Environment grants for nonprofits in Kentucky
121 private foundations reported 262 environment grants to organizations in Kentucky on IRS 990-PF returns for tax year 2022 or later, $6.5M in all. 61 of them are based in Kentucky.
Foundations that fund environment in Kentucky
20 of the 121: profiles in our foundation directory first, then by the number of environment grants to Kentucky organizations on their latest return. Each shows its largest such grants.
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Invitation Only
Amazonsmile Foundation
Seattle, WA · latest return: tax year 2023- Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition Inc, Lexington - General support$707
- Herrington Lake Conservation League Inc, Burgin - General support$645
- Isaac W Bernheim Foundation Inc, Clermont - General support$422
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Gave $4.3M in 2025
Lg&e and Ku Foundation Inc
Louisville, KY · latest return: tax year 2025- Herrington Lake Conservation League Inc, Burgin - Herrington lake conservation$30,000
- Parks Alliance of Louisville, Louisville - Jack o'lantern spectacular$8,000
- Louisville Sustainability Council Inc, Louisville - Lsc green tea talks 2025$5,000
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Invitation Only
Patagoniaorg
Ventura, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Accelerating Agriculture, Midway - To support environmental projects.$15,000
- Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, Whitesburg - To support environmental projects.$15,000
- Kentucky Heartwood, Berea - To support environmental projects.$15,000
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Gave $555M in 2024
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- Speed Art Museum, Louisville - To support conservation, photography, and a scholarly catalog$650,000
- University of Kentucky, Lexington - To support additional conservation work needed on a set of scrolls in the herculaneum papyri collection$90,000
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Gave $9.8M in 2025
Brown-Forman Foundation
Louisville, KY · latest return: tax year 2025- Parks Alliance of Louisville, Louisville - General program support$40,000
- Isaac W Bernheim Foundation, Clermont - General program support$25,000
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Gave $5.5M in 2025
American Water Charitable Foundation Inc
Camden, NJ · latest return: tax year 2025- Bluegrass Greensource Inc, Frankfort - General purpose$10,000
- Bluegrass Greensource Inc, Frankfort - General purpose$1,500
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Invitation Only
Hamill Family Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Equine Land Conservation Resource, Lexington - Unrestricted$5,000
- Equine Land Conservation Resource, Lexington - Unrestricted$5,000
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Gave $5.8M in 2024
Chubb Charitable Foundation
Philadelphia, PA · latest return: tax year 2024- Isaac W Bernheim Foundation Inc, Clermont - Matching Gifts$500
- Isaac W Bernheim Foundation Inc, Clermont - Matching Gifts$500
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Gave $7.5M in 2024
Nisource Charitable Foundation
Columbus, OH · latest return: tax year 2024- America in Bloom Lexington Inc, Lexington - Corporate donation$500
- Legacy Greenscapes Inc, Winchester - Corporate donation$500
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Gave $14.9M in 2024
James Graham Brown Foundation Inc
Louisville, KY · latest return: tax year 2024- Parks Alliance of Louisville, Louisville - Alberta O. jones park and ballard park projects$750,000
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Gave $116.7M in 2024
Richard King Mellon Foundation Dtd
Ligonier, PA · latest return: tax year 2024- Green Forests Work Inc, Lexington - Toward support of operations for mine land restoration in pennsylvania and the central appalachians$160,000
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Invitation Only
Head & Heart Foundation Tr
Wilmington, DE · latest return: tax year 2025- Green Forests Work, Lexington - General support$75,000
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Invitation Only
Flock Inc
Boston, MA · latest return: tax year 2023- Headwaters Inc, Whitesburg - General operations$50,000
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Gave $7.1M in 2024
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
Chicago, IL · latest return: tax year 2024- Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, Louisville - Wetland restoration in the francis marion national forest$35,000
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Gave $19.3M in 2024
Wilburforce Foundation
Seattle, WA · latest return: tax year 2024- Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, Louisville - Environmental - cultural and environmental restoration pilot program$35,000
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Invitation Only
Walton Family Foundation Inc
Bentonville, AR · latest return: tax year 2024- The Council of State Governments, Lexington - To support the 2024 Annual Colorado River Forum.$5,000
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Invitation Only
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland Foundation
Union City, TN · latest return: tax year 2024- Inland Waterways Museum, Paducah - Stimulate curiousity & understanding of our Nations river system$5,000
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Gave $20.4M in 2025
The Powell Foundation
Houston, TX · latest return: tax year 2025- Waterfront Botanical Gardens Inc, Louisville - Designated Grant: General operating and support$2,000
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Invitation Only
Csx Foundation Inc
Jacksonville, FL · latest return: tax year 2025- Friends of Carter Caves Inc, Grayson - Various$1,200
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Invitation Only
Edward Jones Foundation
St Louis, MO · latest return: tax year 2024- Lake Cumberland Trail Foundation Inc, Somerset - Parks & playgrounds$1,000
Search more environment funders giving in Kentucky →
Organizations several of these foundations fund
Kentucky organizations that received environment grants from two or more of the foundations above, on the same returns.
| Organization | Funders | Grants total |
|---|---|---|
| Parks Alliance of Louisville Louisville | 4 | $803,102 |
| Green Forests Work Lexington | 3 | $235,065 |
| Isaac W Bernheim Foundation Inc Clermont | 3 | $26,422 |
| Bluegrass Greensource Lexington | 3 | $16,052 |
| Waterfront Botanical Gardens Inc Louisville | 3 | $5,611 |
| Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy Louisville | 2 | $70,000 |
| Herrington Lake Conservation League Inc Burgin | 2 | $30,845 |
| Kentucky Heartwood Inc Berea | 2 | $15,179 |
| Kentucky Waterways Alliance Inc Louisville | 2 | $15,159 |
| Louisville Sustainability Council Inc Crestwood | 2 | $5,555 |
How to use this list
A foundation is listed because its own latest tax return itemizes grants to organizations in Kentucky that we classify as environment, by the purpose the foundation wrote or by the recipient's IRS activity code. Their typical grant is the middle of the funders' own typical grants across everything they fund. Start with funders whose typical grant is close to what you need and whose past recipients look like your organization, then open the profile for all of its grants and any application instructions.
Of these 121 foundations, 43 describe how to apply on their latest return; many others give only to organizations they already know. A badge such as Gave $1.2M in 2024 repeats what the latest return reports; it does not mean the foundation is accepting proposals now.
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.