Leiden Conservation Foundation is a highly focused conservation funder that concentrates almost all of its giving on species and wildlife protection, with a strong emphasis on cranes and endangered species programs internationally. The foundation provides substantial, repeated support to specialist conservation NGOs rather than a broad portfolio of causes, signaling preference for technical, species-specific work and international partnerships.
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a very small number of specialist grantees; repeat funding to the same organization(s) rather than many small or one-off grants.
Leiden Conservation Foundation’s recent giving is defined by one relationship: multi-year support for the International Crane Foundation. The foundation awarded that organization $181,650 in 2023, $365,362 in 2024, and $612,325 in 2025, making cranes the clearest throughline in its grant history. That pattern places species recovery, habitat work, and specialist conservation organizations at the center of the foundation’s portfolio. Beyond cranes, the foundation backs endangered-wildlife work with similarly targeted grants. It gave $83,400 to the Endangered Wildlife Trust in 2025 after supporting the group with $74,011 in 2023 and $53,220 in 2024, indicating continued funding for a conservation partner over several years. The broader mix includes wildlife organizations, zoo-based conservation efforts, and smaller grants to groups focused on threatened species. The recipient list shows a funder that prefers technical, mission-specific organizations rather than a broad mix of unrelated causes. Its annual grants totaled $1,536,345, while the latest 990 on file is 2025.
Cranes are the clearest focus. Leiden Conservation Foundation gave $612,325 to the International Crane Foundation in 2025, following earlier general support of $365,362 in 2024 and $181,650 in 2023. The foundation also supports endangered-species conservation through repeat funding. It awarded $83,400 to the Endangered Wildlife Trust in 2025 for general support, after grants of $74,011 in 2023 and $53,220 in 2024. Its wildlife portfolio reaches beyond one species group. The foundation gave $62,500 to Project Seahorse in 2023, showing interest in marine conservation alongside land-based species recovery. It also made grants to the Wildlife Conservation Network, Rwanda Wildlife Foundation, and Maralliance, which points to a mix of specialist NGOs and international wildlife work.
Leiden Conservation Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $9,550 at the median, and $60,180 at the 75th percentile. The pattern is highly concentrated: a small number of large grants account for much of the total, alongside a longer tail of modest awards. Recurring support is a defining feature. The International Crane Foundation and Endangered Wildlife Trust both appear across multiple years, showing that the foundation often sustains relationships rather than making only one-time gifts. The foundation is not a donor-advised fund and does not fund individuals. Grant purposes in the recent list are labeled general support.
$586K
$332K
$693K
$607K
Most grants fall between $5K and $60K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$60K
About 24% of grants go to recipients in CO.
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for Leiden Conservation Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 22 | $1.8M | 81.5% |
| 2 | South Africa |
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Notable grantees: International Crane Foundation, Endangered Wildlife Trust
Most grants go to U.S. recipients, which account for 77.3% of the recent list, while 24% of grants are to organizations in Ohio. Colorado appears repeatedly, including recipients in Colorado Springs and Hayden. Outside the United States, grants land in South Africa and Canada, with recipient locations including Midrand and Vancouver. The geographic pattern fits a national funder with a domestic base of support and a small set of international conservation partners.
It funds specialist conservation NGOs and wildlife organizations, with a strong emphasis on crane conservation, endangered species protection, habitat management, and international wildlife conservation. Recent recipients include the International Crane Foundation, Endangered Wildlife Trust, Project Seahorse, Wildlife Conservation Network, and Rwanda Wildlife Foundation.
Yes. The International Crane Foundation received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust also appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That shows sustained multi-year support rather than a one-off pattern.
Among recent grants, the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $9,550, and the 75th percentile is $60,180. The list includes both smaller awards, such as $1,000 and $2,000 gifts, and much larger grants above $600,000.
Its grantmaking is national, but the top state by grant count is Colorado. Recent recipient cities in Colorado include Colorado Springs and Hayden, alongside grants to organizations in several other U.S. states and a smaller number of international recipients.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are all organizational gifts, most listed as general support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 4 |
| $212K |
14.8% |
| 3 | Canada | 1 | $63K | 3.7% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION | BARABOO, WI | $452,013 | 2026 | VARIETY OF PROJECTS |
| ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST | SOUTH AFRICA, OH | $94,310 | 2026 | REGIONAL RESOUCE CENTER |
| NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY | SOUTH AFRICA, OH | $20,048 | 2026 | AFRICAN PENGUIN PROJECT |
| AKRON ZOO | AKRON, OH | $16,000 | 2026 | VARIETY OF PROJECTS |
| LION LANDSCAPES | UNITED KINGDOM TQ U, OH | $3,200 | 2026 | THE BIG GIVE |
| INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION | BARABOO, WI | $612,325 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST | MIDRAND | $83,400 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM | POWELL, OH | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION | HAYDEN, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LESHIA UPFOLD | WESTERN CAPE | $1,777 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION | BARABOO, WI | $365,362 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST | MIDRAND | $53,220 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION | HAYDEN, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SAVE GIRAFFES NOW | DALLAS, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CLEVELAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | CLEVELAND, OH | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| MARALLIANCE | HOUSTON, TX | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION | BARABOO, WI | $181,650 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST | MIDRAND | $74,011 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| PROJECT SEAHORSE | VANCOUVER | $62,500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $19,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NORTH CAROLINA ZOO | ASHEBORO, NC | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| BLACK SWAMP BIRD OBSERVATORY | OAK HARBOR, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| RWANDA WILDLIFE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $13,100 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION | HAYDEN, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| SAVE GIRAFFES NOW | DALLAS, TX | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| WESTERN RESERVE LAND CONSERVANCY | MORELAND HILLS, OH | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST
$94,310REGIONAL RESOUCE CENTER
NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY
$20,048AFRICAN PENGUIN PROJECT
AKRON ZOO
$16,000VARIETY OF PROJECTS
LION LANDSCAPES
$3,200THE BIG GIVE
INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION
$612,325GENERAL
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST
$83,400GENERAL
COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM
$6,000GENERAL
COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION
$5,000GENERAL
LESHIA UPFOLD
$1,777GENERAL
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST
$53,220GENERAL
COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION
$5,000GENERAL
SAVE GIRAFFES NOW
$5,000GENERAL
MARALLIANCE
$2,500GENERAL
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST
$74,011GENERAL
PROJECT SEAHORSE
$62,500GENERAL
NORTH CAROLINA ZOO
$15,000GENERAL
BLACK SWAMP BIRD OBSERVATORY
$15,000GENERAL
RWANDA WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
$13,100GENERAL
COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION
$5,000GENERAL
SAVE GIRAFFES NOW
$2,000GENERAL