CO2 Foundation
Accepts applications
CO2 Foundation is a private foundation in Seattle, Washington. In tax year 2025 it gave $2.3 million in 34 grants; the typical grant was $71,250 and the largest $190,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$2.3 million
- Number of grants34
- Typical grant$71,250
- Largest grant$190,000
- Assets$5.7 million
- New grantees77%
Giving in 2025 was up from $926,924 the year before.
77% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $425,355 | 11 | $2.0 million |
| 2024 | $926,924 | 27 | $8.3 million |
| 2025 | $2.3 million | 34 | $5.7 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Karen Wolfgang 2442 NW Market St 971, Seattle, WA 98107 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (601) 342-0234, grants@co2foundation.org |
| What to submit | Letters of inquiry are submitted online at https://co2foundation.org/grants/ and full proposals requested after review, within 45 days. The full proposal form is due via email within 30 days of its mailing to applicants. |
| Deadlines | One funding opportunity per year, with a soft close date 3 months after opportunity is posted. |
| Restrictions | We provide project-based seed funding to help nonprofit or academic organizations pilot projects that have the potential to deliver game-changing, scientifically sound responses to the global climate emergency. We generally have one open funding opportunity at a time; we consider letters of inquiry outside open funding opportunities, but encourage applicants to match their proposals with our current focus area. Typical grant size is between $25,000-100,000. In addition to this funding, CO2 foundation supports grantees by helping to forge connections to other innovators and offering a platform for increased visibility. Funding is available to nonprofit organizations that are registered as a U.S. 501(c)(3). Eligible projects will be fully planned and ready for a proof-of-concept pilot. Note: individuals and organizations with a compelling project may also partner with a nonprofit organization as a fiscal sponsor. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What CO2 Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 17 states, the most to Washington.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 6 | $521,044 |
| California | 5 | $293,675 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $277,900 |
| New Jersey | 1 | $190,000 |
| Oregon | 2 | $151,050 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $145,098 |
| New York | 2 | $103,185 |
| Arizona | 2 | $98,000 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $95,000 |
| South Carolina | 1 | $73,150 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Climate Central Inc | Continuing sea surface temperature attribution modeling, connecting with extreme weather events. / expand our reach to new audiences with webinars, social media, and event-specific tools that will strengthen public understanding and help communities plan for and respond effectively to extreme weather events. | $190,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation | Assess with the use of new climate model simulations if heatwaves could be pre-emptively cooled down with targeted aerosol injection upstream from the heatwave location. / co-produce actionable predictions through a collaboration with scientists and arctic indigenous organizations -- downscale earth system models to provide locally relevant, accessible, and potentially life-saving information. | $189,744 |
| Yale University | Continuing yale climate connections spanish language hub work, on new platforms. / automate lifesaving extreme weather alerts and climate education during moments of increased public interest. | $145,098 |
| Common Goal | Raise awareness of climate change to a global football community and secure action from industrystakeholders. | $99,623 |
| The Conversation US | Continue getting extreme weather science information to the public! | $99,350 |
| Grist Magazine Inc | 2025 extremes project focused on the disaster economy a full look at the businesses, labor forces, relief funds, and more that pop up in the wake of climate-induced disasters (and how thats changing under a new administration). | $97,050 |
| Northern Arizona University Foundation | Use existing biocrust restoration experiments to determine carbon sequestration potential of these activities. | $95,000 |
| Urban Institute | Provides rapid, equity-focused analysis on disasters and disaster recovery needs in the days before, and after, those events, to that expand public conversations to include key equity topics and support community advocates and policy-makers who are prioritizing these important issues. | $95,000 |
| Climate Foundation | Advances hectare-scale marine permaculture development, unlocking vast ocean areas for ecological restoration, sustainable resource production, and long-term carbon storage solutions. | $85,500 |
| Oregon Environmental Council (Oec) | 2027 soil health summit and additional natural climate solutions rulemaking stakeholder engagement. | $84,250 |
| WGBH Educational Foundation | The world's rapid response extreme weather reporting team. | $76,000 |
| Goodpower | Launching a formal rapid-response content operation that ensures the truth reaches people in minutesnot dayswhen the opportunity arises. | $75,000 |
| Ecoadapt | Support 2026 national adaptation forum and virtual forum. | $73,750 |
| Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (Secoora)(for SCDRP) | Leverage regional capacity and partnership reach to focus 2026 annual meeting and conference on delivering a structured and outcome-driven series of presentations and expert panels focused on bridging the capacity gaps challenging vulnerable communities, especially rural communities, as they prepare for extreme weather events. | $73,150 |
| Mongabay | Using a solutions-based journalism approach, mongabay will explore the potential of nature-based climate solutions (ncs) for communities to withstand extreme weather events. | $71,250 |
| National Council for Occupational Safety and Health | As climate change and the rollback of workers rights make extreme weather more lethal, national cosh is equipping low-wage workers on the frontlines of extreme weather with storytelling tools, training, and opportunities. | $71,250 |
| Tech for Change | Floodlight is pakistans first open-source flood mapping platform, enabling real-time, crowd-sourced data on flood risks. This project enhances its reach and functionality to improve early warning, evacuation, and public awareness saving lives and livelihoods. It offers a scalable, civic-tech solution to extreme weather aligned with co2 foundations climate resilience mission. | $71,250 |
| Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association Inc | The pbs news hour tipping point series creates public awareness about the links between climate change and weather while shining a light on solutions being explored to adapt, mitigate and reverse the climate crisis. | $71,250 |
| Conservation Biology Institute | 2025 state of the climate report. | $66,800 |
| Social Good Fund (For America Adapts) | A three-episode podcast series for the adaptation and resilience (a&r) community. | $58,425 |
| Point Reyes Bird Observatory | Connect monitoring and evaluation data across ca with widely-used carbon modeling programs, aiming to ensure that the practices being incentivized are in fact the most effective. | $50,000 |
| Transmediavision USA Inc | Complete the climate restorers, a 4-film documentary series. | $50,000 |
| Montana Health Professionals for A Healthy Climate (Mthphc) | Continue training mt healthcare professionals to understand and communicate about climate risks. | $46,771 |
| Urban Ecology (For Kneedeep Times) | Researching and writing follow-up storiesfor each of the five climate extremes. / create a new community reporting network that empowers residents in underrepresented parts of the bay area to share their stories of climate resilience. | $42,750 |
| Utah Film Center (For the Here Now Project) | Develop social release strategy for the here now project. | $38,000 |
| West Virginia University Foundation Inc (For West Virginia University Exte | Create and distribute a comprehensive preparedness guide tailored for west virginia residents facing escalating flood and wildfire risks. | $34,200 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2025 graduate climate conference. | $27,550 |
| Seattle Foundation | Support climate lab, the seattle times ambitious, multi-year initiative on the climate crisis. | $25,000 |
| Planning Ahead | Host a series of trauma-informed workshops in durham, nc, equipping vulnerable residents with strategies to prepare for extreme heat and flooding. | $19,000 |
| Nature Forward Inc | Develop a public awareness campaign utilizing dynamic communications, personal stories and workshops to localize and humanize the dramatic climate and health impacts of the proliferating data center industry. | $10,000 |
| Unthinkable | Support the development of field-building resources after the american climate-mental health summit. | $10,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund (Edf) | This project will identify actionable strategies for disaster insurers to help lower risks, producing a report to be shared through existing networks within the industry. | $3,562 |
| Chispa Arizona A Program of the League of Conservation Voters Education Fun | Gatherings and a summit to discuss/discover and then present what impacted community members want to do with ira funds. | $3,000 |
| Urban Sustainability Directors Network (Usdn) | Resilience hubs video series: sharing community wisdom and experiences (maui and oahu). | $2,475 |
Officers and trustees
- Karen Wolfgang
- William Calvin
- Katherine Graubard
- Stephanie Moret
Questions people ask
Does CO2 Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: One funding opportunity per year, with a soft close date 3 months after opportunity is posted..
How much does CO2 Foundation give?
$2.3 million in tax year 2025, across 34 grants, with a typical grant of $71,250.
Who runs CO2 Foundation?
Its 2025 filing lists Karen Wolfgang (Executive Director), William Calvin (President), Katherine Graubard (Vice President) and Stephanie Moret (Treasurer).
What does CO2 Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly environment and conservation, education and science and research.