The Harder Foundation is a private family foundation that has made grants since the 1970s for environmental and conservation organizations that work to achieve long-term protection of public forests and wildlands, rivers and watersheds, and nearshore marine ecosystems and estuaries.  We have a special concern for maintaining functioning ecosystems that support biological diversity and provide lasting benefits to communities for future generations. 

Our priorities include state or regional projects and campaigns aimed at winning long-term protections for critical ecosystems that are facing immediate and concrete threats, or that have the potential to sustain species in the face of climate change.  We also provide some support to national organizations whose work is relevant to our regional priorities.

The Foundation supports organizations that are qualified under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.  We are especially responsive to state and regional organizations that work collaboratively to achieve conservation outcomes in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Rockies.  The Foundation works collaboratively with other Northwest environmental grantmakers on both planning and funding efforts.

The Harder Foundation Board of Trustees reviews and refines funding priorities during its annual meeting in February.  Review our Grantmaking Program pages for a description of our strategic priorities for 2010 and 2011.