About Wilderness Society
Uniting people to protect America’s wild places.
Focus Areas
Public lands protectionWilderness designationClimate change mitigation via land protectionOld-growth forest conservationEnvironmental justice and access to natureAdvocacy, policy and science
Who They Fund
ecosystems and wildlife populationsconserved land parcels/protected areasconservation NGOs and land trusts
Funding Style
project-specific grantsrestricted/project-based fundingimplementation-focused support
About Wilderness Society
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY is based in Washington, DC. It gave $14,856,338 in annual grants in the latest 990 year on file (2025) and reported $119,089,723 in total assets. Its giving is national, with grantmaking centered on public lands protection, wilderness designation, climate change mitigation via land protection, old-growth forest conservation, environmental justice and access to nature, and advocacy, policy, and science. The foundation does not fund individuals and is listed as a Pure DAF Provider. Recent grants show project-based support to conservation organizations and related public-interest groups. Among the largest recent awards are $320,000 to THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY ACTION FUND, $213,300 to COTTONWOOD GULCH EXPEDITIONS, and $183,000 to THE INTERNATIONAL SONORAN DESERT ALLIANCE. Other sizable grants include $176,000 to APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB, $160,024 to RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE, and $156,104 to NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND. The reported typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile, though recent project grants are often much larger. Its recent grantmaking appears focused on conservation projects tied to land, habitat, and protected areas.
What Wilderness Society Funds
Recent grantmaking spans land conservation, protected area creation and expansion, biodiversity and species protection, and ecosystem management and stewardship. Notable grants include $320,000 to THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY ACTION FUND for conservation projects, $213,300 to COTTONWOOD GULCH EXPEDITIONS for conservation projects, and $183,000 to THE INTERNATIONAL SONORAN DESERT ALLIANCE for conservation projects. Other recent awards support APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB, RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE, NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND, GREEN LATINOS, and WESTERN ENVRONMENTAL LAW CENTER, all listed for conservation projects. The grant descriptions provided are consistently project-based rather than general operating support.
How Wilderness Society Gives
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY makes restricted, project-based grants and the recent records identify conservation projects as the stated purpose. The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants are often larger than the median, including awards of $320,000, $213,300, $183,000, and $176,000. It does not fund individuals. The foundation’s giving is national and its recent awards show repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.3M
Total Assets
$119.1M
Total Revenue
$42M
Total Expenses
$43.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$30K
Geographic Reach
National29 states funded
About 8% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
TRACY STONE-MANNING
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