Arcus Foundation

The Arcus Foundation is an international charitable foundation established in 2000 by Jon Stryker, a U.S. architect, philanthropist, social and environmental activist, and heir to the Stryker medical-technology fortune. It operates from offices in New York City and Cambridge, England, and directs grantmaking toward two closely connected areas: social justice, especially justice and equality for LGBTQ people, and conservation of great apes and gibbons. Its broader environmental work is tied to the protection of habitats and the preservation of ecological systems on which both wildlife and human communities depend. Arcus presents these areas as expressions of a common philosophy centered on compassion and justice. In its human-rights work, the foundation seeks to expand conventional understandings of social justice to include sexual orientation and gender identity. In its conservation work, it emphasizes the protection of gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons from habitat loss, exploitation, abuse, and private ownership. Rather than framing its animal work primarily through animal-rights language, the foundation has generally described it through conservation, compassion, and the long-term survival of species and their ecosystems. The foundation’s great-ape and gibbon program has supported projects in ape-range landscapes across Africa and Asia, as well as sanctuary and care work in countries including the United States and Kenya. Grants have assisted conservation organizations, sanctuaries, research institutions, international policy initiatives, and advocacy campaigns. Arcus has supported the Great Apes Survival Partnership, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Jane Goodall-related conservation work in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and research associated with the Max Planck Institutes. It also helped establish and promote Giving Day for Apes, a fundraising initiative for sanctuaries, and publishes the State of the Apes series, which examines threats, research findings, and policy questions affecting ape survival. A notable early conservation intervention involved Save the Chimps. Arcus funding helped the organization acquire a large Fort Pierce, Florida, facility in 2002 for chimpanzees retired from use by the U.S. Air Force and entertainment companies. Later support helped Save the Chimps acquire the laboratory and chimpanzees associated with Frederick Coulston. These grants contributed to the expansion of sanctuary-based care for chimpanzees removed from research and entertainment settings. Arcus became a major U.S. philanthropic supporter of LGBTQ social justice. In 2011 it awarded Kalamazoo College $23 million to establish the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, the largest grant in the college’s history according to the cited reference material. In 2013 it launched a Social Justice Initiative focused in part on working with faith communities to build acceptance of LGBTQ people. The foundation later created a Global Religions Program, announced in 2017, engaging Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities on tolerance and LGBTQ advocacy. Its grantmaking has also supported civil-liberties organizations, transgender-rights groups, immigrant-rights organizations, pro-LGBTQ faith advocates, and communications efforts opposing broad religious exemptions that could permit discrimination. Arcus has attracted public scrutiny because of its role in contested debates over religion, media, and LGBTQ equality. A 2015 report about a grant to Religion News Service prompted questions from the Catholic News Agency about possible effects on editorial coverage; the news service’s editor rejected the suggestion that the grant influenced editorial decisions. The foundation also announced $15 million in December 2015 for work intended to strengthen the transgender movement, expand employment opportunities, and respond to violence against transgender people. Leadership has included LGBTQ-rights advocate Urvashi Vaid, Fred Davie, Yvette Burton, Annette Lanjouw, and Kevin Jennings. After Jennings left, Lanjouw and Jason McGill served as co-executive directors, and Lanjouw became chief executive officer in January 2020. Arcus remains a grantmaking institution rather than a commercial product brand, with its public identity defined by long-term philanthropic programs, partnerships, research publications, and support for movements addressing LGBTQ equality, social justice, and ape conservation.

Arcus Foundation was founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 2000 by Jon Stryker. Stryker’s personal experience of coming out as gay and his interest in wildlife, particularly apes, shaped the foundation’s two principal fields of activity. Arcus was conceived around the idea that people should be able to live in harmony with one another and with the natural world. During its early years, the foundation developed grantmaking focused on LGBTQ equality, social justice, and ape conservation. Its conservation portfolio grew to include work involving gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons in ape-range landscapes across Africa and Asia, together with sanctuary and rehabilitation work in the United States and Kenya. Arcus supported organizations working on habitat protection, anti-exploitation measures, sanctuary standards, international policy, research, and public awareness. Its support for Save the Chimps helped the organization acquire a 190-acre Fort Pierce facility in 2002 for chimpanzees removed from military research and entertainment. A later grant of $3.7 million helped Save the Chimps acquire a laboratory and chimpanzees associated with Frederick Coulston. Arcus also developed relationships with major conservation and research bodies. Its reported partners and beneficiaries have included Jane Goodall-related work in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Max Planck Institutes, the Great Apes Survival Partnership, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The foundation helped initiate Giving Day for Apes, a fundraising event supporting great-ape sanctuaries in Africa, Asia, and North America. It has additionally published State of the Apes, a recurring series addressing scientific evidence, threats, and policy implications. The series was first introduced at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Kenya in 2014. The foundation expanded its institutional support for social justice in 2011, when it made a $23 million grant to Kalamazoo College for the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. The grant was described in the cited material as the largest in the college’s history. In 2013, Arcus launched a Social Justice Initiative that worked with faith communities around the world to encourage acceptance of LGBTQ people. Its grantmaking during this period also supported civil-liberties organizations, LGBTQ legal and advocacy groups, immigrant-rights organizations, and communications projects challenging religious-liberty arguments used to oppose LGBTQ equality. In 2014, reported grantees included the ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Foundation, Faithful America, United We Dream Network, the Transgender Law Center, and Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. These grants addressed civil liberties, media visibility for pro-LGBTQ Christians, immigration, transgender rights, and LGBTQ advocacy. Arcus later announced a Global Religions Program in 2017, engaging the Abrahamic religious traditions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—in efforts to promote tolerance and advocate for LGBTQ people. Arcus’s role in religion-related grantmaking generated criticism. In 2015, the Catholic News Agency reported on a $120,000 Arcus grant to Religion News Service, whose stated purpose involved recruiting and supporting LGBTQ-affirming leaders and advocates in traditionally conservative Christian communities. The report questioned whether this created bias in coverage of traditional religion, while Religion News Service’s editor denied that the grant influenced editorial decisions. This episode became one of the most visible controversies associated with the foundation. Leadership changed several times as the organization developed. Urvashi Vaid served as executive director from 2005 to 2010, followed by Fred Davie. Yvette Burton served as chief executive officer from 2010 to 2012. Annette Lanjouw was interim executive director in 2012 before returning to her strategic-initiatives and great-ape responsibilities. Kevin Jennings led the foundation from 2012 for approximately five years. After his departure, Lanjouw and Jason McGill served as co-executive directors, and Lanjouw became chief executive officer in January 2020. Arcus continues to operate as a private philanthropic foundation with international grantmaking across LGBTQ justice, social justice, and conservation.

• 2020

  Annette Lanjouw becomes chief executive officer

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Annette Lanjouw was appointed chief executive officer after serving as a co-executive director.

• 2017

  Global Religions Program established

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation created a program focused on Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities and LGBTQ inclusion.

• 2015

  Transgender-movement funding announced

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Arcus announced $15 million for transgender organizing, employment opportunities, and responses to anti-transgender violence.

• 2014

  State of the Apes introduced

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Arcus introduced its State of the Apes publication series at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Kenya.

• 2013

  Social Justice Initiative launched

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation launched an initiative engaging faith communities on cultural acceptance of LGBTQ people.

• 2011

  Arcus Center grant to Kalamazoo College

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Arcus awarded Kalamazoo College $23 million to establish the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.

• 2002

  Support for Save the Chimps facility acquisition

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Arcus funding helped Save the Chimps acquire a large Fort Pierce facility for chimpanzees retired from military research and entertainment.

• 2000

  Foundation established in Kalamazoo

  [1]Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Jon Stryker founded Arcus Foundation in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to support social justice, LGBTQ equality, and conservation of apes and their habitats.

A major private philanthropic funder linking LGBTQ equality and broader social justice with conservation of great apes, gibbons, and their habitats.

• Conservation grantmaking

  Great Apes and Gibbons program

  Arcus’s conservation program supports protection of gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons across ape-range landscapes in Africa and Asia, as well as sanctuary and care work outside natural ranges. Its activities include habitat conservation, research, policy advocacy, sanctuary support, and efforts to reduce abuse, exploitation, and private ownership.

• Social-justice grantmaking · 2013

  Social Justice Initiative

  Launched in 2013, this initiative works with faith communities and other partners to build acceptance of LGBTQ people and advance broader social justice. Related grants have supported civil liberties, LGBTQ legal advocacy, immigrant rights, communications, and challenges to discriminatory uses of religious-exemption arguments.

• Faith-community program · 2017

  Global Religions Program

  Established in 2017, the program engages Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities on tolerance and advocacy for LGBTQ people, seeking to strengthen affirming religious leadership and counter exclusionary narratives.

• Research and publication series · 2014

  State of the Apes

  State of the Apes is a publication series examining threats to great apes and gibbons, relevant research, and policy implications. It provides a public-facing and policy-oriented framework for understanding conservation challenges.

• 2015

  Religion News Service grant controversy

  A Catholic News Agency report questioned whether a $120,000 Arcus grant to Religion News Service could influence coverage of traditional religion and LGBTQ issues. Religion News Service’s editor rejected the allegation and said the grant did not affect editorial decisions.

  Source

Read more

• 2015Transgender movement funding initiative

  United States · International

  Arcus announced $15 million to strengthen transgender organizing, improve employment opportunities, and address violence against transgender people.

  Outcome. The announcement positioned Arcus as a significant philanthropic supporter of transgender-rights work.

  Source
• 2014Giving Day for Apes

  Africa · Asia · North America

  Arcus helped start a fundraising event supporting great-ape sanctuaries across Africa, Asia, and North America.

  Outcome. The event was later run by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

  Source
• 2013Social Justice Initiative

  International

  Arcus began working with faith communities and social-justice partners to increase cultural acceptance of LGBTQ people.

  Outcome. The initiative became part of Arcus’s continuing LGBTQ and social-justice grantmaking.

  Source

• 2015

  Increase transgender-rights grantmakingStrategy

  Background

  Arcus identified employment barriers and rising violence against transgender people as priorities for philanthropic intervention.

  Action taken

  The foundation announced $15 million in funding for transgender movement work in the United States and internationally.

  Aftermath

  The commitment expanded Arcus’s public profile as a major funder of transgender-rights advocacy.

  Announced funding. $15 million (December 2015)

  Source

• 2011

  Fund the Arcus Center for Social Justice LeadershipOther

  Background

  Arcus sought to strengthen institutional leadership in social justice and LGBTQ equality.

  Action taken

  The foundation awarded Kalamazoo College $23 million to establish the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.

  Aftermath

  The grant was described as the largest in the college’s history in the cited reference material.

  Grant amount. $23 million (2011)

  Source

1. 1Arcus Foundationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Arcus Foundation official websitearcusfoundation.org