Sea Change Foundation
Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation founded in 2006 by Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons that makes strategic grants to nonprofit organizations focused on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy, operating alongside its international counterpart Sea Change Foundation International.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sea Change Foundation does
Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation founded in 2006 by Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It is dedicated to achieving meaningful social impact through strategic philanthropy focused on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy, operating alongside its international counterpart Sea Change Foundation International (established in Bermuda in 2011). The foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations through several named programmatic initiatives, including the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program (addressing HFC phase-out and air conditioning efficiency under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol), the Climate Action 100+ investor engagement initiative (450 investors, $40T+ AUM), Utility Transformation in the Interior West, and Accelerating Clean Transportation in Europe. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests, deploys fewer and larger grants than most peer foundations, and pursues agile grant terms of typically one year or less to accommodate strategic shifts.
The foundation's core assets are its leadership team, its advisory relationship with Tempest Advisors, and its role within a curated network of peer funders and policy coalitions. Co-directors Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons bring more than twenty years of combined financial industry experience at Meritage Group LP and co-founded Prelude Ventures in 2009, an early-stage cleantech investment group that is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and manages capital for Simons family philanthropic entities. Steve Colwell, the founding Executive Director (2007-2016), serves as Interim Executive Director. Both founders are signatories of the Giving Pledge, signaling a long-term commitment to distributing the majority of their wealth through philanthropic channels.
Sea Change Foundation does not generate commercial revenue from products or services; it operates using endowment returns and founder contributions to fund grants. It does not disclose financials publicly. As a foundation, its "go-to-market" is coalition-building and co-funding with peer philanthropic organizations (e.g., Barr Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Packard Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, MacArthur Foundation), and its distribution channel is direct grant-making to a curated set of nonprofit grantees, with no commercial pricing model, sales motion, or end-customer base.
Sea Change Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sea Change Foundation
- Legal name
- Sea Change Foundation
- Website
- https://seachange.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation founded in 2006 by Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons that makes strategic grants to nonprofit organizations focused on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy, operating alongside its international counterpart Sea Change Foundation International.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sea Change Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Philanthropy and Strategic Grantmaking
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD)
Keywords
Where Sea Change Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Sea Change Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Operations, Personnel
Sea Change Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation that makes fewer and larger strategic grants to nonprofit organizations working on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy. Grants are typically one year or less in term to support agility, and the foundation runs named programmatic initiatives including the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program, Climate Action 100+, Utility Transformation in the Interior West, and Accelerating Clean Transportation in Europe.
Product overview
Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation that does not offer commercial products or services. Instead, it operates as a philanthropic grant-making organization focused on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy. The foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations through several named programmatic initiatives: the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program (addressing HFC phase-out and air conditioning efficiency), Climate Action 100+ (corporate climate governance engagement), Utility Transformation in the Interior West (clean energy policy in the Western U.S.), and Accelerating Clean Transportation in Europe (electric vehicle policy in Europe). The foundation is advised by Tempest Advisors, which provides professional philanthropy consulting services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program A philanthropic grant initiative that pairs energy efficiency improvements in air conditioning with the transition away from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, involving $51 million in collective funding from Sea Change Foundation and 17 other foundations and individuals; for climate-focused nonprofit organizations, policy makers, and intergovernmental processes.
- Climate Action 100+ Partnership A five-year investor-led grant initiative funded by Sea Change Foundation and philanthropic partners to engage with the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters to improve climate governance, curb emissions, and strengthen climate-related financial disclosures; includes 450 investors with over USD $40 trillion in assets under management.
- Utility Transformation in the Interior West A U.S. Interior West-focused grant initiative supporting Western Resource Advocates' work to advance the transition to clean energy, including policy expertise, technical analysis, and stakeholder engagement with utilities such as Xcel Energy Colorado; plays a central role in negotiating comprehensive clean energy settlements.
- Accelerating Clean Transportation in Europe A European-focused grant initiative supporting smart EU policies and advocacy to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, providing technical expertise, economic analysis, and policy promotion alongside grantees such as the European Climate Foundation.
Quantifiable outcome
- If fully implemented, the Kigali Amendment will avert just under 0.5° C in global temperature rise by the end of the century
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sea Change Foundation
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sea Change Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sea Change Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Climate Action 100+coreSea Change Foundation, along with several other major philanthropic partners, provided funding to launch Climate Action 100+, a five-year investor-led initiative to engage with the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters. The initiative includes 450 investors with over USD $40 trillion in assets under management working to improve governance on climate change, curb emissions, and strengthen climate-related financial disclosures. Partners include Ceres (USA), Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (Europe), Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (Asia), Investor Group on Climate Change (Australia/New Zealand), and Principles for Responsible Investment (International).
- Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program Funding PartnerscoreSea Change Foundation joined 17 other foundations and individuals in dedicating $51 million to the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program, pairing energy efficiency improvements with the transition away from HFCs as part of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Key funding partners include Barr Foundation, Bill Gates, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and others.
- Western Resource AdvocatescoreSea Change Foundation, along with funding partners such as the Hewlett Foundation and Heising-Simons Foundation, has supported Western Resource Advocates' work to help advance the transition to clean energy in the Interior West. Western Resource Advocates worked closely with Xcel Energy Colorado to help align the utility's financial interests with clean energy investment, playing a central role in negotiating a 2017 comprehensive settlement.
- Breakthrough Energy CoalitionminorPrelude Ventures, which manages capital for Simons family philanthropic entities including Sea Change Foundation, is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.
- Tempest AdvisorscoreSea Change Foundation and Sea Change Foundation International are advised by Tempest Advisors, which provides professional philanthropic consulting services to Simons family philanthropic entities. Tempest Advisors staff include Program Strategists, Deputy Director, Executive Assistant, Grants & Knowledge Manager, Program Coordinator, and Program Associate.
- European Climate FoundationminorSea Change Foundation grantees in Europe, including European Climate Foundation, have supported the EU Green Deal which sets a trajectory for transportation emissions to reach zero by 2050. The network of partners delivers technical and economic expertise as well as advocacy to support policies promoting electric vehicle production.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sea Change Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Heising-Simons Foundation: A private family foundation headquartered in California that, like Sea Change, focuses substantial grantmaking on climate change mitigation and clean energy, and co-partnered with Sea Change on the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program.
- ClimateWorks Foundation: A leading climate-focused global philanthropy that pools resources from donors including Sea Change and deploys large-scale grantmaking for climate mitigation — a near-direct functional peer in strategic climate philanthropy.
- Hewlett Foundation: A major U.S. foundation running a substantial Environmental Program focused on climate mitigation policy. Co-funded Sea Change-supported initiatives such as the Western Resource Advocates clean energy work.
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Large U.S. family foundation with a long-running Climate and Land program that funds policy advocacy and clean energy initiatives, co-partnering with Sea Change on the Kigali Cooling initiative.
- Barr Foundation: Climate and clean energy grantmaking foundation, partnering with Sea Change on the $51M Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program.
- Children's Investment Fund Foundation: Major global foundation funding clean energy and climate policy, co-partnered with Sea Change on the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program.
- European Climate Foundation: A direct grantee of Sea Change Foundation supporting EU climate policy including the Green Deal and EV transition; it is functionally a European counterpart that deploys climate philanthropic capital through policy advocacy.
- Good Energies Foundation: Climate-focused philanthropic foundation supporting clean energy deployment and policy — comparable in mission and grantmaking approach to Sea Change Foundation.
Broad incumbents
- Bloomberg Philanthropies: Vast philanthropy with a major multi-billion-dollar climate portfolio (Beyond Carbon, COP engagement), operational at a much larger scale but in the same strategic climate philanthropy space.
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: Large diversified foundation with significant climate/environment grantmaking; co-partnered with Sea Change on the Kigali Cooling initiative. Functions at vastly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sea Change Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceSea Change Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sea Change Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sea Change Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sea Change Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sea Change Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sea Change Foundation
What does Sea Change Foundation do?
Sea Change Foundation is a private family foundation that makes fewer and larger strategic grants to nonprofit organizations working on climate change mitigation and clean energy policy. Grants are typically one year or less in term to support agility, and the foundation runs named programmatic initiatives including the Kigali Cooling Energy Efficiency Program, Climate Action 100+, Utility Transformation in the Interior West, and Accelerating Clean Transportation in Europe.
Is Sea Change Foundation a public or private company?
Sea Change Foundation is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Sea Change Foundation founded?
Sea Change Foundation was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sea Change Foundation based?
Sea Change Foundation is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Sea Change Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Heising-Simons Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Barr Foundation, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, European Climate Foundation and Good Energies Foundation. Broad incumbents are Bloomberg Philanthropies and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Does Sea Change Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sea Change Foundation.
What industry is Sea Change Foundation in?
Sea Change Foundation's product category is Climate Philanthropy and Strategic Grantmaking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation. Its NAICS code is 813211.