Focus Environmentalism Founded 2002 | Area served World wide | |
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Type Non-profit Organization Location United States of America
San Francisco, California Method Community based partnerships, fundraising, consultancy Key people Charles Knowles (President)
Rebecca Patton (Director / Vice President)
Jean-Gaël E. Collomb, Ph.D. (Executive Director)
Jeffrey Parrish (Vice President for Conservation)
Akiko Yamazaki (Director)
Christine Hemrick (Director)
Isabella Rossellini (Director Emeritus)
Bill Unger (Director)
David Berger (Director) Founders Charles Knowles, John Lukas, Akiko Yamazaki. Similar Cheetah Conservation Fund, Snow Leopard Conservancy, African Wildlife Foundation, Digit Fund, Snow Leopard Trust Profiles | ||
The Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) is a United States-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization that partners with conservationists from around the world and is dedicated to developing community-based projects that help wildlife and people co-exist. WCN does this by providing its partners with capital, strategic capacity-building services, training, and operational support. WCN has been given a number one rating amongst wildlife conservation charities, with four stars and a perfect 100 score, on Charity Navigator.
Contents
- Current Conservation Partners
- Wildlife Conservation Expo
- Elephant Crisis Fund
- Scholarship program
- Solar project
- References
Founded in 2002, Wildlife Conservation Network was built on a venture capital fundraising model to identify high-potential conservationists and projects and give them the support they need to effectively run their programs.
Current Conservation Partners
Wildlife Conservation Network forms partnerships with a select number of field-based conservation projects committed to protecting endangered wildlife. WCN limits its partnerships to projects that are beyond the start-up phase and usually with an organizational budget below $250 thousand.
Partners as of 2017 include:
Wildlife Conservation Expo
WCN hosts an annual event, the Wildlife Conservation Expo, in the San Francisco Bay Area that brings together donors, partners, other conservationists and experts from around the world. Notable keynote speakers have included Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Peter Matthiessen Dr. Claudio Sillero-Zubiri and Dr. Greg Rasmussen.
The annual Expo also features WCN's partners, who share information and updates on their respective projects. Other past non-partner guest speakers have included William Robichaud representing the Saola Working Group
Elephant Crisis Fund
In partnership with Save the Elephants and supported by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, WCN began the Elephant Crisis Fund to address the current wave of elephant poaching that is devastating Africa’s elephant population. The fund identifies and supports the most urgent projects that address poaching, ivory trafficking, and demand for ivory. Funded organizations include Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wildlife Fund, Tsavo Trust, and Wildlife Direct, among many others. 100% of the Elephant Crisis Fund’s money is used for on-the-ground conservation actions.
Scholarship program
Since 2006, WCN has supported graduate students aspiring to become wildlife conservationists through a scholarship program. The program focuses on students committed to working on projects in their home countries where conservation efforts are needed.
Solar project
In 2005, WCN started providing solar electric systems such as solar water pumps, cookers, lighting, hot water and water purification systems to its partner projects in South America, Africa and Asia.