The New England Biolabs Foundation is a private foundation whose mission is to foster community-based conservation of landscapes and seascapes and the bio-cultural diversity found in these places. It believes that their natural and cultural values are inextricably linked, and that indigenous and local communities should play a fundamental role in their stewardship.

The foundation was established in 1982 by the founder of New England Biolabs, Inc., Donald Comb. A molecular biologist, Don is inspired by the diversity of life on Earth and the power of local community. Don created the foundation with the simple, yet powerful premise, that by thoughtfully investing in the work of people living and working in areas of high biodiversity, they can make an important contribution to conservation.

With this as a guide, the foundation seeks to encourage community-based projects in regions of the world where small contributions can have the greatest impact. The foundation does this primarily through grant making, but also complement this support with capacity-building opportunities to long-term grantees through workshops offered by partner organizations, Creative Action Institute (home of ArtCorps), as well as other professional development opportunities.

Through the grants program it provides financial support in the form of small project grants to grassroots organizations and other NGOs in selected countries in Central America, Andean South America, and West Africa. In addition, in support of the local roots, it also provides grants for community-based conservation and cultural projects in coastal communities on the North Shore of Massachusetts. As part of a strategic planning process initiated last year, the foundation have begun to identify target landscapes and seascapes within their current areas of geographic focus. These are listed underGeographic Focus. 

The foundation's maximum international grant size is $10,000, with grants typically ranging from $3,000 to $8,000. Local grants range from $2,500 to $5,000.