Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc is a public charity based in San Francisco, California, formed in 2002. It connects conservationists and supporters, directs resources to field programs, and provides conservationists with tools and support. Its filing describes support for field-based partners and associates working to protect endangered species in 69 countries.
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc at a glance
In short: Wildlife Conservation Network Inc gave $5.7M across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $337K), mostly in California. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,736,448
- -21.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +41.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $337,438
- -44.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $238,402
- Total assets
- $98,135,033
- +49.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (7 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (74% 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 Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 209 Mississippi Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: (415) 202-6380
Website: https://wildnet.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) Grant
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Deadline not published
The Rising Wildlife Leaders - Amazonia Program Grant
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
Amount
Up to US $7,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
WCN Scholarship Program
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Wildlife Conservation Network Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District ($897K). Together the top 10 received $5.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 14 grants of 57 (25%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WCN’s 2025 filing describes its wildlife programs as supporting field-based partners and associates in 69 countries. Its website says its partners and Wildlife Funds grantees operate in countries around the world; the Wildlife Funds page reports investment in 53 countries.
For 2025 grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were California (74%) and Washington, DC (15%), followed by Arizona (7%), Wyoming (3%), and Utah (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wildlife Conservation Network Inc open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 17 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $373K; repeat grants $313K. How we count
Medians: $225K first-time, $242K 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 $2.2M (2023) to $7.3M (2024). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $5.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District Susanville, CA | General Program Support | $896,621 |
| University of CA Davis Davis, CA | General Program Support | $773,300 |
| The Nature Conservancy Sacramento, CA | General Program Support | $720,527 |
| The Bureau of Land Management Foundation Washington, DC | General Program Support | $600,000 |
| Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains Calabasas, CA | General Program Support | $500,000 |
| Greenbelt Alliance People for Open Space Inc Oakland, CA | General Program Support | $468,937 |
| Center for Biological Diversity Inc Tuscan, AZ | General Program Support | $375,000 |
| Jane Goodall Institute Washington, DC | General Program Support | $245,966 |
| Green Foothills Foundation Palo Alto, CA | General Program Support | $238,402 |
| Sustainable Systems Research Foundation Santa Cruz, CA | General Program Support | $225,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Wildlife Conservation Network Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $98,135,033 | $86,052,292 | $54,602,458 | $5,736,448 | 17 | $2,521,106 |
| 2024 | $65,489,047 | $56,733,972 | $49,289,995 | $7,329,055 | 12 | $2,429,629 |
| 2023 | $62,726,043 | $52,477,979 | $43,826,527 | $2,165,182 | 11 | $1,457,807 |
| 2022 | $50,010,820 | $45,968,706 | $40,939,313 | $4,344,018 | 11 | $243,382 |
| 2021 | $43,295,816 | $44,085,473 | $34,261,177 | $5,791,081 | 6 | $79,226 |
| 2020 | $30,544,140 | $32,245,160 | $28,819,925 | $6,498,404 | 25 | $110,190 |
| 2019 | $23,729,212 | $24,355,352 | $24,817,331 | $5,018,314 | 21 | $257,312 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WCN’s stated mission is to connect conservationists and supporters, deploy resources to the field, and provide conservationists with the tools and support they need to succeed. Its website also describes its mission as bringing together conservationists and supporters to advance solutions for wildlife and people to coexist and thrive.
The organization reports providing short- and long-term grants for work such as reducing human-wildlife conflict, improving wildlife-friendly livestock practices and land and crop management, developing alternative livelihoods, monitoring wildlife, anti-poaching, building capacity around protected areas, community education, and public awareness. Its support services include training, leadership development, internships, graduate scholarships, cross-site exchanges, infrastructure improvements, and technical assistance in areas such as accounting, donor outreach, grant writing, and technology.
WCN says its Conservation Partners are independent, field-based organizations. Its stated selection criteria include a demonstrated conservation track record, work focused on threatened wildlife in natural habitats, community involvement and benefit, and financial integrity. The website describes partner support as including flexible funding, fiscal sponsorship, organizational skills development, and connections with supporters.
The 2025 grants also went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Greenbelt Alliance says its mission is to educate, advocate, and collaborate for resilient Bay Area lands and communities; Green Foothills says it works to protect local nature and farmland; and Conservation Science Partners says it applies science, technology, and partnerships to nature preservation. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not WCN’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, WCN reported 17 grants totaling $5,736,448. Grant amounts ranged from $7,885 to $896,621, with a median of $238,402.
The largest reported awards included $896,621 to the Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District, $773,300 to the University of California Davis, $720,527 to The Nature Conservancy, and $600,000 to the Bureau of Land Management Foundation. Other large awards included $500,000 to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, $468,937 to Greenbelt Alliance People for Open Space, and $375,000 to the Center for Biological Diversity. The filing lists the purposes for these grants as general program support.
Among the grantees described in their own words, the Bureau of Land Management Foundation received $600,000; it says it supports the Bureau of Land Management by managing private donations for BLM programs and services. The Jane Goodall Institute received $245,966; its stated mission includes protecting chimpanzees, other apes, and their habitats. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation received $200,000; it says its mission is to inspire ocean conservation.
The filing describes a review process for organizations before grants are awarded. It includes research, partner referrals, site visits, a risk matrix, and approval by an internal and external committee. For foreign grantees, WCN says it checks key staff against the Office of Foreign Assets Control. After awards, its monitoring may include impact reports with expenditure budgets, site visits, third-party referrals, communication spot checks, and review of annual and financial reports and nonprofit-status documentation.
WCN’s website describes Wildlife Funds as making flexible grants with minimal red tape and supporting projects around the world. Its filing also describes an endowment intended to provide grants for graduate education and applied training to community-based conservationists.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Charles Knowles as chairman and president, Bill Unger as treasurer, Rebecca Patton as vice president, and Jean-Gael Emptaz-Collomb as chief executive officer. It lists Margaret McCarthy, David Berger, Rosamira Guillen, Christine Hemrick, and Peter Lalampaa as directors, and Alice Jones as chief financial officer.
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc is led by Jean-Gael Emptaz-Collomb, Chief Executive Officer since 2023 (on filings since 2021); 9 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jean-Gael Emptaz-Collomb
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director → CEO, 2022
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$176K (2021) → $258K (2025)
Charles Knowles
Chairman & President
Chairman, President & CEO → Chairman & President, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Carnow
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
Marketing & Committee Director → Director of Marketing, 2021
Director of Marketing → Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$105K (2019) → $147K (2025)
Nealinder Sharma
California Wildlife Program Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$128K (2025)
Christine Hemrick
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Berger
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret McCarthy
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Lalampaa
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosamira Guillen
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Wilson
Vice President of Conservation Engagement
Director of Donor Engageme → Director of Donor Engagement, 2021
Director of Donor Engagement → Vice President of Conservation Engagement, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$108K (2019) → $143K (2025)
Paul Thomson
Chief Program Officer
Director of Conservation → Senior Director of Conservation Programs, 2023
Senior Director of Conservation Programs → Chief Program Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$107K (2020) → $158K (2025)
Alice Jones
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$117K (2022) → $195K (2025)
Anne Trela
Chief Growth Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$155K (2023) → $223K (2025)
Melissa Murray Nee Fenton
Head of Corporate Partnerships
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$125K (2023) → $135K (2025)
Kaitlin Tillett
Senior Manager & Digital Marketing
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$113K (2025)
Bill Unger
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Patton
Vice President
Vice President → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: John Lukas (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Neal Sharma (2022) — Snr. Manager & California Wildlife Project
- Former: Akiko Yamazaki (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Veleta Allen (2019–2021) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Jean-Gael Collomb (2019–2020) — Executive Director
- Former: Joyce Wang (2019–2020) — Director of Conservation Partnership
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 $258K, to Jean-Gael Emptaz-Collomb (Chief Executive Officer). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wildlife Conservation Network Inc
How much does Wildlife Conservation Network Inc give each year?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc gave $5.7M across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $7.3M across 12 grants.
What is Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's typical grant size?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's median grant in 2025 was $238,402, and its average grant was $337,438, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wildlife Conservation Network Inc that year got $373K on average.
Where does Wildlife Conservation Network Inc give grants?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc gives mostly in California: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and Arizona (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants) and Santa Cruz, CA (2 grants).
Does Wildlife Conservation Network Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's largest grantees?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District ($896,621), University of CA Davis ($773,300) and The Nature Conservancy ($720,527), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wildlife Conservation Network Inc?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc reported $98.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $86.1M.
What does Wildlife Conservation Network Inc fund?
WCN’s stated mission is to connect conservationists and supporters, deploy resources to the field, and provide conservationists with the tools and support they need to succeed. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wildlife Conservation Network Inc?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wildnet.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's EIN?
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0108469. 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wildlife Conservation Network Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wildlife Conservation Network Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wildlife-conservation-network-inc-morg_5357fdb47cdf44c39b64fb93e4253f45
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300108469_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wildlife Conservation Network Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wildlife-conservation-network-inc-morg_5357fdb47cdf44c39b64fb93e4253f45},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Wildlife Conservation Network Inc'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.
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?