The Foundation
The Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) was created in 1991 as an offshoot of the award-winning Captain Planet cartoon series, conceptualized by Ted Turner. Building on the inspiration from the show, the Foundation became a means by which the young viewers could become Planeteers themselves and raise environmental awareness in their own schools and communities. Quickly, the word spread about the unique opportunity for schools and organizations around the world to present their environmental projects to Captain Planet himself in hopes of receiving the seed money to grow their ideas into community service learning projects.
The mission of the Captain Planet Foundation is to fund and support hands-on, environmental education projects for children and young adults. Our objective is to encourage innovative programs that empower youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. Through environmental education’s investigative approach and emphasis on student directed learning, we believe children can achieve a better understanding and appreciation for the world in which they live.
CPF is the only foundation of its kind that exclusively funds hands-on environmental projects for youth K-12. Grants range from $250 to $2,500 and are awarded to schools and 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that serve youth in grades K-12. These small grants help schools and non-profits begin or continue meaningful projects that can serve as the catalyst for a lifelong environmental engagement. Since its inception, CPF has funded projects in all 50 states and 13 countries worldwide, impacting over 675,000 youth. In 2010, to celebrate Captain Planet’s 20th Birthday, the Foundation installed gardens in local area schools, and raised money at the annual gala to fund gardens in schools affected by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
CPF’s projects emphasize hands-on, real world learning experiences. This approach to education helps youth develop stronger ties to their community, greater appreciation for the natural world, and a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing citizens. Additionally, taking part in real world investigations challenge youth to develop and apply their critical thinking and problem solving skills more so than classroom lectures from a book. From restoring hundreds of acres of native habitats to growing edible schoolyards and from monitoring water quality in local waterways to implementing community and school wide recycling programs, our grantees work hard to make their communities a healthier place to live and thrive.
The Captain Planet Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit, public charity.
To view our grant guidelines and learn more about the Captain Planet Foundation, visit our website at www.captainplanetfdn.org.
