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Non-profit

McIntosh Foundation

Location:

ROYAL PLM BCH, FL
Tax ID:

13-6096459
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)-PF

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $4,899,852
Expenses: $3,018,991
Assets: $45,912,951
Formation:

1949
Type:

Grantmaking Foundation
Founder:

Josephine H. McIntosh

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The McIntosh Foundation is a private foundation associated with the family of Salomon Brothers investment banker William McIntosh that funds environmentalist projects. 1 Michael McIntosh served as president of the foundation from 1971 until his death in 2015. After Michael died, Winsome McIntosh, who had been integral to the organization’s direction since 1971, became president of the organization.

Today the McIntosh Foundation funds left-wing environmental groups including Natural Resources Defense Council, Greenpeace, and League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. 2

Background

The McIntosh Foundation was founded in 1949 by Josephine H. McIntosh, whose was involved in Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, at the time the largest retailer in the United States. 3 Upon Josephine McIntosh’s death in 1971 she left a portion of her estate to the foundation. 4 It was at this time that her son Michael McIntosh and his wife Winsome McIntosh became the heads of the foundation. 5 After taking over, the couple soon directed the foundation’s money toward “the emerging modern environmental movement.” 6

Family Activities

For decades, Michael McIntosh served as the foundation’s president and Winsome McIntosh as the treasurer. After Michael’s death in 2015, Winsome took over as president. The role of president of the McIntosh Foundation has come with a six-figure income since at least 2001. Between 2001 and 2017, Michael and Winsome McIntosh’s income from the foundation totaled over $3,200,000. 7

The McIntoshes founded the Boat Company in 1979. The Boat Company sells “eco-cruises” in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. 8 9 Hunter McIntosh, the McIntosh couple’s son, serves as the president of The Boat Company and receives a six-figure salary. Between 2015 and 2017, Hunter McIntosh received $462,706 in compensation for his role as president. 10 In 2015, the Boat Company joined Greenpeace in suing the U.S. Forest Service to prevent a logging project in the Tongass Forest. 11 From 2001 through 2017, The Boat Company got over $7,000,000 from the McIntosh Foundation. 12

Winsome McIntosh founded Rachel’s Network in 2000 with help from prominent left-wing figures including Barbra Streisand, Margery Tabankin, and Lynde Uihlein. 13 Rachel’s Network seeks to bring together women funders of environmentalist projects. One project backed by the group opposed building border fencing. 14 In 2016, the network’s members donated over $59,000,000, with the majority of members allocating 75 percent or more to environmentalist causes. 15 Since 2007, Rachel’s Network has reported revenues between approximately $630,000 and $1,000,000 annually. 16 The McIntosh Foundation is responsible for a significant amount of Rachel’s Network funding, giving just over $1,000,000 since 2001. 17

Environmentalist Organizations

Natural Resources Defense Council

The McIntosh Foundation has a long-standing relationship with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). One of the first major grants the foundation gave was $400,000 to the NRDC, which was matched by the Ford Foundation, to fund environmental lawsuits. 18 In 1977, the conservative Heritage Foundation said that grant to the NRDC made the McIntosh Foundation one of the leading funders of the “Environmental Complex.” 19

The McIntosh Foundation continues to fund the NRDC and has given $480,000 since 2005. 20 Due to the McIntosh family’s support, the NRDC gave Michael McIntosh the title of Honorary Trustee. 21

Greenpeace

Greenpeace, one of the largest international left-wing environmentalist organizations, counts the McIntosh Foundation among its financial supporters. Between 2007 and 2017, the McIntosh Foundation gave $440,000 directly to Greenpeace. 22

McIntosh Foundation support of Greenpeace goes beyond direct giving: Through donations to the Crag Law Center, the foundation has supported Greenpeace lawsuits. The McIntosh Foundation supported the “Island Wolf litigation” and was thanked by Greenpeace for its efforts in Southeast Alaska when Greenpeace filed another lawsuit. 23 24

Environmentalist Litigation Groups

Between 2007 and 2017, the McIntosh Foundation has provided Earthjustice with $307,000 in donations. 25 Earthjustice is an environmentalist litigation group;26 it sued the Trump administration 120 times in its first two years in office. 27 The McIntosh Foundation began supporting Earthjustice in 1971 when it was called the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. 28 The McIntosh Foundations support was critical to opening EarthJustice’s offices in Alaska and Florida. 29 Winsome McIntosh became an Earthjustice trustee in 2018 and has been a member of the organization for 40 years. 30 Earthjustice counts many high-profile left-wing organizations among its clients and coalition partners, including the AFL-CIO, Greenpeace, NRDC, League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club.

The McIntosh Foundation helped to found ClientEarth and provided the organization with its initial seed money. 31 Winsome McIntosh was the founding chair of ClientEarth and served in that role until 2018. 32 ClientEarth was founded in 2007 as a European environmentalist law firm, opening offices in London, Brussels, and Warsaw. 33 Over its first decade in operation, ClientEarth expanded its focus beyond Europe being active in West Africa and opening offices in New York and Beijing. 34 ClientEarth pushes an anti-coal agenda seeking to get money managers and pensions to shift away from investing in coal and has brought lawsuits that prevented 15 power plants from being built in Poland. 35 Since 2015, the McIntosh Foundation has provided $485,000 in funding to ClientEarth. 36

Other Environmentalist Grantees

The McIntosh Foundation has ties to Defenders of Wildlife, an environmentalist organization that uses grassroots efforts, litigation, and lobbying to promote their cause. 37 Defenders of Wildlife has staked out left-of-center positions opposing the southern border wall, pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, and rolling back regulatory red tape. 38 In 2018, Defenders of Wildlife sued the Trump administration over oil exploration, leasing, and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. 39 Winsome McIntosh served on the board of directors from 1994 until 2018 and held the role of Chair for part of that time. 40 41 The foundation provided $410,000 in funding to Defenders of Wildlife between 2005 and 2017. 42

Winsome McIntosh served on the board of directors for the League of Conservation Voters and is still considered an honorary board member by the league. 43 44 The McIntosh Foundation financially supports the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (LCVEF). Between 2001 and 2017, LCVEF received $135,000 from the McIntosh Foundation. LCVEF is the 501(c)3 educational arm of the left-wing League of Conservation Voters. While LCVEF cannot endorse political candidates, it has spearheaded voter engagement campaigns that target traditionally left-leaning demographics that have low voter turnout rates. 45

Other Associations

The McIntosh Foundation funds the left-of-center judicial policy organization Alliance for Justice (AFJ) along with other prominent left-wing foundations including the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and the Ford Foundation. 46 Winsome McIntosh is the former vice-chair of the board of directors of AFJ. 47 AFJ is best known for its Judicial Selection Project which support appoint left-wing judges and opposes confirming conservatives to the courts. 48 AFJ member organizations include Earthjustice, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, LCVEF, NARAL, NRDC, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Sierra Club Foundation, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. 49

References

  1. “McIntosh Foundation.” Inside Philanthropy. July 17, 2018. Accessed June 03, 2019. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/fundraising-in-chicago/2018/6/29/mcintosh-foundation.
  2. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  3. “Winsome McIntosh.” Coutts & Co. 2014. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://philanthropy.coutts.com/en/reports/2014/united-states/case-studies/winsome-mcintosh.html.
  4. “Winsome McIntosh.” Coutts & Co. 2014. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://philanthropy.coutts.com/en/reports/2014/united-states/case-studies/winsome-mcintosh.html.
  5. “Winsome McIntosh.” Coutts & Co. 2014. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://philanthropy.coutts.com/en/reports/2014/united-states/case-studies/winsome-mcintosh.html.
  6. “Winsome McIntosh.” Coutts & Co. 2014. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://philanthropy.coutts.com/en/reports/2014/united-states/case-studies/winsome-mcintosh.html.
  7. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  8. “About The Boat Company.” The Boat Company. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.theboatcompany.org/about-us/.
  9. “2019 & 2020 Schedules & Prices.” The Boat Company. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.theboatcompany.org/schedule-prices/.
  10. “The Boat Company.” Guidestar.org. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/92-0074462.
  11. Edwards, Larry. “Greenpeace Sues US Forest Service, Big Thorne Logging Threatens Wolves.” Greenpeace USA. September 03, 2014. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/gp-sues-usfs-big-thorne-logging-threatens-wolves-3/.
  12. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  13. “About Us.” Rachel’s Network. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://rachelsnetwork.org/about/.
  14. “2018 Annual Report.” Rachel’s Network. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://rachelsnetwork.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/RN_AR18_spreads.pdf.
  15. “2016 Annual Report.” Rachel’s Network. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://rachelsnetwork.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RN_AR16_WEB2.pdf.
  16. “News: Annual Report.” Rachel’s Network. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://rachelsnetwork.org/tag/annual-report/.
  17. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  18. “Winsome McIntosh.” Coutts & Co. 2014. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://philanthropy.coutts.com/en/reports/2014/united-states/case-studies/winsome-mcintosh.html.
  19. “The Environmental Complex.” Heritage Foundation. November 1977. Accessed May 21, 2019. http://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/1977/pdf/ia4.pdf.
  20. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  21. Hearn, Josephine. “Home, Sweet Home.” OnEarth. Spring 2010. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://issuu.com/onearth/docs/10spr/65.
  22. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  23. Kauffman, Mary. “9th Circuit Court Voids Four Timber Sales in Tongass National Forest.” SitNews. November 29, 2018. Accessed May 23, 2019. http://www.sitnews.us/1118News/112918/112918_timber_sales_9thcircuit.html.
  24. Edwards, Larry. “Greenpeace Sues US Forest Service, Big Thorne Logging Threatens Wolves.” Greenpeace USA. September 03, 2014. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/gp-sues-usfs-big-thorne-logging-threatens-wolves-3/.
  25. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  26. “How We Work.” Earthjustice. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://earthjustice.org/about/how_we_work.
  27. “Special Report: Two Years of Overruling Trump.” Earthjustice. January 17, 2019. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://earthjustice.org/features/two-years-overruling-trump.
  28. “Longtime Environmental Advocate Winsome McIntosh Becomes Earthjustice Trustee.” Earthjustice. November 19, 2018. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2018/longtime-environmental-advocate-winsome-mcintosh-becomes-earthjustice-trustee.
  29. “Longtime Environmental Advocate Winsome McIntosh Becomes Earthjustice Trustee.” Earthjustice. November 19, 2018. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2018/longtime-environmental-advocate-winsome-mcintosh-becomes-earthjustice-trustee.
  30. “Longtime Environmental Advocate Winsome McIntosh Becomes Earthjustice Trustee.” Earthjustice. November 19, 2018. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2018/longtime-environmental-advocate-winsome-mcintosh-becomes-earthjustice-trustee.
  31. “Ten Years of ClientEarth 2007–2017.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://www.documents.clientearth.org/wp-content/uploads/library/2018-04-23-ten-years-of-clientearth-2007-to-2017-ce-en.pdf.
  32. “Celebrating 12 Years of Winsome McIntosh’s Board Leadership at ClientEarth.” ClientEarth. December 7, 2018. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://www.clientearth.org/celebrating-12-years-of-winsome-mcintoshs-board-leadership-at-clientearth/.
  33. “Ten Years of ClientEarth 2007–2017.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://www.documents.clientearth.org/wp-content/uploads/library/2018-04-23-ten-years-of-clientearth-2007-to-2017-ce-en.pdf.
  34. “Ten Years of ClientEarth 2007–2017.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://www.documents.clientearth.org/wp-content/uploads/library/2018-04-23-ten-years-of-clientearth-2007-to-2017-ce-en.pdf.
  35. “Ten Years of ClientEarth 2007–2017.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 21, 2019. https://www.documents.clientearth.org/wp-content/uploads/library/2018-04-23-ten-years-of-clientearth-2007-to-2017-ce-en.pdf.
  36. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  37. “Home.” Defenders of Wildlife. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://defenders.org/.
  38. Delach, Aimee, and Mark Salvo. “The Trump Administration’s Assault on Wildlife Conservation.” Defenders of Wildlife. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://presspage-production-content.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/1963/defenders-trump-20-months.pdf?10000.
  39. “Lawsuit Launched to Compel Trump Administration Transparency on Arctic Refuge Drilling.” Lawsuit Launched to Compel Trump Administration Transparency on Arctic Refuge Drilling. November 08, 2018. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://newsroom.defenders.org/lawsuit-launched-to-compel-trump-administration-transparency—on-arctic-refuge-drilling/.
  40. “Winsome McIntosh.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/winsomemcintosh/.
  41. “Defenders of Wildlife Announces Board Officers.” Defenders of Wildlife. March 27, 2002. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://defenders.org/press-release/defenders-wildlife-announces-board-officers.
  42. “Mcintosh Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed May 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136096459.
  43. “Winsome McIntosh Trustee.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.clientearth.org/people/mcintosh-winsome/.
  44. “LCV Board of Directors.” League of Conservation Voters. Accessed May 23, 2019. http://www-stage.lcv.org/board/.
  45. “Non-partisan Voter Participation.” LCV Education Fund. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.lcvef.org/civic-engagement/non-partisan-voter-participation/.
  46. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Queries conducted December 20, 2017.
  47. “Winsome McIntosh Trustee.” ClientEarth. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.clientearth.org/people/mcintosh-winsome/.
  48. “Alliance for Justice.” Activist Facts. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/529-alliance-for-justice/.
  49. “Member Organizations.” Alliance for Justice. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.afj.org/about-afj/member-organizations.

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Winsome McIntosh
    President
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: September 1, 2014

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form PF $4,899,852 $3,018,991 $45,912,951 $2,990 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2019 Dec Form PF $1,166,714 $2,806,299 $45,043,101 $3,227 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form PF $1,368,885 $1,854,923 $40,524,816 $9,635 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $5,385,927 $1,856,526 $42,525,203 $8,313 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $2,106,811 $2,230,239 $42,396,195 $51,695 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $1,920,384 $1,875,013 $38,973,627 $7,789 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $1,673,855 $1,872,885 $37,823,071 $13,938 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    McIntosh Foundation

    9358 MADEWOOD CT
    ROYAL PLM BCH, FL 33411-4410