Great Plains Conservation Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CONSERVE AND EXPAND NATURAL HABITATS IN AFRICA THROUGH INNOVATIVE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES WITH A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE, AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $5.0 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 18.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 50%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 45
- Highest pay
- $50,700, exec dir and secretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 35% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $653,695 spent. BIODIVERSITY (PREVIOUSLY FEMALE RANGERS)IN 2021 TO ADDRESS GENDER INEQUALITY THE FOUNDATION LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE TO TRAIN AND EMPLOY FEMALE RANGERS. THE FEMALE RANGERS INITIATIVE REMAINS A VITAL PART OF OUR WORK IN BOTH BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE. WHILE INITIALLY LAUNCHED AS A STANDALONE PROJECT FOCUSED ON TRAINING AND INTEGRATING WOMEN INTO NATURAL RESOURCE MONITORING ROLES, THE SCOPE AND IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM HAVE EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY. TODAY, FEMALE RANGERS FORM AN ESSENTIALPART OF THE OPERATIONAL WORKFORCE ACROSS SEVERAL DIVISIONS, CONTRIBUTING DIRECTLY TO BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION, ECOSYSTEM MONITORING, AND SPECIFIC CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES. AS SUCH, THE INITIATIVE HAS TRANSITIONED FROM BEING A STAND-ALONE CATEGORY TO FORMING A FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT OF OUR BROADER BIODIVERSITY EFFORTS. ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUE TO REPORT ON PROGRESS WITHIN THE FEMALE RANGERS PROJECT AS A DISTINCT AREA OF IMPACT, THEIR ROLES ARENOW DEEPLY EMBEDDED ACROSS MULTIPLE BIODIVERSITY-LINKED PROGRAMS. THIS NECESSITATED THE RECLASSIFICATION OF THE ASSOCIATED GRANT UNDER BIODIVERSITY TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT HOW THE FUNDING SUPPORTS CROSS-CUTTING CONSERVATION OUTCOMES.PROJECTS INCLUDE: FEMALE RANGER FIELD DEPLOYMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE BIODIVERSITY (ECOSYSTEM) MONITORING AND PROTECTION PATROLS, INCLUDING SPECIES-SPECIFIC DATA COLLECTION ON RHINO, ELEPHANTS, GROUND HORNBILLS, WATTLED CRANES, AND CROCODILES CONSERVATION EDUCATION & OUTREACH, INCLUDING KIDS CAMP, CONSERVATION GOALS, CAREER FAIRS AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT SUCH AS WITH WCA. CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT, WITH A FOCUS ON SPECIALISED SKILLS TRAINING FOR OUR RANGER FORCE AND SUPPORT FOR TERTIARY-LEVEL STUDENTS AT NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS ORI AND CUT. PROJECT REWILD WITH FEMALE RANGERS FORMING THE TEAMS THAT CONDUCT POST-TRANSLOCATION MONITORING.
- $590,034 spent. PROJECT REWILDIN ZIMBABWE, GREAT PLAINS IS SECURING THE SAPI RESERVE, AN EXPANSIVE AND FRAGILE LANDSCAPE THAT FORMS THE HEART OF A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE AND THE MIDDLE-ZAMBEZI BIOSPHERE RESERVE. THE GOAL OF THE SAPI RESTORATION INITIATIVE IS TO RESTORE THIS DEPLETED LANDSCAPE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF STRATEGIC PROTECTIONS, A COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN, SPECIES REINTRODUCTION, AND CONSERVATION TOURISM.IN LATE 2016 GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION WAS AWARDED THE 290,000-ACRE SAPI RESERVE TO CONSERVE AND MANAGE. WORKING WITH TEAMS OF WORLD-RENOWNED EXPERTS, THE GREAT PLAINS STRATEGY FOR THE SAPI RESTORATION INITIATIVE INCLUDES DEVELOPING BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, A STRATEGIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WILDLIFE MONITORING TEAMS, SUPPORT FOR ZIMPARKS, SPECIES REINTRODUCTION, ON-GOING FLORA AND FAUNA SURVEYS, AND PHOTOGRAPHIC TOURISM; ALL WITH A SINGLE GOAL IN MIND: TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THIS ESSENTIAL ECOSYSTEM. IN 2022 THE FOUNDATION LAUNCHED PROJECT REWILD WHICH IS A DEDICATED FUNDING INITIATIVE TO COVER THE COST OF RESTORING SAPI INCLUDING THE TRANSLOCATION OF ANIMALS. WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING SUPPORT FOR EVERYTHING FROM THE COST TO TRANSLOCATE ANIMALS, TO BOLSTERING ZIMPARKS PRESENCE IN SAPI, TO HIRING AND TRAINING OUR OWN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCEMONITORING TEAMS (INCLUDING FEMALE RANGER UNITS) TO BE BASED IN SAPI. PROJECT REWILD HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO COVER THE TRANSLOCATION OF WILDLIFE TO AREAS OTHER THAN SAPI AND IN 2024 THE FOUNDATION RELOCATED GIRAFFE AND ZEBRA TO AN AREA ADJACENT TO THE HWANGA NATIONAL PARK.
- $414,451 spent. RHINO MONITORING (PREVIOUSLY RHINOS WITHOUT BORDERS)IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN AND BOTSWANA GOVERNMENTS, RHINOS WITHOUT BORDERS PROJECT, OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, ESTABLISHED A SUBSTANTIAL NEW WILD POPULATION OF RHINOS IN BOTSWANA. THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT IS EVIDENT IN THE NUMBER OF RHINOS SUCCESSFULLY RELOCATED AND THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CALVES THAT HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE WILD. THIS NEW POPULATION OF WILD RHINOS IS GIVING HOPE FOR THIS ICONIC SPECIES ACROSS AFRICA. THE FOCUS IS ONTHE SECURITY OF THESE ANIMALS.WITH THE PROGRAM TRANSITIONING ITS FOCUS TO PROTECTION AND WE HAVE INCREASED THE SECURITY AND MONITORING COMPONENT OF THE OPERATION, VIA A TEAM OF DEDICATED RANGERS. AS WE HAVE EVOLVED WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE MONITORING TEAM AND NOW EMPLOY FEMALE RANGERS IN THIS PROGRAM. IN ORDER TO REFLECT THE TRANSITION IN FOCUS WE HAVE REBRANDED RHINOS WITHOUT BORDERS TO RHINO MONITORING.AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE, OUR RHINO WORK WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE SAFETY OF WILD RHINOS - BOTH IN BOTSWANA AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES - IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL CONSERVATION COMMUNITY AND ON COMBATTING THE GROWING THREATS OF WILDLIFE CRIME. DONOR FUNDING THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR RHINO MONOTORING IS RINGFENCED AS UNUTILSED FUNDS WITH DONOR RESTRICTIONS.
- $1.1 million spent. PROJECT RANGERPROJECT RANGER BEGAN AS AN EMERGENCY INTERVENTION IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IN 2020 AS TRAVELAND TOURISM ' WERE BROUGHT TO A STANDSTILL, WILDERNESS AREAS AND LODGES WERE LEFT EMPTY AND NATIONAL PARKSAND PROTECTED AREAS FACED A SEVERE DROP IN TOURISM REVENUE. RANGERS WERE LEFT UNCERTAIN ABOUT THEIR NEXTPAYCHECK AND WITHOUT THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEEDED TO PROTECT WILDLIFE. THIS "PERFECT STORM" OFCONDITIONS LEFT MANY ENDANGERED ANIMALS HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO WILDLIFE CRIME.PROJECT RANGER AIMS TO SUPPORT THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES OF CONSERVATION. BECAUSE POACHING AND TRAFFICKINGCONTINUES TO THREATEN WILDLIFE ACROSS AFRICA AND MANY RANGERS CONTINUE TO BE WOEFULLY UNDER-RESOURCED.PROJECT RANGER CONTINUES, POST-PANDEMIC, TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY NEEDS AND ADOPT A LONGER TERM FOCUS. IN THAT SPIRIT, PROJECT RANGER'S WORK AND GRANT-MAKING EMPHASIZES ENSURING RANGERS HAVE THE RESOURCESTHEY NEED TO DO THEIR BEST WORK IN CONSERVATION AND TRAFFICKING HOTSPOTS.BIG CATSCOMMUNITIES AND BIG CATS LIVING TOGETHER IS KEY TO CONSERVATION. THE FOUNDATION FUNDS MULTIPLE PROJECTSAIMED AT PRESERVING LAND FOR BIG CATS AND REDUCING HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT. WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIESAND WILDLIFE EXPERTS, THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORT STRATEGIES FOR HUMANS AND WILDLIFE TO COEXIST.THE GREAT PLAINS BIG CATS INITIATIVE (BCI) SUPPORTS PROJECTS AIMED AT PREVENTING AND REVERSING THE DECLINE OFBIG CATS. PAST GRANTEES OF BCI HAVE INCLUDED INITIATIVES LIKE THE MAASAI OLYMPICS AND COMMUNAL CATTLE HERDINGWORKSHOPS WHICH TACKLE HUMAN- LION CONFLICT AND BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE. PROJECTSCAN BE IN ANY BIG CAT POPULATION RANGE LAND INSIDE PROTECTED AREAS OR OUTSIDE. THE OBJECTIVE IS CLEAR - REVERSETHE DOWNWARD TREND OF BIG CATS.EMPOWER COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS A CORNERSTONE OF SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS ACROSS AFRICA, OFFERING LONG-TERM BENEFITSNOT ONLY TO INDIVIDUALS BUT TO ENTIRE REGIONS. IN RURAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY THOSE NEAR VITAL ECOSYSTEMS, COMMUNITYLEDINITIATIVES FOSTER STEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL RESOURCES, IMPROVE LIVELIHOODS AND STRENGTHEN SOCIAL COHESION.GREAT PLAINS IS SUPPORTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE TOENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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