Free funder guide · Florida · Last checked 27 September 2026
Which Florida environmental funders actually accept applications
Most private foundations in Florida have already told the IRS they won't read your proposal. This page explains how to spot them, and lists 14 secular funders of environmental and conservation work in Florida that do take applications, with what they fund, what they have given, and when they next open.
Several of the most reachable programs here are paid for by Florida specialty license plates or run by the three National Estuary Programs on the Gulf coast. Their grants are small, but they are open to any eligible nonprofit in their area.
From my own read of IRS filings, September 2026
In Florida, 2,532 of the 3,156 private foundations with $1 million or more in assets that I could check tick the box on their tax return saying they don't accept unsolicited requests. That is 80%.
That leaves 624 larger Florida foundations that say they will read an application. It is a higher share of closed doors than in Georgia (76%, 615 of 812) and Virginia (71%, 586 of 820), counted the same way.
How I counted: every private non-operating foundation with a Florida address on the IRS Exempt Organizations Master File (September 2026 release) reporting assets of $1 million or more, checked against its most recent e-filed Form 990-PF (tax years 2022 to 2026, almost all 2024 or 2025). There are 3,167; 11 had no e-filed return I could find, so they are left out of the count. Operating foundations, which mostly run their own programs, are left out, as they were for Georgia and Virginia. Counting them too gives 81% (2,699 of 3,349).
What the checkbox means
One small box on the tax return tells you whether to bother.
Every private foundation files Form 990-PF with the IRS each year. Part XIV, line 2 of that return has a checkbox. A foundation that ticks it is telling the IRS, in writing, that it chooses its grantees itself. A proposal sent to it is usually wasted work.
"Check here if the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."Form 990-PF, Part XIV, line 2
A foundation that leaves the box empty has to fill in lines 2a to 2d instead: who receives applications, what form they should take, any deadlines, and any limits on who or what it funds. For many small family foundations, those four lines are the only published guidelines they have.
The box does not tell you whether a foundation funds your kind of work. For that, read line 3a, the list of grants it actually paid. Check both before you write a letter of inquiry. Any foundation's return can be read free on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
14 funders
Open to applications, and funding environmental work in Florida.
Every funder below is secular, says it accepts applications (on its website or its tax return), and has paid grants to environmental or conservation groups in its most recent filing. Government programs are the exception: they file no tax return. Community foundations are listed by the program that fits environmental groups. Grant examples come from each funder's latest IRS filing unless the funder's own site is named.
Verified date on the funder's own site on 27 Sept 2026Expected based on last cycle; next not yet postedRolling applications any timeFiling only no website; from the tax return, confirm firstCheck site next date not posted; open their page
Statewide and regional public grantmakers
01
Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida: Discover Florida's Oceans and Protect Florida Springs
Tallahassee · statewide
Two license-plate grant programs open to nonprofits. Discover Florida's Oceans funds ocean, estuary and coastal research and conservation (habitat connectivity, fisheries, actionable science); projects that are mainly general education or outreach are not considered. Protect Florida Springs funds community-based springs research and outreach, and all-volunteer Friends groups can apply.
Typical grant
Discover Florida's Oceans up to $50,000, most $1,000 to $25,000; Protect Florida Springs typically $5,000 to $50,000, with indirect costs capped at 10 percent (its site). Nonprofit grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Friends of the Wekiva River $50,000 (eelgrass mapping), Florida Conservation Group $25,000 and Jupiter Narrows Conservation Alliance $16,250 (mangrove and seagrass restoration).
Next deadline
Discover Florida's Oceans: September 1 to 30, 2026 Verified, then each September. Protect Florida Springs: March 1 to 31 each year; next about March 2027 Expected.
How to apply
Online grants system; organizations without an account contact the Director of Grants first.
Gainesville · statewide (sea turtle work in Florida)
Grants for research, conservation and education projects that benefit Florida sea turtles, paid from the sea turtle specialty plate. Florida-based nonprofits, coastal local governments and research institutions can apply, up to four applications each.
Typical grant
No range published. Florida grants in its 2024 filing include Loggerhead Marine Life Center $87,740, Gulf Specimen Marine Lab $35,174, Estero Bay Improvement Association $18,433 (lighting) and North Captiva Sea Turtle Foundation $16,000 (the filing does not say which were plate grants).
Next deadline
November 6, 2026, 5 p.m., for the 2027 to 2028 cycle, both online and a signed printed copy postmarked that day Verified. Awards decided about March 2027.
How to apply
Digital submission form plus one signed original mailed to the Sea Turtle Grants Program; guidelines and forms are on the program site.
Tampa Bay Estuary Program: Bay Mini-Grants and Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund
Tampa Bay watershed
Two programs. Bay Mini-Grants fund community-led restoration and education projects that carry out actions in the Tampa Bay management plan. The Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund pays for larger habitat restoration, water quality, applied research and education projects. Nonprofits are eligible for both.
Typical grant
Bay Mini-Grants up to $10,000, no match required; the Restoration Fund typically $25,000 to $250,000 with at least a 1:1 match, about $700,000 a year in total (its site).
Next deadline
Bay Mini-Grants: the round that closed September 16, 2026 is done; the next opens in summer 2027 and closes in fall 2027 Expected. Restoration Fund: the next request for proposals is due out in January 2027 and to close in March Expected. Project concepts can be sent for feedback at any time.
How to apply
Application materials on each program page; concept submissions through its online portal.
Small grants for habitat and water quality restoration, environmental education and stewardship projects that improve Sarasota Bay and its tributaries. Grants are paid as reimbursements.
Typical grant
Up to $10,000 per organization; $80,000 available in the 2026 cycle (its site).
Next deadline
About January to March 2027 Expected. The 2026 round ran January 5 to March 2, 2026.
How to apply
Download the application and information packet from its grants page and submit them.
Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership: Conservation Grants
its 10-county region in Southwest and central Florida
Small grants for clean water, wildlife habitat protection and restoration, and outreach projects that match its management plan. It gives preference to new applicants and under-resourced communities, and does not fund work on private property.
Typical grant
$500 to $9,999, paid as reimbursement; match not required (its site).
Next deadline
Fiscal 2027 applications open October 1, 2026; those in before December 1, 2026 are decided in January 2027, and those from December 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027 in May 2027 Verified.
How to apply
Application on its Conservation Grants page; questions to its grants email.
Florida Communities Trust: Parks and Open Space Florida Forever Grants
statewide
State money for buying land for community parks, open space and greenways. Nonprofit environmental organizations are eligible alongside local governments, and they do not have to put up the 25 percent match local governments do.
Next deadline
The 2026-27 submission cycle is listed but its dates show as TBD Check site.
How to apply
Application form and instructions on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection program page.
Community Foundation Tampa Bay: Annual Competitive Grants
Tampa · Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties
One of its five focus areas is Environmental Resiliency and Sustainability, which covers conservation, environmental education, land preservation and protection of natural resources.
Typical grant
$5,000 to $55,000 in the last cycle, average $28,700; about 1 in 5 letters of intent is funded (its site). Environmental grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Tampa Bay Watch $66,352 and Tampa Bay Estuary Program $55,000 (the filing does not separate competitive grants from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
Opens November 30, 2026; applications due January 8, 2027; final notification June 11, 2027 Verified.
How to apply
Letter of intent through its grants portal, then a full application if invited.
Venice · Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, Boca Grande, Lakewood Ranch and Longboat Key
Program and event grants in four cycles a year; environment is one of its five funding areas, and "Protecting Our Natural Environment" was one of three priorities in its summer 2026 round.
Typical grant
Up to $25,000 per organization per fiscal year across all Community Grants (its site). Its summer 2026 round funded Suncoast Waterkeeper $5,000 and Metamimicry $5,000 (rewilding and stormwater). Environmental grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Big Waters Land Trust $149,262, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program $59,450 and Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida $38,625 (not separated from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
Fall cycle closes September 30, 2026; winter cycle October 15 to December 31, 2026; spring cycle January 15 to March 30, 2027 Verified.
How to apply
Online application through its grantee platform; first-time applicants are asked to email its community leadership team first.
Community Foundation for Northeast Florida: Environmental Conservation Fund
Jacksonville · Northeast Florida
A fund built from Clean Water Act penalty money that pays for pollution prevention and reduction, environmental restoration and water quality work in Northeast Florida. Applicants must be based in Florida and the project must be in Northeast Florida.
Typical grant
Not published. Environmental grants in its 2024 filing include Matanzas Riverkeeper $125,000 (capacity and water monitoring), North Florida Land Trust $25,000 and St Johns Riverkeeper $25,000 (the filing does not say which fund paid them).
Next deadline
Notices of interest accepted at any time; grants made as money is available Rolling.
How to apply
Notice of interest form on the fund's page; an advisory committee asks for a full application if the project fits.
Indian River Community Foundation: Animal Welfare, Environment and Historic Preservation
Vero Beach · Indian River County
Discretionary grants for proven programs and capital projects of nonprofits serving Indian River County, with the environment named as a priority area. Applicants need a Platinum profile on Candid (GuideStar).
Typical grant
Up to $50,000 for proven programs and up to $100,000 for capital projects (its guidelines, dated July 2022). Environmental grants in its filing for the year to June 2025 include Indian River Land Trust $113,250, Environmental Learning Center $47,700 and Coastal Connections $25,000 (not separated from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
Letters of Idea due by 5 p.m. on the last day of each month; the board decides quarterly Rolling.
How to apply
Letter of Idea through its online portal; full applications by invitation. It recommends a grantseeker orientation first.
No website; everything here comes from its 2024 tax filing. Land conservation, springs, wildlife and environmental education, with about two thirds of its grants going to Florida groups.
Typical grant
Median $20,000 across its 59 grants in 2024, 38 of them in Florida. Examples: Conservation Florida $100,000, North Florida Land Trust $100,000, Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $75,000, Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast $50,000, Putnam Land Conservancy $20,000.
Next deadline
None stated Filing only.
How to apply
A written request describing the organization and the project, with a copy of the 501(c)(3) letter and a use-of-funds statement on the foundation's form, to Guy Marwick, Executive Director, 1515 Silver Springs Boulevard, Suite 102, Ocala, FL.
Environmental, educational and cultural causes in St. Lucie County, with a stated interest in cleaning up the Indian River Lagoon and stopping polluted runoff from Lake Okeechobee.
Typical grant
Median $4,750 across its 6 grants in the year to September 2025. Environmental grants: Friends of the Everglades $100,000 (pollution), Vote Water $25,000 (research and education).
Next deadline
August 1 each year, per its tax filing, so the next is about August 1, 2027; its website gives no date Expected.
How to apply
A written application with the mission statement, board list, amount requested, how the money will be used and what it will achieve, to [email protected] or P.O. Box 12699, Fort Pierce, FL 34979.
Its listed website did not load on 27 September 2026; everything here comes from its tax filing for the year to November 2024, which says it gives "primarily" for environmental, animal and wildlife protection. Most of its land conservation grants go to New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Typical grant
Median $5,000 across its 21 grants. Florida examples: Audubon Center for Birds of Prey $20,000, The Nature Conservancy Florida Chapter $5,000.
Next deadline
None stated Filing only.
How to apply
A letter setting out the purpose in detail, to William Manikas, Trustee, 629 E Ocean Ave, Suite 307, Boynton Beach, FL 33435.
Tampa · communities near Mosaic's offices and phosphate operations
Its Water focus funds habitat conservation, watershed restoration and nutrient stewardship where the company has facilities and offices; its headquarters is in Tampa. It does not fund advocacy or grassroots organizing, and prefers requests under 10 percent of the applicant's budget.
Typical grant
Not published. Environmental grants in its 2024 filing: National Audubon Society $166,000 (bird habitat in Florida and Louisiana), Tampa Bay Watch $120,000 (oyster restoration and water quality in Tampa Bay).
Next deadline
December 21, 2026, midnight ET Verified; deadlines fall quarterly in March, June, September and December, with decisions about four months later.
How to apply
Read its 2026 Funding Guidelines, then apply through the online form linked from its community investment page.
It is not exhaustive and it is not a ranking. Deadlines and guidelines change, so open each funder's own page before you start. Grants are competitive, and past grant sizes describe what a funder gave, not what it will give you. I list secular funders only.
The full version
Want this done for your own organization?
A Funding Roadmap ($1,200, flat fee) gives you ten to fifteen funders matched to your mission, place and size, the grants each one paid to groups like yours, how to apply, and a 12-month grant calendar. Every deadline is labeled the same way as on this page.
Email me your organization's name, rough budget and what you'd like funded. You'll get a written reply within two business days.
You fill in a short intake questionnaire, then answer one round of written follow-up questions.
About three weeks later you get the roadmap, a two-page note on how to use it, and 14 days of email questions.
Everything happens in writing. There are no calls or meetings.