Established in 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation was formed as a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of wildlife, threatened ecosystems and climate change issues.
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation operates in over 46 countries, supporting over 128 distinct projects and working with over 65 partners.
Working through direct grantmaking programs, strategic partnerships, media and public campaigns, the foundation works in several distinct areas:
Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation: to prevent the extinction of an increasing number of species whose habitats are being destroyed. Specifically, the fight against poaching, illegal hunting and the expansion of natural habitat and reintroduction of endangered species. LDF also seeks to protect the world’s endangered forests and natural wildlands.
Marine Conservation: to ensure the protection of ocean habitats, stop overfishing and to provide support to expand marine protection areas.
Climate Change: Public advocacy and media initiatives highlight the severe results of climate change to the planet.
Innovative Solutions in Renewable Energy: To provide funding to ensure that the transition to renewable energy can be accelerated and solutions made available to people globally.
Indigenous Rights: to protect and preserve the rights of indigenous peoples in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.[/fusion_text][title size=”3″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single dashed” sep_color=”” class=”” id=””]Grants/Award Programs[/title][fusion_text]The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has provided grants and funding to projects in excess of $61 million. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and all inquiries should be made through the California Community Foundation, of which LDF is a component fund.
Main criteria for funding projects
LDF works almost exclusively with partners and projects with a focus on environmental issues.
The Foundation provides grants and funding for the Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument.
Other grantees of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation include:
Other projects supported by LDF through partner programs:
Founded by actor and producer Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998. One of the first donations of the foundation was for $35,000, to the Los Feliz branch of the Los Angeles Public Library which was built on the site of his childhood home. The foundation is one of the largest environmental non-profit foundations focused entirely on environmental causes.