Avalon Nature Preserve Inc.

Avalon Nature Preserve Inc. operates as a private operating foundation whose primary mission is the preservation and restoration of a 216-acre nature preserve in Stony Brook, NY — not the administration of a competitive grants program. This distinction is essential: there is no public application portal, no published RFP cycle, and no grants page on the organization's website. External cash grantmaking is a secondary philanthropic activity, accounting for roughly $65,000–$471,000 annually, against total organizational giving of $1.7M–$6.6M that primarily funds preserve operations and programming.

The Paul Simons Foundation — established to honor the memory of Paul Simons, son of Renaissance Technologies founder Jim Simons — provides $8–11M in annual operating support to Avalon. This concentrated funding model means Avalon's leadership has significant latitude in external grantmaking decisions, but also means those decisions are personal and values-driven rather than institutionally structured.

Grantee patterns reveal three distinct tiers. The first tier — large, multi-year commitments — goes exclusively to organizations with deep ties to the preserve's immediate geography: Saint James Fire Department ($250K cumulative), Ward Melville Heritage Organization ($241K), Village of Head of the Harbor ($164K). These appear to be sustained community relationships, not competitive awards. The second tier supports Long Island environmental and conservation organizations with clear mission alignment: Sweetbriar Nature Center ($58,750), The Safina Center ($47,500), Peconic Land Trust ($40,000), CT Fund for the Environment ($130,000), Quogue Wildlife Refuge ($10,000). The third tier comprises modest annual donations (under $2,500) to national organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and Doctors Without Borders — these read as personal philanthropic contributions rather than strategic grants.

First-time applicants must approach this funder as a long-horizon relationship-building exercise. The realistic entry point is authentic mission alignment: demonstrating deep commitment to land conservation, ecological restoration, environmental education, or North Shore Long Island community infrastructure. Organizations without existing connections to the Three Village area (Stony Brook, Head of the Harbor, St. James, Setauket) should expect to invest 12–24 months in relationship development before any funding conversation is realistic. The preserve's three public-facing pillars — Protect, Restore, Inspire — are the most productive framework for framing any introductory conversation.

Avalon's financial trajectory over the past decade reflects dramatic growth driven by the Paul Simons Foundation's escalating support. Total assets grew from $11.2M (FY2011) to $55.6M (FY2022), a nearly fivefold increase. Annual contributions received jumped from $1.3M (FY2011) to $8.7M (FY2022), with a peak of $9.55M in FY2021. Total organizational giving — which includes preserve operations, not just external grants — grew from $1.7M to $5.8M over the same period.

External cash grants (money paid to outside organizations) are small and variable: $65,511 (FY2015), $120,362 (FY2019), $180,149 (FY2018), $212,415 (FY2022), $316,015 (FY2021), $363,207 (FY2020), and $470,980 (FY2025, 53 awards). The FY2025 total averaging approximately $8,886 per award reflects a bimodal structure: a small number of large community-partnership awards dominate grant dollars, while a high volume of small gifts ($200–$2,500) dominate grant count.

The database records a typical grant size profile across 45 tracked awards: median $500, average $7,427, minimum $40, maximum $125,000. This confirms the split between a few strategic relationships (Saint James Fire Department at up to $125K per award; Ward Melville Heritage at ~$60K per award) and routine philanthropic giving. Approximately 80% of external grants by count are under $2,500.

Geographic concentration is stark. New York state received 94 of 188 tracked grants; Washington DC addresses (22 grants, primarily national organizations) and Maryland (10) are next. No other state exceeds 13 grants. Within New York, Suffolk County — specifically the Three Village area — is the clear center of gravity.

By program area, conservation and land preservation receives the largest share of grant dollars: Ward Melville Heritage, Peconic Land Trust, CT Fund for the Environment, and Mashomack Preserve together account for roughly 35–40% of external grant value. Civic and community infrastructure is the second-largest category at approximately 25% (Saint James Fire Department, Village of Head of the Harbor). Environmental science and education represents a growing third category — Safina Center, Western Suffolk BOCES, Sweetbriar Nature Center — at approximately 20%. Small scattered gifts to animal welfare, global health, and humanitarian causes (ASPCA, IRC, Feeding America) are each below 5% and appear to be personal philanthropic interests rather than programmatic focus areas.

Avalon's $55.6M in assets places it in the middle of this peer cohort, though its growth trajectory — from $11.2M in FY2011 to $55.6M in FY2022 — reflects one of the more dramatic expansion arcs among similar-sized operating foundations. Annual giving data is not publicly disclosed for most peers, which limits direct comparison; what is clear from available data is that Avalon's external grantmaking ($212K–$471K/year) is modest relative to its asset base, confirming that external grants are a secondary activity rather than the organization's primary philanthropic vehicle.

The Linda Loring Nature Foundation in Nantucket, MA ($49.2M assets) offers the closest mission parallel: a privately endowed nature preserve on a coastal New England island with conservation and education programming. For organizations pursuing nature conservation or environmental education funding in the Northeast, the National Recreation Foundation ($52.2M, Chicago-based) operates a more structured grants program and is a more accessible funding target. Organizations already receiving support from Peconic Land Trust, CT Fund for the Environment, or The Safina Center — all Avalon grantees — are well-positioned to leverage those relationships as a bridge to Avalon.

The dominant operational context for Avalon in 2025–2026 is recovery from the August 2025 flooding catastrophe. Approximately 10 inches of rain fell overnight, severely damaging preserve infrastructure — most visibly destroying Harbor Road and cutting off the primary boardwalk entrance at 200 Harbor Road, Stony Brook. As of April/May 2026 the Harbor Road entrance remains closed, with visitors redirected to the Shep Jones Lane entrance off Route 25A. No public timeline for Harbor Road restoration has been announced, and the flood's impact on the preserve's five distinct habitats (forest, wetlands, meadow, shoreline, farm) is likely significant.

Despite this, Avalon's programming has continued. Applications for the Natural Connections summer 2026 youth program (grades 8–12, water and mountain adventure focus) opened February 26, 2026. The Nature Initiative year-round stewardship program for grades 8–12 appears ongoing. Skylab Observatory monthly events and Audubon Society bird walks remain active public programming.

Leadership stability has been consistent: President Katharine Griffiths ($302,367 compensation in FY2022, up from $292,069 the prior year) has led the organization through its growth phase. Secretary/Treasurer Elizabeth Williamson ($158,796 FY2022) handles financial operations. Board directors — Gregg Eisenstein, Charles Munch, Robert Gaffney, Victoria Gerard, Paul Randall, Michael Strozier, and John Casey — are all unpaid.

The death of Jim Simons (Renaissance Technologies founder, May 2024), whose son Paul inspired the preserve's creation, is the most significant macro-context change. The Paul Simons Foundation's $11.25M annual operating contribution to Avalon represents extraordinary institutional dependency on a single source; the long-term trajectory of that support bears watching.

Because Avalon does not operate a competitive grants program, conventional grant-writing advice is largely inapplicable. The following tips are specific to this funder:

Establish geographic or mission proximity first. Avalon's external grants are concentrated in Long Island's North Shore (Three Village area: Stony Brook, Head of the Harbor, St. James, Setauket). Organizations outside this geography need a compelling bridge — shared ecological or scientific focus, established partnerships with Avalon grantees, or youth education programming with direct parallels to Avalon's Nature Initiative or Natural Connections programs.

Use the preserve as a point of authentic entry. Attend Avalon public events — Audubon bird walks, monthly Skylab astronomy nights, Saturday farmstand at Birdsfoot Farm (Shep Jones Lane, Head of the Harbor) — before making any funding inquiry. This demonstrates genuine interest in the organization's work and creates natural opportunities to meet staff and board members informally.

Contact President Katharine Griffiths directly. The best cold-contact approach is a brief (3–4 paragraph) personalized email to info@avalonnaturepreserve.org addressed to Katharine Griffiths. Include: one sentence on your organization's mission, one sentence on why it aligns with Avalon's Protect/Restore/Inspire framework, a specific reference to an Avalon program or grantee you admire, and a request for a 15-minute call. Do not attach a proposal or budget.

Mirror Avalon's language precisely. The organization uses specific vocabulary: "protect," "restore," "inspire," "ecological heritage," "regenerative agriculture," "habitat restoration," "invasive species," "native species." Using this language authentically signals cultural fit; using it superficially signals that you haven't done your homework.

Acknowledge the 2025 flood recovery. Any outreach in 2026 should reference the August 2025 flooding and the ongoing Harbor Road closure. Organizations whose work intersects with flood resilience, riparian restoration, or climate adaptation have an unusually timely connection point. Framing your work in the context of "what Avalon is navigating right now" is far more compelling than a generic mission pitch.

Do not anchor to a dollar amount in initial outreach. Avalon's external grants range from $500 to $125,000. The relationship and alignment should drive the eventual ask; premature dollar requests signal transactional intent. Board member introductions from Gregg Eisenstein, Robert Gaffney, Victoria Gerard, Charles Munch, Paul Randall, Michael Strozier, or John Casey dramatically improve outreach success if any connection exists.