Request For Proposals

Who is eligible to apply for this RFP?

Organizations eligible to receive funding from the Foundation include:

• Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;

• Units of state or local government;

• Public and private colleges or universities;

• State or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.

Prior to any award of funding, organizations must review and agree to the Allen Family Philanthropies Grantee Code of Conduct.

We have applied for 501(c)(3) status but haven’t been granted status yet. Do we have to be a 501(c)(3) at the time of application?

Yes, we require that organizations have their 501(c)(3) status or be fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) to be considered for this opportunity.

Can nonprofit organizations outside of the United States apply?

Nonprofit organizations operating outside of the United States are welcome to apply as long as all of the work you are requesting funding for takes place within the United States.

Can proposed projects take place outside of the United States?

Proposed efforts must take place in the United States.

Would a program seeking to work at a state or federal level be eligible?

Yes, as long as the project is within the United States we are open to various jurisdictional scales.

Is there a minimum budget amount for the organization applying for the grant?

No, there is no minimum or maximum organizational budget size for organizations applying for this opportunity. However, the lead organization should be able to demonstrate that it has the capacity to manage the project and supporting funds.

Are organizations allowed to submit multiple Letters of Interest (LOIs) and proposals?

Organizations may submit multiple LOIs and be a collaborating partner on multiple LOIs; however, we ask that principal investigators be a primary lead on only one LOI and proposal.

What types of partnerships are you prioritizing?

We encourage multidisciplinary partnerships that leverage diverse expertise to develop, test, and deploy science and technology solutions to overcome NCS implementation barriers.

Are formal partnership confirmations (e.g., letters of support) required for the initiative?

Formal partnership confirmations are not required for LOIs but are strongly encouraged for full proposals.

Are specific types of projects being prioritized?

We are excited to learn about any type of project that meets the requirements outlined in the RFP. NCS projects that are the focus of a proposed project should be high-integrity, and we are interested in all types of NCS project as long as the NCS pathway has sufficient evidence that it delivers climate change mitigation services. NCS projects that may be part of a proposed project should be high integrity, and we are interested in all types of NCS project if there is sufficient evidence that does not have high levels of uncertainty regarding its climate change mitigation potential.

Are projects whose primary aim is to conduct research eligible?

The proposed project would be relevant if:

• The proposed research project is a core component of developing, testing, and deploying a science and technology solution overcoming a known NCS implementation barrier; and

• If there is a clear, proximate link between the proposed research and developing, testing, and deploying the solution. In other words, the research should go beyond being relevant and informing a stakeholder by having strong/tangible ties to those that will be adopting the information to inform actions.

Can projects include advocacy for public policy?

Yes, however, the foundation cannot support any activities that attempt to influence legislation or influence the outcome of any election, as further defined under Internal Revenue Code section 4945.

Will projects with commercialization potential be supported?

Projects with commercialization potential are evaluated based on their potential and alignment with the RFP.

Will capital costs be eligible under this RFP?

For public charities, we generally allow capital costs on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should justify and align these costs with the project's aims to overcome NCS implementation barriers.

Will projects with proposed duration longer than three years be eligible? Will projects that are already underway be eligible?

Projects with durations beyond the funding period are eligible, but must clearly articulate how the project will develop, test, and start deploying the solution within a three-year funding window. Projects that are underway are also eligible; however, we ask that the proposal articulate how funds will add (or be catalytic) to the existing project.

What makes a project/solution generalizable?

We are interested in projects that develop generalizable science and technology solutions. In other words, a generalizable solution is one that can be easily applied or translated to diverse contexts. Solutions can be generalizable by geography, stakeholder group, NCS pathway, NCS barrier, or other factors. However, this is not a requirement and we are excited to hear about creative solutions that will, in general, be catalytic to accelerating NCS implementation.

What can funding be used for?

This RFP opportunity will fund program-related costs. Grantees are to propose how they would use funding to support the goals of this RFP and of their intended work. These are not unrestricted funds and should be tied to specific programmatic goals and activities. We do not want to prescribe how funds will be used and are eager to understand how prospective grantees will optimize funds to grow their learning and impact.

Is there a limit on indirect costs?

We do not allow indirect costs as a percentage of the budget and instead ask proposals to include activity-based budgets.

Can monitoring and evaluation costs be included in the budget?

Yes, if monitoring and evaluation are core components of the project’s objectives, please include appropriate costs in the budget.

Can funding be used for re-granting purposes?

We are interested in funding projects where the lead organization and their partners are directly involved in the proposed project.

Can funding be allocated to multiple organizations?

We ask that applicants have a lead organization that will be responsible for disbursing funds to partner/collaborating organizations.

Why is there an LOI and a proposal phase?

The LOI is meant to be a quick way to share your project idea with us to see if it meets our RFP criteria. Prospective grantees that, upon review, do meet our criteria will then be asked to submit a full proposal, where they will have the opportunity to speak to their proposed work in more detail.

What are the LOI and proposal questions?

LOI questions will be visible and downloadable via PDF once you register in Fluxx, our grants management system. Proposal questions will be made available to those invited to submit full proposals.

Is there a specific budget template that is required for the LOI?

No. One will be provided should you be invited to submit a proposal.

Is there a typical grant amount?

We are considering funding up to 6-7 projects and have allocated $10 million to the RFP program.

What is the timeline for the RFP?

The RFP consists of a LOI stage and a proposal stage. The deadline for LOI submissions is Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 12:00pm PST. The foundation will assess LOIs based on their eligibility and relevance to the RFP goals and considerations.

On February 5, 2026, a subset of those who submitted LOIs will be invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be due on March 10, 2026, and evaluated by a panel of independent external experts. The internal review will inform funding awards and we anticipate awards being made and announced in late Q3 2026.

Who is on the expert panel that will be involved in reviewing full proposals?

The external expert review panel consists of scientists and practitioners that specialize in natural climate solutions.

When will funding be disbursed, and on what cadence?

The anticipated initial distribution is Q3 2026, with annual payments across 2026, 2027, and 2028.

I have entered my Fluxx login password multiple times, but it is not allowing me to login.

Initiate a password reset by following these steps:

• Navigate to https://allenphilanthropies.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new and click on the “Forgot Password” link?

• Enter in the email address used as your Fluxx login. Click on the submit button.

• Please retrieve the email and click on the Reset Password button from there.

• It will then prompt you to enter a new password and confirm your new password.

• Click on the Set Password and Login button.

Note: After 7 failed logon attempts, the Fluxx system will lock your account. Please contact fluxxhelp@allenphilanthropies.org for assistance.

I have started the RFP application, but I am unable to see the entire application.

You must confirm and answer the eligibility question listed under the Eligibility Criteria section

Under the Additional LOI Questions section of the LOI application, the onscreen instructions tell me to fill out a separate form. How do I show and fill out that form? When you start the application for the very first time, you need to select the Save button located at the bottom of the form. This will display a blue button under the Additional LOI Questions section that opens the additional form in a new tab. Fill out that form, save it, then return to tab for the LOI application in Fluxx.

I have started the RFP application but haven’t completed it. Can I save and work on it later?

Yes. If you have started the application, select the Save and Close button located at the bottom. When you wish to resume, navigate to the Drafts menu located on the left menu pane in Fluxx, where you will find the RFP application listed as Draft. Select the Edit button to resume. You can also revisit and revise the additional online form under the Additional LOI Questions section up until you have submitted your application.

When selecting Organization Information menu in Fluxx, it is blank with no information.

Once your application has been submitted, Allen Family Philanthropies will process and connect the request (application) to your organization. Your organization information will then be displayed.

Who do I contact for technical/Fluxx support?

Contact Fluxxhelp@allenphilanthropies.org for any other Fluxx questions.

How is this initiative funded?

This work is funded by Allen Family Philanthropies, a private foundation.

Has Allen Family Philanthropies had a similar Natural Climate Solutions RFP in the past? Will you do it again?

This is the second opportunity focused on Natural Climate Solutions. This RFP is an evolution from our first NCS RFP, expanding our geographic area and looking for projects that will accelerate NCS implementation. We stay open to new ideas and opportunities for future RFPs.

Will you provide reviewer comments on the LOI or proposal?

No, given the volume of submissions we are unable to provide direct feedback on LOIs or proposals.

Are you interested in being the sole funder, or would you prefer to support a portion of costs?

We encourage proposals with co-funding (committed or planned). If we would potentially be the sole funder, we will want to understand your plans for sustainability within the LOI.