Shearwater Foundation

Who We Are

The Shearwater Foundation was founded in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2001. The foundation supports projects in:

  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Child welfare
  • Education
  • Health care for underserved populations
  • Social justice, and in limited cases,
  • Primary ecological research

Funded Projects

2015

  1.  BirdLife International, “Biodiversity surveys to define conservation priorities in montane forests of West Java, Indonesia”.
  2. Huntsville Hospital Foundation, “Behavioral Health Unit Upgrade”.
  3. Impact Alabama, “Focus First Vision Screening in North Alabama”.
  4. Our Kids, “Outreach to Spanish-speaking Families”.
  5. Village of Promise, “Freedom School”.
  6. Rainforest Trust, “Land purchase to protect El Oro Parakeets, Ecuador”.

2016

  1. Impact Alabama, “Focus First Vision Screening in North Alabama”.
  2. Rainforest Trust, “Acquisition of Southwest Ecuador’s Last Remaining Cloud Forest”.
  3. Our Kids, “Outreach to Spanish-speaking Families”.
  4. Village of Promise, “Freedom School”.

2017

  1. Huntsville Community Free Clinic, “Diabetes Supplies”.
  2. Huntsville Hospital Foundation, “Teen Suicide Prevention”.
  3. Our Kids, “Outreach to Spanish-speaking Families”.
  4. Marshall University, “Foraging Strategy of Penguins ” .
  5. The Nature Conservancy, “Fire Control in Zambia”.
  6. Funcacion Cofival, “Environmental Education in Ecuador”.

2018

  1. Our Kids – “Fighting sex abuse in children – Spanish support”.
  2. Impact Alabama – “Vision Screening in North Alabama”.
  3. The Nature Conservancy – “Acquisition of vital habitat in north Alabama”.
  4. Jocotoco Foundation – “Expansion of Jorupe Reserve in Ecuador”.
  5. Fundacion Cofival – “Environmental education in Ecuador”.

2019

  1. Our Kids – “Fighting sex abuse in children – Spanish Support”.
  2. Fundacion Cofival – “Reforestation of Tributary of San Pablo Lake, Ecuador”.
  3. World Parrot Trust – “Scarlet Macaws and environmental education in Honduras”.
  4. Impact Alabama – “Vision Screening in north Alabama”.
  5. Village of Promise – “Reading Academy”.
  6. The Clifton Institute – “Environmental Education in the Piedmont of Northern Virginia”.

2020

  1. Impact Alabama
  2. Village of Promise
  3. Safe Harbor
  4. American Bird Conservancy – Land Protection in Colombia
  5. Our Kids
  6. Clifton Institute – Support for Education Associate

How to Apply

Focal Areas

  • Biodiversity conservation. We are especially interested in land purchase to protect biodiversity hotspots and environmental education to inform the next generation of environmental stewards.
  • Child welfare
  • Education
  • Health care for underserved populations
  • Social justice
  • Primary ecological research (contact us before applying)

Please review the list of previously funded proposals to learn more about the organizations and projects we support.

Geographic Focus

We are interested in supporting social projects in Alabama, Tennessee, Colorado, and Virginia. Our environmental funding is focused on the tropics, especially Ecuador and Indonesia, but we will also consider projects from the aforementioned states.

Application Criteria

The Shearwater Foundation awards grants of up to $25,000 to charitable organizations. We support discrete projects, where it is clear that Shearwater funding makes a project possible. Successful proposals will explain clearly defined, limited goals that can reasonably be accomplished within one year. Salaries should make up no more than 40% of the request. The foundation does not provide unrestricted grants, general operating funds, or support to individuals, sectarian religious organizations, political initiatives, or to retire accumulated debt.

Proposals must be submitted by email to miltonh70@gmail.com, be no more than four pages long, and include a budget. Proposals including a recent audit of the organization will be appreciated, especially for smaller organizations that are not affiliated with a large institution such as a hospital, university, or major NGO. Audit information does not not count against the 4-page limit for proposals. Successful grantees must submit a report of how the funds were utilized and goals fulfilled.

Feel free to contact us with questions about the potential suitability of your project.

Proposals must be submitted electronically and received by August 1st each year.

Get in Touch

Shearwater Foundation

miltonh70@gmail.com

Required IRS disclosures: Email us (miltonh70@gmail.com) to obtain our IRS exemption application and annual returns.

Copyright Shearwater Foundation – All rights reserved