Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust

What Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust does

The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust is a Boston-based public charity and 509(a)(3) supporting organization established in 1997 by Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham, focused on reducing and reversing global environmental degradation. Rather than operating as a commercial enterprise, the Trust executes its mission through two mechanisms: (1) grantmaking to environmental NGOs, journalists, academic researchers, and advocacy organizations, and (2) impact investments in early-stage climate technology companies via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC. The Trust does not sell products or services; it reviews proposals by invitation only and caps indirect costs at 10%.

Its governance structure is a defining differentiator: independent (majority) trustees are the sitting CEOs of four major global environmental organizations — Rare, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund US, and Rocky Mountain Institute — providing institutional alignment and co-investment channels rarely seen in philanthropic vehicles. The Trust has also helped establish multiple academic research institutes, including the Grantham Institute at Imperial College (2007), the Grantham Research Institute at LSE (2008), and the Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science.

The Trust's investment vehicle, Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC, deploys early-stage capital into climate technology startups (e.g., ALORA in agricultural biotechnology, Via Separations in industrial filtration), often co-investing with strategic partners like Toyota Ventures. In February 2026, the Trust announced plans to launch a major new funding initiative around phytoplankton-based carbon dioxide removal, expanding its programmatic scope into ocean-based CDR. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its charitable trust status.

Name

Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust

Legal name

Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust

Website

https://granthamfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust is a Boston-based public charity that funds environmental NGOs, climate research, and journalism, and makes early-stage climate-tech investments via its Neglected Climate Opportunities subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Environmental philanthropy
• Climate grantmaking
• Impact investing
• Climate research funding
• Environmental advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Others

Core offering

The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust is a public charity and 509(a)(3) supporting organization that deploys philanthropic capital to reduce and reverse global environmental degradation. Its core activities are (1) grantmaking to environmental NGOs, research institutions, and advocacy organizations supporting climate science and environmental advocacy, and (2) early-stage impact investments in climate technology companies through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC. The Trust does not sell products or services to end customers.

Product overview

The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust is a public charity and 509(a)(3) supporting organization focused on reducing and reversing global environmental degradation. Rather than offering technology products or services, the Trust operates through two primary mechanisms: (1) philanthropy via grants to environmental NGOs, research institutions, and advocacy organizations, and (2) impact investments through Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC, a venture capital vehicle that takes early-stage positions in climate-focused startups and innovations. The Trust does not develop or sell commercial products or services to end customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental and Climate Grantmaking Program
• Neglected Climate Opportunities (Impact Investment Vehicle)

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CEO of Rare serves as an independent trustee of the Grantham Environmental Trust. The organizations have a long-standing relationship working together to advance novel environmental and climate solutions.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CEO of The Nature Conservancy serves as an independent trustee of the Grantham Environmental Trust. The organizations have a long-standing relationship working together to advance novel environmental and climate solutions.
• World Wildlife Fund UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CEO of World Wildlife Fund US serves as an independent trustee of the Grantham Environmental Trust. The organizations have a long-standing relationship working together to advance novel environmental and climate solutions.
• Rocky Mountain InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CEO of Rocky Mountain Institute serves as an independent trustee of the Grantham Environmental Trust. The organizations have a long-standing relationship working together to advance novel environmental and climate solutions.
• Neglected Climate Opportunities FundcoreOthersThe Neglected Climate Opportunities LLC is the environmental venture capital vehicle of the Grantham Environmental Trust, through which many impact investments are made in partnership with allied philanthropies.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bloomberg Philanthropies: Major philanthropic foundation with a substantial climate/environmental program (Beyond Carbon, Beyond Oil), directly comparable as a large-scale environmental grantmaker led by a high-profile principal, though with a broader programmatic scope including public health and education.
• Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF): Large global climate-and-development foundation that deploys philanthropic capital alongside catalytic investments in climate solutions; comparable to Grantham as a science-driven funder backing policy advocacy and emerging climate technologies at scale.

Direct peers

• Hewlett Foundation: Private foundation with one of the largest U.S. climate and environmental grantmaking programs, comparable to the Grantham Trust as a science-and-advocacy-focused environmental funder with grantee networks spanning conservation and climate research.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Large U.S. private foundation with a major climate and land-conservation grantmaking portfolio, structurally analogous to Grantham as an invitation-driven, science-focused environmental funder supporting NGOs and policy advocacy.
• Schmidt Family Foundation: Foundation tied to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt that combines environmental grantmaking with impact investment in climate-tech, closely mirroring Grantham's dual philanthropy-plus-NCO venture capital model.
• Emerson Collective: Laurene Powell Jobs's organization that blends philanthropy, impact investing, and advocacy across climate and environment; comparable to Grantham for combining direct grants with venture/impact investments and operating with founder-driven direction.
• Kresge Foundation: U.S. private foundation with a Climate, Equity, and Environment program that combines grants and program-related investments in climate solutions, directly comparable to Grantham's environmental grantmaking-and-impact-investing approach.
• Rockefeller Brothers Fund: Family-led foundation with a long-running Climate program supporting advocacy, research, and policy reform, structurally similar to the Grantham Trust as an invitation-driven, science-and-advocacy-focused environmental funder.
• ClimateWorks Foundation: Climate-focused public charity that channels philanthropic capital to high-impact climate mitigation and advocacy organizations globally; directly comparable to Grantham as a fellow Grantham grantee and structurally similar grantmaking intermediary.
• Oak Foundation: Large private foundation with a long-standing Environment program funding conservation, climate, and advocacy NGOs; comparable to Grantham as a founder-led family foundation that funds environmental research, advocacy, and grantee capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments13 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust