Land Rights Letter - Foundation Watch: Pew Charitable Trusts, member of the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA)"

FOUNDATION PROFILE:
Pew Charitable Trusts
by Ann Corcoran, Land Rights Letter, July 1993

The Pew Charitable Trusts, a member of the Environmental Grantmakers Association, is one of the largest private philanthropies in the United States. According to its 1992 annual report, the Philadelphia–based foundation has assets of more than S3 billion and annually awards grants totalling about S170 million.

What follows are just a few of the grants to environmental causes awarded in 1992:

Alaska Conservation Foundation: For the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Initiative. To support efforts to protect major portions of the remaining coastal rainforest ecosystem in Alaska. (Sl,040,000 over three years)

Appalachian Mountain Club: For the New England Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Dam Relicensing Project [to hold up relicensing in order to extort land in exchange for privately owned hydroelectric facilities to continue to exist]. ($240,000 for one year)

Oregon Natural Resources Council: For the Ancient Forests Campaign. ($150,000 over two years)

The Wilderness Society: In support of a national educational campaign to protect the remaining old–growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. (S515,000 for one year)

People for Pugel Sound: To raise public awareness of the importance of Puget Sound, to build a constituency for its protection, and to undertake activities aimed at reducing its pollution (S150,000 over two years)

Earth Island Institute, Inc.: For continued support of the Marine Mammal Project to ensure participation and compliance with international dolphin protection policies. ($190,000 over two years)

Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Inc.: For the Greater Yellowstone Tomorrow Project To develop a comprehensive management scheme to maintain the integrity of the greater Yellowstone region's ecosystem. ($80.000 over two years)

In addition Pew will give the University of Michigan $2,180.000 for a program to educate a “new generation of environmental scholars.” The Aspen Institute will receive $3,500,000 to raise awareness of the consequences of world population growth. And, finally, Pew has created a national organization called Earth Force “to provide opportunities for young people to learn about and become actively involved in efforts to protect the environment.” Total 1992 commitment to that project: 512,000,000.

The above are only a few of the nearly 100 environmental grants that the Pew Charitable Trusts awarded in 1992. For a complete 1992 Annual Report, write to: Pew Charitable Trusts, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street. Suite 1700. Philadelphia, PA 19103-7017.