Grant Guidelines

Note: We have recently updated our application process, so please read this section over carefully.

Patagonia funds only environmental work. We are most interested in making grants to organizations that identify and work on the root causes of problems and that approach issues with a commitment to long-term change. Because we believe that true change will occur only through a strong grassroots movement, our funding focuses on organizations that build a strong base of citizen support.

We support small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas, working on multi-pronged campaigns to preserve and protect our environment. We help local groups working to protect local habitat, and think the individual battles to protect a specific stand of forest, stretch of river or indigenous wild species are the most effective in raising more complicated issues – particularly those of biodiversity and ecosystem protection – in the public mind. We look for innovative groups that produce measurable results, and we like to support efforts that force the government to abide by its own – our own – laws. Your efforts should be quantifiable, with specific goals, objectives and action plans, and should include measures for evaluating success. Because we're a privately held company, we have the freedom to fund groups off the beaten track, and that's where we believe our small grants are most effective. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 to $8,000.

If your work fits within our guidelines, we welcome your proposal during the months of April or August. However, if you are applying directly to a retail store near you, applications are accepted year round. Each store administers a grants program, and because you share a community with our colleagues there, they are best equipped to handle your request. You will find more information about this process in our eligibility quiz below.

If you are not applying to a retail store, applications must be submitted by April 30 or by August 31 in order to be considered. All applications received by April 30 will be responded to in August. All applications received by August 31 will be responded to in January. Only one proposal from an organization will be considered per year.