Philanthropy doesn’t always have to be big to be bold. Sometimes, the most powerful change starts with a small, timely investment. Seed grants are often the first spark that allows a nonprofit to test an idea, take a risk, or prove a concept. They’re not about guaranteeing success, but rather creating the conditions for innovation.
The Howell Conservation Fund (HCF), a lean funder working at the intersection of business, nonprofits, and conservation, recently put this idea into practice. Through its 2023–2024 Catalytic Grant Program, HCF awarded small seed grants to environmental organizations across the globe. Instead of setting rigid metrics, the Fund trusted grantees to define success in their own terms. The experiment revealed both the promise and the trade-offs of this approach.
From Local Roots to Global Reach
HCF was founded with a bold vision: to back high-risk, high-reward conservation efforts. One of its earliest grantees, the Loon Preservation Committee in New Hampshire, tackled the problem of lead fishing tackle poisoning Loon populations. With seed funding from HCF, the organization launched a buyback program that gave anglers vouchers for turning in old gear, an effort that reduced a serious environmental hazard and influenced statewide policy.
Building on that model, HCF expanded its reach to projects as far away as Henderson Island, an atoll in the Pitcairn Islands and one of the world’s most plastic-polluted beaches. By supporting a scientific expedition there, the Fund helped raise global awareness and partnerships around plastic waste. These early wins set the stage for its seed grant experiment.
Seed Grants in Action
As interest in funding grew, HCF conducted a strategic review to ensure partnerships remained authentically tangible and rooted in mission: catalyzing early-stage innovation in conservation. With a pool of $45,000, the Fund distributed $5,000 seed grants to a diverse group of organizations, from conservation technologists to community-based nonprofits.
As shared in the blog How to Make Your First Seed Funding Grant, good seed grantmaking requires a mix of curiosity, flexibility, and humility. HCF embraced these qualities in its pilot. Some grantees turned small investments into bigger opportunities, attracting new funding and building momentum. Others faced roadblocks or even closed their doors. Both outcomes offered valuable learning for the grantees and for HCF.
Catalytic Leadership in Action
At Exponent Philanthropy, we call this approach Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP): leaning into curiosity, building trust, and taking risks to spark long-term change. HCF’s story is a vivid example, showing how a lean funder can use small, flexible grants not just to fund projects, but to open doors, deepen relationships, and surface new possibilities.
Lessons for Lean Funders
For other lean funders, HCF’s experience highlights a few key takeaways:
- Trust and accountability go together. Grantees need freedom, but funders also benefit from simple, shared measures of progress.
- Not every project will succeed. Failure can be informative and guide future strategy.
- Stay rooted in your strengths. Funders see the most impact when they connect seed funding to areas where they already have credibility.
The Story Continues
The Howell Conservation Fund’s seed grant experiment shows how lean funders can practice catalytic leadership, using early-stage funding to nurture bold ideas, deepen relationships, and spark long-term change. Explore the full case study: Growing Catalytic Philanthropy Through Seed Grants.
And if you’d like to hear the story in the funders’ own words, tune into our Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast. Brett Howell and Kirsten Midura share what it means to be the “first funder,” using freedom and flexibility to invest in new projects, organizations, and visionary ideas.
About the Author
Hannah Smith is Manager of Editorial and Publications at Exponent Philanthropy, where she oversees blogs, publications, and communication strategies. She develops thoughtful, equity-focused content and PR initiatives that engage and inform the philanthropic community.