Wildlife Conservation Society
Environment
Environment grants have been guided by C.V. Starr’s belief that nature—whether New York City’s parks or the Tiger and Leopard National Park in China—has the power to inspire and revitalize.
The Starr Foundation’s environment funding works to preserve and protect our natural world through support for large-scale conservation efforts, cultivation of green spaces in urban areas, and scientific research that informs practice and policy. The Foundation’s wildlife and ecosystem conservation partners employ science-based, sustainable solutions to safeguard species that are under constant threat due to human activity and encroachment, making our planet more resilient. Other Foundation partners maintain parks and gardens designed for public access and enjoyment, providing health benefits and improving our quality of life.
$95M+
Awarded
Awarded
327
Grants
Grants
50
Organizations
Organizations
Conservation
Starr conservation funding supports science-based efforts to protect global wildlife, the environment, and human life through research, education, and advocacy. Major grants have gone toward efforts to further the reach and impact of the Wildlife Conservation Society, a global leader in scientific discovery, education, and conservation action; and the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, a leading research and education center.
Grantee Highlights
Parks and Public Spaces
Green spaces are essential to city dwellers’ quality of life in New York. Beyond the environmental benefits of helping to mitigate urban heat, they provide places for residents to play, exercise, interact, and relax; improve mental health and well-being; and promote economic development.
In New York City, Starr Foundation support has helped develop new parks, improve existing parks, renovate playgrounds, and provide a variety of public programs to help green spaces thrive. Funding for the Central Park Conservancy supported the daily operations involved with tending Manhattan’s 843-acre, world-class park, ensuring its accessibility for all to enjoy. Support for the Prospect Park Alliance has funded the maintenance and day-to-day operation of Brooklyn’s most popular park. Annual funding for the City Parks Foundation helped ensure free tennis programs for children and teens.
Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens offer visitors the joy, beauty, and respite of nature, enriching lives while serving as important resources for conservation and ecological research. The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), a longtime Foundation partner, houses the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium, a digital repository of over 4 million digitized plant specimens that advances vital plant science worldwide. Support for the NYBG also includes the Maurice R. Greenberg Scholarship Fund, which helps to train and mentor future plant scientists. In addition, The Starr Foundation has supported the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, and the Chinese Garden at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in California.
