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Environment Program

Climate change presents a multitude of threats to both human quality of life and the integrity of Earth’s natural systems.  It is among the most serious challenges to face the planet and its people.

We aim to assist society in mitigating the severity of climate change and proactively addressing its unavoidable impacts. Our mitigation grantmaking focuses on reducing energy use through the adoption of efficiency measures and the conversion to clean energy sources. Our adaptation grantmaking supports efforts to develop strategies and resources that promote resilience to climate change in both human and natural systems.

Our programmatic approach

The Environment Program has focused its grantmaking in the following four areas:

  • Energy Efficiency – reducing the energy use of buildings as well as the equipment, appliances, and electronics used within them through public-policy development and implementation, bringing retrofits to scale, and advancing the next generation of energy-efficiency practices. Learn more.
  • Renewable Energy – accelerating the adoption of renewable-energy technologies through public-policy development and implementation. Learn more.
  • Adaptation to Climate Change – addressing the impacts of climate change on people and nature by helping to build the field of climate-change adaptation, supporting place-based adaptation efforts, and assisting in the development of climate-wise federal and state policies and practices. Learn more.
  • Special Initiatives – bolstering the political will to move aggressively toward an environmentally sustainable future and reforming important climate-relevant policies. Learn more.

Grantmaking decisions are guided by Kresge’s values criteria, particularly the values of environmental conservation, innovation, collaboration, creating opportunity, and diversity.

Geographic considerations also shape our work. Although we are mindful that many of the worst effects of climate change will be experienced in the developing world, Kresge has chosen to concentrate the work of the Environment Program in the United States. We do this for three reasons:

  • There is enormous potential for greenhouse gas abatement efforts in this country.
  • The leadership role the United States chooses to take will influence other countries’ commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
  • We believe the citizens of the United States have a moral responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
How we work

The Environment Program seeks to:  

  • Have a tangible impact on policy and practice.
  • Encourage strategies that cut across sectors and disciplines.
  • Learn from the work of grantee and colleague organizations to ensure that our program is consistently proactive, effective, and innovative.

We provide funding for activities consistent with our grantmaking strategies, including, but not limited to, policy research and advocacy, project implementation, pilot programs, practitioner networks, and general operations. On rare occasions, Kresge awards facility capital challenge grants through the Environment Program. 

We do not fund environmental education programs or development of educational curricula.  We do not fund media projects unless they are tightly aligned with our grantmaking strategies and advance the work of Kresge grantees. 

We no longer provide grants to cover the costs associated with the planning of environmentally responsible buildings. The Green Building Initiative ended in 2009.

Funding guidelines

The Environment Program solicits full applications from organizations that are doing exemplary work in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and adaptation to climate change. We award general operating support, project support, and, on rare occasions, facilities support, and make program-related investments.

Unsolicited full applications are not accepted.

We do invite preliminary application e-mails of up to 1,000 words from organizations doing exemplary work in one or more of our focus areas.

In your e-mail to the Environment Team, please describe how your proposed project aligns with the appropriate focus area and how it supports and advances Kresge’s values. Tell us about the need that will be addressed, how your organization is well-positioned to meet that particular need, the population that will be served, the geographic area that will be served, and the goals you have set for your proposed project.

Also include in the e-mail the legal name of your organization; its address; and the name, title, and phone number of the contact person submitting the idea. You will receive an automatic response confirming that your preliminary application e-mail has been received. We will review your e-mail and contact you for more information if your proposed idea has potential for funding from Kresge.

Please note: any request for facilities capital funding in the form of a challenge grant must advance the stated focus areas of the Environment Program – energy efficiency, renewable energy, or adaptation to climate change – to be competitive for funding.  A request for a facilities capital challenge grant will be reviewed first for fit within our program strategies and second for the strength of the organization’s capital campaign.

Eligibility

Who may apply?

  • 501(c)(3) organizations based in the United States (and Canadian organizations that are the equivalent of a U.S. nonprofit organization) that are not classified as private foundations and have financial statements prepared and certified by a certified public accountant in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Government Accounting Standards.
  • Government entities that have financial statements prepared and certified by a certified public accountant in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Government Accounting Standards.

Who may not apply?

  • Individuals  
  • Individual elementary and secondary schools

If you have questions, e-mail our Grants Inquiry Coordinator or call 248-643-9630.