The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin - Logo Circle

Our Mission and Vision

Our Mission

To protect our state’s lands, waters, and wildlife by providing funding, leading partnerships, and connecting all people with nature.

Our Vision

Wisconsin’s flourishing ecosystems are protected, sustained, and cherished by diverse communities.

Our Values

Nature. Wisconsin’s beautiful, biodiverse landscapes have intrinsic value and are worthy of protection.

Belonging. Everyone deserves to get outdoors and enjoy the natural world, and be welcomed into conservation efforts, too.

Connection. People and nature can thrive and be healthy together. Meaningful experiences in nature help us feel interconnected.

Leadership. Proactively bringing diverse partners together is the only way to protect our lands, waters, and wildlife for future generations. Collaboration is key.

Hope. Nature is resilient, people are generous, and we all can make a difference. We see it every day.

Our 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, and helps the people of our state explore, love, and protect its natural resources.

We work to protect Wisconsin’s natural heritage in the following ways:

      • Supporting critical conservation work through our grant programs
      • Offering opportunities for people to experience Wisconsin’s outdoors through our field trips
      • Providing a means for people to help protect Wisconsin’s lands, waters, and wildlife that they cherish most through our diverse ways to give
Grant programs
field trips
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.

A Visual Timeline of the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin

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.

Banner photo by Chris Hofmann