Oak Foundation - Terra Viva Grants

Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:10

Oak Foundation. Grants for climate change mitigation, wildlife conservation, and the conservation of marine resources. Principal Office: Switzerland. The Oak ...

Source: https://www.terravivagrants.org/group-5-cross-cutting/oak-foundation/

Funding Details

Funder

Oak Foundation

Funding Goal

Grants for not-for-profit organizations working on environmental conservation (marine food systems, biodiversity, regenerative landscapes), climate change mitigation, wildlife conservation, and social issues including housing and human rights.

Funding Amount

USD 25,000 to USD 10 million; average award approximately USD 900,000. Over 300 grants annually, mostly multi-year. (25.000 € – 10.000.000 €)

How to Apply

Oak Foundation primarily operates on an invitation-only model. There are three entry points: (1) Unsolicited Letters of Enquiry submitted via the online form at any time, (2) occasional Requests for Proposals posted on their website, and (3) direct invitation by programme officers. The full process takes approximately 9-16 months: idea exchange and screening (1 month), concept note (1 month), application development (2 months), review (2-4 months), recommendation and decision (1-2 months), notification and payment (1-2 months). Oak responds within two months if further information is required or if the applicant is invited to submit a formal proposal. Very few unsolicited enquiries are approved each year.

Target Region

Global (with specific focus areas: Africa, Asia, Latin America, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe for biodiversity; country programmes in Zimbabwe, India, Brazil)

Contact

Online Letter of Enquiry form at oakfnd.org/submit-enquiry/. Principal office in Switzerland (Geneva). Oak discourages direct contact via email or phone regarding applications.

Last Checked

2026-03-11 22:22

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a not-for-profit organization (individuals, scholarships, religious organizations for religious purposes, and political campaigns are ineligible)
• Demonstrate strong financial and organizational management capacity, as Oak conducts extensive due diligence including financial reviews and site visits

Project Scope

• Project must align with one of Oak's specific programme strategies (Environment: marine food systems, nature and people, or regenerative landscapes)
• Project should address root causes, be replicable or scalable, and involve community participation

Required Documents

• Submit Letter of Enquiry via online form including organization details, financial information, amount requested, total project cost, and co-funding status

Constraints

• Minimum grant request of USD 25,000 required
• Oak generally funds no more than 50% of project budgets or 20% of organizational budgets — co-funding expected

Summary

The Oak Foundation is a major Swiss-based family foundation that provides over 300 grants annually across approximately 40 countries. Its Environment Programme adopts a people-centered approach to conservation, organized into three sub-programmes: marine food systems and livelihoods, nature and people, and regenerative landscapes. The marine focus protects coastal and Indigenous community food security while ensuring marine ecosystem health, covering governance of small-scale fisheries, climate resilience, and labour rights in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Grant amounts range from USD 25,000 to USD 10 million, with an average award of approximately USD 900,000. Most grants are multi-year. Oak primarily operates on an invitation-only model, though unsolicited Letters of Enquiry are accepted year-round via an online form. The foundation notes that only a few submissions through the online enquiry process are approved each year, as programme budgets are allocated roughly one year in advance. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations, foundations, institutes, NGOs, and educational organizations. Oak generally funds no more than 50% of project budgets or 20% of organizational budgets, and prioritizes initiatives that address root causes, are replicable or scalable, demonstrate strong financial management, and involve community participation. The full application process from initial enquiry to payment typically takes 9-16 months.

Historical Context

Oak Foundation has been supporting ocean conservation partner Oceana since 2001 (21+ years). The foundation provides over 300 grants annually and allocates programme budgets approximately one year in advance. No open calls for proposals at this time (as of page content).

Sources

• https://www.terravivagrants.org/group-5-cross-cutting/oak-foundation/
• https://oakfnd.org/environment/
• https://oakfnd.org/how-to-apply/
• https://oakfnd.org/grant-making/
• https://oakfnd.org/submit-enquiry/

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