Weconservepa
Weconservepa is a public charity based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It supports conservation through technical assistance, education, advocacy, and grants to land trusts and trail groups for conservation- and trail-related projects.
Weconservepa at a glance
In short: Weconservepa gave $271K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $271,081
- +52.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +63.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,060
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $13,000
- Total assets
- $3,128,974
- +13.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (4 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Weconservepa
- How to Apply
-
The website says funding reservations and grant-application options for CEAP are available only to logged-in users who are their organization’s assigned manager. It also provides program guidelines, applications, and grant contracts for project-planning grants.
- Review Cycle
- The forest-planning program’s stated application periods ended in 2024. The website says it is uncertain whether that opportunity will be offered again. The $10,000 project-planning grant notice was dated January 22, 2025; the $20,000 grant notice was dated January 30, 2026.
- Deadline
- The forest-planning program’s stated application periods ended in 2024.
- Contact
Mailing address: 610 N 3Rd Street Suite 301, Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 230-8560
Website: https://weconservepa.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Weconservepa
Cycling Activation in PA Mini Grant Program
Weconservepa
Amount
US $1,000 - US $15,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Giant Company and Keep PA Beautiful Healing the Planet Grants
Weconservepa
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Resource Management Planning on Eased Forest Land
Weconservepa
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Weconservepa funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservan ($31K). Together the top 10 received $205K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 61 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The forest-planning program described on the website was limited to eligible lands in the Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Weconservepa open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 18 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $15K 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2020) to $271K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $271K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservan Williamsport, PA | Assistance | $30,660 |
| Clearwater Conservancy State College, PA | Assistance | $29,939 |
| Berks Nature Reading, PA | Assistance | $26,000 |
| Wildlands Conservancy Emmaus, PA | Assistance | $24,000 |
| Lancaster Conservancy Lancaster, PA | Tech Assistance | $18,000 |
| Manada Conservancy Hummelstown, PA | Assistance | $18,000 |
| Delaware Highlands Conservancy Hawley, PA | Assistance | $16,000 |
| Farm & Natural Lands Trust York, PA | Assistance | $16,000 |
| Heritage Conservancy Doylestown, PA | Assistance | $14,000 |
| Foundation for Sustainable Forests Spartansburg, PA | Assistance | $12,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Weconservepa?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,128,974 | $1,607,278 | $1,316,008 | $271,081 | 18 | $105,899 |
| 2024 | $2,765,889 | $1,513,125 | $1,197,691 | $177,567 | 11 | $133,102 |
| 2023 | $2,561,253 | $1,278,902 | $1,233,422 | $167,276 | 11 | $78,424 |
| 2022 | $2,321,740 | $1,171,681 | $974,283 | $133,260 | 8 | $16,848 |
| 2021 | $2,011,850 | $1,458,925 | $967,678 | $161,850 | 13 | $1,749 |
| 2020 | $1,884,754 | $1,020,457 | $957,088 | $129,599 | 11 | $7,359 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WeConservePA’s mission is to help people care for, wisely use, and enjoy what nature offers. It assists individuals and organizations with conserving natural areas, farms, forests, parks, urban gardens, and other green spaces; promotes public understanding of conservation and sustainable practices; and advocates for pro-conservation government policy.
Its stated programs include technical assistance, conservation advocacy, training and convenings, and outreach and education. Its grants support land trusts and trail groups on conservation- and trail-related projects. Website program descriptions also include small grants for conservation easement work, project-planning grants for qualifying small and midsized Pennsylvania land trusts, and a forest-planning program for land trusts with largely forested lands under conservation easement in the Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
In 2024, grantees included organizations whose stated missions illustrate the kinds of conservation work represented in its awards. Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy describes its work as conserving and enhancing the region’s lands and waters; Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County focuses on preserving agricultural and natural land resources; and Wildlands Conservancy works to protect and restore natural areas and waterways. Clearwater Conservancy describes its work as land conservation, water stewardship, and environmental outreach across central Pennsylvania, while North Branch Land Trust works with landowners, communities, and stakeholders to conserve and care for northeastern Pennsylvania’s lands and waters.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, WeConservePA reported 11 grants totaling $177,567. Grant amounts ranged from $5,332 to $39,868, with a median of $11,500. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 18 grants totaling $271,081.
The largest reported awards included $39,868 to Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, $30,591 to Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County, $24,000 to Wildlands Conservancy, $16,000 to Clearwater Conservancy, and $15,926 to Berks Nature. Other listed recipients included Foundation for Sustainable Forests ($11,500), Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ($11,500), French and Pickering Creeks Conservancy ($9,350), Tinicum Conservancy ($7,500), Heritage Conservancy ($6,000), and North Branch Land Trust ($5,332). The filing lists the purpose of each award as “assistance.”
WeConservePA’s website describes a Conservation Easement Assistance Program that provides small grants for completing or updating conservation, trail, and fishing-access easements, preparing baseline documentation, and installing signs on eased properties. It also describes project-planning grants for qualifying small and midsized Pennsylvania land trusts. Eligible planning costs include landowner outreach, title research, preliminary environmental review, and project planning; expenses eligible for CEAP reimbursement are excluded from project-planning grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeff Swinehart as president, Oliver Bass as vice president, John Conner as treasurer, and Renee Carey as secretary. It also lists Stephanie Armpriester, Gail Farmer, Ellen Ferretti, Chris Kocher, Kim Murphy, and Tom Saunders as directors. The filing notes that updated bylaws split the president’s office into an elected non-board CEO position and a separately elected board chair position.
Weconservepa is led by Oliver Bass, Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 14 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Oliver Bass
Chair
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin Hollinger
Legal Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$100K (2025)
Ellen Ferretti
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Murphy
Director
President → Im Past President, 2021
Im Past President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gail Farmer
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Kocher
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fritz Schroeder
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Gladden
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Grant Decosta
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Kenny
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew M. Loza
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$164K (2020) → $205K (2025)
John Conner
Chief Fiscal
Treasurer → Chief Fiscal, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Renee Carey
Vice Chair
President → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Saunders
Secretary
Secretary → Director, 2024
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Jeff Swinehart (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Stephanie Armpriester (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Chris Beichner (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kyle Shenk (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Phil Wenger (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Schiffman (2020) — Director
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 $205K, to Andrew M Loza (Executive Di). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Weconservepa
How much does Weconservepa give each year?
Weconservepa gave $271K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $178K across 11 grants.
What is Weconservepa's typical grant size?
Weconservepa's median grant in 2025 was $13,000, and its average grant was $15,060, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Weconservepa that year got $12K on average.
Where does Weconservepa give grants?
Weconservepa gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there.
Does Weconservepa give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Weconservepa's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Assistance" (17 grants).
Who are Weconservepa's largest grantees?
Weconservepa's largest 2025 grantees include Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservan ($30,660), Clearwater Conservancy ($29,939) and Berks Nature ($26,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Weconservepa?
Weconservepa reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.6M.
What does Weconservepa fund?
WeConservePA’s mission is to help people care for, wisely use, and enjoy what nature offers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Weconservepa?
The website says funding reservations and grant-application options for CEAP are available only to logged-in users who are their organization’s assigned manager. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Weconservepa's EIN?
Weconservepa's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2789029. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 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
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 1, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Weconservepa funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Weconservepa's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Weconservepa funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/weconservepa-morg_20c08335583e4a7394e789539f18c26c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232789029_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Weconservepa funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/weconservepa-morg_20c08335583e4a7394e789539f18c26c},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Weconservepa'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.
Weconservepa down — hundreds of funders to go?