What Oregon Wildlife Foundation does

Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1981 by business leaders and members of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with a staff of 1-10 and operations restricted to the state of Oregon. Its mission is to enable the lasting conservation of fish and wildlife and public access to natural resources, executed through four interlocking program lines: a Grantmaking Program (small reimbursable grants typically at or below $5,000 to government agencies, nonprofits, and volunteers), Fiscal Sponsorship (12.5% administrative fee arrangement allowing unincorporated conservation efforts to operate under OWF's tax-exempt status), Land Conservation and Stewardship (most notably the 1983 acquisition of 17 miles of lower Deschutes River frontage), and retail operations through two OWF Gift Shops at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery (since 1989) and downtown Hood River (since 2020).

The foundation generates revenue from a diversified mix of individual donations (cash, planned gifts via FreeWill, stocks, DAFs, QCDs, cryptocurrency, text-to-donate via Give Lively), specialty license plate surcharges through the Watch for Wildlife DMV program, retail gift shop sales, fiscal sponsorship administrative fees, and legacy estate gifts including the Beulah Drake bequest. Technology is not central to the offering; the most digital artifact is an interactive GIS Project Map showing funded projects across Oregon.

OWF's customer base spans individual donors, private landowners within Priority Wildlife Connectivity Areas, conservation nonprofits operating under fiscal sponsorship, and government agency partners (ODFW, ODOT, USFWS), with go-to-market driven by community-led grassroots organizing, event participation, social media presence across seven platforms, and the cultural resonance of the Herman the Sturgeon mascot and Sturgeon Interpretive Center built in 1997.

Name

Oregon Wildlife Foundation

Legal name

Oregon Wildlife Foundation

Website

https://myowf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oregon Wildlife Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that funds fish and wildlife conservation, public access, and habitat connectivity projects across Oregon through grants, fiscal sponsorship, land stewardship, and two gift shops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation nonprofit
• Conservation grantmaking
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Land conservation stewardship
• Wildlife passage projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting wildlife conservation in Oregon. Donations can be made online, by check, or through various planned giving vehicles including stocks, DAFs, QCDs, and cryptocurrency.
2. License Plate Sales: Proceeds from Watch for Wildlife specialty license plate sales and renewals, with $31.50 per plate going to wildlife passage and habitat connectivity projects after administrative fees.
3. Gift Shop Revenue: Retail revenue from two gift shop locations at Bonneville Fish Hatchery and downtown Hood River, selling wildlife-themed merchandise, books, and local products.
4. Grant Administration Fees: The foundation charges a 12.5% base administrative fee on fiscally sponsored project expenditures, which may be higher depending on services provided and grant fund complexity.
5. Planned Giving/Legacy Gifts: Bequests, charitable remainder trusts, and other estate planning vehicles that provide long-term funding support. Notable bequests include Beulah Drake's transformative estate gift.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oregon Wildlife Foundation raises and channels funds for fish and wildlife conservation across Oregon through grantmaking (small reimbursable awards of typically $5,000 or less), fiscal sponsorship of conservation projects (12.5% base administrative fee), and direct land conservation and stewardship activities. The foundation also operates two retail gift shops at Bonneville Fish Hatchery and Hood River and supports the Watch for Wildlife specialty license plate program, donor-advised and legacy giving services, and educational outreach including the Northwest Nature Matters podcast and Sturgeon Interpretive Center.

Product overview

Oregon Wildlife Foundation offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services supporting fish and wildlife conservation in Oregon. Core offerings include a Grantmaking Program providing small reimbursable grants for habitat restoration and conservation projects, and Fiscal Sponsorship services for aligned organizations. Physical presence includes two OWF Gift Shops (Bonneville and Hood River) with Herman's Coffee Bar, and the Sturgeon Interpretive Center at Bonneville Fish Hatchery featuring Herman the Sturgeon. Fundraising mechanisms include the Watch for Wildlife specialty license plate and Wildlife Conservation Donor Funds. Education and outreach spans the Northwest Nature Matters podcast, volunteer programs like Adopt-a-Lek and the Harborton Frog Shuttle, and an interactive Project Map. Planned giving options are available through the Conservation Circle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Watch for Wildlife: A specialty license plate program that funds wildlife passage and habitat connectivity projects throughout Oregon.
• Herman the Sturgeon
• Northwest Nature Matters
• Conservation Circle

Products and services

• Grantmaking Program Small reimbursable grant awards (typically $5,000 or less) to Oregon government agencies, tax-exempt organizations, volunteer groups with fiscal sponsors, and qualified individuals for fish/wildlife habitat restoration, public access, natural resource education, pollution prevention, invasive species control, and environmental research.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Contractual relationship allowing non-tax-exempt persons or organizations to engage in charitable activities under OWF's 501(c)(3) status, providing tax exemption for donors, grant management, financial services, communications, and direct financial support. Base administrative fee of 12.5% on project expenditures.
• Land Conservation & Stewardship Conservation easements and fee-title land ownership preserving wildlife migration corridors and ecologically important habitats in Oregon. Includes the landmark 1983 acquisition of 17 miles of lower Deschutes River frontage.
• OWF Gift Shop Two retail gift shops selling Oregon-based merchandise, OWF apparel, books, and local gifts. The Bonneville Fish Hatchery location features Herman's Coffee Bar; the Hood River location opened in 2020.
• Watch for Wildlife Specialty License Plate Oregon DMV-administered specialty license plate featuring a mule deer and Mt. Hood, with $35 of the $40 DMV surcharge going to the Watch for Wildlife Fund supporting wildlife passage and habitat connectivity projects statewide.
• Sturgeon Interpretive Center Educational visitor facility at Bonneville Fish Hatchery showcasing Herman the Sturgeon, a nearly 11-foot, over 500-lb, 90+ year-old white sturgeon. Built in 1997 with $350,000 raised by OWF in partnership with ODFW; currently raising funds for repairs and upgrades.
• Adopt-a-Lek Volunteer Program Citizen science volunteer program training participants to conduct sage grouse lek attendance surveys in remote southeastern Oregon. Data supports Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife population monitoring.
• Harborton Frog Crossing Project Wildlife passage project to build a concrete box culvert underpass on Highway 30 near Linnton to provide safe passage for Northern red-legged frogs between Forest Park and the Harborton wetland, including the volunteer-run Harborton Frog Shuttle.
• Project Map (GIS) Interactive GIS-based map showing fish and wildlife projects supported by OWF through grants or sponsorship, both current and historical, with category filtering and overlays of Oregon ecoregions and conservation opportunity areas.
• Conservation Circle (Legacy Giving) Planned giving program allowing supporters to make significant commitments through wills or asset gifts, including bequest options, non-probate asset designations, and partnership with FreeWill for online will creation.
• Wildlife Conservation Donor Funds Named, seed, and flow-through funds allowing donors to support specific wildlife conservation areas, with a $10,000 minimum to start a seed fund and $100,000 for a named fund.
• Smart Giving Platform Giving platform enabling donors to contribute stocks, securities, donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, and cryptocurrency, processed through a FreeWill partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions at Lava Butte crossing site
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and supporting.

• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with ODFW dating to OWF's founding in 1981. Collaborate on fish and wildlife conservation projects throughout Oregon, including the Seeley Creek restoration and Herman the Sturgeon program at Bonneville Fish Hatchery. Dr. Debbie Colbert serves as Ex-Officio Board Member representing ODFW.
• Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritical partnership for wildlife crossing infrastructure projects. OWF works with ODOT on wildlife passage structures, fencing, and highway mitigation projects across Oregon including Highway 97, Highway 20, I-84, and Highway 101 corridors. ODOT provides engineering and construction implementation while OWF provides funding and project coordination.
• FreeWillcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with FreeWill online platform enabling donors to make tax-efficient gifts including stocks, Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and cryptocurrency. FreeWill provides the technical platform for planned giving and estate planning tools.
• Give LivelycoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partner for online donations processing. Give Lively provides the donation infrastructure for OWF's website donation forms and text-to-donate capability.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner coordinating on wildlife conservation initiatives, particularly the Coastal Marten Crossing Structure Project along Highway 101 in coordination with USFWS management.
• West Willamette Restoration Partnership (WWRP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWF serves as fiscal sponsor and member of WWRP, a coalition of volunteers, community groups, landowners and organizations working to conserve and enhance forests in SW Portland. WWRP supports habitat enhancement linking Forest Park and Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
• Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition (SOWCC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWF serves as fiscal sponsor for coalition reestablishing east-west habitat connectivity within Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. Working with ODOT on Federal Highway Administration Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program grant for Mariposa Preserve overcrossing.
• Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Crossing CoalitionstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWF serves as fiscal sponsor for coalition addressing wildlife-vehicle collisions along Highway 20 between Suttle Lake and Bend. Partial funding from Watch for Wildlife Fund supporting mitigation analysis and conceptual design.
• Wallowa County Wildlife Crossing Project (WCWCP)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWF serves as fiscal sponsor for coalition addressing wildlife-vehicle collisions along Highway 82 between Wallowa and Enterprise. Completed wildlife crossing mitigation analysis and conceptual design for up to 10 passage solutions.
• I-84 Wildlife Crossing ProjectstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWF serves as fiscal sponsor for project increasing wildlife access across I-84 through retrofitting existing bridges and culverts. Phase I assessment funded for segments near Pendleton and La Grande.
• Oregon Community FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization hosting the Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation Fund endowment established from Beulah Drake's estate gift.
• Protect Animal Migration & Movement (PAMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzanne Linford founded PAMM and serves as OWF's Wildlife Ambassador. PAMM provides education on wildlife passage needs and advocacy for barrier-free habitat connectivity for mule deer and elk.
• Westside Watershed Resource CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization hosting educational programs on the Fanno Creek trail for students from six schools, teaching about native plants, stormwater management, and habitat restoration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Federally-chartered nonprofit that provides grant funding for fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation across the U.S. Most direct peer to OWF's grantmaking and conservation finance model, though at a national scale and with significantly larger resources.
• Wild Salmon Center: Portland-based nonprofit focused on wild salmon and steelhead conservation in Oregon and the Pacific; comparable geographic focus, fiscal-sponsorship-style project funding, and state-agency partnership model.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Habitat and wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on elk and other ungulates — directly overlapping OWF's wildlife passage, habitat connectivity, and public access mission across the Pacific Northwest.

Regional players

• Oregon Natural Desert Association: Bend, Oregon-based conservation nonprofit focused on eastern Oregon high desert wildlife, public lands, and habitat; competes for similar Oregon grantmaking dollars and donor base within an overlapping geographic footprint.
• Cascadia Wildlands: Pacific Northwest regional nonprofit focused on old-growth forests, wildlife connectivity, and public lands advocacy; comparable geographic mission and donor overlap though heavier on advocacy versus grantmaking.
• Washington Wildlife Federation: State-level wildlife conservation and habitat organization operating across the Cascadia region; mirrors OWF's structure of grantmaking, advocacy, and state-agency partnership but for Washington.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation Fund: National nonprofit working at the intersection of conservation, community development, and land acquisition; comparable land conservation/stewardship and grantmaking programs though operating at national scale.
• The Nature Conservancy — Oregon: Global conservation organization with an active Oregon chapter pursuing land conservation, habitat protection, and grantmaking; competes for the same Oregon donor base while operating at a vastly larger scale.
• Ducks Unlimited: Large habitat-focused nonprofit running grant and land conservation programs in Oregon, particularly for wetlands and waterfowl; comparable fundraising model (membership + major gifts + planned giving) but with a broader species focus.

Others

• EarthShare: Workplace-giving federation representing environmental nonprofits; OWF could participate as a member charity, providing access to payroll-deduction donor channels similar to other state wildlife foundations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ORWildlife
• Facebookfacebook.com/ORWildlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oregon-wildlife-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/orwildlife
• TikToktiktok.com/@orwildlife
• Xx.com/orwildlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Oregon Wildlife Foundation