The Sand County Foundation Inc
Sand County Foundation is a national nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1965, the organization inspires and empowers farmers, ranchers, forestland owners, and other private landowners to adopt conservation-minded land management practices. The foundation addresses critical environmental challenges related to soil health, water resources, and wildlife habitat by providing landowners with trusted information, scientific data, and practical examples to guide their decision-making.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.9M
-26.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.8M
+425.5% YoY
Grant Count
13
-7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$445K
+465.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Sand County Foundation inspires and empowers farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners across the nation to ethically care for natural resources so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil, plentiful wildlife habitat, and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The foundation's work centers on equipping agricultural landowners with conservation information, data, and examples needed to make environmental improvements while producing food and fiber. Primary focus areas include:
- Agricultural Conservation: Research and demonstrations of effective conservation farming practices such as cover cropping, managed livestock grazing, and pollinator habitat creation
- Leopold Conservation Award Program: Recognition and celebration of extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation by agricultural landowners
- Conservation Outreach & Education: Convening professionals to address watershed issues, engaging students in hands-on habitat development, and providing conservation mentorships
- Land Ethic Mentorship Program: Providing conservation mentors for historically-underserved farmers and ranchers nationwide
- Conservation Demonstration: Conducting needed research and demonstrations of effective conservation practices
Grantmaking
Sand County Foundation's recent grantmaking activity includes awards to farmer-led watershed groups. The foundation has awarded grants to support watershed conservation initiatives led by farmers.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Sand County Foundation operates as a national organization. Primary grantmaking focuses on Wisconsin, New York, and Maryland, though the organization's Leopold Conservation Award Program and Land Ethic Mentorship program serve landowners across the nation.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Financial Summary (Most Recent Data)
- Total Assets: $12,918,510
- Total Annual Giving: $6,058,675
- IRS 501(c)(3) Status: Public Charity
- Tax ID (EIN): 39-6089450
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,918,510 | $17,485,614 | $16,718,946 |
| Revenue | $4,052,645 | $7,327,567 | $9,598,224 |
| Expenses | $9,563,434 | $7,536,098 | $6,579,675 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $315,897 | $297,380 | $221,023 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
65 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Sand County Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kevin McAleese: President & CEO
- Tricia Verville: Agricultural Systems Director
- Chris Schellpfeffer: Vice President - External Relations
- Steve Parrett: Initiative Director
- Holly Perrotti: Director of Operations
- Craig Ficenec: Senior Director - Agricultural Conservation
- David Bailey: Western Director
- Casey Langan: Communications Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEVIN MCALEESE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $192,509 |
| DAVID HANSON | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| NANCY DELONG | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| HOMER BUELL | TREASURER (THRU MARCH)/CHAIRMAN (BEG APRIL) | 1 | — |
| THOMAS ZALE | TREASURER (BEG APRIL) | 1 | — |
| LYNNE SHERROD | CHAIR (THRU APRIL) | 1 | — |
| BLAIR CALVERT FITZSIMONS | DIRECTOR (THRU AUGUST) | 1 | — |
| EDWARD WARNER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STANLEY TEMPLE PHD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TOM FOLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN DUNCAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRENT HAGLUND PHD | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| NITA VAIL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYNN SCARLETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DICK CATES PHD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JIMMY BRAMBLETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HEIDI PETERSON PHD | VP - AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & CONSERVATION | 40 | $161,014 |
| CHRISTINA SCHELLPFEFFER | VP - EXTERNAL RELATIONS | 40 | $133,514 |
| LANCE IRVING | VP - LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD | 40 | $126,924 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Sand County Foundation has recently awarded grants to farmer-led watershed groups, supporting grassroots conservation efforts. The foundation has also continued recognizing conservation leaders through its Leopold Conservation Award Program, with recent recipients including:
Sand County Foundation Awards Grants to\u2026 | Sand County FoundationGreg and Janis Thoren (Illinois Leopold Conservation Award)
Greg and Janis Thoren to Receive Illinois Leopold Conservation AwardStomprud Angus Ranch (South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award)
Greg and Janis Thoren to Receive Illinois Leopold Conservation AwardMaddocks (North Dakota Leopold Conservation Award)
Greg and Janis Thoren to Receive Illinois Leopold Conservation AwardContact Information
Mailing Address: 44 East Mifflin Street, Suite 1005 Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 663-4605
Website: sandcountyfoundation.org
Tax ID: 39-6089450
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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