The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a public charity based in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 1951, it works to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends and describes its vision as a world where people and nature thrive. Its work spans more than 80 countries and territories and all 50 U.S. states, according to its 2024 filing.
The Nature Conservancy at a glance
In short: The Nature Conservancy gave $67.8M across 671 grants in 2025 (avg $101K), top state California. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $67,830,125
- +25.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 671
- +7.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $101,088
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,793
- Total assets
- $10,108,681,571
- +6.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (218 of 671, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (16% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Nature Conservancy
- Contact
Mailing address: 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1606
Phone: (703) 841-5300
Website: https://nature.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
11 open opportunities from The Nature Conservancy
Arch Grants Growth Grants
The Nature Conservancy
Amount
US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Claire M. Hubbard Young Leaders in Conservation Fellowship Program Grant
The Nature Conservancy
Amount
Up to US $27,300
Deadline
Deadline not published
Climate Resilience Grant Program
The Nature Conservancy
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Nature Conservancy funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Forest Foundation ($2.1M). Together the top 10 received $15.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
2,827 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,863 grants of 2,827 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Conservancy says it works across six continents, in more than 80 countries and territories, and in all 50 U.S. states. Its published grant programs include a New York program focused on resilient lands and waters and an Appalachians program supporting projects across the Appalachian region. In 2025, the largest shares of reported grant dollars by recipient state were in California (16%), the District of Columbia (9%), New York (7%), Washington (6%) and Maine (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 671 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Nature Conservancy open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 218 of 671 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $83K; repeat grants $110K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $38K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $29.4M (2021) to $96.2M (2022). In 2025 it made 671 grants totaling $67.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Forest Foundation Washington, DC | Conservation Activities | $2,125,552 |
| The Conservation Fund Caspar, CA | Conservation Activities | $1,921,184 |
| Mongolian Natures Legacy Foundation | Conservation Activities | $1,543,113 |
| Commodity Credit Corporation Washington, DC | Conservation Activities | $1,500,000 |
| No on 2117 Committee Seattle, WA | Conservation Activities | $1,500,000 |
| Polk County Bartow, FL | Conservation Activities | $1,500,000 |
| The Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia, PA | Conservation Activities | $1,310,522 |
| National Audubon Society Fargo, ND | Conservation Activities | $1,297,950 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | Conservation Activities | $1,265,905 |
| Maine Coast Heritage Trust Topsham, ME | Conservation Activities | $1,080,274 |
Ready to take the next step with The Nature Conservancy?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,108,681,571 | $1,746,229,436 | $1,437,906,902 | $67,830,125 | 671 | $210,555,488 |
| 2024 | $9,504,159,342 | $1,482,731,301 | $1,352,544,893 | $54,072,519 | 627 | $109,339,176 |
| 2023 | $9,223,371,239 | $1,166,010,019 | $1,119,899,341 | $59,717,121 | 541 | $58,837,586 |
| 2022 | $9,016,820,143 | $1,312,108,803 | $1,004,881,237 | $96,171,036 | 528 | $271,984,655 |
| 2021 | $8,800,375,381 | $1,290,130,840 | $908,626,330 | $29,372,141 | 460 | $198,405,059 |
| 2020 | $7,975,541,090 | $1,137,390,674 | $907,041,369 | $41,516,608 | 462 | $12,933,993 |
| 2019 | $7,710,290,418 | $998,088,724 | $932,617,948 | $41,382,772 | 466 | $88,132,946 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Its 2024 filing describes work on forests, grasslands, oceans, freshwater systems, wildlife and coastal areas, alongside sustainable food systems, climate resilience and emissions reduction. The organization says its accounting methodology does not attribute all revenue or program expenses to individual programs because many projects advance multiple conservation goals.
Its grantmaking includes conservation activities, land and easement acquisition, planning and organizational capacity, interdisciplinary environmental research, and conservation work in the Appalachians. The kinds of organizations receiving grants include conservation nonprofits, land trusts, research and training organizations, advocacy groups, and groups working on sustainable agriculture. For example, grantee American Forest Foundation says its mission is to deliver conservation impact by empowering family forest owners; Maine Coast Heritage Trust says it advances land and water conservation in Maine; and Panthera says it works to conserve the world’s wild cat species.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, The Nature Conservancy reported 671 grants totaling $67,830,125. Grant amounts ranged from $5,072 to $2,125,552, with a median of $30,793. All of the listed largest grants were described as supporting conservation activities.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $2,125,552 to American Forest Foundation, $1,921,184 to The Conservation Fund, $1,543,113 to Mongolian Natures Legacy Foundation, and $1,500,000 each to Commodity Credit Corporation, No on 2117 Committee, and Polk County. Other notable awards included $1,310,522 to The Pew Charitable Trusts, $1,297,950 to National Audubon Society, $1,265,905 to Windward Fund, and $1,080,274 to Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
The funder’s published programs include the following:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Morris as director and chief executive officer. It also lists Amy Batchelor as vice chair until June 2025 and Brenda Shapiro as secretary until October 2024. Other listed directors are Anna Skoglund, Douglas B. Petno, Edwin Macharia, Fawn Sharp, Fred Hu, Harry R. Hagey and James Attwood Jr.
The Nature Conservancy is led by Jennifer Morris, Director & Chief Executive Officer since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 16 of 39 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Morris
Director & Chief Executive Officer
CEO → Director & Chief Executive Officer, 2021
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$541K (2021) → $879K (2025)
William Ulfelder
New York Executive Director
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$381K (2019) → $444K (2025)
Senator William Frist
Board Chair
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jan Glendening
Na Regional Managing Director
Regional Managing Director → Na Regional Managing Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
35 hrs/week
$328K (2021) → $435K (2025)
Matthew Brown
Managing Director
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$343K (2022) → $439K (2025)
Jan R Mittan
Global Market Development Director
Chief Philanthropy Officer & New York → Global Market Development Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$353K (2019) → $515K (2025)
Michael Sweeney
Division Director
State Director → Division Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$376K (2019) → $525K (2025)
Scott Morrison
Cons Programs & Science Director
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$394K (2022) → $460K (2025)
Douglas B. Petno
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Harry R. Hagey
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret A. Hamburg
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Knowlton
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vincent Ryan
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ying Wu
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kent J. Thiry
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Weil
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edwin Macharia
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Bernstein
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle J. Depass
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fred Hu
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Attwood Jr.
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sergio Rial
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Skoglund
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fawn Sharp
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roshni Nadar Malhotra
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Brown
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Banks
Chief Conservation Officer
Acting Chief Conservation Officer → Interim Chief Conservation Officer, 2020
Interim Chief Conservation Officer → Chief Conservation Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$351K (2019) → $522K (2025)
Sally Jewell
Treasurer
Director & Interim CEO → Director, 2021
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$204K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Thomas Neises
Chief Development Officer
Vice President & Associate Chief Development Officer → Chief Development Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$367K (2019) → $463K (2025)
Bola Olusanya
Chief Investment Officer
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$422K (2022) → $778K (2025)
Hans Birle
Former Interim General Counsel
Interim General Counsel → Former Interim General Counsel, 2023
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$245K (2022) → $261K (2025)
Margaret Goldthwaite
Chief Marketing & Committee Officer
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$412K (2022) → $443K (2025)
Nathalie Augustin
General Counsel
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$219K (2022) → $491K (2025)
Asha Shah
Former Interim Chief Finance Officer
Interim CFO → Former Interim Chief Finance Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$274K (2024) → $310K (2025)
James Bond
Chief Finance Officer
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$259K (2025)
Neel Broker
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$101K (2024) → $564K (2025)
Brenda Shapiro
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Batchelor
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shirley Ann Jackson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (53)
- Former: Leonard Williams (2019–2024) — Former Chief Finance & Administrator Officer
- Former: Matthew Arnold (2023–2024) — Global Head & Impact
- Former: Michael Keith Doane (2024) — Global Managing Director & Pfw
- Former: Ana M. Parma (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Claudia Madrazo (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Frances A. Ulmer (2019–2023) — Board Chair
- Former: Joseph H. Gleberman (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Brian McPeek (2019–2022) — Former Chief Cons Officer
- Former: Craig O. McCaw (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: David M. Cleary (2022) — Global Agriculture Director
- Former: Charles Bedford (2019–2021) — Regional Director
- Former: Heather Tallis (2019–2021) — Chief Scientist & Strategy Innovation
- Former: Hugh Possingham (2019–2021) — Chief Scientist
- Former: Justin Adams (2019–2021) — Global Managing Director & Lands
- Former: Mark Burget (2019–2021) — Executive Vice President & Reg Director
- Former: Mark R Tercek (2019–2021) — Former CEO
- Former: Seema Paul (2019–2021) — Managing Director
- Former: Shona L. Brown (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Wisla Heneghan (2019–2021) — COO & General Counsel
- Former: James Willis Asp (2020–2021) — Frmr Chief Development Officer
- Former: Katherine Andrews (2021) — Executive Vice President & Global Strategies
- Former: Andrew N. Liveris (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Aurelio Ramos (2019–2020) — Regional Managing Director
- Former: Glenn Prickett (2019–2020) — Chief Ext Affairs Officer
- Former: Jack Ma (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Karen Berky (2019–2020) — Former Division Director
- Former: Laurence D. Fink (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Lynn Scarlett (2019–2020) — Co-Chief External Affairs Officer
- Former: Marc Touitou (2019–2020) — Chief Information Officer
- Former: Margaret C. Whitman (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Maria Damanaki (2019–2020) — Global Managing Director & For Oceans
- Former: Moses K. Tsang (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Richard Loomis (2019–2020) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Santiago Gowland (2019–2020) — Executive Vice President
- Former: Thomas J. Tierney (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Addison Dana (2020) — Former Vice President & Director of Investments
- Former: Angela Woo Sosdian (2020) — Executive Director & Gift Planning
- Former: Colleen Johnson (2020) — Director of Principal Gifts
- Former: Giulio Boccaletti (2020) — Cso & Global Ambassador of Water
- Former: Michael Tetreault (2020) — Chief People Officer
- Former: Gretchen C Daily (2019) — Director
- Former: Guilio Boccaletti (2019) — Chief Stragety Officer, Global Managing Director & Water
- Former: James E Rogers (2019) — Vice Chair
- Former: Janine Wilkin (2019) — Chief of Staff & Acting Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Jim Asp (2019) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Joseph J Keenan (2019) — Managing Director
- Former: Monica Garrison (2019) — Vice President Finance
- Former: Pascal Mittermaier (2019) — Managing Director
- Former: Rajiv Shah (2019) — Director
- Former: Stephen Polasky (2019) — Director
- Former: Thomas J Meredith (2019) — Director
- Former: William Frist (2019) — Vice Chair
- Former: William Ginn (2019) — Executive Vice President & Global Conservation Initiatives
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $879K, to Jennifer Morris (Director/Chief Executive Officer). 16 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Nature Conservancy
How much does The Nature Conservancy give each year?
The Nature Conservancy gave $67.8M across 671 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $54.1M across 627 grants.
What is The Nature Conservancy's typical grant size?
The Nature Conservancy's median grant in 2025 was $30,793, and its average grant was $101,088, across 671 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Nature Conservancy that year got $83K on average.
Where does The Nature Conservancy give grants?
The Nature Conservancy's top state is California, with 16% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were District of Columbia (9%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (17 grants), Portland, OR (13 grants), Denver, CO (13 grants) and New York, NY (10 grants).
Does The Nature Conservancy give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 671 grants with a stated purpose on The Nature Conservancy's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Conservation Activities" (669 grants).
Who are The Nature Conservancy's largest grantees?
The Nature Conservancy's largest 2025 grantees include American Forest Foundation ($2,125,552), The Conservation Fund ($1,921,184) and Mongolian Natures Legacy Foundation ($1,543,113), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Nature Conservancy?
The Nature Conservancy reported $10.1B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7B.
What does The Nature Conservancy fund?
The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Its 2024 filing describes work on forests, grasslands, oceans, freshwater systems, wildlife and coastal areas, alongside sustainable food systems, climate resilience and emissions reduction. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Nature Conservancy?
The Nature Conservancy has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check nature.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Nature Conservancy's EIN?
The Nature Conservancy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 53-0242652. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Nature Conservancy's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Virginia
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Washington, DC
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation makes competitive grants for science-based projects that conserve or restore fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats; it does not fund advocacy or litigation. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $106,500, and it supports projects across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Applications are competitive and program-specific; whether pre-proposals are required varies by program.
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
1,286
Total Given
$464.4M
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Lansdowne, VA
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation funds education programs that help exceptionally promising students with financial need, including college access, academic enrichment, and support for talented students. Its 2025 grants ranged from $6 to $515,000, with a median of $7,702; it funds across the United States, with most grant dollars going to Virginia. It does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and directs applicants to its website for current application instructions and eligibility.
Assets
$940.1M
Grants
1,419
Total Given
$25.1M
Donors Trust Inc
Alexandria, VA
Donors Trust supports charities and programs in social welfare, health, the environment, economics, governance, foreign relations, and arts and culture, with a strong emphasis on conservative and libertarian policy and education groups. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though awards ranged from $5,038 to $35 million, and recipients were concentrated in Washington, D.C., Virginia, New York, Texas, and California. It does not accept unsolicited requests; donor-advisors recommend grants through their accounts.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
919
Total Given
$282.1M
The Community Foundation Inc
Richmond, VA
The Community Foundation funds health and wellness, education, economic prosperity, and community vibrancy, along with other causes through donor-advised and field-of-interest funds. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,100 to $1,795,000, with a median of $25,000; 78% of grant dollars went to Virginia recipients. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$852.4M
Grants
917
Total Given
$61.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Virginia
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Nature Conservancy funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-nature-conservancy-morg_9222cfa578f84b428f17d3cd2967eeee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_530242652_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Nature Conservancy funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-nature-conservancy-morg_9222cfa578f84b428f17d3cd2967eeee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-07. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Nature Conservancy's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Nature Conservancy down — hundreds of funders to go?