ACOEL Foundation
The Foundation supports the College’s goals to maintain and improve the ethical practice of environmental law, the administration of justice, and the development of environmental law through rigorous focus, outreach, and education in all forums — federal, state, municipal, tribal, and international.
History, Mission, and Structure
The Foundation was incorporated in Delaware in October 2017 and obtained approval in August 2018 as a nonprofit charitable foundation with 501(c)(3) status under the federal Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation raises funds and provides resources to support the public interest work of the Fellows of the American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL).
As an initial matter, the Foundation primarily will focus its support and funding on projects that fall within the following two categories and meet the criteria set forth in its Strategic Plan: (1) Climate Resilience or Mitigation; and (2) Water Quality, Quantity and Resources. The Foundation is in discussions with other not-for-profit organizations and academics who work in these areas to identify opportunities for potential support. The Foundation is evaluating projects that have the potential to identify legal barriers impeding infrastructure resiliency projects adjacent to coastal areas, and projects that would implement innovative technologies for water preservation in the Western U.S. and the legal solutions to permit these types of projects to proceed.
The Foundation’s Bylaws provide that the officers of ACOEL will serve as the Trustees of the Foundation. Those Foundation Trustees elect from among the ACOEL membership the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Foundation and any other officers, as appropriate, and approve the designation of the members of the Foundation Advisory Council. The Foundation officers and members of the Advisory Council typically meet monthly to conduct the business of the Foundation.
Current Project Support
Annual Stephen E. Herrmann Environmental Writing Award
The Foundation assists in funding the Herrmann Award competition, which each year provides a stipend to a law student who authors a law journal article on a topic of environmental law selected as the best submission by a panel of ACOEL fellows. The winning author is awarded $3500, and the publishing journal receives $500. The winner of the Herrmann Award is invited to discuss his or her submission to the Fellows at the ACOEL.
Honors Intern Scholarship Program
The Foundation is providing $50,000 to fund five $10,000 scholarships to second-year law students with government and NGO summer environmental internships. Now entering its third year, the ACOEL Honors Intern Scholarship Program supports the hands-on experience gained through environmental law internships, advances the development of law students committed to careers in environmental law and strengthens the work of environmental non-profits and government agencies.
The Colonias Drinking Water Project
The Foundation funded a pilot project allowing Webb County in Texas to place atmospheric water production units in homes in low-income communities along the U.S./Mexico border. The project provided data on the performance of the units and quality of the water harvested, establishing their efficacy and supporting a future expansion of the project.
The Cuba Program
The Foundation has supported a workshop-based exchange of experience and knowledge involving ACOEL Fellows and colleagues in Cuba.
The Model Climate Laws Initiative
The Foundation provided support to the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School for the Model Climate Laws Initiative, to be used for participation in conferences and workshops as well as communication and outreach to states and municipalities regarding the initiative.
Past Project Support
Webinar – EPA’s Community Change Grant Program
On June 27, 2024, the American College of Environmental Lawyers and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) presented a Webinar at no cost to registrants that aims to assist Federally recognized Tribes in the continental U.S. and community-based organizations to understand how they can optimize their efforts to access Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grant funds for climate action and pollution reduction projects. $300 million is earmarked under the program for eligible tribal projects. The Webinar is open to all individuals nationwide. This Webinar is co-sponsored by the ACOEL Foundation.
Cuba Symposium
In February 2023, seven ACOEL Fellows from the Outreach Committee participated in a joint symposium to identify opportunities to foster U.S./Cuba environmental cooperation and engagement. The symposium was held in Havana, Cuba, organized by ACOEL and the Foundation Antonio Nunez Jimenez of Nature and Humanity (FANJ). The ACOEL Foundation is proud to have helped fund some of the other expenses incurred in connection with this important and interesting joint symposium.
Waste Plastic to Fuel for Diesel Engines
The Foundation has provided targeted support for the work of Empowered Solutions for Environmental Sustainability (ESES) to combat plastic waste accumulation in the environment and to deploy in Uganda a PolyFuel Processor that converts waste plastic into clean fuel oil.
Proposal to ALI for a Restatement of Environmental Law or Environmental Law Principles Project
The Foundation facilitated a February 2023 Workshop of ACOEL Fellows, environmental members of the American Law Institute, and third-party experts to analyze the feasibility of persuading ALI to commission a first-ever Restatement of Environmental Law or Principles of Environmental Law.
Become a Donor
Donations to the ACOEL Foundation help fund the public interest work of the Fellows of ACOEL. Donations qualify as tax deductible charitable contributions.
Donations can also be made by sending a check payable to ACOEL Foundation to:
ACOEL Foundation
2800 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 210
Alexandria, VA 22314
The ACOEL Foundation is essential to the charitable, educational, and pro-bono activities or the ACOEL. Therefore, all members are encouraged to support the Foundation with their charitable contributions. We have established a goal of raising $100,000 per year in each of the next 5 years to both fund the anticipated budget for projects and to establish a more appropriate financial base for addressing unexpected opportunities and requests. During this campaign, representative of the Foundation will reach out to all members of the ACOEL with our message describing the need for support. We will be communicating at meetings, in e-mail updates, through the website, and through direct contacts. Please take our calls and place the ACOEL Foundation on your list for charitable giving each year.
Principles Governing Activities to be Funded by the ACOEL Foundation
- The ACOEL Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation with 501(c)(3) status as a public charity. As such, it is not subject to the obligation to distribute 5% of its principle each year
- The Foundation raises funds in order to provide resources to support the public interest activities of the Fellows of the ACOEL.
- Such activities must be charitable or educational in nature and directed outward from the ACOEL.
- The Foundation cannot fund the ACOEL meetings or other expenses of the ACOEL or education directed solely to the members of the ACOEL.
- The Foundation can cover the costs of outreach education and charitable programs in which ACOEL members participate including, where funds are available and approved, travel costs incurred by those members attending such programs.
- The Herrmann Award and the Intern Scholarship Program to support students in summer jobs in NGOs and governmental agencies are two examples of “education” which can be funded by the Foundation.