What Resources Legacy Fund does

Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) is a 501(c)(3) environmental philanthropy organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Sacramento, California. The organization operates as a platform for environmental and social change initiatives, providing three core services: fiscal sponsorship (administrative and compliance support for high-impact projects), strategic grantmaking on behalf of donors and partners, and campaign design and implementation focused on public policy and on-the-ground environmental outcomes. RLF manages signature programs including the Open Rivers Fund (which has removed 100 obsolete dams across the American West) and the Wildlands Acquisitions Fund, and operates two affiliate organizations — Fund for a Better Future (a 501(c)(4) for advocacy tools including lobbying and ballot measures) and Shared Ascent Fund (a 501(c)(3) for social change work on voting rights, economic prosperity, and health outcomes).

RLF's customers and partners are environmental donors and funders, environmental nonprofits and projects, and coalitions and collaboratives. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: the organization collaborates closely with funders to amplify philanthropic impact, partners with nonprofit organizations through fiscal sponsorships providing administrative and compliance support, and works with government partners to move quickly, innovate, and maximize results. Technology is limited to Salesforce CRM for managing relationships across philanthropic programs; no proprietary technology, APIs, or SDKs are disclosed. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated directly with donors and partners.

The organization has helped secure more than $30B in public funding for climate, water, and nature initiatives over a 25-year track record, including passage of California's largest-ever climate bond and codification of the state's 30x30 conservation goal (with $1B+ secured for implementation). RLF operates with approximately 100 staff members located across California and other states, with board leadership including Chair Lise Aangeenbrug and Vice Chair Kevin Washburn. Phil Ginsburg became president in January 2026, selected from over 650 applicants in a search conducted by Potrero Group, succeeding prior leadership with Matt Armsby continuing as Executive Vice President.

Name

Resources Legacy Fund

Legal name

Resources Legacy Fund

Website

https://resourceslegacyfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Resources Legacy Fund is a Sacramento-based 501(c)(3) environmental philanthropy organization that provides fiscal sponsorship, strategic grantmaking, and campaign implementation for environmental donors, nonprofits, and coalitions across Western North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Philanthropy Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

Keywords

• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Strategic grantmaking management
• Environmental philanthropy
• Conservation campaign implementation
• Nonprofit fiscal intermediary

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Grantmaking Services: RLF manages major strategic grantmaking initiatives on behalf of donors and partners, providing high-integrity fiscal sponsorship services and programmatic support.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship: RLF provides administrative and compliance support to high-impact projects and organizations through fiscal sponsorship arrangements, enabling them to focus on their core mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) is an environmental philanthropy organization that fiscally sponsors projects, designs and implements programs and advocacy campaigns, and manages major strategic grantmaking initiatives on behalf of donors and partners. It provides high-integrity administrative, compliance, and grantmaking support to enable high-impact environmental and social projects to focus on their missions. Signature programs include the Open Rivers Fund (dam removal and river restoration across the American West) and the Wildlands Acquisitions Fund (conservation land acquisition), with affiliated entities Fund for a Better Future (501(c)(4)) and Shared Ascent Fund (501(c)(3)) extending its policy and social-change capabilities.

Product overview

Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) is an environmental philanthropy organization that operates as a unified service platform rather than a traditional product company. It offers three core services: fiscal sponsorship (providing administrative and compliance support for high-impact projects), campaign design and implementation (delivering public policy and on-the-ground outcomes), and strategic grantmaking (collaborating with funders to strengthen philanthropic impact). Key programs include Open Rivers Fund (dam removal and river restoration), Wildlands Acquisitions Fund, and two affiliate organizations: Fund for a Better Future (501(c)(4) for advocacy tools) and Shared Ascent Fund (501(c)(3) for social change work). The organization addresses three interconnected crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Open Rivers Fund: A program that supports local communities to remove obsolete dams, modernize water infrastructure, and restore rivers across the American West.
• Fund for a Better Future
• Shared Ascent Fund
• Wildlands Acquisitions Fund

Products and services

• Fiscal Sponsorship Services
• Strategic Grantmaking
• Campaign Design and Implementation
• Open Rivers Fund
• Wildlands Acquisitions Fund
• Fund for a Better Future
• Shared Ascent Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered more than $30B in public funding for climate, water, and nature
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fund for a Better FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLF's 501(c)(4) affiliate organization that uses additional tools to shape public policy including lobbying, ballot measures, and political expenditure. FBF also provides fiscal sponsorship to 501(c)(4) focused projects interested in using broader advocacy tools.
• Shared Ascent FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLF's affiliated 501(c)(3) organization that works to strengthen voting rights, build economic prosperity, and advance improved health outcomes. SAF also provides fiscal sponsorship to social change projects.
• Open Rivers FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLF's signature program that supports local communities to remove obsolete dams, modernize water infrastructure, and restore rivers across the American West.
• Tribal Stewardship and Sovereignty NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsored project supporting tribal nations in driving conservation projects and public policy outcomes across the U.S. and Canada.
• National Ocean Protection CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsored project focused on ocean protection and marine conservation efforts.
• Beyond PetrochemicalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsored project focused on advocacy against petrochemical expansion and related climate work.
• Climate MayorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsored project supporting climate action and policy among mayors across the United States.
• Center for Western PrioritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsored project focused on advocacy and policy for western lands and conservation priorities.
• Indigenous Leadership InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partner in international Indigenous-led conservation work; Steve Kallick serves as Senior Strategic Advisor to the organization.
• Potrero GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational leadership consulting firm that conducted the executive search and placement of Phil Ginsburg as RLF's next president from a pool of over 650 applicants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tides Foundation: Large multi-issue fiscal sponsor and grantmaker providing administrative and compliance infrastructure to donor-advised funds and project partners. Highly comparable to RLF in operating model (fiscal sponsorship + grantmaking) and shared use of Salesforce-style donor/project CRM, though Tides is multi-cause whereas RLF is environmental.
• New Venture Fund: Fiscal sponsor that incubates projects across progressive causes including environmental and climate work. Comparable to RLF as a fiscal sponsor for aligned advocacy projects and as a 501(c)(3) platform under which501(c)(4) affiliates can operate.
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Federally chartered grantmaker that funnels public and private funds into conservation outcomes (dam removal, river restoration, land acquisition). Directly comparable to RLF's Open Rivers Fund and Wildlands Acquisitions Fund mission.
• Wilburforce Foundation: Private foundation funding Western US conservation, Indigenous-led stewardship, and biodiversity outcomes. Highly comparable to RLF in mission focus (Western conservation, tribal sovereignty, biodiversity) and grantmaking posture.

Emerging players

• EarthShare: Federated environmental workplace-giving and grantmaking intermediary. Comparable to RLF as an environmental grantmaking/channelling organization, though EarthShare primarily aggregates workplace donations rather than fiscally sponsoring advocacy projects.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National conservation land trust that acquires and stewards land, runs policy campaigns (parks, climate), and partners with state and local government — directly comparable to RLF's Wildlands Acquisitions Fund and land-conservation advocacy work.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest US environmental nonprofit, combining direct conservation programs, policy advocacy, and partnerships with funders. Comparable to RLF in environmental mission and policy engagement, though TNC operates programs directly rather than primarily through fiscal sponsorship.
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Major private foundation with a longstanding Western Conservation program. RLF leadership has direct lineage from Hewlett (Michael Scott was a Hewlett program officer), making it a relevant comparable as a large environmental grantmaker in California and the West.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Major private foundation funding ocean and land conservation, climate, and related environmental work. Comparable to RLF as a large-scale environmental funder with overlapping interests in Western conservation, ocean protection, and policy advocacy.
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation: Large private foundation with major environmental programs (ocean, land, climate). Comparable to RLF as a sophisticated environmental grantmaker engaged in long-horizon conservation outcomes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@resourceslegacyfund
• Xx.com/resourceslf
• Facebookfacebook.com/ResourcesLegacyFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resources-legacy-fund

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Resources Legacy Fund