Campion Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Campion Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on ending homelessness, and protecting wilderness and wilderness systems.
IP TAKE: This funder awards grants to support specific projects as well as general operating costs. It also tends to prioritize large over smaller, grassroots organizations in the Northwest, particularly Washington. This is not the most accessible funder.
PROFILE: Sonya and Tom Campion established the Campion Foundation in 2005. Tom Campion is the founder of the action sports lifestyle brand Zumiez. Taking a catalytic philanthropic approach to their grantmaking, the founders seek to “leverage our capital and focus on access to housing as a solution to homelessness and conserving public lands as a solution to the climate crisis.” The foundation works to end homelessness, public lands and climate and nonprofit impact. The Campion’s also operate the Campion Advocacy Fund. Not to be confused with the foundation, the fund “engages in direct advocacy for change in legislative and political arenas,” and is not a grantmaking organization.
Campion says it follows the principles of catalytic philanthropy— “when a donor’s ambition to change the world is matched by their courage to accept the responsibility for doing it,” rather than relegating the work to nonprofits and grantees. The founders were inspired by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimist” philosophy.
Grants for Environmental Conservation and Justice, and Wildlife and Animal Welfare
The Campion Foundation’s Public Lands & Climate grantmaking to protect wilderness focuses on wilderness systems in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana. It also supports organizations fighting for the permanent protection of the coastal plain of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Past environmental conservation grantees include the Alaska Wilderness League, which received funding for its work protecting wilderness in Alaska; and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, which received a grant for its work protecting the Scotchman Peaks. Past animal and wildlife conservation grantees include the National Audubon Society, which received support for its Pacific Flyway Campaign; and Earthjustice, which received funding for its continued work in the environmental law field, focusing on issues such as preserving wildlife, combating climate change and advancing clean energy.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development
The foundation’s grantmaking to End Homelessness broadly focuses on homeless teens in Washington State. It also seeks to “make the policy changes necessary to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time.” Past grantees include Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County, which received funding to provide capacity building to nonprofit members and their partners; Faith Action Network, which received support to create networks for veterans and those affected by mental illness; Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium; and The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children And Youth.
Grants for Washington
The funder seeks to strengthen nonprofits in the Northwest through professional development grants to existing grantees to facilitate conference and training attendance. This is another targeted grantmaking program that accepts applications by invitation only. However, these are typically restricted to groups in Washington.
Important Grant Details:
Campion grants typically range from $10,000 to $150,000. The Campion Foundation does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or requests for funding.
Direct general questions to the staff at info@campionadvocacyfund.org or 206-686-5310. Keep up with this funder at its News and Insights page.
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