The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) was a left-of-center and environmentalist activist and grantmaking organization chaired by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio that distributed grants totaling more than $100 million from 1998 until 2019. ^[1] It operated in at least 46 countries, distributed grants that funded more than 200 projects, and worked with at least 65 partner organizations during its existence. ^{[2] [3]} LDF’s grantmaking activities were focused on six program areas: wildlands conservation, ocean conservation, climate activism, indigenous rights, innovative solutions, and “transforming California.” ^[4]

In 2018, LDF gave $20 million in grants to more than 100 climate change-related organizations. ^[5] In 2017, LDF received $22,759,990 from the left-of-center California Community Foundation. ^[6]

History and Leadership

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation was founded by left-of-center and environmentalist Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998. ^{[7] [8]} In 2008, LDF distributed $1.6 million in grants before it was reorganized into a donor-advised fund housed at the left-of-center California Community Foundation.^[9] LDF would gain independent status again in 2016 as a public charity.^[10]

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint alleging that the foundation received funds diverted from Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, which was suspected by investigators as being used for money laundering at the time. ^[11] In response to these claims, DiCaprio’s representatives said that he and the foundation were cooperating with the investigation and that the LDF would return gifts to it if they came from improper activities associated with 1MDB. ^[12]

DiCaprio was the CEO of LDF when it merged with the left-of-center Emerson Collective and the Global Wildlife Conservation to become left-of-center environmentalist organization Earth Alliance in 2019.^{[13] [14] [15]}

To acknowledge his work with LDF, DiCaprio was designated as the United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change, received the 2014 Clinton Global Citizen Award from the left-of-center Clinton Foundation, ^{[16] [17]} and won an award from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. ^[18]

DiCaprio has also sat on the board of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Natural Resources Defense Council, National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, Oceans 5, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. ^[19]

Activities and Funding

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation was a left-of-center and environmentalist activist and grantmaking organization that distributed grants totaling more than $100 million from 1998 until 2019. ^[20] LDF focused its grantmaking activities in six program areas: wildlands conservation, ocean conservation, climate activism, indigenous rights, innovative solutions, and “transforming California.” ^[21]

During its existence, LDF operated in at least 46 countries and its grants funded more than 200 projects, and worked with at least 65 different partner organizations. ^{[22] [23]} LDF also operated the OneEarth global initiative to address climate issues ^[24] and was in partnership with Microsoft and the National Geographic Society to work on projects in the middle east and Africa. ^[25]

In 2018, LDF gave $20 million in grants to more than 100 climate change-related organizations. ^[26] This included $3,573,562 to climate change-specific organizations, $6,360,000 to landscape conservation, $3,756,000 to marine life and oceans, $760,500 to “innovative solutions,” and $1,463,750 to California-specific programs. ^[27] LDF also managed $30 million of grants in 2016. ^[28]

The foundation’s grant activities included $15.6 million to “combat climate change” ^[29] in 2016, $9 million to the Wildlife Conservation Network, ^[30] $1.5 million to the Bears Ears Community Engagement fund in 2017 to support the establishment and preservation of national monument designation in Utah, ^[31] and pledges of $5 million for Amazon wildfire aid in 2019 ^[32] and $1 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts in 2017. ^[33]

In October 2022, it was reported that The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation was listed one of several foundation, including MacArthur Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund; that had made donations between 2017 and 2021 to donor-based fund the Collective Action Fund for Accountability. ^[34] The purpose of the fund was primarily to pay legal expenses for California-based law-firm Sher Edling, which was responsible for “high-impact, high-value environmental” legal cases filed against oil companies including ExxonMobil and Cheveron. ^[35] The Collective Action Fund for Accountability is sponsored by the New Venture Fund and managed by Arabella Advisors. ^[36]

Funding

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation received funding from individual contributions and foundations and through gala events hosted by CEO Leonardo DiCaprio. ^{[37] [38]}

In 2019 the LDF reported revenue of $6,300,967 and expenses of $28,2455,299. In 2018, LDF reported revenue of $47,0494,645 and expenses of $23,409,123. ^[39] In May 2019, LDF received a $500,000 grant from Microsoft. ^[40]

In 2018, LDF’s gala raised more than $7 million for climate and biodiversity projects and was co-hosted by left-of-center business executive Laurene Powell Jobs and philanthropist Julia Jackson. ^[41] That same year, LDF also hosted an art gallery to raise funds for the organization. ^[42] DiCaprio also hosted a fundraiser for LDF in 2017 that raised $30 million. ^[43]

LDF received $100,000 from the Sustainable Markets Foundation ^[44] and $10,000 from ImpactAssets in 2018. ^[45] In 2017, LDF received $22,759,990 from the left-of-center California Community Foundation. ^[46]