The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

What The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund does

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (legal entity: Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Inc., EIN 52-1118866) is a US-incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1967 by primatologist Dian Fossey at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center. Its core operations consist of daily anti-poaching patrols, demographic monitoring, and clinical-grade scientific research on mountain gorillas in Rwanda and critically endangered Grauer's gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, executed through 300+ on-the-ground staff of which roughly two-thirds are trackers and researchers. The organization maintains a 55+ year longitudinal demographic and behavioral gorilla database — described as one of the largest scientific datasets on any species — supported by camera-trap monitoring for unhabituated gorilla groups and a 2026-launched environmental DNA (eDNA) program. Its product portfolio is non-commercial in nature: daily gorilla protection, scientific publications, a conservationist training program, and a Community Resilience program reaching 30,000+ community members. Branded fundraising products include the Adopt-a-Gorilla subscription program, monthly and one-time donation channels, the Gorilla Gear e-commerce merchandise store (US and EU storefronts), and the Gorilla Council corporate partnership tier.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through philanthropic channels: individual donations from 16,000+ donors across 80+ countries (one-time gifts, recurring monthly giving, and planned/legacy bequests), corporate sponsorships via the Gorilla Council, foundation and conservation grants (e.g., Brady Hunter Foundation, Rainforest Trust), and merchandise sales. Go-to-market is multi-modal: direct-to-consumer donation portals, digital marketing across blog, email (Gorilla Journal monthly newsletter), and social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube), event-driven campaigns (World Gorilla Day, Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremonies, conservation debate programs across 14 Rwandan schools), and earned media through major outlets including Netflix/Attenborough, 60 Minutes, National Geographic, CNN, Wired, and Architectural Digest. The Fund operates from a US headquarters in Atlanta, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus in Rwanda (opened 2022, 12 acres), and a DRC country office in Goma. Long-standing partners include the Rwandan Development Board, the Congolese government (formal Community Forest Concession recognition), Zoo Atlanta (30-year relationship), Netflix/Silverback Films, the University of Michigan, and Ellen DeGeneres as a named donor.

Name

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Legal name

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Inc.

Website

https://gorillafund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1967 that protects mountain and Grauer's gorillas in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo through daily field patrols, a 55+ year longitudinal research database, conservationist training, and community-concession forest management, funded primarily by individual donors, foundation grants, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Gorilla conservation services
• Wildlife protection programs
• Field research science
• Community conservation initiatives
• Conservation nonprofit funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Galanta

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Primary revenue stream from individual donors globally, including one-time gifts, monthly giving programs, and planned giving/bequests. The organization reported more than 16,000 individual donors from over 80 countries.
2. Gorilla Adoption Program: Fee-based program allowing supporters to symbolically adopt a gorilla, providing recurring engagement and revenue through adoption fees.
3. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce revenue through branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, and commemorative items sold through the organization's online store.
4. Foundation Grants: Grants from philanthropic foundations such as the Brady Hunter Foundation for specific conservation programs including patrol teams, eco-guards, and logistics equipment.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving programs and Gorilla Council membership providing sponsorship revenue from businesses aligned with conservation mission.
6. Conservation Grants: Funding from environmental organizations such as Rainforest Trust for specific conservation area expansions and community forest initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that protects endangered mountain gorillas and critically endangered Grauer's gorillas through daily field patrols, snare removal, and monitoring across Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It conducts long-term scientific research using a 55+ year demographic database, runs conservationist training programs, and delivers community-based food security, education, and livelihood initiatives that reduce human pressure on gorilla habitats. The organization funds this work through individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, an Adopt a Gorilla sponsorship, and Gorilla Gear merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund operates as a nonprofit conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a traditional technology product. Its core offerings include daily gorilla protection and tracking (with over 300 staff in Rwanda and DRC), scientific research using 55+ years of data, conservationist training programs, and community resilience initiatives. Key branded offerings include the Adopt a Gorilla sponsorship program, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus research facility, the Nkuba Conservation Area in DRC, the Gorilla Journal Newsletter, and the Gorilla Gear Store. The organization does not offer a SaaS platform or software product, but rather delivers conservation services, research publications, and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adopt a Gorilla Program A sponsorship program that allows supporters to symbolically adopt a mountain gorilla, providing financial support for daily protection, research, and conservation efforts while receiving updates about their adopted gorilla.
• Daily Gorilla Protection & Tracking On-the-ground daily protection of wild gorillas with dedicated field teams monitoring gorilla families, removing snares, and ensuring survival through sustained conservation efforts in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Scientific Research Program Long-term scientific research using 55+ years of unique demographic data combined with field methods and technologies such as camera trap monitoring and eDNA analysis to advance understanding of gorillas and develop effective conservation strategies.
• Conservationist Training Program Educational programs providing classroom and field-based training to students, supporting staff to complete degrees, and working with university students on thesis research to develop the next generation of conservation leaders.
• Community Resilience Program Community-based initiatives focusing on education, livelihoods, and food and water security to involve local communities in conservation and reduce human reliance on forests in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Gorilla Gear Store An online merchandise store selling gorilla-themed products, apparel, and handcrafted items, with separate U.S. and European storefronts, with proceeds supporting gorilla conservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mountain gorilla population growth of 6% in 2021 and status change from critically endangered to endangered in 2018
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zoo AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCelebrated 30 years of partnership in 2025, collaborating on gorilla conservation research, education, and public engagement programs. Long-standing zoological partnership supporting conservation efforts.
• Netflix/Silverback FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific advisory partnership for 'A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough' documentary, providing decades of research data and field expertise for filmmaking.
• Rwandan Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body overseeing Volcanoes National Park, granting special filming permissions and collaborating on mountain gorilla conservation policies.
• Congolese GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment formally recognizing Community Forest Concessions, providing legal framework for community-owned forest management in DRC.
• University of MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership on studies including young gorilla resilience research using Fossey Fund's 55-year demographic database.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): One of the largest global conservation organizations, with a multi-species focus including great apes and African forest habitats. WWF is comparable to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund as a broad incumbent operating at massive scale across overlapping species, regions, and donor markets, though WWF's scope far exceeds gorilla-specific work.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization with field operations across Africa, focused on species protection, anti-poaching, and community engagement. IFAW is comparable in scale, geographic focus, and donor-supported conservation delivery model.
• Conservation International (CI): Major global conservation organization working on forest protection, biodiversity, and indigenous community partnerships in Africa. CI shares the Fossey Fund's emphasis on forest ecosystems, scientific data, and corporate ESG partnerships, though at a much larger scale and broader species scope.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Operates field conservation programs across Africa, including great ape and gorilla habitats, and runs a global zoo network. WCS is directly comparable to the Fossey Fund on field-based wildlife protection, scientific research, and community conservation in the same African geographies.

Direct peers

• Fauna & Flora International (FFI): Long-established (founded 1903) species and habitat conservation NGO operating across Africa, including great ape range states. FFI is highly comparable on the dimensions of long-term species conservation, scientific research, community partnerships, and grant-funded program delivery.
• Jane Goodall Institute: Long-running great-ape-focused nonprofit with similar scientific research, community-based conservation, and educational programming. The Jane Goodall Institute is one of the closest direct peers to the Fossey Fund given its namesake-founder legacy, long-term primate research, and global individual-donor fundraising model.
• African Wildlife Foundation (AWF): Pan-African conservation NGO focused on wildlife and habitat protection across central and east Africa, including great ape range states. AWF directly overlaps with the Fossey Fund on African wildlife protection, community-based conservation, and government partnerships in the same region.
• The Gorilla Organization: UK-based charity specifically focused on gorilla conservation across Africa, with adoption and individual-donor programs. The Gorilla Organization is the closest direct peer to the Fossey Fund given its gorilla-specific mission, donor model, and African field operations.

Emerging players

• Rainforest Trust: Specializes in purchasing and protecting threatened rainforests, including the Nkuba Conservation Area in DRC where it is a direct partner. Rainforest Trust is closely comparable in the niche of land acquisition and community forest concessions for biodiversity protection.

Regional players

• Big Life Foundation: Operates community-based conservation across east African ecosystems with ranger patrols and anti-poaching programs. Comparable on the dimensions of community-based conservation, ranger workforce, and protected-area management in Africa, though focused on a different species mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/savinggorillas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/savethegorillas
• Facebookfacebook.com/savinggorillas
• Instagraminstagram.com/savinggorillas

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund