hardest to access

What they look for:

• A clear focus on a specific threatened species or group of species
• Scientific rigor and a credible methodology
• Demonstrated commitment to in situ conservation, meaning work happening in the field, not just in laboratories or offices
• Projects with a realistic scope that can be completed with the available funding

14. The Rufford Foundation

The Rufford Foundation is one of the most prolific small-grant funders in global conservation. Since its founding, it has supported thousands of projects across more than 150 countries, with a particular focus on early-career conservationists working in developing nations. Its staged grant model is designed to grow with the grantee: a first Rufford grant of around £7,000 can lead to a second grant of up to £18,000 for organizations that demonstrate strong results.

What makes Rufford distinctive is its accessibility. It is explicitly designed for people who are early in their careers and may not yet have the organizational infrastructure or track record that larger funders require. If you are a young conservationist with a good idea and a willingness to work hard, Rufford is one of the best places to start building your funding history and your credibility with the broader philanthropic community.

What they fund:

• First grants of approximately £7,000 for early-stage conservation projects
• Second grants of up to £18,000 for organizations demonstrating strong results
• A staged funding model that grows with the grantee’s track record

Who they support:

• Early-career conservationists, particularly those working in developing countries
• Projects focused on threatened species, habitats, and community involvement in conservation
• Individuals and small organizations that may not yet qualify for larger grants

What they look for:

• A clear conservation problem and a credible plan to address it
• Early-career status and a genuine need for foundational funding
• Community involvement and local relevance
• The potential to build a track record that can attract larger funders over time

15. National Geographic Society Grants

The National Geographic Society has been funding explorers, scientists, and storytellers for over 130 years, and its grants program remains one of the most respected and wide-ranging sources of early-stage funding for people working at the intersection of science, conservation, and storytelling. Its grants range from $5,000 to $1.5 million depending on the program, making it relevant to entrepreneurs at many different stages.

What distinguishes National Geographic from most conservation funders is its explicit interest in storytelling and communication alongside science and conservation. It understands that changing the world requires not just doing the work but telling the story of the work in ways that move people. For a social entrepreneur who is also a compelling communicator, a National Geographic grant can provide both funding and a platform that amplifies everything else you are doing.

What they fund:

• Grants ranging from $5,000 to $1.5 million depending on the program
• Support for science, conservation, storytelling, and education
• Explorer grants for individuals at early, mid, and senior career stages

Who they support:

• Scientists, conservationists, explorers, educators, and storytellers
• People working on ocean health, land conservation, wildlife, cultural preservation, and planetary health
• Individuals from diverse backgrounds with innovative ideas and a commitment to tangible impact

What they look for:

• A bold, original project with the potential for meaningful impact
• The ability to communicate findings and stories to a broad public audience
• Scientific or conservation credibility alongside creative vision
• A commitment to sharing knowledge and inspiring others, not just producing results for academic or professional audiences

Build the Vision First, Then Find the Money

The funds described in this guide represent only a fraction of the philanthropic capital available to social entrepreneurs today. There are hundreds of family foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs, and individual philanthropists who are actively looking for people to back.

What they all share is a preference for founders who have done the hard work first. They want to see that you understand the problem deeply, that you have developed a credible approach, and that you have started. Even modest traction, a pilot program, a growing user base, a community that has responded to your work, is worth more than the most polished pitch deck in the world.

The philanthropists behind these funds are not naive. They have seen many proposals and many organizations. What moves them is not eloquence. It is evidence. It is the sense that this person has already started changing something, and that with the right support, they could change much more.

If you have a big vision and you are capable of delivering on it, start now. Build the thing. Demonstrate that it works. Document what you are learning. And then go find the people who have the resources and the urgency to help you take it further. They are out there, and they are looking for you.