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Wilson Conservation Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

Wilson Conservation Trust

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$47k
Granted FY2025still arriving
28
Grants FY2025still arriving
13
States reached
$5k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Environment$151kAnimals$92kArts & Culture$13kScience & Tech$10kFood & Nutrition$5kPhilanthropy$5kRecreation & Sports$4kOther$0
02FY2025 · 28 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$1,000
Median grant
13
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Panthera Corp$5,000
Colorado Fourteeners Initiative$5,000
Ocean Conservancy Inc$5,000
Finch Research Network$5,000
Grand Canyon Trust$5,000
Phillippi Crest Club Inc$1,500
Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Ct$1,000
Conservation Law Foundation$1,000
Oyster River Ecology$1,000
Elberta Labor Heritage Center$1,000
Friends of MVY Radio$1,000
Tin Mountain Conservation Ctr$1,000
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch$1,000
Schlitz Audobon Nature Center$1,000
National Loon Center$1,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY25–25, $1k) land where the poverty rate runs at 18%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%Biotecture Planet Earth: $1k → 18%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
VT
NH
WA
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
CA
CO
VA
AZ
NM
DC
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 6% of Wilson Conservation Trust’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

Wilson Conservation Trustlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 3.5% directed abroad (not shown)
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

38%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$105k · 8 repeat orgs$172k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +11% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

8 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2025, 2 since wound down; 22 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

8
23

Total granted

$105k
$135k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+11%
0%

Still filing today

88%
57%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 19% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $38k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
EnvironmentAnimalsRecreation & SportsArts & CultureEducationInternationalOther
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.

Backed again, and grew

  • WI
    WSLR INC
    3× · 2020–2023 · $11k · revenue +156%
  • TV
    THE VERMONT CENTER FOR ECOSTUDIES INC
    3× · 2020–2025 · $11k · revenue +11%
  • AB
    AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION
    2× · 2024–2025 · $9k · revenue +4%

Funded once

  • MC
    MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE
    one grant, 2023 · $10k · revenue -11%
  • CO
    College of William Mary
    one grant, 2023 · $10k
  • CH
    CONSERVATION HISTORY ASSOCIATION OF TX
    one grant, 2021 · $10k · revenue -81%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Maine Audubon Society

Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine's wildlife and habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation, and action. We are helping the people of Maine become the nation's most informed and effective stewards of wildlife and…

Environment
2
World Wildlife Fund Inc

Wwf's mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on earth. (continued on schedule o)

Environment
3
Nature Collective

Nature collective's mission is to drive a passion for nature for all. we think inclusively and diversely when serving those devoid of nature those who remember nature and want to connect back to it and those who have an affinity with…

Environment
4
Wildcoast

The mission of wildcoast is to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and address climate change through natural solutions. our staff is dedicated to conserving threatened and endangered coastlines and wildlife in california and mexico.…

Environment
5
Rainforest Trust

Rainforest trust saves endangered wildlife and protects our planet by creating rainforest reserves through partnerships, community engagement, and donor support.

International
6
Conservation International Foundation

Ci works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.

Environment
7
California Institute of Environmental Studies

The institute is dedicated to scientific research, the results of which are used to promote public awareness and education in the areas of conservation biology and ecology,including the wise use of natural resources.

Animals
8
National Audubon Society Inc

We work towards a future where birds thrive across the americas because audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation. (continued on schedule o).

Environment
9
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program Inc

Coastal bend bays & estuaries program is dedicated to protecting and restoring bays and estuaries of the texas coastal bend. coastal bend bays and estuaries remain a vital part of the environmental and economic landscape by preserving and…

Environment
10
Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities.

Animals
11
Florida Wildlife Federation

To safeguard Florida's water, wildlife, and wild spaces by taking action today to prevent irreversible loss tomorrow.

Animals
12
Wetlands Foundation
Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Vermont Center for Ecostudies Inc; the most unlike its peers is Elberta Labor Heritage Center. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

38 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 38 of the 54 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
11
Early backer (in before they grew)
37/38
Grantees still filing
17/38
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SARASOTA AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $40,026 · OtherSARASOTA AUDUBON SOCIETY INCPARKLANDS FOUNDATION INC: $12,000 · OtherPARKLANDS FOUNDATION INCCollege of William Mary: $10,000 · OtherCollege of William MaryFINCH RESEARCH NETWORK INC: $10,000 · OtherFINCH RESEARCH NETWORK INCFriends of the Boundary Waters: $10,000 · OtherFriends of the Boundary WatersRocky Mountain Field Institute Inc: $5,000 · OtherClearwater Marine Aquarium Research: $5,000 · OtherRare Species Conservation Fdn: $5,000 · OtherThe Story of Stuff: $5,000 · OtherEaton Conservation Commission: $5,000 · OtherAdirondack Center for Loon Conserva: $5,000 · OtherWORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE: $5,000 · Other+9 more: $15,000 · Other+9 moreTHE VERMONT CENTER FOR ECOSTUDIES INC: $11,000 · EnvironmentTHE VERMONT CENTER FOR ECOS…OYSTER RIVER ECOLOGY INC: $6,000 · EnvironmentOYSTER RIVER ECOLOGY INCThe Ocean Foundation: $5,000 · EnvironmentThe Ocean FoundationTHE GRAND CANYON TRUST INC: $5,000 · EnvironmentTHE GRAND CANYON TRUST INCFriends of Saguaro National Park: $5,000 · EnvironmentFriends of Saguaro National…AVIAN RESEARCH & CONSERVATION INSTITUTE INC: $5,000 · EnvironmentAVIAN RESEARCH & CONSERVATI…Wild Farm Alliance: $5,000 · EnvironmentWild Farm AllianceTravis Audubon Society Inc: $5,000 · EnvironmentTravis Audubon Society IncOCEAN CONSERVANCY: $5,000 · EnvironmentOCEAN CONSERVANCYCLEAN AIR TASK FORCE INC: $5,000 · EnvironmentCLEAN AIR TASK FORCE INCMASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $4,000 · EnvironmentMASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIE…+7 more: $7,000 · Environment+7 moreCENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY INC: $10,000 · AnimalsCENTER FOR B…AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION: $8,500 · AnimalsAMERICAN BIR…SAVE OUR SEABIRDS INC: $6,000 · AnimalsSAVE OUR SEA…PANTHERA CORPORATION: $5,000 · AnimalsPANTHERA COR…+2 more: $1,500 · AnimalsMARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE: $10,000 · EducationCONSERVATION HISTORY ASSOCIATION OF TX: $10,000 · EducationCOLORADO FOURTEENERS INITIATIVE: $5,000 · Recreation & SportsROCKY MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY: $5,000 · Recreation & SportsFRIENDS OF THE LEGACY TRAIL INC: $2,500 · Recreation & SportsWSLR INC: $11,000 · Arts & CultureElberta Labor Heritage Center: $1,000 · Arts & CultureGULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 · PhilanthropyFRIENDS OF MVYRADIO INC: $1,000 · Philanthropy
Other$132,026Environment$68,000Animals$31,000Education$20,000Recreation & Sports$12,500Arts & Culture$12,000Philanthropy$6,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSARASOTA AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $40,026 over 3y, 6.8% of budgetPARKLANDS FOUNDATION INC: $12,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetWSLR INC: $11,000 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetTHE VERMONT CENTER FOR ECOSTUDIES INC: $11,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetMARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetCONSERVATION HISTORY ASSOCIATION OF TX: $10,000 over 1y, 6.1% of budgetCENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION: $8,500 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetOYSTER RIVER ECOLOGY INC: $6,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetSAVE OUR SEABIRDS INC: $6,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetRocky Mountain Field Institute Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetThe Ocean Foundation: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE GRAND CANYON TRUST INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFriends of Saguaro National Park: $5,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetAVIAN RESEARCH & CONSERVATION INSTITUTE INC: $5,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetGULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWild Farm Alliance: $5,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetTravis Audubon Society Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetWORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOCEAN CONSERVANCY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetROCKY MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCLEAN AIR TASK FORCE INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $4,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE LEGACY TRAIL INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetANNA MARIA ISLAND TURTLE WATCHINC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetElberta Labor Heritage Center: $1,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetFriends of the Rio Grande Nature Center: $1,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetFRIENDS OF MVYRADIO INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSARASOTA BAY WATCH INC: $1,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetCONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLoon Preservation Committee: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

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.

The Community Foundat…Ibm International Fou…Gulf Coast Community …PatagoniaorgNational Fish and Wil…Shell USA Company Fou…Clif Family FoundationThe Nature ConservancyNew Hampshire Charita…The Ayco Charitable F…Texas Instruments Fou…The Pfizer Foundation…
The Community Foundation of Sarasota Co IncFL18.4× affinity7 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Sarasota Co Inc · Ibm International Foundation · Gulf Coast Community Foundation Inc · Patagoniaorg · National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · Shell USA Company Foundation · Clif Family Foundation · The Nature Conservancy · New Hampshire Charitable Foundation · The Ayco Charitable Foundation · Texas Instruments Foundation · The Pfizer Foundation Inc

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.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Wilson Conservation Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Wilson Conservation Trust. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 80%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 4%
  • Klamath Bird Observatory: 100% of income from government
  • Charles River Watershed Association Inc: 8% of income from government
  • Oyster River Ecology Inc: 7% of income from government
  • The Vermont Center for Ecostudies Inc: 4% of income from government
  • Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc: 1% of income from government
  • Friends of Mvyradio Inc: 1% of income from government
  • Anna Maria Island Turtle Watchinc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
8get no government money at all
4report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

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 54 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-PF 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 Wilson Conservation’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home