The National Security Fund
The National Security Fund scales proven solutions at the intersection of climate and national security. We deploy philanthropic capital as non-dilutive, strategic financing to help projects cross the final mile to institutional investment. Our goal: mobilize $500 million by 2030 to accelerate infrastructure, energy, and supply chain resilience—without relying on public budgets.
America’s defense no longer depends on weapons alone. It depends on grid resilience, energy capacity, and industrial strength. Supplying the energy the nation needs is intensifying, with total U.S. electricity consumption projected to rise 15% by 2030. Meanwhile, U.S. shipyards now produce less than 1% of the world’s vessels. Revitalizing domestic capacity is a security imperative. The U.S. also processes less than 5% of the world’s critical minerals domestically, leaving energy, defense, and manufacturing sectors vulnerable to supply disruptions and foreign control. Yet many of these projects—whether commercial, government, or dual-use—don’t fit traditional capital models.
These opportunities often fall outside typical investment categories—either perceived as too low-tech or too deep-tech—or investors perceive themselves as lacking government sector-specific expertise. These investments sit in a blind spot: beyond the scope of government grants and often fall short of the standards for institutional investment. That’s where we come in.
We fund technically validated, commercially operating solutions that are ready for institutional investment but blocked by one final deployment. Our capital is short-term, milestone-based, and designed to be repaid and recycled. We don’t fund R&D or prototypes—we fund the project that proves the model at scale. Each project must be able to demonstrate its performance, its climate benefit, and why this deployment unlocks the next five or ten. We typically invest in projects, not companies, and structure repayment within 36 months.
Led by Deborah Loomis and Steve Brock—who together managed over $1.5 billion in climate investment across the Navy and DoD—our team moves fast and works directly with federal agencies, institutional investors, and technical experts to structure deals that scale.
We’ve launched with initial capital and an expanding portfolio. Current projects under review include:
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Restarting a multi-gigawatt nuclear facility that unlocks institutional financing for America's next generation of clean baseload power
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Modernizing U.S. shipyards to meet emissions and capacity goals
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Building grid-independent energy infrastructure for defense installations
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Scaling regenerative land use to protect water near key bases
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Financing U.S.-flagged hybrid-fuel vessels to strengthen sealift capacity
These are not small interventions—this is institutional philanthropy deployed at the scale of national security. Each project is structured for return and reinvestment, with no profit requirement—just repayment and reinvestment. This recycling of capital is fundamental to our model. It maximizes impact by allowing every dollar to support multiple projects, drives self-sustainability by reducing dependence on new funding, and enables continuous scaling. The more capital we recover, the more we can deploy—again and again—to address urgent national security priorities. By 2040, our model could help prevent over 1 gigaton of CO₂ emissions while unlocking billions in institutional capital toward national security infrastructure.
How to Learn More
We continue to source and structure projects that enhance national resilience. To learn more about our work or explore opportunities for collaboration, attend the National Security Salon—a private forum for institutional investors, agencies, and innovators shaping this space.
Footnotes:
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The Age of Modern Public Good refers to the era of modern philanthropy and foundation development, beginning around 1900. This period saw an unprecedented rise in large-scale philanthropic giving, primarily led by industrial magnates who established foundations to address systemic societal challenges. The Carnegie Corporation, founded in 1911, focused on education and scientific research, leading to the creation of over 2,500 public libraries. The Rockefeller Foundation, established in 1913, played a pivotal role in funding medical research, including the development of the yellow fever vaccine. During this time, philanthropy supported the establishment of institutions like the National Academy of Sciences, the University of Chicago, and the development of early public health infrastructure. These large, transformative grants reshaped public education, healthcare, and scientific innovation, setting a precedent for modern philanthropy. This period saw the establishment of major philanthropic institutions that played a pivotal role in funding scientific, educational, and social advancements.
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Examples include the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations, which funded universities, medical research institutions, and public libraries; the Guggenheim Foundation, which supported early aerospace research; the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which advanced biomedical research; and the Ford Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which contributed to breakthroughs in physics, computer science, and industrial engineering.
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The $28,000 average grant figure is based on data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS)and Candid (formerly the Foundation Center), which track U.S. foundation giving trends.