Ramboll Foundation – Philanthropic Missions Grant Program (2026)

Grants Supporting Regenerative Rebuilding, Sustainable Built Environments, and Resource Management

The Ramboll Foundation is accepting applications for mission-driven projects addressing major environmental and societal challenges through research, innovation, education, knowledge development, and practical solutions.

Funding is available through three philanthropic missions: Regenerative Rebuilding, the Built Environment, and Resource Management.

The Foundation is particularly interested in projects that generate scalable knowledge that can influence practice beyond a single project or community. Projects that create opportunities to engage Ramboll employees and experts may also receive preference.

The next quarterly application deadline is November 15, 2026.

Organization: Ramboll Foundation
Support Type: Philanthropic grants for research, innovation, education, and mission-driven projects
Geographic Focus: International, with a focus on Ramboll geographies
Funding Amount: Varies by project
Deadline: November 15, 2026
Application Cycle: Quarterly

About the Funder

The Ramboll Foundation was established in 1971 and is the majority owner of Ramboll Group, a global architecture, engineering, and consultancy company.

The Foundation uses its resources to advance sustainable and innovative development benefiting people, society, and nature.

Its philanthropic strategy focuses on significant societal challenges where research, technical knowledge, innovation, education, and collaboration can help create broader systemic change.

The Ramboll Foundation’s grantmaking is closely connected to Ramboll’s expertise in areas such as engineering, architecture, environmental consulting, climate resilience, energy, water, transportation, buildings, biodiversity, and sustainable resource management.

A More Strategic Funding Approach

Organizations considering this opportunity should understand that the Ramboll Foundation is increasingly emphasizing mission-driven philanthropy and longer-term strategic partnerships.

The Foundation continues to accept open applications, but applicants should demonstrate particularly strong alignment with one or more of its three philanthropic missions.

Preference is given to projects that:

• Generate scalable knowledge
• Advance research or education
• Test innovative approaches
• Produce learning that can benefit others
• Engage Ramboll employees as experts when relevant
• Operate within or connect to Ramboll’s geographic footprint
• Address significant environmental or societal challenges

This is therefore not a traditional local community grant program.

Organizations proposing a highly localized service-delivery project without a broader research, innovation, education, or knowledge-sharing component may not be the strongest fit.

The Three Philanthropic Missions

Applicants must align their project with at least one of the Foundation’s three missions.

Projects may address more than one mission when appropriate.

Mission 1: Regenerative Rebuilding

Rebuilding and Regenerating Areas Affected by Major Crises or Permanent Loss

The Ramboll Foundation supports approaches to rebuilding communities, environments, infrastructure, and institutions following major crises.

This includes sudden disasters as well as slower-moving crises threatening human, cultural, and natural assets.

Potential areas of interest include:

• Post-disaster recovery
• Post-conflict reconstruction
• Climate-resilient rebuilding
• Community resilience
• Restoration of natural environments
• Protection of biodiversity
• Preservation of cultural assets
• Sustainable reconstruction
• Institutional recovery
• Social recovery
• Resilient infrastructure
• Regenerative design

The Foundation is particularly interested in approaches that do more than simply restore what existed before.

Projects should explore how communities, systems, habitats, and infrastructure can emerge more resilient and sustainable than they were previously.

Potential Projects

Examples might include:

• Research into regenerative post-disaster reconstruction
• Innovative rebuilding models
• Climate-resilient infrastructure approaches
• Preservation of threatened natural or cultural resources
• New approaches to rebuilding communities after conflict
• Research or education related to resilient reconstruction
• Demonstration projects producing knowledge that can be replicated elsewhere

Mission 2: The Built Environment

Enhancing Quality of Life in Cities, Infrastructure, and Buildings

The Foundation seeks to rethink and reshape the built environment to improve human health, wellbeing, inclusion, sustainability, and quality of life.

Rather than simply building more infrastructure, the Foundation emphasizes improving and transforming existing places.

Potential areas include:

• Sustainable cities
• Healthy communities
• Green infrastructure
• Urban resilience
• Public spaces
• Climate adaptation
• Sustainable buildings
• Inclusive urban design
• Transportation and infrastructure
• Community wellbeing
• Nature-based solutions
• Building reuse
• Social integration
• Equitable urban development

Projects should consider environmental, social, and economic sustainability together.

Green & Healthy Communities

The Foundation recognizes that integrating green space and improving buildings and infrastructure can create healthier and more resilient communities.

Projects examining connections between the built environment and areas such as:

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Climate resilience
• Equity
• Social connection
• Accessibility
• Community participation

may have strong alignment.

Potential Projects

Examples might include:

• Research into healthier urban environments
• Innovative green infrastructure
• Urban heat mitigation
• Adaptive reuse of buildings
• Inclusive public-space design
• Sustainable transportation solutions
• Community-centered climate adaptation
• Healthier building models
• Research connecting the built environment with wellbeing

Mission 3: Resource Management

Managing Resources Within Planetary Boundaries

The Ramboll Foundation supports knowledge and practices that reduce resource consumption and waste while protecting biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate stability.

Potential areas include:

• Climate mitigation
• Carbon reduction
• Renewable energy
• Green energy transition
• Biodiversity
• Circular economy
• Waste reduction
• Recycling
• Resource efficiency
• Sustainable materials
• Supply-chain optimization
• Ecosystem restoration
• Regenerative practices
• Sustainable infrastructure

The Foundation emphasizes moving beyond simply reducing environmental harm toward regenerative and genuinely sustainable resource systems.

Potential Projects

Examples might include:

• Circular economy research
• Low-carbon building materials
• Extending the useful life of existing infrastructure
• Renewable energy solutions
• Biodiversity restoration
• Waste-reduction technologies
• Resource-efficient engineering
• Regenerative resource-management models
• Climate mitigation research

Scalable Knowledge Is a Major Priority

One of the most important characteristics of this opportunity is the Foundation’s preference for projects that create scalable knowledge rather than simply fund implementation.

Applicants should consider:

• What will be learned from this project?
• Can the findings benefit other communities or organizations?
• Can the approach be replicated or adapted elsewhere?
• Will the project produce research, tools, models, data, or methodologies?
• How will knowledge be documented and shared?
• Could the project influence professional practice or policy?

A strong project should ideally create benefits that extend beyond the immediate activities being funded.

Eligible Applicants

Potential applicants may include:

• Nonprofit organizations
• Charitable organizations
• Research institutions
• Universities and educational institutions
• Organizations undertaking mission-aligned research or innovation
• Collaborative initiatives
• Other eligible entities proposing charitable, research, or educational projects

The Foundation’s charter requires its philanthropic missions to involve research or education, with recipients generally being nonprofit or charitable organizations or projects otherwise aligned with the Foundation’s charitable purposes.

Applicants should carefully review the current FAQ before applying.

Geographic Focus

The Ramboll Foundation operates internationally but specifically states that its philanthropic missions maintain a focus on Ramboll’s geographies.

This makes Ramboll’s corporate footprint important when evaluating whether an opportunity is a strong fit.

Ramboll operates across the Americas, Europe, the Nordic region, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and other international markets.

Ramboll Locations in the United States

For U.S.-based applicants, Ramboll has a significant presence across the country.

Ramboll reports more than 2,100 employees working across 60 offices in the Americas and currently highlights the following select U.S. metro locations:

Northeast & Mid-Atlantic

• Arlington, Virginia
• Boston, Massachusetts
• New York, New York
• Syracuse, New York

South

• Atlanta, Georgia
• Dallas, Texas
• Nashville / Brentwood, Tennessee

Midwest

• Chicago, Illinois
• Kansas City / Overland Park, Kansas
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Gulf Coast

• Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Houston, Texas
• Tampa, Florida

Southwest

• Denver, Colorado
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Salt Lake City, Utah

West

• Los Angeles, California
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington

These are select metro locations rather than a complete list of every Ramboll office.

View Ramboll U.S. Locations:

➡️ https://www.ramboll.com/contact-us/united-states

Search All Ramboll Offices:

➡️ https://www.ramboll.com/en-us/contact-us

What Geographic Alignment Means for Applicants

Being located near a Ramboll office is not presented as a formal eligibility requirement for this grant program.

However, the Foundation explicitly states that its philanthropic missions have a focus on Ramboll geographies.

Organizations should therefore consider highlighting:

• A location near a Ramboll office
• A project operating in a market where Ramboll has employees
• Opportunities for Ramboll employees to provide technical expertise
• Connections between the project and Ramboll’s local work
• Potential for lessons from the project to benefit other Ramboll markets

For U.S. nonprofits, universities, and research institutions, proximity to one of Ramboll’s major U.S. offices may provide an especially useful connection to demonstrate.

U.S.-Based Organizations

U.S. nonprofits, universities, researchers, and other eligible organizations may consider applying when their projects strongly align with one of the Foundation’s missions.

Particularly relevant U.S. projects may involve:

• Climate resilience
• Sustainable cities
• Green infrastructure
• Parks and public spaces
• Building reuse
• Community resilience
• Environmental research
• Circular economy
• Biodiversity
• Renewable energy
• Sustainable resource management
• Climate adaptation
• Urban heat
• Healthy built environments
• Nature-based solutions
• Resilient infrastructure

Applicants should emphasize both the immediate impact of their project and how lessons from the work could be transferred to other communities.

Funding Amounts

The Ramboll Foundation does not publish a standard minimum or maximum grant amount for philanthropic mission applications.

Funding varies according to the scope, ambition, and nature of the project.

Applicants should develop a realistic budget tied directly to proposed activities and outcomes.

Examples of Funded Projects

Recent Ramboll Foundation projects illustrate the type of work that aligns with its current strategy.

Regenerative Cooling Solutions

The Foundation has supported development of an external autonomous pavilion using condensation-free radiant cooling technology.

The project seeks to develop a scalable approach to protecting people from extreme urban heat.

Solar Energy for Community Healthcare

Funding has supported a solar-panel and battery system for a community hospital in Kenya experiencing frequent power outages.

The initiative combines renewable energy with healthcare resilience while reducing operating costs and improving health outcomes.

Extending the Life of Concrete Infrastructure

Research supported by the Foundation has explored methods for extending the useful life of existing concrete structures.

Rather than replacing infrastructure unnecessarily, the work seeks to reduce emissions and resource consumption by improving how engineers assess and strengthen existing structures.

Regenerative Reconstruction

The Foundation has also invested in sustainable and regenerative approaches to rebuilding crisis-affected communities, including efforts focused on assessing and repairing damaged buildings while prioritizing reuse over unnecessary demolition.

These examples demonstrate the Foundation’s interest in projects combining technical knowledge, practical application, sustainability, and broader learning.

Employee Expertise & Engagement

Projects that create opportunities to involve Ramboll employees as experts may receive preference.

Organizations should consider whether Ramboll professionals could potentially contribute expertise related to:

• Engineering
• Architecture
• Environmental consulting
• Climate adaptation
• Energy
• Water
• Transportation
• Urban planning
• Buildings
• Sustainability
• Biodiversity
• Resource management
• Nature-based solutions
• Community resilience

Applicants do not necessarily need an existing Ramboll relationship.

However, a project with a logical opportunity for technical collaboration may have particularly strong strategic alignment.

Application Deadlines

The Ramboll Foundation Board reviews applications four times each year.

Annual deadlines are:

📅 March 15
📅 May 15
📅 August 15
📅 November 15

Current Opportunity

📅 Application Deadline: November 15, 2026
📅 Expected Response: Mid-January 2027

Review Process

Applications are reviewed by the Ramboll Foundation Board of Trustees.

Applications received by each quarterly deadline are considered at the next Board meeting.

Applicants can generally expect a response within several weeks following the meeting.

The Foundation may contact applicants if additional information is needed.

The Foundation Board does not provide explanations for individual funding decisions.

Application / Request Process

Applications must be submitted through the Ramboll Foundation’s online grants management system.

Before applying, organizations should:

• Review all three philanthropic missions
• Determine which mission or missions best fit the project
• Read the Foundation’s FAQ
• Define the environmental or societal challenge
• Explain the research or educational component
• Demonstrate potential for scalability
• Identify expected outcomes
• Describe how knowledge will be documented and shared
• Consider opportunities for Ramboll employee expertise
• Identify any connection to Ramboll’s geographic footprint
• Prepare a realistic project budget

Applicants must select at least one of the three philanthropic missions when completing the online application.

Direct Application Portal:

➡️ https://rambollfonden.grant.nu/profile/

How to Apply:

➡️ https://www.rambollfonden.com/we-support/apply

Philanthropic Missions:

➡️ https://www.rambollfonden.com/we-support/philanthropic-missions

Frequently Asked Questions:

➡️ https://www.rambollfonden.com/we-support/frequently-asked-questions

Ramboll U.S. Locations:

➡️ https://www.ramboll.com/contact-us/united-states

Global Ramboll Office Finder:

➡️ https://www.ramboll.com/en-us/contact-us

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

• Work on climate, sustainability, resilience, or environmental challenges
• Conduct applied research or innovation
• Develop models that can be replicated in other communities
• Work on regenerative rebuilding or disaster resilience
• Seek to improve cities, buildings, infrastructure, parks, or public spaces
• Address biodiversity or resource management
• Advance circular economy approaches
• Develop renewable or low-carbon solutions
• Combine practical implementation with research and knowledge sharing
• Operate in or near a Ramboll geography
• Can identify opportunities to engage Ramboll expertise
• Can explain how the project contributes to broader systemic change

This opportunity is less suited to traditional local charitable-service requests.

A stronger Ramboll Foundation proposal will generally ask not only:

“What will this project accomplish?”

but also:

“What will we learn, and how can that knowledge help solve this problem elsewhere?”

For nonprofits, universities, and research organizations working at the intersection of sustainability, community resilience, the built environment, and applied innovation, that emphasis makes the Ramboll Foundation a particularly interesting corporate philanthropy opportunity.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Next Deadline: November 15, 2026
Expected Response: Mid-January 2027
Application Cycle: March 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15 annually
Funding Amount: Varies; no standard maximum published
Geographic Focus: International, with emphasis on Ramboll geographies
U.S. Presence: Significant office footprint across the Northeast, South, Midwest, Gulf Coast, Southwest, and West
Priority Areas: Regenerative rebuilding, the built environment, and resource management
Preferred Projects: Research, education, innovation, and projects generating scalable knowledge
Employee Engagement: Projects that can involve Ramboll experts may receive preference
Best Suited For: Nonprofits, universities, research organizations, and collaborative initiatives developing innovative and replicable sustainability solutions
Key Strategy: Go beyond implementation. Clearly demonstrate what knowledge the project will create, why it can be scaled or replicated, how it advances one or more of Ramboll Foundation’s three philanthropic missions, and any meaningful connection to Ramboll’s geographic or technical footprint.