Bobolink Foundation

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 94-2988627 Website

The Bobolink Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused exclusively on environmental conservation, with particular emphasis on biodiversity protection, bird conservation, and community-based conservation efforts throughout the Americas.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$263.2M

-3.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$19.8M

+38.7% YoY

Grant Count

-10.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$450K

+54.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bobolink Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission Statement: Advance conservation and stewardship of biodiversity through the protection of natural areas, education, and building local constituencies for nature.

Core Philosophy: According to the foundation's leadership, ignorance and indifference are nature's principal threats, while knowledgeable, caring, and committed action offers the best hope for conservation. The foundation values conservation approaches that are adaptive, build from past successes, benefit from effective organizations, are collaborative, deliver measurable on-the-ground improvements, and engage empowered constituencies.

Primary Focus Areas:

Coastal Conservation
Community-Based Conservation
Grasslands of the Americas
Wildlife and Wild Landscapes of the Americas

Grantmaking

The foundation has made approximately 155 grants totaling $39.2 million across available records. Recent grantmaking in 2024 includes major awards to The Nature Conservancy ($7,000,000), Rainforest Trust ($7,000,000), and Friends of the Forest Preserves ($450,000).

Grant Range

s:**

Average Grant

$253,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations throughout the Americas, with particular concentration in the United States. Primary funding regions include:

Virginia
District of Columbia
Illinois
Georgia
Wisconsin
Arizona
Kansas
U.S.-Mexico borderlands

Grantmaking reaches organizations across 18 states and international locations.

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $32.8M (46%)

Texas $7.3M (10%)

Georgia $6.4M (9%)

District of Columbia $6.4M (9%)

Illinois $5.9M (8%)

Massachusetts $2.8M (4%)

New York $2.6M (4%)

Colorado $2.3M (3%)

+13 more states

Cities

ArlingtonAshevilleAtlantaAustinBaltimoreBarabooBarringtonBasaltBendBoulderBronxBrunswickCharloCharlottesvilleChicagoDekalbDodgevilleFort CollinsFranklin GroveHuntington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets:

2024: $263,206,610
2023: $320,161,447
Growth from 2010: $86.5 million to $263.2 million

Revenue & Expenses (2024):

Total revenue: $8,889,125
Total expenses: $20,784,155
Net income: -$11,895,030
Total liabilities: $2,150,000

Annual Income:

Reported at $33 million

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$263,206,610	$272,949,412	$286,956,420
Revenue	$8,889,125	$3,736,007	$38,620,882
Expenses	$20,784,155	$15,550,551	$17,073,178
Qualifying Distributions	$20,232,429	$12,817,562	$15,793,798
Net Investment Income	$8,352,700	$5,895,869	$49,285,604
Distributable Amount	$18,255,907	$16,826,714	$14,773,489

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

243 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Rainforest Trust ($7,000,000), The Nature Conservancy ($7,000,000), Re Wild ($2,250,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
American Bird Conservancy The Plains, VA	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$150,000
Biodiversity Funders Group San Francisco, CA	FAB dues	$5,000
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies Fort Collins, CO	Sustainable Grazing Network in MX / Roadmap	$115,000
BirdNote Asheville, NC	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$50,000
Birds Caribbean Natick, MA	2024 Conference Support	$5,000
Bonefish Tarpon Trust Miami, FL	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$5,000
Borderlands Restoration Network Patagonia, AZ	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$150,000
Cal-Wood Education Center Jamestown, CO	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$15,000
Citizens for Conservation Barrington, IL	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$30,000
Coastal Georgia Historical Society St Simons Island, GA	Unrestricted Charitable Gift	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Wendy Paulson — Chairman. A former public school teacher, environmental educator, and birding expert whose passion for ornithology and environmental education drives much of the foundation's strategic direction.

Justin Pepper — Chief Conservation Officer (compensation: $200,000 as of 2024).

Alberto Flores — Principal Officer.

The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
HENRY M PAULSON JR	TRUSTEE/PART TIME	—	—
WENDY J PAULSON	TRUSTEE/PART TIME	—	—
HENRY MERRITT PAULSON III	TRUSTEE/PART TIME	—	—
AMANDA CLARK PAULSON	TRUSTEE/PART TIME	—	$91,667
Justin Pepper	Executive Director	—	$183,333

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bobolink Foundation fund?

**Mission Statement:** Advance conservation and stewardship of biodiversity through the protection of natural areas, education, and building local constituencies for nature. **Core Philosophy:** According to the foundation's leadership, ignorance and indifference are nature's principal threats, while knowledgeable, caring, and committed action offers the best hope for conservation. The foundation values conservation approaches that are adaptive, build from past successes, benefit from effective…

How do I apply for a grant from Bobolink Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** The foundation has made approximately 155 grants totaling $39.2 million across available records. Recent grantmaking in 2024 includes major awards to The Nature Conservancy ($7,000,000), Rainforest Trust ($7,000,000), and Friends of the Forest Preserves ($450,000). **Grant Sizes:** • Grant range: $1,000 to $3,100,000 • Median grant: $30,000 to $50,000 • Average grant: $253,000 • Typical awards: $500 to $7,000,000 **Annual Giving:** • 2024: $20.8 million in expenses • 2023: A…

Where does Bobolink Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds organizations throughout the Americas, with particular concentration in the United States. Primary funding regions include: • Virginia • District of Columbia • Illinois • Georgia • Wisconsin • Arizona • Kansas • U.S.-Mexico borderlands Grantmaking reaches organizations across 18 states and international locations.

What size grants does Bobolink Foundation award?

In 2024, Bobolink Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $19.8M — an average of about $450K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Bobolink Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bobolink Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.