WestWind Foundation is a Virginia-based private foundation that gives grants to domestic and international environmentalist and pro-abortion-rights organizations. WestWind reports to give grants to more than 50 non-governmental organizations that promote pro-abortion activities. ¹ The organization also specializes in broadening “comprehensive sex education” through their grantee Advocates for Youth and other groups.

Background

Westwind Foundation was established in 1987 in Charlottesville, Virginia. WestWind is classified as a private foundation, and its principal donor is Edward M. Miller, who is also one of the two trustees for the organization. ² It was built to strengthen nonprofits focusing on environmental and pro-abortion-rights advocacy.

Programs

Environment Program

WestWind makes grants to nonprofits that specialize in environmental awareness and education, beginning in 2006. ³ The organization focuses on those groups in areas of the Southeast of the U.S. WestWind specifically looks to stop the establishment of future coal-fired power plants.

Reproductive Health & Rights Program

The program works to give grants to NGOs who want to create easier access to abortion services both domestically and internationally. Grants are focused on those organizations that provide on-the-ground services, advocacy, and educational measures. WestWind follows the 1994 Cairo agreement at the International Conference on Population and Development that addressed population growth. ⁴ WestWind supports population control efforts by donating to organizations such as Population Council, Population Media Center and the Funders Network on Population Reproductive Health and Rights through Council on Foundations.

Funding

According to WestWind’s 2016 tax return, Westwind Foundation Holdings accumulated $33,325,853 in revenues while having expenses of $4,420,507. ⁵

WestWind grants funds to environmental awareness causes. It serves as a frequent donor to the Southern Environmental Law Center, which received $345,000 alone in 2008. ⁶ Ocean Conservancy has also received regular grants, as high as $356,000 in 2012. ⁷ WestWind has contributed to New Venture Fund’s fossil fuels reduction project by giving $160,000 for the operation. ⁸ The Chesapeake Climate Action Network received $140,000 in grant money in 2010. In 2007 and 2008, Natural Resources Defense Council, a major environmentalist group, received $125,000. ⁹

WestWind supports prominent pro-abortion organizations. Foundationsearch.com reports a grant of $1,750,000 given to The International Planned Parenthood Federation in New York. ¹⁰ From 2011-2016, MSI United States—the U.S. division of Marie Stopes International—has received grants of $260,000 and $275,000. ¹¹ NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation allocated $30,000 in 2008. ¹² WestWind also has contributed to the Center for Reproductive Rights from 2011-13 and 2015 with $150,000. ¹³ In addition, WestWind contributed to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, and the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

WestWind also funds sexual educational measures such as LGBT youth equality, prevention of teen pregnancy, and HIV prevention through Advocates for Youth. It received $595,000 in 2016. ¹⁴

People

Key Staff

Roxana Bonnell works on WestWind’s Reproductive Health and Rights Program. She formerly served as the deputy director of the Open Society Foundations Public Health Program. She also worked with other international programs with the Open Society Foundations. ¹⁵

Kristen Mahoney is the program consultant for WestWind Foundation’s Reproductive Health and Rights Program. She also works as the co-leader of the Youth Working Group at the Funders Network and is a member of the Board of Trustee for the Vincent Memorial Hospital at Mass General Hospital. She previously worked with the Environmental Financial Consulting Group. ¹⁶

Board of Trustees

Edward M. Miller and Janet H. Miller both serve as Trustees for Westwind Foundation. Janet Miller is listed as the president of WestWind Foundation. ¹⁷

Former Staff

Heidi Binko worked as the executive director of WestWind Foundation before accepting her current role as an executive director of the anti-coal advocacy group Just Transition Fund. ¹⁸ Mandy Bridenhagen also worked at the WestWind Foundation before joining Just Transition Fund. ¹⁹

1. “About WestWind.” WestWind Foundation. Accessed May 27, 2019. https://www.westwindfoundation.org/about-westwind/.
2. Information provided by FoundationSearch. WestWind Foundation. www.FoundationSearch.com
3. “Environment Program.” WestWind Foundation. Accessed May 28, 2019. https://www.westwindfoundation.org/program-areas/environment-program/.
4. “Reproductive Health & Rights Programs.” WestWind Foundation. Accessed May 28, 2019. https://www.westwindfoundation.org/program-areas/reproductive-health-rights/.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) [WestWind Foundation]. [2016]. [Schedule B, Part I]
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) [WestWind Foundation]. [2008]. [Part XV, Line 3a]
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income (Form 990) [WestWind Foundation]. [2012]. [Part XV, Line 3]
8. Information provided by FoundationSearch. WestWind Foundation. www.FoundationSearch.com
9. Information provided by FoundationSearch. WestWind Foundation. www.FoundationSearch.com
10. Information provided by FoundationSearch. [WestWind Foundation]. www.FoundationSearch.com
11. Information provided by FoundationSearch. [WestWind Foundation]. www.FoundationSearch.com
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) [WestWind Foundation]. [2008]. [Part XV, Line 3a]
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) [WestWind Foundation]. [2015]. [Part XV, Line 3a]
14. Information provided by FoundationSearch. [WestWind Foundation.] www.FoundationSearch.com
15. “Staff.” WestWind Foundation. Accessed June 03, 2019. https://www.westwindfoundation.org/about-westwind/staff/.
16. “Staff.” WestWind Foundation. Accessed June 03, 2019. https://www.westwindfoundation.org/about-westwind/staff/.
17. “Janet Miller.” LinkedIn. Accessed June 3, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-miller-84a45b183/.
18. Just Transition Fund. Accessed May 28, 2019. http://www.justtransitionfund.org/people/heidi-binko.
19. Just Transition Fund. Accessed May 28, 2019. http://www.justtransitionfund.org/people/mandy-bridenhagen.