Our Mission and history

Our Mission

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin protects our state’s lands, waters, and wildlife by providing funding, leading partnerships, and connecting all people to nature.

History

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is a statewide 501c3 nonprofit, formed in 1986 as declining budgets severely compromised critical programs of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With the support of our donors and members, the Foundation has boosted private sector investment and involvement for Wisconsin’s lands, waters and wildlife.

After more than 35 years, the Foundation still serves this role and fills an important and unique conservation funding niche that no other organization does. We embrace the power of public-private partnerships. We recover species from the brink of extinction. And we continue to bring substantial financial resources and attention to priority projects of the DNR and other conservation partners. But we have grown to do so much more. The Foundation provides sustainable funding for Wisconsin’s most imperiled species and ecosystems, while helping citizens explore, love, and protect our state’s natural resources.

We work to protect Wisconsin’s natural heritage by supporting critical conservation work through our grant programs, offering opportunities for people to experience Wisconsin’s outdoors through our trips, and providing a means for people to help protect Wisconsin’s lands, waters, and wildlife that they cherish most through our diverse ways to give.

THE NATURAL RESOURCES FOUNDATION OF WISCONSIN IS A NONPROFIT 501C3 ORGANIZATION. DONATIONS TO THE FOUNDATION ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULL EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. OUR FEDERAL TAX ID NUMBER IS 39-1572034.

See a visual timeline of our history as the Foundation and the learn about the impact we have had at a state-wide and national level.