The Lily Pad Fund for Nature directs all of its recorded giving to a single conservation organization, providing unrestricted operating support to Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves. Their grants indicate a focused commitment to land and biodiversity protection at the state level rather than a diversified national portfolio. The foundation appears to prioritize long-term stability for a trusted conservation partner through repeat, general-purpose funding.
Highly concentrated: all funding went to one repeat grantee (three grants) as general/unrestricted support rather than distributed across many organizations or project-specific initiatives.
Lily Pad Fund for Nature’s recorded giving is anchored by repeated unrestricted support for Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, including a $40,000 grant in 2025 and two $30,800 grants in 2024 and 2023. That pattern points to a funder that values continuity and operating stability for conservation work rather than a broad mix of causes. The foundation also extends smaller grants to conservation groups working on species protection, habitat management, and on-the-ground conservation tools. Its recent awards include support for an Andean cat partner fund, a cheetah livestock-protection effort in Botswana, and a fencing project tied to Path of Panther. Alongside those wildlife-focused grants, the foundation has funded a tool lending program for conservation clusters and general support for Prairie Enthusiasts Inc. The overall picture is a small foundation with a narrow, conservation-centered portfolio and a clear preference for practical, general-purpose funding to organizations that manage land, protect habitat, or support field conservation infrastructure.
The foundation’s strongest pattern is state-level land conservation in Illinois. Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves received a $40,000 general and unrestricted grant in 2025, following two prior grants of $30,800 in 2024 and 2023. Beyond that core relationship, the funder backs wildlife conservation programs with direct field applications. Wildlife Conservation Network Inc received $5,435 for the Andean Cat partner fund and another $5,435 for a cheetah live guard dog project in Botswana. It also supported Sky Island Alliance with $5,000 for Path of Panther fencing, a project tied to human-wildlife conflict mitigation. A separate line of support goes to conservation infrastructure: The Stewardship Network received $5,000 to establish a tool lending program for TSN Clusters, including tool purchases, tracking, distribution, and administration costs.
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $5,000, a median of $5,435, and a p75 of $30,800. The pattern is concentrated rather than diversified: one organization appears across multiple years, while several smaller grants go to different conservation groups. The foundation is not recorded as making program-related investments and does not fund individuals. Its recent grants are all general support or project support, with no evidence in the data of an application process or open solicitation.
$62K
$2.3M
$134K
$78K
Most grants fall between $5K and $31K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$31K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Notable grantees: Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves
All recorded grants go to U.S. recipients. Illinois appears most often, led by Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves in DeKalb and Northbrook. Other recipient cities include San Francisco, Ann Arbor, Tucson, and Viroqua. Although the foundation is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, none of the recorded grants go to Delaware recipients.
Its recorded giving centers on conservation: Illinois land preservation, wildlife protection projects, and conservation infrastructure. The grants include unrestricted support for Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, a partner fund for the Andean cat, fencing for Path of Panther, and a tool lending program for conservation clusters.
The middle of its grant distribution is small and practical. The p25 is $5,000, the median is $5,435, and the p75 is $30,800. That spread reflects a mix of modest project grants and a larger recurring general-support grant.
Yes. Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves appears in three consecutive years: $30,800 in 2023, $30,800 in 2024, and $40,000 in 2025. The Stewardship Network also received support in both 2024 and 2025.
All recorded grants are to U.S. organizations. Illinois is the most frequent recipient state, with grants to DeKalb, Northbrook, and Viroqua appearing in the data. Other recipient cities include San Francisco, Ann Arbor, and Tucson.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRIENDS OF ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVES | DEKALB, IL | $40,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,435 | 2025 | Andean Cat partner fund |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,435 | 2025 | Cheetah live guard dog -Botswana |
| THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | funds to establish a tool lending program for TSN Clusters which includes purchase of tools, setting up tracking and distribution of the tools, and administration costs |
| SKY ISLAND ALLIANCE | TUCSON, AZ | $5,000 | 2025 | Funding for Path of Panther fencing |
| PRAIRIE ENTHUSIASTS INC | VIROQUA, WI | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FRIENDS OF ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVES | DEKALB, IL | $30,800 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | tool lending program for TSN Clusters |
| FRIENDS OF ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVES | NORTHBROOK, IL | $30,800 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
funds to establish a tool lending program for TSN Clusters which includes purchase of tools, setting up tracking and distribution of the tools, and administration costs
Funding for Path of Panther fencing
PRAIRIE ENTHUSIASTS INC
$1,000General & Unrestricted