The Tortuga Foundation is the grantmaking foundation of the Livingston family. Though Tortuga primarily contributes to conservation groups, it gives grants to organizations that advocate for left-of-center policies, including the Environmental Integrity Project, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, and Planned Parenthood. ^{1 2}

Background

The Tortuga Foundation has been tax-exempt since 1980. ³ It is the grantmaking foundation of the Livingston family. Until her death at age 100 in 2018, the family’s philanthropic efforts were led by Joan Livingston Tweedy, who was previously married to Robert C. Livingston, an Olympic silver medalist hockey player and the president of International Instruments. In addition to Tortuga, Tweedy was involved in funding numerous conservation groups, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Bronx Zoo, the Nature Conservancy, the New Canaan Nature Center, and the Darien Nature Center. ⁴

As of 2022, four members of the Livingston family sit on Tortuga’s board. ⁵

Leadership

Karen Harris has been the executive director of the Tortuga Foundation since January 2022. She joined the Foundation after running her own nonprofit consulting firm, Karen Harris Consulting, for 22 years, and working as the clean energy program director at the John Merck Fund for over 14 years. Earlier, Harris worked as a consultant at Energy Innovations and as a program evaluator at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. ⁶ In 2022, Harris was paid $287,500 for her work at Tortuga. ⁷

Kay Bromberg was an employee of Tortuga as of 2022. ⁸ She is an administrative director at the Rockefeller Family Fund. ⁹

Grantmaking

Most of the Tortuga Foundation’s grantmaking efforts are concentrated on conservation efforts in the northeastern United States, such as the Esposus Creek Conservancy, the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, the Turtle Survival Alliance, the Land Trust Alliance, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. In 2022, Tortuga distributed $7.6 million in grants in total. ¹⁰

However, Tortuga also contributes to numerous environmentalist groups that advocate for left-wing environmental and economic policies. In 2022, Tortuga gave $210,000 to the Environmental Integrity Project, $150,000 to the Connecticut Audubon Society, $135,000 to the Southern Environmental Law Center, $125,000 to the Center for Biological Diversity, $100,000 to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, $90,000 to the Center for International Environmental Law, $75,000 to Vote Solar, $75,000 to Earthjustice, $75,000 to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, $75,000 to the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, $75,000 to the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, $75,000 to the Center for Climate Integrity, $75,000 to the Alaska Center Education Fund, $70,000 to the Sustainable Markets Foundation, $65,000 to WildEarth Guardians, $50,000 to the Alliance for a Green Economy, and $20,000 to the National Wildlife Federation. ¹¹

Tortuga contributed to abortion-access advocacy groups, including $150,000 to Planned Parenthood, $75,000 to the National Institute for Reproductive Health, and $50,000 to the Abortion Care Network. ¹²

Tortuga contributed to other groups that advocate for left-leaning policies, including $225,000 to the New Venture Fund, $90,000 to the Alaska Public Interest Research Group, $75,000 to the Partnership for Policy Integrity, $75,000 to the New York Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), $75,000 to the Rockefeller Family Fund, $75,000 to Taxpayers for Common Sense, $75,000 to the Center for Rural Affairs, $75,000 to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and $30,000 to the National Network of Abortion Funds. ¹³

1. “Tortuga Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279.
2. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
3. “Tortuga Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279.
4. ^[1] Hall, Phil. “Joan Tweedy, conservation-focused philanthropist, dies at 100.” Westfair Business Journal. December 28, 2018. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://westfaironline.com/nonprofits/joan-tweedy-conservation-focused-philanthropist-dies-at-100/.
5. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
6. “Karen Harris.” Tortuga Foundation. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-harris-71a3b613a/.
7. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
8. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
9.  “Kay Bromberg.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kay-bromberg-7340843b/.
10. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
11. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
12. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.
13. “Tortuga Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510245279/202301649349100520/full.