California Wilderness Coalition
“To protect and restore California’s wildest natural landscapes.”
4 funders on the record, 77 cents of every dollar to the work.
The work
What they do
Protecting and restoring wild places across California.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “CalWild protects our state's drinking water and wild places by seeking new protections for streams and natural areas on public lands.” as filed.
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Defense
$415K, 48% of spendingCalWild organized public pushback against multiple proposed policies and actions which would be damaging to California’s federal public lands through action alerts, grassroots organizing and direct advocacy.
Read it as they filed it
DEFENSE: CalWild organized public pushback against multiple proposed policies and actions which would be damaging to California's federal public lands through action alerts, grassroots organizing and direct advocacy. A highlight was the key role CalWild played in summer of 2024 to convince California Republican member of Congress to oppose inclusion of selling off public lands in the 2024 "Big Beautiful Bill". This opposition meant that proponents did not have the votes to include sell-offs in the bill, and they were stripped out.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Eel River Project
$148K, 17% of spendingThis collaborative process drew together stakeholders, Tribes, public officials and agencies, and NGOs to develop a community vision for the future of the Upper Eel River Watershed.
Read it as they filed it
EEL RIVER PROJECT: This collaborative process drew together stakeholders, Tribes, public officials and agencies, and NGOs to develop a community vision for the future of the Upper Eel River Watershed. The community vision report was completed in autumn of 2025, but the workshops, one-on-one interviews and agency engagement that fed into creation of the vision were mostly completed in FY 2024-25.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
National Monuments
$96K, 11% of spendingExciting victories were achieved in this program area in FY 2024-25 with the designation by President Biden of two new national monuments, the Sattitla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monuments, in January of 2025.
Read it as they filed it
NATIONAL MONUMENTS: Exciting victories were achieved in this program area in FY 2024-25 with the designation by President Biden of two new national monuments, the Sattitla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monuments, in January of 2025. CalWild staff were invited to the White House for the signing ceremony and had photos taken with the President in recognition of the key role CalWild played in organizing and advocating for these monuments, which comprise nearly one million acres of newly protected California public lands.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
77 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$658,062 programs, $114,531 management, $84,210 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The backers
Backed on the record by Pew Charitable Trusts, Western Conservation Foundation, Wilderness Society and Resources Legacy Fund, latest filing FY25.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. If it’s out of date, tell us. Work at CalWild? Claim this page.
Those 12 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If CalWild is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Find your way inThe filings
15 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $716,882 |
| 2012 | $439,466 |
| 2013 | $480,868 |
| 2014 | $667,270 |
| 2015 | $660,458 |
| 2016 | $417,191 |
| 2017 | $540,992 |
| 2018 | $742,032 |
| 2019 | $642,814 |
| 2020 | $731,981 |
| 2021 | $663,114 |
| 2022 | $923,077 |
| 2023 | $827,986 |
| 2024 | $819,387 |
| 2025 | $896,630 |
From $717K in 2011 to $897K in FY25, with no missed filing in 15 years.
In court
Fights alongside American Alpine Club (1 shared case), Center for Biological Diversity (1 shared case), Earthjustice (1 shared case), Environment America (1 shared case) and Friends of the Earth (1 shared case) and 7 more. Same case, same side, on the federal docket. Their dockets on CourtListener.
Their ground
The places they defend
Spent years building the designation campaign with Tribal nations and now defends the monument as an intervenor in federal court
Who’s defending it On the ground · On watchSattitla Highlands National MonumentSpent years helping the Pit River Tribe build local support for the Sattitla Highlands designation
Who’s defending it On the ground · On watchBerryessa Snow Mountain National MonumentCoalition partner in the fight against industrial wind development on Molok Luyuk and the campaign to add the ridge to the monument; its wilderness survey found the ridge’s west side meets wilderness criteria.
Who’s defending it On the ground · On watchMojave Trails National MonumentWorked the California desert protection campaigns for two decades before the 2016 designation and is engaged in the BLM’s Mojave Trails management planning process.
Who’s defending it On the ground · On watchSand to Snow National MonumentJoined desert residents and local leaders in celebrating the 2016 designation, which its release credits to nearly a decade of work by local leaders.
Who’s defending itMost urgent first: open comment windows, then live federal cases, then the threat level. See every threatened place on one map, and who stands for each.
The California congressional delegation averages 82 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Help complete this profile. If you work here, claim it and send us your current campaigns and the best way for supporters to get involved. An editor checks what you send before it goes up.
Ways in
How to help
Straight to their own donation page. Your dollar never passes through us.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with the California Wilderness Coalition
The mission is theirs. The backing is yours.