Aria Foundation

Founder

Adam Albright, who was until his death in 2023 ¹ the owner of Albright Ventures, LLC, was the ARIA Foundation’s founder, principal donor, and president ² Albright had previously sat on the boards of multiple environmentalist organizations, including as vice chair of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), program chair of Conservation International, ³ and trustee of the Rocky Mountain Institute. ⁴ Albright also sat on the board of Redefining Progress,³ a left-of-center public policy think tank which advocates for the common ownership of assets. ⁵ of Population Communications International (PCI-Media Impact, as of 2025),³ a pro-abortion organization centered on “population stabilization.” ⁶

Causes

The Aria Foundation has previously supported LGBT-interest groups and promoting LGBT causes. Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is a regular recipient with annual gifts of about $60,000. ⁷ In 2014, Basic Rights Oregon received $50,000. ⁷ The Northwest Network of Bi, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of Abuse had received over $360,000 since 2011, from the foundation. ⁷ A grant of $100,000 had also been made to the SF LGBT Center in 2017. ⁷

In 2024, the ARIA Foundation gave to the Amazon Conservation Team ($22,000), the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice ($23,298), the Central Oregon Environmental Center ($20,000), Central Oregon Landwatch ($208,019), Doctors Without Borders ($50,000), Earthjustice ($12,000), Earthworks ($30,000), the Equal Justice Initiative ($15,000), the Global Fund for Women, ($75,000), the Global Greengrants Fund, ($50,000), ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) ($15,000), the Natural Resources Defense Council ($80,000), Oceana ($20,000), the Oregon Desert Land Trust ($25,000), the Oregon Natural Desert Association ($10,000), Oregon Wild ($15,000), the Rainforest Alliance ($10,000), Resource Generation ($6,000), the Rocky Mountain Institute ($30,000), San Francisco Baykeepeers ($7,500), the SF LGBT Center ($135,798), the Southern Environmental Law Center ($5,000), Southerners on New Ground ($20,000), Sustainable Northwest ($63,000), the Sylvia Rivera Law Project ($20,000), the Union of Concerned Scientists ($42,000), Waterwatch of Oregon ($30,000), the Western Environmental Law Center ($15,000), the Woodwell Climate Research Center ($35,000), the Human Rights Campaign ($10,000), the Native American Rights Fund ($15,000), the Southern Poverty Law Center ($15,000), the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice ($5,000), the American Humanist Association ($35,000), the American Indian College Fund ($60,000), Human Rights Watch ($65,000), the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides ($10,000), the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council ($30,000), and the Environmental Working Group ($5,000). ⁸

In 2023, the first year Rachel Albright became president, the ARIA Foundation gave to most of the above mentioned groups as well as giving $10,000 to the Drug Policy Alliance. ⁹

In 2022, which was the final year that Adam Albright was the foundation’s president, the group gave to the Amazon Conservation Team ($20,000), American Rivers ($2,000), the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice ($30,000), the Center for International Environmental Law ($5,000), the Central Oregon Environmental Center ($75,000), the Central Oregon Landwatch ($309,622), Doctors Without Borders ($50,000), the Drug Policy Alliance ($15,000), Earthjustice ($10,000), Earthworks ($30,000), the Environmental Defense Fund ($5,000), the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide ($2,000), the Equal Justice Initiative ($20,000), the Global Fund for Women ($65,000), the Global Greengrants Fund ($56,000), ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) ($15,000), Institute for Sustainable Communities ($25,000), the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (LCVEF) ($30,000), the Marine Conservation Institute ($2,000), the Natural Resources Defense Council ($90,000), Oceana ($20,000), the Oregon League of Conservation Voters Education Fund ($10,000), the Oregon Natural Desert Association ($10,000), Oregon Wild ($20,000), the Our Family Coalition ($5,000), PCI Media Impact ($50,000), the Rainforest Alliance ($33,000), Resource Generation ($10,000), the Rocky Mountain Institute ($25,000), San Francisco Baykeepers ($3,000), the SF LGBT Center ($40,000), the Southern Environmental Law Center ($5,000), Southerners on New Ground ($25,000), Sustainable Southwest ($75,000), the Slyvia Rivera Law Project ($30,000), the Union of Concerned Scientists ($52,000), Waterwatch of Oregon ($25,000), the Western Environmental Law Center ($5,000), the Woodwell Climate Research Center ($30,000), the Human Rights Campaign ($20,000), the Rainforest Action Network ($20,000), the Native American Rights Fund ($20,000), the Southern Poverty Law Center ($8,522), the Indigenous Environmental Network ($5,000), the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice ($5,500), the American Humanist Association ($50,000), the American Indian College Fund ($60,000), Human Rights Watch ($15,000), and the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides ($10,000). ¹⁰

In addition to funding numerous left-of-center social and environmental policy groups, the ARIA Foundation funds several non-political charities in Oregon and the San Francisco area. ⁸

Investments

The ARIA Foundation was accused of hypocrisy over its investments in oil and natural gas enterprises, including equity investments in Noble Corporation and Canadian Natural Resources. ¹¹ The foundation is also reported to have previously held stock in Chevron, Halliburton, and Texaco. ¹² As of 2024, it appears the foundation has liquidated its oil and natural gas investments. ⁸

Among the foundation’s investments are positions with Albright Ventures, LLC, a venture capital firm with pooled investors owned by the Albrights, of which the foundation holds a greater than ten percent share. ¹³