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Washington, D.C. · Public charity

The Wilderness Society

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY works to protect america's public lands from threats like development and privatization, so wild places remain intact, accessible and available for future generations.

$1.6M
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
59
Itemized grants FY2025
77
Organizations funded FY2024
32%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Itemized, FY2025
$1.4M
The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
Median grant, FY2025
$15,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$150,000
Organizations funded a year
37 to 109
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
16
Total assets, FY2025
$127M

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 32% of the organizations The Wilderness Society funded were first-time grantees, receiving 23% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 77% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $527k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EnvironmentArts & CultureEducationAnimalsHuman ServicesYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving58$1.4M38%
FY202477$2.3M32%
FY202384$2.7M30%
FY2022109$3.6M50%
FY202177$3.0M56%
FY202046$1.5M41%
FY201960$1.9M60%
FY201837$1.5M65%
100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Environment$16MHuman Services$843kArts & Culture$317kAnimals$289kRecreation & Sports$40kPhilanthropy$35kCivil Rights$20kEducation$10kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

AK
ME
WA
ID
MT
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
NV
WY
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
CA
UT
CO
WV
VA
MD
AZ
NM
TN
NC
SC
DC
OK
GA
TX

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 275 grantees
All grantees of The Wilderness Society by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Wilderness Society Action Fund$1,974,500837%
Appalachian Mountain Club$990,00171%
The Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Seattle (6871)$833,00060%
Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions$785,500617%
Native American Rights Fund Inc$531,10471%
Keystone Center$398,95053%
GreenLatinos$358,25065%
International Sonoran Desert Alliance$336,000410%
Alaska Wilderness League$317,00046%
Resources for the Future Inc$311,22541%
Project for Clean Energy and Innovation co 38 North Solutions$299,000595%
Confederated Salish and Kootenai$293,5008n/a
Resources Legacy Fund$275,00060%
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Inc$271,00052%
National Association of Tribal Historic Officers Inc$263,000315%
Youth Outdoor Experience$234,850523%
Western Environmental Law Center$231,00052%
West Virginia Rivers Coalition Inc$230,000711%
Virginia Wilderness Committee$206,000755%
Outdoor Afro$190,40062%
Wilderness Workshop$190,00072%
Vet Voice Foundation Inc$185,00044%
Stand$175,00023%
High Country Conservation Advocates$170,000717%
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance$164,50042%
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards$150,000214%
Floodlight Inc$150,00036%
Nevada Conservation League Ed Fund$145,400215%
Friends of Valle de Oro Nwr$138,550782%
National Wildlife Federation$135,00060%
Taxpayers for Common Sense$135,00033%
Dolores River Boating Advocates$131,000412%
Center for Civic Policy$124,25052%
Nfria-Wserc Conservation Center Inc$113,000223%
Great Old Broads for Wilderness$110,00055%
Trout Unlimited Inc$100,00010%
Ndponics$96,000335%
Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia$95,0004n/a
Green 20$90,00052%
Naca-Inspired Schools Network$88,80031%
Greater Yellowstone Coalition$88,00041%
Glacier Peak Institute$87,00046%
Silvix Resources$85,000120%
The Sonoran Institute Inc$84,20051%
The Semilla Project$83,00023%
CalWild$82,00044%
Montana Wilderness Association$80,00031%
The Forest Stewards Guild$80,00021%
Risingroutes LLC$79,5003n/a
Western Colorado Alliance$72,50042%
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers$70,00031%
Native American Land Conservancy$70,0002n/a
Nature for All$68,00034%
Western Leaders Network$67,500419%
Wyoming Wilderness Association$66,50047%
Native Village of the Venetie Tribal Government$65,0001n/a
Wyoming Wildlife Federation$61,60045%
Division of Homeland Ministry$60,0004n/a
Conservation Economics Institute$60,000130%
Southwest Organizing Project$57,50032%
Wild Connections Inc$57,2092n/a
Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks$56,20049%
Washington Wild$56,00063%
Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters$55,25043%
Proyecto Pastoral$55,00021%
Native Movement$55,00031%
Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust Inc$55,00021%
Montana Wilderness School$55,00033%
Conservation Legacy$52,50030%
Environmental Coalition of South Seattle$51,59951%
Community Partners$51,51010%
Wabanaki Youth in Science Inc$51,00042%
Upper Valley Economic Council$50,0001n/a
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness$50,00012%
Chesapeake Conservancy Inc$50,00011%
Youth Experiential Training Institute$50,00046%
Conservation Nw$50,00012%
Nevada Wildlife Federation$50,000141%
Society of Environmental Journalists Inc$50,00023%
The Center For Native Health Inc$47,50031%
The Partnership Project Inc$47,00020%
Sublette Conservation Advocates$46,0002n/a
Alaska Community Action on Toxics$45,00011%
The Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance$45,00038%
Upper Gila Watershed Alliance$45,000312%
Grist Magazine Inc$44,00011%
Wild Earth Society Incorporated$43,50021%
Salmon Valley Stewardship Inc$43,50039%
The University of Montana Foundation$42,50020%
Rocky Mountain Wild$42,20034%
7G Foundation$42,000214%
Alliance for a Just Society$42,00020%
Heart of the Rockies Initiative$42,00022%
Southern Environmental Law Center$41,30030%
Community Initiatives$40,50020%
Swan Valley Connections$40,00022%
Eastern Woodland Lacross$40,00043%
Conservation Colorado Education Fund$40,00011%
Shivwits Band of Paiutes$40,0001n/a
Pacoima Beautiful$40,00030%
Environmental Learning for Kids$38,50022%
Greenfaith Inc$37,50021%
National Forest Foundation$37,00010%
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center$36,81315%
Western Organization of Resource Councils$36,50012%
Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center$36,000210%
Honor Water Inc$35,000123%
Virginia Organizing Inc$35,00020%
Northern Arapaho Tribe$35,0002n/a
Gwichin Steering Committee$35,00024%
Spatial Informatics Group Natural Assets Laboratory SIG-NAL$35,00013%
Continental Divide Trail Coalition$32,50021%
Health Equity Council$32,20031%
Sitka Conservation Society$31,00021%
Partners of Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness Inc$30,0001n/a
The Grand Canyon Trust Inc$30,00010%
Hispanic Access Foundation$30,00010%
Blackfeet Eco Knowledge$30,00015%
Northern Alaska Environmental Center$30,00031%
Rivers & Birds Inc$30,00039%
Nextgen Climate America Inc$30,00011%
American Indian Recruitment Programs$30,000242%
Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (See) Inc$30,00030%
Grand Staircase - Escalante Partners Inc$30,00023%
Headwaters Economics Inc$29,70011%
Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board$29,66722%
Regents of the University of California$29,6041n/a
Seattle Parks Foundation$28,90020%
Friends of Nevada Wilderness$28,50131%
Utah Dine Bikeyah$27,50022%
Center of Southwest Culture Inc$26,75030%
Western Colorado University Foundation$26,75020%
Wyoming Outdoor Council$26,55020%
Wabanaki Alliance$26,00025%
Winter Wildlands Alliance Inc$26,00022%
Native American Land Conservancy$25,3001n/a
Eagle Market Streets Development Co$25,1001n/a
National Wildlife Refuge Association$25,00011%
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center$25,00010%
Volcan Mountain Foundation$25,00014%
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe$25,0002n/a
Earthworks$25,00011%
Opencollective Foundation$25,00010%
Owens Valley Indian Water Commission$25,0001n/a
Piikani Lodge Health Institute$25,00021%
Sky Island Alliance$25,00012%
Sublette County Conservation District$25,0001n/a
Methow Valley Citizens Council$25,00022%
Blackfoot Challenge Inc$24,00022%
Better Wyoming$23,000226%
Rio Grande Community Development Co$22,65011%
First Presbyterian Church$22,5001n/a
Friends of Browns Canyon$21,5001n/a
Montana Racial Equity Project$20,50022%
American Whitewater$20,00011%
Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources$20,00013%
Georgia Forestwatch Inc$20,00019%
Elliotsville Foundation Inc$20,00010%
Amargosa Land Trust$20,00023%
New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department$20,0002n/a
Californians for Clean Water and Safe Parks Sponsored by Conservation Groups$20,00010%
Children's Environmental Health Network$20,00021%
NM Comunidades En Accion Y De Fe$20,00012%
Environment America Inc$20,00010%
Forward Wyoming$20,000236%
New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light$20,000114%
Native Americans in Philanthropy$20,00011%
Sustainable Markets Foundation$20,00010%
Yurok Tribe$20,0001n/a
American Rivers Inc$20,00010%
Western Resource Advocates$20,00010%
City Kids to Wilderness Project Inc$20,00011%
Friends of Avi Kwa Ame$20,0001n/a
Landberry Limited$20,000115%
Latino Community Fund of Washington State$20,00020%
Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee Consortium$20,00014%
Chevon Powell$19,0002n/a
California Environmental Voters Education Fund$18,00011%
The Chaparral Lands Conservancy$17,00014%
Lincoln Public Schools Dist #38$17,0002n/a
Sierra Club Foundation$17,00010%
The Trust for Public Land$16,00010%
Citizens Committee to Save Our$15,00014%
Living Rivers$15,00016%
Kumeyaay Diegueno Land Conservancy$15,000127%
US Climate Action Network$15,00011%
New Mexico Community Capital$15,00010%
Environmental Science Center$15,00013%
Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust$15,000110%
DTWO LTD DBA Awana Digital$15,00011%
Make The Road States Inc$15,0001n/a
Protect Our Winters$15,00010%
Coalition to Protect Americas National$15,00013%
Indigenous Roots & Reparation Fnd$15,000110%
Arizona Ecumenical Council$15,00011%
New Mexico Wildlife Federation$15,00011%
King County Parks for All$15,0001n/a
Asheville GreenWorks$15,00012%
Friends of Rio Grande del Norte$15,0001n/a
Equality State Policy Center$15,00013%
Tataviam Land Conservancy$15,00011%
Oregon Natural Desert Association$15,00011%
MountainTrue$15,00011%
Southeast Alaska Conservation Council Inc-SEACC$14,50021%
Friends of Plumas Wilderness$14,5001n/a
Partnership for Community Action$14,10021%
Justice Outside$14,00010%
Environmental Leadership Program Inc$13,33320%
Pinehurst Community Action$13,0001n/a
Natural Resources Defense Council Inc$12,90020%
City Parks Alliance Inc$12,50011%
University of Arizona Foundation$12,00020%
Defenders of Wildlife$12,00010%
Amigos de Los Rios$12,00011%
Midwest Academy$11,00011%
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Foundation Inc$10,30020%
Atabey Outdoors$10,00016%
Conejos County Clean Water Inc$10,00013%
Badger Creek Consulting$10,0001n/a
Sierra Business Council$10,0001n/a
Conserve Southwest Utah$10,00014%
Sierra Club$10,00010%
The Ohio Environmental Council$10,00010%
Flowers and Bullets$10,00014%
Idaho Conservation League Inc$10,00010%
Alaska Conservation Foundation$10,00010%
Wildearth Guardians$10,00010%
The Conservation Alliance$10,00010%
Greater Gallatin United Way Inc$10,00010%
Rep Environmental Education Foundation$10,00015%
Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project$10,00011%
Sunnyside Unified School District Foundation$10,00011%
Native American Journalists Association$10,00011%
Los Padres Forestwatch Inc$10,00012%
Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and Ecology$10,0001n/a
Dominquez Archaeological Research Group$10,000112%
Teton Science Schools Inc$10,00010%
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation$10,0001n/a
The Frontera Land Alliance$10,00013%
The Colorado Mountain Club$10,00010%
Upper Pecos Watershed Association$10,00012%
Sun Valley Institute for Resilience$10,00011%
Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance$10,0001n/a
Tucson Clean & Beautiful Inc$10,00011%
Cascadia Conservation District$10,0001n/a
Friends of the Heinz Wildlife Refuge$10,000110%
Council for the Arts Inc Lincoln Mt Eighth Ave$10,0001n/a
St James Episcopal Church$10,0001n/a
Save the Sound$10,00010%
Heart of the Gila Inc$10,00018%
Ccthita$10,0001n/a
Federation of State Conservation Voter Leagues$10,00011%
Nikwasi Initiative$10,00014%
Favor Celestial for Community Development$10,0001n/a
Dirt Concern - Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association$10,0001n/a
Californians for Safe Drinking Water and Wildfire Prevention$9,500125%
San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council Inc$9,000112%
Archaeology Southwest$8,50010%
Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program$8,40011%
Progressnow New Mexico Education Fund$8,00011%
Aapi Equity Alliance$8,00013%
National Parks Conservation Association$7,50010%
Dine Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment$7,50011%
Environmental Education Assoc of Nm$7,500110%
Cactustocloud Institute$7,50016%
League of Conservation Voters Inc$7,50010%
Earthtone Outside Mt$7,5001n/a
7 Directions of Service Inc$7,0001n/a
The Service Board$6,50011%
Latinos Aventureros Corporation$6,500111%
Friends of the Bridger-Teton$5,75010%
North Cascades Institute$5,50010%
Maine Conservation Alliance$5,30010%
Regents of the University of Michigan$5,0001n/a
Washington Trails Association$5,00010%

Plus 1 recipient with no EIN on record ($10k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

The Wilderness Society supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 11 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 200 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetWilderness Society Action Fund: $1,974,500 over 8y, 37% of budgetAppalachian Mountain Club: $990,001 over 7y, 0.8% of budgetThe Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Seattle (6871): $833,000 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetCottonwood Gulch Expeditions: $785,500 over 6y, 17% of budgetNative American Rights Fund Inc: $531,104 over 7y, 0.8% of budgetKeystone Center: $398,950 over 5y, 2.7% of budgetGreenLatinos: $358,250 over 6y, 5.0% of budgetInternational Sonoran Desert Alliance: $336,000 over 4y, 10% of budgetAlaska Wilderness League: $317,000 over 4y, 5.5% of budgetResources for the Future Inc: $311,225 over 4y, 1.2% of budgetProject for Clean Energy and Innovation co 38 North Solutions: $299,000 over 5y, 95% of budgetResources Legacy Fund: $275,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetTheodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Inc: $271,000 over 5y, 1.5% of budgetNational Association of Tribal Historic Officers Inc: $263,000 over 3y, 15% of budgetYouth Outdoor Experience: $234,850 over 5y, 23% of budgetWestern Environmental Law Center: $231,000 over 5y, 2.0% of budgetWest Virginia Rivers Coalition Inc: $230,000 over 7y, 11% of budgetVirginia Wilderness Committee: $206,000 over 7y, 55% of budgetOutdoor Afro: $190,400 over 6y, 2.3% of budgetWilderness Workshop: $190,000 over 7y, 1.8% of budgetVet Voice Foundation Inc: $185,000 over 4y, 4.2% of budgetStand: $175,000 over 2y, 2.9% of budgetHigh Country Conservation Advocates: $170,000 over 7y, 17% of budgetNew Mexico Wilderness Alliance: $164,500 over 4y, 2.3% of budgetSouthern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards: $150,000 over 2y, 14% of budgetFloodlight Inc: $150,000 over 3y, 5.6% of budgetNevada Conservation League Ed Fund: $145,400 over 2y, 15% of budgetFriends of Valle de Oro Nwr: $138,550 over 7y, 82% of budgetNational Wildlife Federation: $135,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTaxpayers for Common Sense: $135,000 over 3y, 3.2% of budgetDolores River Boating Advocates: $131,000 over 4y, 12% of budgetCenter for Civic Policy: $124,250 over 5y, 2.2% of budgetNfria-Wserc Conservation Center Inc: $113,000 over 2y, 23% of budgetGreat Old Broads for Wilderness: $110,000 over 5y, 5.1% of budgetTrout Unlimited Inc: $100,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNdponics: $96,000 over 3y, 35% of budgetGreen 20: $90,000 over 5y, 2.5% of budgetNaca-Inspired Schools Network: $88,800 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetGreater Yellowstone Coalition: $88,000 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetGlacier Peak Institute: $87,000 over 4y, 6.0% of budgetSilvix Resources: $85,000 over 1y, 20% of budgetThe Sonoran Institute Inc: $84,200 over 5y, 0.8% of budgetThe Semilla Project: $83,000 over 2y, 2.7% of budgetCalWild: $82,000 over 4y, 3.7% of budgetMontana Wilderness Association: $80,000 over 3y, 1.3% of budgetThe Forest Stewards Guild: $80,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetWestern Colorado Alliance: $72,500 over 4y, 2.4% of budgetBackcountry Hunters & Anglers: $70,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 200.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Resources Legacy FundCA116.4× affinity68 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Resources Legacy Fund · Western Conservation Foundation · Patagoniaorg · The Pew Charitable Trusts · Conservation Lands Foundation · Wilburforce Foundation · National Forest Foundation · Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated · Natural Resources Defense Council Inc · The Schmidt Family Foundation · The New-Land Foundation Inc · Maki Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare The Wilderness Society with peer funders

About The Wilderness Society

How much does The Wilderness Society give?
The Wilderness Society reported 59 itemized grants totaling $1,391,215, out of $1,587,686 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 37 and 109 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does The Wilderness Society fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Environment (91%), Human Services (5%), Arts & Culture (2%).
Who are The Wilderness Society's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Wilderness Society Action Fund ($2.0M), Appalachian Mountain Club ($990k), The Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Seattle (6871) ($833k).
Does The Wilderness Society fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 32% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Wilderness Society?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Resources Legacy Fund, Western Conservation Foundation, Patagoniaorg.
Where is The Wilderness Society based?
The Wilderness Society is based in DC.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 282 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Wilderness Society’s filings →

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