Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Wilburforce Foundation

Wilburforce Foundation is a private philanthropic organization that focuses on protecting wildlands, wildlife, and communities across Western North America. Founded in 1991 by Rose Letwin, it has invested more than $217 million in conservation efforts, making it a significant funder in the environmental and conservation philanthropy landscape. The foundation channels its funding through multiple regional and thematic programs, supporting organizations that advance biodiversity, ecological connectivity, climate resilience, and community well‑being.

Wilburforce works through three core levers: capacity, science, and advocacy. It funds conservation NGOs and allied groups so they can strengthen leadership, governance, and organizational systems; invests in natural and social science to inform conservation solutions; and supports policy and advocacy work that protects lands, waters, and wildlife. Its geographic priorities include Alaska and British Columbia, the Northwest and Southwest of the United States, and the Yellowstone to Yukon region, along with cross‑cutting initiatives that span these landscapes.

The foundation maintains a formal grantmaking process described on its Grants page and in detailed Grant Guidelines. Prospective applicants must first consult the relevant staff member to discuss project fit. Grants related to priority regions or program areas are typically presented at three board meetings each year. Funding is delivered through regional strategies that may include support for advocacy campaigns, conservation and social science research, policy analysis, community organizing, and Indigenous‑led stewardship.

Beyond core project and operating grants, Wilburforce supports capacity building for its grantees, recognizing that long‑term conservation outcomes require resilient organizations. The Capacity Building program, now focused on support for TREC – Together Rising as an Environmental Community, has provided more than two decades of leadership development, organizational consulting, and training opportunities for grantee organizations.

Wilburforce also operates the Conservation Leadership Awards, which recognize outstanding individual leaders in the conservation movement across Western North America. These awards include a cash component for both the individual recipient and the organization they represent, adding another avenue of financial support for front‑line conservation work. Nearly 100 leaders have been honored, illustrating the breadth of the foundation’s network.

The foundation emphasizes learning and accountability. It commissions a recurring Grantee Perception Report through the Center for Effective Philanthropy to gather structured feedback from funded partners about impact, relationships, and processes. Wilburforce also publishes its IRS Form 990 filings and strategic framework, providing transparency around its grantmaking and governance. Grant guidelines and theory of change documents help applicants understand the foundation’s priorities, expected outcomes, and high‑level evaluation criteria, such as scientific rigor, landscape‑scale impact, collaboration, and equity considerations.

Wilburforce’s funding primarily targets non‑profit organizations, Indigenous stewardship initiatives, conservation scientists, and advocacy coalitions working within its defined geographic regions. By combining multi‑year funding, capacity support, and recognition awards, the foundation seeks to build a connected network of grantees capable of advancing durable conservation solutions at landscape scale. Its ongoing support for science, policy, and organizational strength positions it as a key partner in efforts to maintain and restore ecological connectivity and climate resilience throughout the North American West.