About Sand County Foundation
Sand County Foundation is a national nonprofit conservation organization equipping farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners with conservation data and reliable examples to guide ethical land management and advance soil health, water conservation, and wildlife habitat.
Focus Areas
soil healthwater quality / water conservationwildlife habitatregenerative agriculturefarmer and rancher outreach & mentorshippollinator habitat educationwatershed partnershipsperformance-based conservation
Who They Fund
farmers and agricultural producersprivate landowners/conservation-minded landownerspolicy organizations and advocates focused on conservation
About Sand County Foundation
A $5.6 million general-purpose grant to the Environmental Policy Innovation Center in 2025 stands out in The Sand County Foundation Inc’s recent record and shows that the funder supports both field-based conservation and policy-oriented work. The foundation backs work tied to soil health, water resources, wildlife habitat, agricultural conservation, and conservation policy, with recent grants ranging from university projects and water-data prizes to recognition awards for working land stewards. Its grantmaking includes a mix of recurring support and program-specific awards. The Leopold Conservation Award appears across multiple years and states, and the recent grants list also includes support for conservation-policy organizations such as Alliance for the Great Lakes and River Network. On the research and innovation side, grants to the Regents of the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin System point to interest in applied conservation knowledge. The foundation’s structure is visible in its blend of general-purpose awards, contracts, and named programs rather than a single grantmaking model.
What Sand County Foundation Funds
In conservation policy and advocacy, The Sand County Foundation Inc gave $230,000 to Alliance for the Great Lakes for conservation policy and influence, then $150,000 to River Network for the same purpose. That pattern sits alongside grantmaking that supports organizations working on water and land stewardship at a systems level. Its water-data work is also explicit: Cdm Smith Inc received $50,000 for a water data prize, and Raftelis Financial Consultants Inc received $10,000 for the same category. The foundation also funded Ketos Inc and New Jersey Future Inc through water-data prize grants in the recent record. On agricultural conservation, the Regents of the University of Minnesota received $63,258, and Stemper Hay & Grain received $10,980. Those grants align with the foundation’s stated interest in on-farm conservation practices, soil health, and producer outreach. Recognition-based conservation is another thread, through the Leopold Conservation Award for farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who manage soil, water, and habitat on working land.
How Sand County Foundation Gives
Typical grants are tightly clustered: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are $10,000, $10,000, and $13,000. That means many awards sit at a standard level, even though occasional larger grants appear in the record. The foundation’s model combines invited grants and contracts with a few programs that accept applications, including the Leopold Conservation Award and Pollinator Habitat Grants. Recurring support is visible in the recent record, including multiple years of grants to the Environmental Policy Innovation Center and repeated awards tied to award programs and partner-driven work. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.8M
Total Assets
$12.9M
Total Revenue
$4.1M
Total Expenses
$9.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $13K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$13K
Geographic Reach
National21 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
KEVIN MCALEESE
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Sand County Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime