To conserve birds, biodiversity and the natural habitats they depend on, and to use bird conservation as a tool to protect nature for people and the planet.
Birdlife International’s recent grantmaking is built around targeted conservation funding for threatened birds, with its Species Champions mechanism connecting donors to BirdLife Partners that deliver action on the ground. The largest recent awards all support bird conservation organizations in the United States, including National Audubon Society in New York and American Bird Conservancy in The Plains, Virginia. That pattern fits the organization’s stated aim of conserving birds, biodiversity, and the habitats they depend on, while using bird conservation as a tool for protecting nature for people and the planet. The foundation’s portfolio shows sustained support for species recovery and habitat protection rather than broad, unrestricted giving. Grants also reach conservation groups working on ecosystem restoration, marine and coastal conservation, agriculture and sustainable land use, climate and nature-based solutions, policy and advocacy, and youth engagement. Several grantees appear more than once across 2023 to 2025, which indicates repeat support within the same conservation relationships. Smaller awards sit alongside multi-hundred-thousand-dollar grants, suggesting a mix of major project funding and narrower conservation support under the same bird-focused strategy.
Species recovery is central to Birdlife International’s grantmaking. Through the Preventing Extinctions Programme, they support recovery actions for the world’s most threatened bird species; one recent grant went to Wildlife Conservation Society in Bronx, New York. Their work also extends to habitat protection and restoration, reflected in support for Missouri Botanic Gardens in St Louis, Missouri. The foundation’s conservation portfolio includes scientific and stewardship-oriented partners as well. NatureServe in Arlington, Virginia received a grant tied to this broader conservation agenda, while The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois was also funded. Birdlife International’s stated focus areas include ecosystem restoration, marine and coastal conservation, agriculture and sustainable land use, climate and nature-based solutions, policy and advocacy, and youth engagement, showing a program mix that spans species, habitat, and conservation planning.
$1.3M
$51.2M
$41.3M
$39.8M
Most grants fall between $51K and $1.2M, with a median of $397K.
25th Percentile
$51K
Median
$397K
75th Percentile
$1.2M
Martin Harper
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Birdlife International’s grant sizes range from small project awards to major grants, with a p25 of $51,116, a median of $397,372, and a p75 of $1,204,184. The recent record also shows repeat support: National Audubon Society, American Bird Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Missouri Botanic Gardens each received multiple grants across 2023 to 2025. The available program descriptions point to direct project funding and restricted, short-term support. One active mechanism, Species Champions, links donors with BirdLife Partners for targeted conservation action, and the Preventing Extinctions Programme works through species guardians rather than open solicitation. Unsolicited applications are not accepted in that program.
Recent grants are concentrated in the United States: all 15 grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients. Named recipient locations include New York, NY; The Plains, VA; Bronx, NY; St Louis, MO; Arlington, VA; Raleigh, NC; Lisle, IL; and Austin, TX. The largest cluster by name is in New York, with repeated grants to National Audubon Society and Wildlife Conservation Society. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the recent-grants table.
Birdlife International funds bird conservation work tied to species recovery, habitat protection, ecosystem restoration, marine and coastal conservation, agriculture and sustainable land use, climate and nature-based solutions, policy and advocacy, and youth engagement. Its active programs include Species Champions and the Preventing Extinctions Programme.
The Preventing Extinctions Programme does not accept unsolicited applications. Its description says the program pairs species champions with species guardians, indicating a relationship-based funding model rather than an open application process.
Recent grants show a p25 of $51,116, a median of $397,372, and a p75 of $1,204,184. The distribution includes both smaller project awards and seven-figure grants.
Yes. National Audubon Society, American Bird Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Missouri Botanic Gardens each appear more than once in the recent grants list, with awards in multiple years from 2023 to 2025.
In the recent-grants table, all 15 grants went to recipients in the United States. Recipient cities include New York, The Plains, Bronx, St Louis, Arlington, Raleigh, Lisle, and Austin.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Audubon Society | New York, NY | $1,052,213 | 2025 | — |
| Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx, NY | $178,549 | 2025 | — |
| Missouri Botanic Gardens | St Louis, MO | $42,411 | 2025 | — |
| Bat Conservation International Inc | Austin, TX | $6,765 | 2025 | — |
| National Audubon Society | New York, NY | $1,397,412 | 2024 | — |
| American Bird Conservancy | The Plains, VA | $1,149,578 | 2024 | — |
| Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx, NY | $397,372 | 2024 | — |
| Missouri Botanic Gardens | St Louis, MO | $54,291 | 2024 | — |
| NatureServe | Arlington, VA | $47,941 | 2024 | — |
| National Audubon Society | New York, NY | $2,775,672 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
| American Bird Conservancy | The Plains, VA | $1,258,791 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
| Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx, NY | $611,679 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
| Missouri Botanic Gardens | St Louis, MO | $173,166 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
| Friends of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences | Raleigh, NC | $21,367 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
| The Morton Arboretum | Lisle, IL | $14,101 | 2023 | Conservation Grant |
Friends of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences
$21,367Conservation Grant