Enemies of Energy: Windward Fund

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Enemies of Energy, a research report created for the Capital Research Center. The page for the full report is here: Enemies of Energy.

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Donor type: pass-through grant maker

The Windward Fund is one of seven grantmaking foundations within what was (until the end of last year) colloquially known as the Arabella Advisors network of left-wing grant makers. According to the Windward website, it is “a nonprofit that helps leaders pursue bold solutions to the climate crisis and other pressing environmental challenges.” ^[i]

An April 2021 New York Times report explained how the old Arabella network’s model worked:^[ii]

The Hub Project is part of an opaque network managed by a Washington consulting firm, Arabella Advisors, that has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars through a daisy chain of groups supporting Democrats and progressive causes. The system of political financing, which often obscures the identities of donors, is known as dark money, and Arabella’s network is a leading vehicle for it on the left.

[ . . .]

Arabella’s money flows through four nonprofits that serve as parent structures for a range of groups, including The Hub Project. The nonprofits then pass some of the funds along to other nonprofit groups or super PACs. ^[iii]

Windward reported receiving $308.2 million in total revenue for 2024, the last year that Windward’s IRS filings were publicly available. That report showed $176.4 million in cumulative grants paid out, representing 57 percent of total revenue. (In addition to being a pass-through donor, Windward also operates and funds in-house fiscally sponsored projects, which often behave like separate policy and advocacy NGOs, but legally are subordinate projects within Windward.)^[iv]

At least $16.6 million in cumulative grants paid from Windward in 2024 were sent to seven of the anti-energy NGOs profiled in this report and three subsidiaries of same: ^[v]

• Environmental Defense Fund: $7.8 million
• Natural Resources Defense Council: $2.3 million
• World Resources Institute: $2.3 million
• Rocky Mountain Institute: $2 million
• World Wildlife Fund: $1.2 million
• League of Conservation Voters Education Fund: $800,000
• Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund: $150,000
• Union of Concerned Scientists: $66,000
• MN 350 (Minnesota 350.org subsidiary): $50,000
• 350 New Hampshire: $50,000

In November 2025, Arabella Advisors announced that Windward and two of its siblings had formed a public benefit corporation known as Sunflower Services that in turn had purchased Arabella Advisors. This made Windward a part owner of Arabella. A news release announcing the new arrangement did not indicate any significant change to Windward’s future grantmaking.^[vi]

PDF hyperlink to full report

Endnotes

[i] Windward Fund main website page. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.windwardfund.org/

[ii] Vogel, Kenneth P.; and Katie Robertson. “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor.” New York Times. April 13, 2021. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/wyss-tribune-company-buyer.html

[iii] Vogel, Kenneth P.; and Katie Robertson. “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor.” New York Times. April 13, 2021. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/wyss-tribune-company-buyer.html

[iv] Windward Fund. (EIN: 47-3522162). 2024 IRS Form 990. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473522162/202513159349305886/full

[v] Windward Fund. (EIN: 47-3522162). 2024 IRS Form 990. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473522162/202513159349305886/full

[vi] “New Entity Sunflower Services Purchasing Fiscal Sponsorship Services Business from Arabella Advisors.” Arabella Advisors. November 17, 2025. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.arabellaadvisors.com/