Who We Are

We Are America's Partner in Conservation.

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America's land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. From our headquarters in Arlington, Virginia and our field offices across the country, we've saved land in all 50 states—over 6 million acres of wild havens, working lands, vibrant communities and more.

The Conservation Fund started in 1985 as a smart solution to an old problem: how to balance environmental and economic goals. For decades, environmentalists and business or development leaders had been at odds, with each group favoring its own use of the landscape. Conservationist Pat Noonan, former head of The Nature Conservancy, decided to found a small, savvy nonprofit organization that would bring economics and the environment together—providing a win for all of America.

That idea became the Fund—a business of conservation, staffed by a skilled team with real estate, finance, legal, investment and science expertise. Rather than pursue our own conservation agenda and membership, we partner with community, government and corporate organizations—fulfilling their conservation priorities. Everything we do has environmental and economic value, from protecting "working" forests and recreation destinations that provide local revenue to helping communities grow thoughtfully.

Today, with CEO Larry Selzer at the helm, we continue going strong. With a staff of 140, we have the highest program allocation and lowest fundraising costs in our field. We consistently earn top rankings for efficiency by review groups such as Charity Navigator and the American Institute of Philanthropy.

Our work is about people, as much as places. Whether you live in the city, suburbs or countryside, the quality of your air, water and food is impacted by the environmental and economic health of rural communities. So successfully managing rural resources benefits us all. Our Sustainable Programs empower rural communities to value and wisely use their natural resources.

Click on the links below to learn more:

	Go Zero The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program offers individuals, corporations, or even entire communities the tools to first measure their carbon dioxide emissions, learn helpful ways to reduce those emissions, and then offset the remainder by planting trees. Learn More >>
	The Freshwater Institute Located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, our Freshwater Institute is one of the nation's premier research and development facilities dedicated to the sustainable use of water. www.freshwaterinstitute.com
	Natural Capital Investment Fund NCIF provides financial services to small and emerging natural resource-based businesses located in economically distressed urban and rural communities in North Carolina, Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and West Virginia. www.ncifund.org
	Resourceful Communities The Resourceful Communities program blends innovative techniques, such as the "triple bottom line approach," to help North Carolina's underserved communities create new economies that protect and restore natural resources. www.resourcefulcommunities.org
	Texas Pineywoods Experience The Texas Pineywoods Experience is a Sustainable Tourism Program that combines economic development and tourism. The Pineywoods area offers some of the best birding and wildlife viewing in the United States. www.texaspineywoodsexperience.org