Okay, I lied. I wrote the other day about the fact that we had identified three core charities that we were going to focus on this year, but… After the dust settled, we picked one more: The Conservation Fund. We first ran across The Conservation Fund last year when our kids were looking for a worthy cause to support with the 10% of their allowance that they set aside for charitable contributions.

Last year, our nine year old donated to The Conservation Fund, while ‘the middles’ donated to the American Red Cross. This year, however, they all decided to donate to The Conservation Fund (a total of $43.65 when they pooled their funds) and my wife and I decided that we would do likewise, on par with the contributions that we made to our other three charities.

So what’s The Conservation Fund all about? According to their mission statement:

The Conservation Fund forges partnerships to protect America’s legacy of land and water resources. Through land acquisition, community and economic development, and conservation training, the Fund and its partners demonstrate effective conservation solutions emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals.

Land Conservation
The Fund helps local, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations acquire property from willing sellers to protect open space, wildlife habitat, public recreation areas, river corridors and historic places.

Community and Economic Development
The Fund works with communities as well as different sectors of industry, including forest and chemical companies, developers, and ranchers to demonstrate sustainable practices that balance economic and environmental goals.

Conservation Training
The Fund serves as a national resource for environmental organizations by providing financial resources and technical assistance as well as formal training to land conservation professionals from all sectors.

The Conservation Fund spends an impressive 95.7% of their funds on program expenses, with just 3.1% going to administration and 1.2% going to fund raising. Charity Navigator rates them four (out of a possible four) start, and the American Institute of Philanthropy gave them an A+ rating.

If you’re looking for a worthwhile cause to support, and you’re at all interested in conservation the nation’s natural resources, then I encourage you to consider donating to The Conservation Fund.

See also:
Part I (Modest Needs)
Part II (American Red Cross)
Part III (Our Local Food Bank)