Richard King Mellon Foundation — Conservation Program

Major Pittsburgh-based philanthropic funder with a long history of large-scale land conservation and watershed protection grantmaking in Pennsylvania.

The Richard King Mellon Foundation's Conservation Program is one of the largest private environmental funders in Pennsylvania, with a particular focus on landscape-scale conservation in southwestern PA. The Foundation has supported acquisitions, endowments, and restoration projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars over its history. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, and several regional land trusts are longtime grantees. RKM Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. New applicants should research the Foundation's current priorities and connect through existing grantees. The Foundation typically funds major multi-year initiatives rather than small one-off grants, making it most suitable for organizations with significant capacity and track record.