The Mycelium Foundation is a Titusville, Florida-based private grantmaking foundation belonging to tech entrepreneurs Suchitra Patton and her husband Robert Patton that donates to many environmental causes. The group also donates to education and media outlets. 1
The foundation donates to groups that oppose reliable, carbon-free nuclear power such as One World Philanthropy and Post Carbon Institute 2 3 but it also donates to environmentalist groups that accept nuclear power such as The Nature Conservancy. 1 The nonprofit also supports groups that promote a shift away from conventional farming such as The Land Institute and the Rodale Institute. 4 5 1
The largest single donation by the nonprofit is a $75,000 donation to the Georgia Tech Foundation in 2022. 1
Background
Suchitra and Robert Patton founded the Mycelium Foundation in 2020 and it made its first donations in 2022. 6 The Pattons made their money in the tech industry, owning Thoughtwave, Inc. 7
Grantmaking
Mycelium Foundation supports nonprofits involved in environmental issues, agriculture, media, and education. 1
Support For Environmental Groups
The Mycelium Foundation donates to left-of-center environmentalist groups. Among the groups the nonprofits supported in 2022 are The Nature Conservancy ($10,000), Rainforest Trust ($10,000), Union of Concerned Scientists ($6,000), One Earth Philanthropy ($25,000), Post Carbon Institute ($10,000), and Wildlife Conservation International ($10,000). 1
A couple of these groups, One Earth Philanthropy and the Post Carbon Institute, oppose reliable, carbon-free nuclear power and want to replace them with weather-dependent, intermittent sources of energy. 2 3 Resilience, a website of the Post Carbon Institute, featured an article claiming the real purpose of research into nuclear fusion was to develop deadlier nuclear weapons, not clean energy. 8 The Nature Conservancy is more supportive of reliable, carbon-free nuclear power. 9
Opposition to Conventional Agriculture
The Mycelium Foundation supports groups that want to replace conventional agriculture. In 2022, it donated to The Land Institute ($25,000) and the Rodale Institute ($25,000). 1
The Land Institute is a group breeding new perennial grain and seed crops which are best suited to unconventional agricultural practices. The perennial grains do not have as high of a crop yield as conventionally grown grains. 4
The Rodale Institute supports replacing conventional farming with less productive organic farming. 5
Some of the groups supported by the nonprofit reject the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on human health and the environment, including the Rodale Institute and the Union of Concerned Scientists. 10 11
Support For Media
The Mycelium Foundation supports media outlets. In 2022, it donated to the Wikimedia Foundation ($10,000) and Georgia Public Broadcasting ($10,000). 1
Support For Education
In 2022, the Mycelium Foundation donated to the Georgia Tech Foundation ($75,000), Chattahoochee High School ($12,000), State Bridge Crossing Elementary School ($7,000), and MIT ($10,000). 1
Leadership
The Mycelium Foundation’s president and secretary is Suchitra Patton. 1
The group’s treasurer is Robert Patton. 1
Their children, Alexander Patton and Kalen Patton, serve on the board. 1
Financials
According to the Mycelium Foundation’s 2022 tax return, it had -$108,844 in revenue, $264,000 in expenses, and $2,722,399 in assets. 1
References
- “Mycelium Foundation Inc, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854395001/202320759349100317/full.
- “No Miracles Needed: How Today’s Technology Can Save Our Climate and Clean Our Air’ by Mark Z. Jacobson.” One Earth, January 24, 2023. https://www.oneearth.org/no-miracles-needed-mark-z-jacobson/.
- “Nuclear Power and the Earth.” Post Carbon Institute, October 31, 2012. https://www.postcarbon.org/publications/nuclear-power-and-the-earth/.
- “Frequently Asked Questions.” The Land Institute. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://landinstitute.org/learn/frequently-asked-questions/.
- “Organic vs Conventional.” Rodale Institute. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/organic-vs-conventional/.
- “Mycelium Foundation Inc – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854395001.
- THOUGHTWAVE, inc. | Florida Company Directory. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://www.flcompanyregistry.com/companies/thoughtwave-inc/.
- Frank, Joshua. “Nuclear Fusion Won’t Save the Climate but It Might Blow up the World.” Resilience , January 26, 2023. https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-01-26/nuclear-fusion-wont-save-the-climate-but-it-might-blow-up-the-world/.
- “The Science of Sustainability.” The Nature Conservancy, October 13, 2018. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/the-science-of-sustainability/.
- Wiser, Daniel. “Are Gmos Infiltrating Your Honey?” Rodale Institute, March 5, 2013. https://rodaleinstitute.org/blog/are-gmos-infiltrating-your-honey/.
- “Union of Concerned Scientists: Advocacy Group Promotes Unscientific Views on Gmos.” Genetic Literacy Project, October 9, 2019. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/glp-facts/union-concerned-scientists-advocacy-group-promotes-unscientific-views-gmos/.