When Allen Family Philanthropies (formerly the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation) launched a new initiative to support Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) in the Pacific Northwest, it sought to fund innovative, community-driven projects that addressed climate change while benefiting biodiversity and human well-being. To support the initiative’s success, Allen Family Philanthropies partnered with the Science Philanthropy Alliance to implement a rigorous scientific request-for-proposal (RFP) and external review process.
The Alliance worked closely with Allen Family Philanthropies’ Environment team to lead a competitive review and selection process grounded in both scientific and community considerations. The RFP received 132 letters of interest and 38 full proposals and brought in a wide range of academic, nonprofit, Indigenous, and cross-sector partners, including 82% who had never previously received funding from the foundation.
The Alliance recruited and managed a diverse scientific review panel of nine experts representing a range of disciplines and identities, including hydrology, soil science, marine biology, and traditional ecological knowledge. Each proposal underwent a detailed multi-factor evaluation, followed by a structured in-person panel discussion facilitated by the Alliance. This process not only yielded six standout proposals totaling $5.7 million in recommended funding, but also extended Allen Family Philanthropies’ internal grantmaking capacity, enhanced its reputation among peer funders the foundation hadn’t worked with before, and opened additional doors to future co-funding partnerships.
The initiative’s reach and rigor further positioned Allen Family Philanthropies as a credible, strategic, and values-aligned funder in a complex and evolving domain. The Alliance’s role in shaping and stewarding this process highlights how tailored scientific advising can unlock new philanthropic approaches and accelerate meaningful investment in underfunded areas of discovery.