What The Conservation Finance Network does

The Conservation Finance Network (CFN) is a US-based nonprofit and community of practice founded in 2012 that advances land and resource conservation by expanding the use of innovative funding and financing strategies. CFN serves land conservation practitioners, state agency staff, private investors, farm and forestland owners, academic researchers, and Indigenous communities — connecting these groups through flagship annual programs (the multi-day Boot Camp training and the regional Conservation Finance Roundtable, now in their 21st and 15th editions respectively) and a content library covering toolkits, Conservation Finance 101, a glossary, articles, videos, and Boot Camp recordings. The organization is administratively hosted at The Conservation Fund and operates with a small core team led by Program Director Leigh Whelpton and Director of Partnerships Katie Michels, with specialized forest finance capacity through Manager Mary Powers under a partnership with US Forest Service Cooperative Forestry.

CFN's core technology is not software but rather a curated knowledge and convening platform: the website (conservationfinancenetwork.org) serves as a free self-serve resource hub, while the annual programs function as in-person capstone convenings that surface deal flow across the public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. The content library is themed across agriculture, blended finance, climate, environmental justice, forest, fresh water, habitat, impact investing, land conservation, oceans, philanthropy, public funding, public policy, tax incentives, and urban issues — covering mechanisms from simple grants to complex blended finance structures.

The business model combines event/program fees (Boot Camp and Roundtable registrations) with foundation grants and corporate sponsorships from organizations including Walton Family Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, Excess Return Fund at Maine Community Foundation, and The Conservation Fund as administrative host. Network membership and access to online resources are free, with monetization concentrated in flagship convenings, sponsored content partnerships, and philanthropic support. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed; the network operates at sub-$1M scale with ~5 employees as of 2026.

Name

The Conservation Finance Network

Legal name

The Conservation Finance Network

Website

https://conservationfinancenetwork.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Conservation Finance Network (CFN) is a US nonprofit community of practice that trains land conservation practitioners, state agencies, investors, and Indigenous organizations in innovative funding and financing strategies through annual Boot Camps, regional Roundtables, and a curated conservation finance toolkit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Finance Education and Community of Practice

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

Keywords

• Conservation finance education
• Land conservation training
• Community of practice
• Blended finance resources
• Nonprofit convening network

Headquarters

HQ city

Not publicly disclosed

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees and Sponsorships: CFN generates revenue through program fees for Boot Camp and Roundtable events, as well as corporate and foundation sponsorships. Events are supported by sponsors including Oregon Community Foundation, Excess Return Fund at Maine Community Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: The organization operates with support from foundations including Walton Family Foundation and other conservation-focused philanthropists. CFN is administratively based at The Conservation Fund.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Conservation Finance Network operates a community of practice for conservation finance professionals, delivering an annual Boot Camp training program, annual Conservation Finance Roundtables, a curated Toolkit and Conservation Finance 101 educational content, a glossary, articles, videos, Boot Camp recordings, and a monthly e-newsletter. Its activities are designed to expand the use of innovative funding and financing strategies — public funding, private funding, and blended finance — for land and resource conservation.

Product overview

The Conservation Finance Network (CFN) is a nonprofit educational organization and community of practice that advances land and resource conservation by expanding the use of innovative and effective funding and financing strategies. CFN does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of educational programs and resource services including the annual Boot Camp training program, the annual Conservation Finance Roundtable conference, the Conservation Finance Toolkit (a collection of resource guides), Conservation Finance 101 educational content, a glossary of terms, articles, videos, boot camp recordings, and a monthly e-newsletter. These services function together as a knowledge-sharing and capacity-building ecosystem for conservation finance practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boot Camp (Annual Training Program) Annual intensive training program for conservation finance practitioners covering public funding sources, private funding sources, and blended finance structures that support land conservation and restoration. Includes Dolphin Tank interactive project workshopping sessions with expert panels.
• Conservation Finance Roundtable (Annual Conference) Annual regional convening that brings together land conservation practitioners, state agency staff, private investors, farm and forestland owners, and academic researchers to discuss conservation funding opportunities and challenges. Hosted at partner institutions such as Duke University (2026) and The World Forestry Center in Portland, OR (2025).
• Conservation Finance Toolkit Curated resource collection explaining tools and techniques available to conservation finance practitioners, covering topics from simple to complex, with a real-world example of each technique in practice.
• Conservation Finance 101 Introductory educational resource explaining the basics of conservation finance for practitioners new to the field.
• Conservation Finance Glossary A glossary of conservation and finance-related abbreviations, acronyms, and terms.

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conservation Fund serves as the administrative host for the Conservation Finance Network. CFN is physically and administratively based at The Conservation Fund, a national conservation organization focused on land conservation and environmental protection.
• Duke University Nicholas School of the EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke University hosts the annual Conservation Finance Roundtable at their Nicholas School of the Environment. The 15th annual Roundtable was held at Duke in April 2026, bringing together practitioners, investors, and researchers.
• US Forest Service Cooperative ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFN provides capacity building and project development support on forest-related efforts through its partnership with US Forest Service Cooperative Forestry. Mary Powers serves as Manager of Forest Finance supporting these efforts.
• Lincoln Institute of Land PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lincoln Institute of Land Policy houses the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN), which partnered with CFN to develop the 'Connect & Mobilize: A Guide to Conservation Finance Convenings' guide. Peter Stein serves on ILCN's Steering Committee.
• First Nations Development InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations Development Institute (founded 1980, distributed over $111 million to Native American projects) partnered with CFN on Indigenous-led conservation programming. Jacque Demko of FNDI delivered keynote at 2026 Roundtable on Indigenous sovereignty in conservation finance. FNDI's Woven Lands Initiative creates new models for Native land ownership.
• Indian Land Capital CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at 2026 Boot Camp on Indigenous-led conservation and land return transactions. Chris Stainbrook from the company described recent land return transactions.
• World Forestry CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the 14th Annual Conservation Finance Roundtable in Portland, Oregon. The Center brought together land conservation practitioners, policy experts, state agency staff, and private investors.
• Washington Farmland TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington Farmland Trust (formerly PCC Farmland Trust) develops impact investing tools for farmland conservation. Melissa Campbell, Executive Director, presented at Roundtable on their 2% interest impact investment note that successfully paid back 17 investors.
• LegacyWorks GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacyWorks' Conservation Loan Collaborative helps organizations design revolving funds and connect with impact investors to support long-term conservation goals. Reggie Hall presented at Roundtable on interim finance.
• Quantified VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Director Shaun O'Rourke presented on innovative uses of State Revolving Funds for conservation and restoration, and challenges of attracting private investment to nature-based solutions.
• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit that purchases land and transfers to tribes and conservation organizations. Facilitated $17 million Cow Creek Band land acquisition and $55.8 million Yurok Blue Creek project. George Dusenbury presented on Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act.
• Ducks UnlimitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization working on biodiversity credit pilot with Green Diamond Resource Company. Lauren Alleman spoke at Roundtable on aggregators in conservation finance. Flyway Forests Program uses permanent agreements with farmers.
• Blue ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJason Lee presented on making upfront financing available for forest restoration through tools like their Forest Resilience Bond. Focuses on inefficient funding architecture that prevents conservation organizations from functioning strategically.
• American Forest FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNate Truitt presented on carbon market landscape and Family Forest Carbon Program (enrolled over 1,400 landowners and 194,500 acres since 2020). Working on wildfire mitigation financing in California pilot.
• Farmers Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIan McSweeney presented on commons-based land ownership model for farmers. Focus on land affordability and farmer ownership as prerequisites for equitable conservation.
• Invest AppalachiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Crosson described matching external capital to community priorities using capital stacking approach combining social capital, grants, catalytic capital, investment capital, and credit enhancements.
• The Climate TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOldest continuously operating carbon market entity in the US (founded 1997). CFN's Mary Powers and Saskia Braden conducted interview with Executive Director Julius Pasay on forest carbon market challenges and opportunities. Climate Trust Capital has invested $2.2 million in Nature Conservancy's Saint John Forest.
• Western Rivers ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMik McKee presented on Yurok Blue Creek project, a $55.8 million, 47,097-acre effort with Yurok Tribe to return forestland to the Tribe.
• The Freshwater TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTim Wigington presented on outcomes-based nutrient reduction program on the Snake River, partnering with payors to pool funds and distribute to farmers for improved irrigation equipment.
• Croatan InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoshua Humphreys reported on Soil Wealth Capital Convening and launch of Resilient Southern LAND Fund seeking to raise $25 million over five years to acquire and transition farmland into regenerative management.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization. Partner with Climate Trust Capital on Maine forest carbon project. Locke Ogens presented on solar project on Appalachian mined lands.
• Washington State Department of EcologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTamara Cowles presented on Washington Watershed Conservation Fund pilot using SRF dollars for forestland conservation with Columbia Land Trust and Craft3.
• National Indian Carbon CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNICC is a project of Indian Land Tenure Foundation and Intertribal Agriculture Council. Works to ensure Tribes benefit from carbon projects and supports Tribal sovereignty over natural resources. Bryan van Stippen presented at Yale Forest Forum on developing carbon projects for Indigenous forest owners.
• Indian Land Tenure FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of National Indian Carbon Coalition. Focuses on Native American land ownership and tenure issues including checkerboard land patterns within reservations.
• Intertribal Agriculture CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-parent of National Indian Carbon Coalition. Represents tribal interests in agriculture and natural resource management.
• Greenprint PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-run green stormwater design firm. Presented case study on Well Farm in Peoria with city government, demonstrating multi-benefit conservation finance approach. Won U.S. Water Prize.
• Mad AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSara Clow presented Wilding Pilot initiative aiming to support 65 million acres of biodiverse ecological corridors through working agricultural landscapes with Amazon, Whole Foods, and 20 other corporate partners.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global environmental nonprofit, with significant activity in conservation finance (debt-for-nature swaps, forest carbon, impact investing). CFN's network frequently features TNC-led deals and practitioners, making TNC a comparable ecosystem anchor.
• The Conservation Fund: National conservation organization that both administratively hosts CFN and deploys capital for land and resource conservation. Comparable as a major practitioner in the same conservation-finance ecosystem with overlapping land transaction and convening activity.

Direct peers

• Land Trust Alliance: National umbrella organization for land trusts providing advocacy, education, and resources on conservation finance. Directly comparable to CFN as both serve conservation practitioners with training, convening, and policy support, and both shape the field's funding playbook.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that structures land-conservation deals and frequently presents at CFN Roundtables. Directly comparable mission: deploying capital and partnerships (tribal land return, park funding) for land protection outcomes.
• Lincoln Institute of Land Policy: Policy and research organization that houses the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN), a direct CFN co-publisher. Comparable in mission — convening and educating on land conservation policy, finance, and convening practice.

Emerging players

• American Forest Foundation: Runs the Family Forest Carbon Program (1,400+ landowners, 194,500+ acres enrolled) and is a frequent CFN Roundtable presenter. Comparable in advancing private-lands conservation finance, especially forest carbon markets.
• Blue Forest: Developer of the Forest Resilience Bond and other innovative forest-finance instruments; CFN Roundtable presenter. Comparable in creating novel conservation finance products at the practitioner interface.
• Croatan Institute: Independent research and investing institute active in regenerative agriculture and natural capital finance; has launched the Resilient Southern LAND Fund. Comparable as a practitioner-research hybrid focused on catalytic conservation capital.
• Quantified Ventures: Outcomes-based financing firm that structures environmental impact deals using State Revolving Funds and pay-for-success mechanisms. Comparable as an innovation-driven firm operating at the public-private conservation finance intersection.
• Impact Finance Center (formerly Sonen Capital): Impact investing advisory firm focused on natural capital and climate solutions with convening and field-building activities. Comparable as a connector between institutional capital and conservation outcomes, similar to CFN's network role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-conservation-finance-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Conservation Finance Network