Environmental Charities that Make the Grade

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which was created to raise awareness about pollution and foster appreciation for the environment. Philanthropic investors may be inspired to think green this year by donating to an environmental charity.  MillionaireCorner.com spotlights five organizations on which the American Institute of Philanthropy, a charity watchdog group, has bestowed an A grade or higher. This grade considers such factors as percent spent on charitable purposes and fundraising efficiency.

For more information and the complete list of environmental charities, visit the AI website at www.charitywatch.org.

American Forests

This Washington, DC organization does see the forest for the trees. Established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association The organization was established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association. During President Calvin Coolidge’s administration, the organization donated the first living national Christmas tree—a Norway spruce—for the White House. For 70 years, it has maintained the National Register of Big Trees. Its goal is to plant 100 million trees by the end of this decade. (www.americanforests.org)

Keep America Beautiful

Founded in 1953, Keep America Beautiful is the largest community improvement organization in the country. It focuses on three key issues: litter prevention, recycling, and community greening.  Over the years it has created iconic ads that raised awareness about littering. One campaign featured the slogan, "Every Litter Bit Hurts." Another featured Iron Eyes Cody as the "Crying Indian," who is heartbroken at what littering has done to America's precious lands. (www.kab.org)

Rainforest Action Network

The Wall Street Journaldubbed the San Francisco-based Rainforest Action Network "some of the most savvy environmental agitators in the business." Founded in 1985, the organization campaigns for forests and rainforests, relying on grassroots organizing, media stunts, and peaceful civil disobedience to pressure corporations into adopting more sustainable environmental policies. (www.ran.org)

Sierra Club Foundation

By providing financial resources to the Sierra Club and other nonprofit organizations, the Sierra Club Foundation fulfills its mission to "help educate, inspire and empower humanity to preserve the natural and human environment."  Since 1960, it has funded tens of millions of dollars for projects ranging from small local initiatives to large, multi-year, multi-million dollar campaigns.  Among the programs that have benefited from Sierra Club Foundation funding include Montana's Bear Aware campaign, which works to reduce bear-human conflict and restoring 20,000 acres of wetlands and critical habitat for migratory waterfowl and up to 10,000 acres of prairie and savanna within the Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana. (www.sierraclub.org/foundation)

Trust for Public Land

This organization was founded in San Francisco in 1972 by a small group of lawyers, real estate professionals, and finance experts who helped prevent development on land that would become Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today, their mission is for American children to have a safe place to play. To that end, the organization acquires land for conservation and helps communities raise funds for new parks and protected areas. Since its founding, TPL has completed more than 4,250 park and conservation projects in communities across the country. (www.tpl.org)