Our Approach
We are a family foundation that believes openness, curiosity and vulnerability reflect strength, and we seek to learn from a broad range of people, organizations and opportunities.
We know that relationships matter and we strive for open communication and authentic collaboration with grantees, so that we can work as partners who know and respect each other. We admire people with passion and entrepreneurial spirit and believe that a single individual can make a significant difference.
The Lampert Byrd Foundation adapts its strategy to best meet the needs of our partners in three distinct programs:
Unorthodox Philanthropy (UP)
UP encourages great ideas to flow upwards toward capital, rather than allocating funding downward toward specific issues or causes. We search widely for rare opportunities that require a finite amount of philanthropic capital to embark on a pathway to spread widely without additional philanthropic funding. We aim to kickstart teams' drive toward sustainability and help them achieve philanthropic independence for their ideas and endeavors.
Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF)
By investing in relevant environmental education and meaningful nature experiences for youth and young adults, we help to inspire the next generation of diverse, passionate environmental leaders in the Bay Area and beyond. In addition, ESF invests in efforts to protect wild spaces and species, to ensure that natural treasures will exist for future generations.
Youth Opportunity Scholarships (YOS)
Research shows that youth with “identity projects” – hobbies and passions that inspire determination and grit – have significantly higher rates of high school graduation and are more likely to be in school or have jobs after high school. By giving young people a chance to pursue a passion beyond the classroom, YOS inspires hard work and helps kids find meaning in the world.
We know that relationships matter and we strive for open communication and authentic collaboration with grantees, so that we can work as partners who know and respect each other. We admire people with passion and entrepreneurial spirit and believe that a single individual can make a significant difference.
The Lampert Byrd Foundation adapts its strategy to best meet the needs of our partners in three distinct programs:
Unorthodox Philanthropy (UP)
UP encourages great ideas to flow upwards toward capital, rather than allocating funding downward toward specific issues or causes. We search widely for rare opportunities that require a finite amount of philanthropic capital to embark on a pathway to spread widely without additional philanthropic funding. We aim to kickstart teams' drive toward sustainability and help them achieve philanthropic independence for their ideas and endeavors.
Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF)
By investing in relevant environmental education and meaningful nature experiences for youth and young adults, we help to inspire the next generation of diverse, passionate environmental leaders in the Bay Area and beyond. In addition, ESF invests in efforts to protect wild spaces and species, to ensure that natural treasures will exist for future generations.
Youth Opportunity Scholarships (YOS)
Research shows that youth with “identity projects” – hobbies and passions that inspire determination and grit – have significantly higher rates of high school graduation and are more likely to be in school or have jobs after high school. By giving young people a chance to pursue a passion beyond the classroom, YOS inspires hard work and helps kids find meaning in the world.