What Jackson Wild does

Jackson Wild is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 as the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and rebranded to its current name in 2019. Headquartered in Jackson, Wyoming with a subsidiary operation in Salzburg, Austria, the organization operates as a global forum accelerating storytelling at the nexus of nature, science, and climate. Its core products are the annual Jackson Wild Media Awards (widely described as 'nature's equivalent to the Oscars'), the biennial Jackson Wild Summit (a global gathering of storytellers and broadcasters), and the year-round Jackson Wild Collective, a virtual community providing mentorship, an international production database, and career resources. Supporting programs include the Media Lab fellowship held in Grand Teton National Park, the Films with Impact virtual screening series on Eventive, the annual World Wildlife Day Film Showcase in partnership with CITES and UNDP, and multiple filmmaker grants (Curiosity Emerging Filmmaker Grant, My World Film Grant, Earth Alliance Impact Pitch).

The organization's business model is diversified across four primary streams: (1) awards entry fees paid by filmmakers submitting to the Media Awards, with regular and late submission tiers; (2) merchandise sales (branded shirts at $25 and hats at $30); (3) Summit and event registrations plus corporate sponsorships, with a board populated by major media companies (HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, National Geographic, Netflix, BBC, PBS) and conservation organizations (Conservation International, WWF); and (4) donations and grants, supplemented by partnerships with entities like Earth Alliance and African Wildlife Foundation. The technology footprint is modest: a Squarespace-hosted website, a Collective community portal at jacksonwildcollective.org, and Eventive for virtual screenings — no API, SDK, or proprietary platform is offered.

The customer base is a heterogeneous mix of individual filmmakers (especially emerging and early-career storytellers), conservation NGOs, broadcasters and distributors, and corporate sponsors, served across geographies spanning the US, Austria, Tanzania, South Africa, India, and Chile. Leadership transitioned in 2023 with Geoff Daniels (former Nat Geo Unscripted EVP, Nutopia veteran) named Executive Director after Lisa Samford's 20-year tenure, and Jared Lipworth (HHMI Tangled Bank Studios) was appointed Board Chair in August 2024. The most significant recent move is a 2026 partnership with the Hollywood Climate Summit to expand the awards program into narrative film, video games, and digital media, with a joint gala planned in Los Angeles in November 2026.

Name

Jackson Wild

Legal name

Jackson Wild

Website

https://jacksonwild.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jackson Wild is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that runs the premier annual Media Awards for nature, science, and conservation storytelling, a biennial global Summit, and the year-round Collective community for filmmakers, broadcasters, and conservation organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature & Conservation Media Organization

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB), National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access) (THAAAAAH)

Keywords

• Nature filmmaking awards
• Wildlife film festival
• Conservation storytelling community
• Documentary media summit
• Filmmaker fellowship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Awards Program Entry Fees: Jackson Wild Media Awards accepts entries from filmmakers and content creators for competition. Entry fees apply with regular and late entry windows.
2. Merchandise Sales: The Jackson Wild store sells branded merchandise including shirts ($25) and hats ($30).
3. Summit and Events: Biennial summits and awards ceremonies bring together the global storytelling community. Events include programming, workshops, and networking opportunities.
4. Donations and Grants: Jackson Wild relies on donations and likely grant funding to support programs including the Collective, Media Lab, grants, and fellowships. They partner with sponsors for various programs.
5. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsors support Jackson Wild events and programs. The organization has an international board representing media companies, conservation organizations, and broadcasters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jackson Wild operates as a global nonprofit forum that runs the annual Jackson Wild Media Awards (the premier nature filmmaking competition), the biennial Jackson Wild Summit, and the year-round Jackson Wild Collective virtual community. It also delivers the Media Lab fellowship, World Wildlife Day Film Showcase (with CITES and UNDP), Films with Impact virtual screenings, Legacy and Rising Star Awards, and filmmaker grants (Curiosity, My World Film, Earth Alliance Impact Pitch). Revenue is generated through awards entry fees, summit/event registrations, corporate sponsorships, donations, grants, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Jackson Wild is an inclusive global forum and media organization (formerly known as the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, rebranded in 2019) that accelerates and elevates impactful storytelling at the nexus of nature, science, and climate. The organization operates as a multi-product platform centered around three core pillars: the annual Jackson Wild Media Awards (the premier nature filmmaking competition often called 'nature's Oscars'), the biennial Jackson Wild Summit (global gathering of storytellers and innovators), and the year-round Jackson Wild Collective (virtual community with mentorship and career resources). Supporting programs include the Media Lab fellowship, World Wildlife Day Film Showcase (in partnership with CITES/UNDP), Films with Impact streaming series, and several filmmaker grants (Curiosity Emerging Filmmaker Grant, My World Film Grant, Earth Alliance Impact Pitch). The 2026 awards program expanded to include the Hollywood Climate Summit Awards partnership, adding categories for narrative fiction, video games, and digital media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jackson Wild Media Awards The premier annual international competition celebrating excellence in nature, science, and conservation storytelling, often referred to as 'nature's equivalent to the Oscars'. The awards recognize outstanding films and media across categories including feature documentaries, limited series, shorts, and craft categories such as cinematography and editing.
• Jackson Wild Summit Biennial global gathering of storytellers, innovators, and changemakers working at the intersection of media and the natural world, featuring workshops, panels, and networking opportunities. The Summit convenes industry professionals to challenge and inspire each other while nurturing the next generation of storytellers.
• World Wildlife Day Film Showcase Annual film showcase organized in partnership with CITES and UNDP, celebrating World Wildlife Day (March 3) with screenings of conservation-focused films from around the world and winners announced at UN headquarters.
• Films with Impact Free curated virtual screening series bringing inspiring nature and conservation films directly to global audiences via the Eventive platform, highlighting storytelling's power to deepen connection to the natural world and motivate action.
• Jackson Wild Collective Year-round virtual community hub for Jackson Wild's global storytelling community to connect, collaborate, and inspire change, providing ongoing mentorship, an international production database, and career-building programs for storytellers at all levels.
• Jackson Wild Media Lab Fellowship program held annually in Grand Teton National Park, providing emerging filmmakers with mentorship, skill-building, and hands-on production experience in natural history filmmaking.
• Legacy Award Prestigious award recognizing visionary filmmakers, conservationists, scientists, and innovators who have made significant contributions to nature and wildlife media; past recipients include Jane Goodall, Sir David Attenborough, E.O. Wilson, and Sylvia Earle.
• Rising Star Award Award recognizing outstanding emerging leaders in nature, conservation, and science media whose work demonstrates exceptional achievement alongside extended impact in wildlife storytelling.
• Curiosity Emerging Filmmaker Grant Grant program supporting emerging filmmakers in developing nature and conservation storytelling projects.
• My World Film Grant Grant supporting filmmakers creating content about personal connection to the natural world and environmental stewardship.
• Earth Alliance Impact Pitch Pitch competition offering funding and support for filmmakers developing impact-driven conservation media projects that extend beyond the screen to inspire measurable change.
• Hollywood Climate Summit Awards New awards program launched in partnership with Hollywood Climate Summit, spotlighting innovative climate and nature storytelling across fictional narratives, video games, and expanded media formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 international awards have been won by Jackson Wild Media Awards recipients each year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hollywood Climate SummitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026Landmark partnership to launch an expanded awards program recognizing excellence in nature and climate storytelling across all formats and genres. The joint awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles in November 2026, as the closing to a special industry event. The collaboration unites Jackson Wild's recognition of documentary storytelling with new categories spanning narrative film, scripted/unscripted series, comedy, video games, and digital media.
• CITEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Wild partners with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) for the annual World Wildlife Day Film Showcase, held on March 3rd each year.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Wild partners with UNDP as part of the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase initiative to celebrate biodiversity and conservation storytelling globally.
• Earth AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Wild and Earth Alliance partner on the annual Impact Pitch program, expanding support for filmmakers bridging conservation storytelling and action. The 2026 Impact Pitch applications opened in April 2026.
• American Society of Cinematographers (ASC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASC partners with Jackson Wild to judge the Cinematography category of the Media Awards, recognizing excellence in nature filmmaking cinematography.
• Television Sound Peer GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Jackson Wild to judge the Sound category of the Media Awards.
• RED Digital CinemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRED Digital Cinema partnered with Jackson Wild and American Society of Cinematographers for a partnership announced in 2022.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Wild and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance co-produced the Latinx Film Lab, a program to support underrepresented filmmakers in conservation storytelling. The program was held at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
• African Wildlife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Wild partners with African Wildlife Foundation for the African Conservation Voices Media Lab, equipping African videographers with expertise and access to grants for conservation storytelling.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Earth Alliance: Conservation and climate organization co-running the Impact Pitch program with Jackson Wild; comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player in conservation-storytelling funding and amplification.

Direct peers

• Wildscreen: UK-based nonprofit that runs the Wildscreen Festival and Wildscreen Panda Awards — the closest direct peer to Jackson Wild Media Awards in nature and conservation film recognition.
• Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival: Iconic annual mountain and adventure film festival/book tour; adjacent genre (outdoor/nature adventure) with comparable festival, awards, and world-tour distribution model.
• Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital (DC Environmental Film Festival): Long-running environmental film festival focused on conservation and nature content; direct comparable to Jackson Wild's Summit and screening programming from a US East Coast perspective.
• Hollywood Climate Summit: Annual convening of entertainment industry leaders around climate storytelling; now a strategic partner of Jackson Wild via the 2026 joint awards gala, with overlapping mission and audience.

Broad incumbents

• Doc Society (formerly Brit Doc Society / Sheffield DocFest): Global documentary impact organization running festivals, fellowships, and impact campaigns; broader in scope than Jackson Wild but competes for the same impact documentary community and funder mindshare.
• National Geographic Society: Major funder, commissioner, and distributor of nature/conservation storytelling; sits on Jackson Wild's board and represents both a partner and an adjacent platform competing for filmmakers' time and content.
• HHMI Tangled Bank Studios: Production studio for natural history and science documentaries; Jackson Wild Board Chair Jared Lipworth heads this organization, making it both a deep partner and a peer in commissioning science storytelling.

Others

• Realscreen: Industry media/trade publication covering the global non-fiction and unscripted content business; comparable ecosystem role to Jackson Wild as a news/info hub for the nature documentary community.

Regional players

• Green Film Festival (San Francisco / Seoul editions): Independent green-themed film festivals with multiple global editions; comparable to Jackson Wild's Summit and screening programming in the nature/conservation content space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jacksonwildorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jacksonwildorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/jacksonwildorg
• Xx.com/jacksonwild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Jackson Wild