Conservation Lands Foundation
“To protect, restore, and expand the National Conservation Lands.”
The origin
How they started
The Conservation Lands Foundation is the only organization dedicated solely to the Bureau of Land Management’s National Conservation Lands, the national monuments, wilderness, and wild rivers that make up the newest and least-funded part of the federal system. Founded in 2007, it protects and expands these lands and supports a national network of local Friends groups who defend them place by place. It punches well above its size by organizing the grassroots.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “To protect, restore, and expand the National Conservation Lands through education,advocacy, and partnerships.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Boots on the ground
$4.1MConstituency Development Program: The Foundation works hand-in-hand with 80 plus organizations and hundreds of citizen advocates throughout the nation.
Including $2,644,284 granted onward, most of it $410,000 to Mojave Desert Land Trust.
Read it as they filed it
Constituency Development Program: The Foundation works hand-in-hand with 80 plus organizations and hundreds of citizen advocates throughout the nation. Giving them financial and professional resources for policy, legal, restoration and advocacy work. Their individual strength and success on the ground authentically builds our collective impact, translating to bigger, better and more enduring protections for National Conservation Lands. Resources include but are not limited to: Grants for project-specific work; grants for general support and organizational development; fundraising support, including trainings and resource development; consulting for legal, policy or technical help; trainings for board and staff development; media engagement and communications training; restoration projects and participation at our bi-annual conference, the Friends' Grassroots Network Summit.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Pressing the policymakers
$2.5MPolicy and Legal/Conservation Campaigns: The Foundation leads a national movement of community-based advocates to care for America’s National Conservation Lands of environmental, cultural and recreational significance.
Including $10,500 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
Policy and Legal/Conservation Campaigns: The Foundation leads a national movement of community-based advocates to care for America's National Conservation Lands of environmental, cultural and recreational significance. To achieve this, we are building place-based, local proposals to identify places that are worthy of durable and lasting protections now and for future generations. Our work ensures that the voices of conservationists, business owners, sportsmen, Native Americans and others from these local communities are respected and reflected in conservation management policies. This program builds and conveys grassroots and national support for lands deserving of National Conservation Lands designation and improved management policies. CLF also works with our partners to promote and defend the Antiquities Act and other policies vital to caring for America's National Conservation Lands.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Bringing people into the fight
$541KCommunications Program: The goal of the communications program is to increase awareness of the values and beauty of the National Conservation Lands to the American people and hold policymakers accountable for their conse...
Read it as they filed it
Communications Program: The goal of the communications program is to increase awareness of the values and beauty of the National Conservation Lands to the American people and hold policymakers accountable for their conservation. CLF works with its Friends Grassroots Network and other allies to pursue media coverage of the National Conservation Lands.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
79 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.
Backed on the record by Campion Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, Wilburforce Foundation and 2 others, latest filing FY24.
$7,142,295 programs, $1,075,215 management, $856,658 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at CLF? Claim this page.
The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $2,714,361 |
| 2012 | $4,109,542 |
| 2013 | $4,690,798 |
| 2014 | $6,522,765 |
| 2015 | $6,458,250 |
| 2016 | $2,991,813 |
| 2017 | $7,750,777 |
| 2018 | $6,564,646 |
| 2019 | $6,556,325 |
| 2020 | $6,267,898 |
| 2021 | $7,535,879 |
| 2022 | $8,075,903 |
| 2023 | $6,946,945 |
| 2025 | $10,166,862 |
From $2.7M in 2011 to $10.2M in FY25, across 14 public filings.
Fights alongside Advocates for the West (1 shared case) and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (1 shared case). Same case, same side, on the federal docket.
The record
On the Hill
Conservation Lands Foundation has hired federal lobbyists: 15 filings from 2022 to 2026, naming 3 bills. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on natural resources, budget/appropriations and environment/superfund.
Their ground
The places they defend
Intervenor defending the monument designation, represented by Advocates for the West
Who’s defending it On the groundAvi Kwa Ame National MonumentBacked the Honor Avi Kwa Ame designation campaign alongside the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and keeps the monument in its National Conservation Lands defense portfolio.
Who’s defending it In the fightBears Ears National MonumentBacks the local groups defending national monuments across the West
Who’s defending it In the fightGrand Staircase-EscalanteBacks local monument defenders across the West
Who’s defending it In the fightIronwood Forest National MonumentFunds and organizes Friends of Ironwood Forest as a member of its Friends Grassroots Network of more than 80 groups defending National Conservation Lands, with Friends of Ironwood Forest among its inaugural 2008 grantees.
Who’s defending it In the fightOrgan Mountains-Desert Peaks National MonumentAssociate program director Romir Lahiri spoke at the June 2025 defense rally, and the foundation backs the monument’s friends group through its Friends Grassroots Network.
Who’s defending itSee every threatened place on one map, and who stands for each.
Conservation Lands Foundation files one related organization on its return: Together Rising As An Environmental Community (501(c)(3)). A related organization shares people or purpose; it does not share the books.
The Colorado congressional delegation averages 60 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
79 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
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 NetworkFollowFollow the monumentsBears Ears and Grand Staircase, tracked as they move. Alerts when it matters.
Monument WatchStand with Conservation Lands Foundation
19 years on the ground, 79 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.