Conservation Lands Foundation
“To protect, restore, and expand the National Conservation Lands.”
13 comments to the agencies, 79 cents of every dollar to the work.
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.
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Constituency Development Program
$4.1M, 45% of spendingThe 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.
Including $2,644,284 granted onward, the largest share ($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.
Policy and Legal/Conservation Campaigns
$2.5M, 27% of spendingThe 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.
Communications Program
$541K, 6% of spendingThe 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.
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.
$7,142,295 programs, $1,075,215 management, $856,658 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The backers
Backed on the record by Campion Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, Wilburforce Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation and Pew Charitable Trusts, latest filing FY24.
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 CLF? Claim this page.
The filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap 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 (none on record for 2024).
In court
Fights alongside Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (1 shared case). Same case, same side, on the federal docket. Their dockets on CourtListener.
On the Hill
CLF has hired federal lobbyists: 16 filings from 2022 to 2026, naming 3 bills. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on natural resources, the budget and the environment.
The record
On the record with the agencies
13 comments on federal decisions since 2023, each filed under the group’s own name on regulations.gov. The latest on decisions we track:
Year by year
The record, in order
- 2007Conservation Lands Foundation is formed.the return, formation year
- 2022First appears in the grants of Campion Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, Wilburforce Foundation and William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.the funders’ returns
- 2024State of Utah v. Haaland: intervenor, closed.the docket
- First appears in Pew Charitable Trusts’ grants.the funder’s return
- 20253 comments, all to the Bureau of Land Management, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
- 202610 comments, most to the Bureau of Land Management, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
Green, a funder’s return. Hollow, a filing. Every row is a record we hold: 1 federal case with the group on the docket, 13 comments filed under its own name, 5 funders whose returns name it. Nothing here is written from memory.
Their ground
The places they defend
Backs the local groups defending national monuments across the West
Who’s defending it In the fight · On this place: 1 case in federal court, filed 2017Grand Staircase-EscalanteBacks local monument defenders across the West
Who’s defending it On the ground · On watchChuckwalla National MonumentIntervenor defending the monument designation, represented by Advocates for the West
Who’s defending it In the fight · On watchIronwood 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 On the ground · On watchAvi 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 fight · On watchAgua Fria National MonumentBacks Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument through its Friends Grassroots Network with grants, capacity building, and field support, dating to its inaugural 2008 grant round.
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.
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
Straight to their own donation page. Your dollar never passes through us.
Give on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowFollow themBears Ears and Grand Staircase, tracked as they move. Alerts when it matters.
Monument WatchStand with the Conservation Lands Foundation
The mission is theirs. The backing is yours.