About Western Conservation Foundation
Building leaders to protect the West’s land, air, and water. Western Conservation Foundation provides grants to non-profits to support public education activities and efforts to build leaders among a broad spectrum of Westerners who work, live, and play in the outdoors.
Focus Areas
ConservationEnvironmental educationLeadership developmentWestern United States ecosystems
Funding Style
education/programmatic grantsproject-based/restricted fundingdonor-advised fundingpublic outreach and awareness support
Topics
conservation educationenvironmental stewardship trainingclean energy education
About Western Conservation Foundation
Western Conservation Foundation’s recent grantmaking is centered on public education and leadership-building for people working, living, and recreating in the West. Its invitation-only grants support nonprofits that advance conservation goals tied to land, air, and water, with an emphasis on building leaders among Western communities. The foundation also funds clean energy education, showing that its work is not limited to traditional land conservation. Recent grants show a mix of regional and national partners. National Wildlife Federation received $362,500 in 2023 and $221,216 in 2025, while Western Conservation Action received $350,000 in 2023, $345,000 in 2024, and $310,000 in 2025. Other large awards went to Vet Voice Foundation, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Arizona Wildlife Federation, and Western Resource Advocates. The recurrence of several organizations across multiple years points to sustained support rather than isolated awards. The foundation’s giving is structured around nonprofit education and advocacy work, with grant purposes repeatedly tied to conservation education, public outreach, and leadership development.
What Western Conservation Foundation Funds
Conservation education is a core theme. The foundation gave $362,500 to National Wildlife Federation for conservation education and $177,000 to Western Resource Advocates for conservation education. It also supported Western Conservation Action with $345,000 in 2024 for conservation education. Clean energy education is another visible area. League of Conservation Voters Education Fund received $178,440 in 2025 for clean energy education, and Mountain Mamas received $167,500 in 2025 for clean energy education. Arizona Interfaith Power & Light also received $160,000 in 2023 for clean energy education. The grant list also includes support for Western-facing conservation advocacy and outreach. New Mexico Wilderness Alliance received $282,300 in 2025 for conservation education, while Indigenous Voices of Nevada received $195,000 in 2023 for conservation education and $158,137 in 2025 for conservation education.
How Western Conservation Foundation Gives
Western Conservation Foundation’s typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $102,500 at the 75th percentile, though many recent awards are much larger than the median. The pattern in the recent grants list suggests repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including several recipients with follow-on awards in 2024 and 2025. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Grantmaking is by invitation only, with general operating and program support used in the active grant programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$7.6M
Total Assets
$8.1M
Total Revenue
$14.6M
Total Expenses
$14.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $103K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$103K
Geographic Reach
National17 states funded
About 19% of grants go to recipients in DC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BRENDON CECHOVIC
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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