Bobolink Foundation
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
44
-10.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$450K
+54.4% YoY
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
States
Cities
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
| 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
No grants recorded for .
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 |
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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