Grants for Land Acquisition and Land Conservation

The Cornell Douglas Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation established in 2006 Its mission is to provide small grants to organizations which promote the vision of the foundation: advocating for environmental health and justice, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and furthering respect for sustainability of resources.There are few more challenging and difficult tasks than fundraising, especially in this climate of shrinking budgets. No foundation is alike, and family foundations are unique, but I hope that these suggestions might help in crafting a more successful proposal to the Cornell Douglas Foundation. Working for a small foundation, I know that the vast majority of proposals have been sent after a great deal of labor, and with a large amount of hope. Few proposals are easy to dismiss, and those which are declined are usually from worthy organizations whose mission might be too similar to others, or might fall outside our funding areas. The Board always has enormous respect for the ideas, energy, and vision of all organizations.Areas of Interest

• Environmental Health & Justice
• Land Conservation
• Sustainability of Resources 
• Mountaintop Removal Mining
• Watershed Protection
• Financial Literacy for Elementary and High School Students (This grant is considered only for established programs and not new initiatives)

The Oak Hill Fund believes that restoring native tree species will directly improve our natural ecosystems, as well as our society. If we don't preserve all of these unique species and their habitat, we stand to lose an incredible biological resource. 

We hope to support the following efforts:

• Active restoration of diminished continental U.S. forest species (examples include Eastern Hemlock, Balsam Fir, American Chestnut and Longleaf Pine.)

• Protection of native tree habitat through forest land preservation (can include property easements, as well as creation of newly preserved lands through either state/federal acquisition.)

• Support of science-based research, seed orchard development and other associated expenses involved in species restoration.

Purpose of the Catalyst Fund

The purpose of the Catalyst Fund is to accelerate the pace and practice of collaborative landscape conservation across the United States. The Fund makes strategic investments in strengthening the collaborative capacity and process of place-based, community-grounded Landscape Conservation Partnerships—building in landscapes across the country the enduring collaborative infrastructure and social capital that is necessary to achieve bigger and better conservation over the long term.

Grant funds can be used for Partnership coordination roles and/or for costs associated with other collaborative process activities such as convening meetings (space, lodging, travel), web and print communications, stakeholder outreach activities, and strategic planning and conservation prioritization. Funding cannot be used for direct conservation project implementation such as acquisition of land or conservation easements, trail building, or land management activities; funding also cannot be used for academic research or writing; capital campaigns or capital improvements; office equipment; or political lobbying.

Indigenous-Led Landscape Conservation

A portion of the Catalyst Fund is dedicated to supporting Indigenous leadership in landscape conservation. Partnerships that are led by Indigenous peoples, organizations, and communities and working to advance Indigenous landscape conservation priorities are invited to apply. Indigenous-led Partnerships may be focused wholly on sovereign tribal lands and/or focused on conserving Indigenous interests, territories, and rights across a broader landscape.

Note: Before applying for funding, an organization must first be nominated by one of our member companies. Members nominate organizations by completing and submitting a nomination form. We provide our members with a link to the nomination form in early April and October. We will then send each nominated organization a request for proposal (RFP) instructing them how to submit a full request.

• Applicants can contact only one member per funding cycle for nomination.
• Nominations due May 1 and November 1 annually ("Letter of Inquiry" date above). 

The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor businesses that supports efforts to protect specific wild places for their habitat and recreation values.

The Conservation Alliance seeks to protect threatened wild places throughout North America for their habitat and recreational values. As a group of outdoor industry companies, we recognize our responsibility to help protect the wild lands and waterways on which our customers recreate and wildlife thrives. 

Foundation Grants

The MUFG Union Bank Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, serves as an agent for charitable contributions made by MUFG Union Bank, N.A. Throughout its history, the Foundation has supported the bank's commitment to help meet the needs of the communities it serves.

Our Vision

A sustainable and aspiring society with equitable access to opportunity. 

Our Mission

Make philanthropic investments that expand access to economic opportunity in low- and moderate-income communities specifically in the areas of affordable housing, community economic development, education, human services and the environment.

Our Focus

We believe that the MUFG Union Bank Foundation can achieve the greatest impact on the health of communities by targeting the following strategic funding categories:

• Affordable Housing: Improve housing stability and influence public policy
• Housing development and rehabilitation
• Emergency/transitional/permanent housing
• Public Policy
• Economic Development: Catalyze economic growth and prosperity
• Small business support and innovation
• Job training and career development
• Financial Education
• Money management/credit counseling
• Homeownership counseling
• Scholarships
• Youth Development
• Arts education
• Environmental education
• STEM
• Tutoring/homework help
• Stewardship and Sustainability: Support environmental and social well-being
• Basic needs (Food security)
• Land preservation and resource conservation
• Clean water/Clean energy