The Wilderness Society
The Wilderness Society is a public charity based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1935, it works to protect America’s public lands and wilderness through science, advocacy, policy expertise, and partnerships. Its work includes conservation, stewardship, climate solutions, and efforts to make the outdoors accessible to all.
Key facts about The Wilderness Society
In short: The Wilderness Society gave $1.4M across 59 grants in 2025 (avg $24K), top state District of Columbia. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 53-0167933
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,391,215
- Grants made (2025)
- 59
- Average grant
- $23,580
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (25 of 59, 2025)
- Total assets
- $127,136,338
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (22% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$127.1M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-39.9% YoY
Grant Count
59
-25.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-19.6% YoY
Is The Wilderness Society open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 25 of 59 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $19K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Wilderness Society’s mission is “Uniting people to protect America’s wild places.” Its stated work includes protecting public lands and waters, advancing equitable access to the outdoors, and making public lands part of climate solutions. The organization says its program support goes to conservation projects, education and outreach, and scientific research related to land and water protection and stewardship.
Its 2025 grants included conservation-project support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Wilderness Workshop says it works to protect western Colorado’s public lands, water, and wildlife; GreenLatinos says it convenes Latin leaders around natural-resource and conservation issues affecting Latino communities; and Rising Routes Alliance says it expands access to outdoor spaces. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers describes its work as supporting outdoor heritage through education and advocacy for wild public lands and waters. New Mexico Wilderness Alliance says it works to enjoy, protect, and restore wilderness in New Mexico.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, The Wilderness Society reported 59 grants totaling $1,391,215. Grant sizes ranged from $6,000 to $150,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest grants included $150,000 to The Wilderness Society Action Fund, $110,000 to Vet Voice Foundation, $85,000 to Resource Legacy Fund, and $60,000 each to Conservation Economics Institute and Wilderness Workshop. The reported purpose for these grants was conservation projects.
Other 2025 recipients included GreenLatinos ($55,250), Rising Routes Alliance ($42,000), Backcountry Hunters & Anglers ($40,000), Community Initiatives ($35,000), New Mexico Wilderness Alliance ($34,500), Grand Canyon Trust ($30,000), and Outdoor Afro ($30,000). Vet Voice Foundation says it mobilizes veterans to participate in civic processes; Community Initiatives describes itself as a provider of administrative services and thought partnership to nonprofit projects and collaborations; and Outdoor Afro says it celebrates Black connections and leadership in nature.
The organization’s website describes program support for conservation projects, education and outreach, and scientific research, including work at the national level and on-the-ground projects in key states. It also describes tailored partnerships with businesses and other organizations, including philanthropic support for initiatives and conservation programs. The website lists the Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship as an active $25,000 award for qualified graduate students focused on long-term wilderness conservation. The scholarship prioritizes climate change and equitable access to public lands; biodiversity, climate adaptation, and social-ecological research proposals are particularly welcome.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Wilderness Society
Ready to take the next step with The Wilderness Society?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Wilderness Society describes its work as covering public lands across the United States, including national forests, parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management lands. In 2025, the largest shares of its reported grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (22%), California (19%), Colorado (18%), New Mexico (11%), and Idaho (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2025) to $3.6M (2022). In 2025 it made 59 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Wilderness Society Action Fund ($150K). Together the top 10 received $672K.
Grant Size Distribution
410 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 350 grants of 410 (85%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Wilderness Society Action Fund Washington, DC | Conservation Projects | $150,000 |
| Vet Voice Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Conservation Projects | $110,000 |
| Resource Legacy Fund Sacramento, CA | Conservation Projects | $85,000 |
| Conservation Economics Institute Twin Falls, ID | Conservation Projects | $60,000 |
| Wilderness Workshop Carbondale, CO | Conservation Projects | $60,000 |
| Greenlatinos Boulder, CO | Conservation Projects | $55,250 |
| Rising Routes Alliance Denver, CO | Conservation Projects | $42,000 |
| Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Missoula, MT | Conservation Projects | $40,000 |
| Community Initiatives Oakland, CA | Conservation Projects | $35,000 |
| New Mexico Wilderness Alliance Albuquerque, NM | Conservation Projects | $34,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $127,136,338 | $38,258,071 | $38,049,546 | $1,391,215 |
| 2024 | $119,089,723 | $42,032,659 | $43,478,669 | $2,316,500 |
| 2023 | $111,901,689 | $39,217,935 | $47,392,193 | $2,662,076 |
The organization files Form 990 as a public charity.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $127,136,338 | $119,089,723 | $111,901,689 |
| Revenue | $38,258,071 | $42,032,659 | $39,217,935 |
| Expenses | $38,049,546 | $43,478,669 | $47,392,193 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,606,942 | $3,477,915 | $3,846,651 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 17, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Martinique Grigg and Rue Mapp as co-governing council chairs, Michael A. Mantell as immediate past chair, William J. Cronon as vice chair, and Cathy Douglas Stone as secretary. It also lists Hansjorg Wyss, Thomas A. Barron, and Faith Briggs as governing council members. The organization’s website identifies Tracy Stone-Manning as president.
The Wilderness Society is led by Jamie Williams, President on every filing since 2020; 15 of 48 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jamie Williams
President
On filings since 2020
39 hrs/week
$377K (2020) → $375K (2025)
Maria Handley
Executive Director & Wsaf
Executive Director Twsaf & Special Advisor Chief of Staff → Executive Director & Wsaf, 2025
On filings since 2024
10 hrs/week
$181K (2024) → $202K (2025)
Tracy Stone-Manning
President
New on the 2025 filing
39 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martinique Grigg
Co-Governing Council Chair
Gov Council Member → Co-Governing Council Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rue Mapp
Co-Governing Council Chair
Gov Council Member → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Co-Governing Council Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bradley Brooks
Senior Director & National Campaigns
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$222K (2025)
Daniel Rossman
Director, External Relations & Communications to Sep
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$212K (2025)
Elizabeth Siddle
Senior Director, Fdtn & Corporate Relations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$206K (2025)
Chase Huntley
Vice President Strategy & Results
Vice President, Stategy & Policy → Vice President of Strategy & Results, 2023
Vice President of Strategy & Results → Vice President Strategy & Results, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$168K (2020) → $259K (2025)
Deborah Liu
Vice President & General Counsel
Vice President & General Council → Vice President & General Counsel, 2021
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$202K (2020) → $117K (2025)
David Seabrook
COO
Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations → Executive Vice President, 2023
Executive Vice President → COO, 2024
On filings since 2021
30 hrs/week
$180K (2021) → $374K (2025)
Lauren Gephart
Vice President of External Affairs
Deputy Vice President, Marketing & Digital Advocacy → Vice President of External Affairs, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$155K (2022) → $267K (2025)
Monique Dailey
Vice President, Conservation & Communities
Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs & Policy → Vice President of Conservation Programs, 2023
Vice President of Conservation Programs → Vice President, Conservation & Communities, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$186K (2022) → $165K (2025)
Wordna Meskheniten
Vice President, People & Culture
Vice President for Culture & Equity → Deputy Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, 2023
Deputy Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion → Vice President, People & Culture, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$151K (2022) → $252K (2025)
Andrea O'Brien
Acting Vice President, Giving & Impact
Dvp, Giving, Impact Operations & Outreach → Acting Vice President, Giving & Impact, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$188K (2024) → $250K (2025)
Elvis Cordova
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$287K (2024) → $357K (2025)
Yvette Lopez-Ledesma
Dvp & Community-Led Conservation
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$178K (2024) → $218K (2025)
Diane Webb
Vice President & General Counsel
New on the 2025 filing
30 hrs/week
$212K (2025)
Aaron Wernham
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carl Ferenbach
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caroline M. Getty
Gov Council Member
At-Large → Gov Council Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Douglas Stone
Secretary
Gov Council Member → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Cordalis
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Matthews
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Bonderman
At-Large
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Churchill
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David J. Field
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hansjorg Wyss
At-Large
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacqueline Badger Mars
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Rhodes
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Perkins Speers
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juan Martinez
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Luzak
Gov Council Member
Treasurer → Gov Council Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Elliman
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Keith
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael A. Mantell
Immediate Past Chair
Gov Council Member → Governing Council Chair, 2022
Governing Council Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Norm Christensen
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca L. Rom
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Theodore Roosevelt IV
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas A. Barron
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William J. Cronon
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
August Ball
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Jealous
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Faith Briggs
Gov Council Member
Gov Council Member From → Gov Council Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Enote
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Campbell
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Indy Burke
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Wan
Gov Council Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Molly McUsic (2020–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Teresa Lane (2020–2024) — Senior Vice President, Giving & Impact
- Former: Jeanna Cannan (2024) — Senior Director Human Resources & Operations
- Former: Lydia Weiss (2024) — Senior Director of Government Relations
- Former: Allen May (2020–2023) — Senior Director & Major Gifts
- Former: Daniel A. Smuts (2020–2023) — Senior Regional Director & Pacific
- Former: Katharine L. Thomas (2020–2023) — Vice President of External Affairs
- Former: Melyssa L. Watson (2020–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Jeanna Sinagra (2022–2023) — Senior Director Human Resources & Operations
- Former: Crandall C. Bowles (2020–2022) — Governing Council Chair
- Former: Marcia Kunstel (2020–2022) — Gov Council Member
- Former: Andrew McConville (2021–2022) — Senior Director & Government Relations
- Former: Antoinette Dack (2020–2021) — Senior Director, Membership & Strategic Services
- Former: Brenda S. Davis (2020–2021) — Gov Council Member
- Former: Jaime A. Pinkham (2020–2021) — Gov Council Member
- Former: Reginald Flip Hagood (2020–2021) — Gov Council Member
- Former: Gregg Sherrill (2020) — Gov Council Member
- Former: Jonathan L. Meyers (2020) — Senior Director & Digital S
- Former: Thomas F. Tepper Jr. (2020) — Vice President & Finance
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $375K, to Jamie Williams (President (To SEP '24)). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1801 Pennsylvania Ave Nw 200, Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (800) 843-9453
Website: https://wilderness.org
Frequently asked questions about The Wilderness Society
How much does The Wilderness Society give each year?
The Wilderness Society gave $1.4M across 59 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.3M across 79 grants.
What is The Wilderness Society's typical grant size?
The Wilderness Society's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,580, across 59 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wilderness Society that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Wilderness Society give grants?
The Wilderness Society's top state is District of Columbia, with 22% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (19%) and Colorado (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), Albuquerque, NM (4 grants), Tucson, AZ (3 grants) and Sacramento, CA (2 grants).
Does The Wilderness Society give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on The Wilderness Society's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Conservation Projects" (59 grants).
Who are The Wilderness Society's largest grantees?
The Wilderness Society's largest 2025 grantees include The Wilderness Society Action Fund ($150,000), Vet Voice Foundation Inc ($110,000) and Resource Legacy Fund ($85,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Wilderness Society?
The Wilderness Society reported $127.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $38.3M.
What does The Wilderness Society fund?
The Wilderness Society’s mission is “Uniting people to protect America’s wild places.” Its stated work includes protecting public lands and waters, advancing equitable access to the outdoors, and making public lands part of climate solutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wilderness Society?
The Wilderness Society has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wilderness.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Wilderness Society's EIN?
The Wilderness Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 53-0167933. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Wilderness Society by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wilderness Society's focus areas in our free grants database
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