Making it Easy to Give Back to Nature

One of my favorite parts of working at The Conservation Fund is asking our supporters: “Why do you care about conservation?” I love hearing why a particular landscape or conservation-related issue is important to them.

Answers are always varied and often personal. Maybe someone has special memories of fishing as a child on the banks of the Mississippi River, finds peace walking in the woods with their dog, or cares deeply about wildlife habitat because they’ve always found owls so interesting. I also hear a lot of folks who are concerned about unsustainable development or how climate change will impact our future. While there are many individualized stories about nature from across the country, ultimately, I hear the same sentiment: people find and support The Conservation Fund because they care deeply about nature.

Photo by Stacy Funderburke.

Last year, over 5,000 donors supported our conservation projects across the United States, and 499 donors committed to donating on a monthly basis. I’ve worked at the Fund for five years and find it inspiring that so many people come together year after year to help us build a brighter future.

As a donor, your support is valued and appreciated here at The Conservation Fund more than you may know. We realize there are a lot of environmental charities to choose from, and we are honored you have decided to make an impact with us. That’s why we do our best to ensure that every donation is used efficiently. I am pleased to report that we continue to receive top marks and ratings from industry regulators because of our efficiency and transparency. You can read more about our ratings here.

Many donations are made online or by check, but did you know there are plenty of other easy ways to make your tax-deductible charitable gift to The Conservation Fund? Here are a few lesser known but equally great ways that you can support The Conservation Fund’s work and make a big impact:

Own Stock? You Can Donate It!

According to a recent 2021 Gallup Poll, 56% of Americans reported they do own stock; however, many of our supporters may not realize how easy it is to donate stock to The Conservation Fund. Additionally, you may find additional tax benefits from making gifts of stock. If interested, you can review our securities transfer instructions or contact me if you have questions.

Build A Conservation Legacy

Our supporters can choose to leave a personal conservation legacy through planned gifts. From estate gifts and charitable gift annuities to life insurance and retirement plan designations, there are a number of giving options available regardless of your financial circumstances or charitable goals. We welcome a conversation should this be of interest. Please contact us atplannedgiving@conservationfund.org to learn more.

Can Your Employer Double Your Donation?

Did you know many companies financially match donations that their employees make to qualifying nonprofit organizations? Some companies match donations at a 1:1 ratio, some will match at 2:1, or even 3:1! This is a great way to increase your impact on the environment. Be sure to check if your employer has a charitable matching gift program using this tool. 

Gift Giving Made Easy!

What is green, sustainable and doesn’t need to be wrapped? A gift to nature! As we enter the holiday season, you may be thinking about more creative gifts. Does someone you know care deeply about nature? You can make an online donation in honor of that special person and send them a personalized email letting them know you’ve donated to The Conservation Fund in their honor.

Or maybe you would like to fundraise in honor of nature? You can easily set up your own personalized fundraising page on our website to share directly with your family and friends. We would be delighted if you supported nature while celebrating a holiday, birthday, wedding or other milestone event!.

As you can see, we are equipped to accept many different types of donations and hopefully you can find the easiest and most convenient method for you. See a full list of the many different ways to give here. As we look ahead towards Giving Tuesday on November 30th, as well as the upcoming holiday season and New Year, I hope you will feel inspired by our efforts, successes and current projects and choose to support The Conservation Fund this giving season.

Have questions? Please feel free to send me an email at breierson@conservationfund.org.