Paul Brainerd

Brainerd was born in Medford, Oregon, to Phillip and Leta VerNetta (née Swarstley) Brainerd. He attended the University of Oregon, where he received his B.A.in business administration and was the editor for the school's paper, the Oregon Daily Emerald. Following graduation, he worked at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He received an M.S. in journalism from the University of Minnesota.

Brainerd died at his home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, on February 15, 2026, at the age of 78.

In 1995, Brainerd founded the Brainerd Foundation, a small family foundation that provides innovative grantmaking to Pacific Northwest communities and nonprofits to build a lasting conservation ethic at the local, state, and federal level.

Brainerd founded Social Ventures Partners (SVP) in 1997. The organization works by matching philanthropists, who provide funding and mentorship, with local community organizations. By 2017, the organization consisted of 3,500 venture philanthropists in 43 cities and nine countries. The group's collective investments total more than $63 million in over 800 organizations.

In 2000, Paul Brainerd founded Islandwood, an environmental learning center created to improve access to meaningful, nature-based learning experiences for the region's children. The center is located on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

In 2018, Brainerd founded Camp Glenorchy, an accommodation provider that operates in Glenorchy, New Zealand. Camp Glenorchy is designed, built, engineered and operated in line with the philosophy and principles of the Living Building Challenge, a sustainability standard for buildings. The establishment of the camp was controversial with the local community.