Elephant Valley Project
Elephant Valley Project is a Cambodian NGO operating the country's original ethical elephant sanctuary in Mondulkiri since 2006, caring for 7 elephants across 1,500 hectares while delivering conservation, mobile veterinary, and community programs to 2,000+ indigenous Bunong residents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersMondulkiri, Cambodia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Elephant Valley Project does
Elephant Valley Project (EVP) is a registered Cambodian NGO operating Cambodia's original ethical elephant sanctuary in Mondulkiri Province since 2006. Operated by the parent entity Elephant Livelihood Initiative Environment (ELIE), the sanctuary provides lifelong care for 7 retired and rescued elephants across approximately 1,500 hectares of protected forest that borders the 300,000-hectare Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. The organization employs 54 core staff, of whom 48 are indigenous Bunong, delivering three core service lines: 1-3 day ethical sanctuary visits, 1-4+ week volunteer placements, and a Mobile Vet Team that provides veterinary care to community-owned elephants across the province.
EVP operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining ecotourism (visitor fees and volunteer placements), individual philanthropy (elephant sponsorships at $10-$50/month, one-off donations via the GlobalGiving platform), and institutional grants from organizations including World Animal Protection Denmark ($80,000 across 2024-2025), Cloud Forest Fund ($60,000 across 2023-2024), Wildlife Conservation Society (REDD+ grant 2023-2024), and Lady Free Thinker ($15,000 in 2025). The organization's monthly operating budget of $32,000 covers elephant care ($3,920), mahout salaries ($6,300), veterinary teams ($2,000), ecotourism staff ($5,265), community rice support ($2,400), and administration ($7,980). Tourism revenue fluctuates between $15,000 and $30,000 per month, creating a persistent $2,000-$7,000 monthly funding gap.
Beyond elephant welfare, EVP runs integrated community programs serving 2,400+ local people with healthcare, 40+ school scholarships, monthly rice support for 78 indigenous families, and stable employment as a major regional employer. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the EVP website, supplemented by GlobalGiving, Benevity (corporate workplace giving), and GoAbroad Foundation platforms for international donations and volunteer placements. The organization holds partnerships with the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture (embedded government veterinarian) and the Ministry of Environment (Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary protection), and is governed by a local board with representation from indigenous, governmental, and civil society stakeholders.
Elephant Valley Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elephant Valley Project
- Legal name
- Elephant Livelihood Initiative Environment (ELIE)
- Website
- https://elephantvalleyproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Elephant Valley Project is a Cambodian NGO operating the country's original ethical elephant sanctuary in Mondulkiri since 2006, caring for 7 elephants across 1,500 hectares while delivering conservation, mobile veterinary, and community programs to 2,000+ indigenous Bunong residents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elephant Valley Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary Services
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Elephant Valley Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mondulkiri
- HQ country
- Cambodia
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Elephant Valley Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ecotourism - Visitor Fees: Day visitors and overnight guests pay for sanctuary access, with multiple visit tiers (1, 2, 3 days) and different experience levels. Previously relied heavily on tourism income but revenue fluctuates between $15,000 and $30,000 per month, with shortfall of $2,000-$7,000 monthly.
- Volunteer Placements: 1-4+ week structured volunteer programs generating revenue while providing hands-on conservation and elephant care opportunities.
- Elephant Sponsorship: Monthly recurring sponsorships at $10-$50/month tiers or one-off donations for specific elephants. Sponsors receive certificates and periodic updates about their elephant.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major donors and grant-making organizations including World Animal Protection ($40,000+ annually), Cloud Forest Fund ($30,000), Wildlife Conservation Society, Lady Free Thinker ($15,000), and others provide significant funding.
- General Donations: One-off and recurring donations from individuals and corporations through GlobalGiving platform and direct bank transfers. Currently generating $2,000-$3,000/month additional funding beyond sponsorships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly sponsorship tiers from $10 to $50 per month |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Special donor recognition for major contributions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Elephant Valley Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elephant Valley Project operates Cambodia's original ethical elephant sanctuary on 1,500 hectares of protected forest in Mondulkiri Province, providing lifelong care for 7 retired and rescued captive elephants. The organization offers multi-day sanctuary visits, multi-week volunteer placements, elephant sponsorship programs, and donation channels, alongside a Mobile Vet Team serving community-owned elephants and indigenous Bunong community support programs.
Product overview
Elephant Valley Project operates as a single unified elephant sanctuary offering visitor experiences, volunteer programs, and donation-based support mechanisms. The core offerings include sanctuary visits with 1-3 day options, multi-week volunteer placements, and elephant sponsorship/donation programs. Supporting programs include a Mobile Vet Team serving community elephants, restaurant partnerships through Fill Your Bellies For Ellies, and group/retreat programs. The organization functions as a registered Cambodian NGO focused on elephant welfare, forest conservation, and indigenous Bunong community support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Elephant Sanctuary Visit Programs Guided visits to observe retired and rescued elephants in their natural forest habitat, available in 1, 2, or 3-day formats with no rides, tricks, or close-contact interactions. Targeted at responsible international travelers seeking ethical wildlife experiences.
- Volunteer Placements Multi-week volunteer programs lasting 1 to 4 weeks or more, offering hands-on participation in sanctuary operations, forest protection, and elephant care. Targeted at individuals seeking conservation volunteer experiences in Cambodia.
- Elephant Sponsorship Program Monthly or one-time sponsorship of individual elephants at $10, $15, $20, $25, $30, or $50 per month tiers, providing elephant care, rehabilitation, and well-being support. Sponsors receive a certificate and periodic updates about their sponsored elephant.
- Direct Donation Program One-time or recurring monetary donations supporting elephant care, veterinary programs, community support, and forest protection initiatives. Available via the EVP website, GlobalGiving, and direct bank transfer to Acleda Bank in Phnom Penh.
- Mobile Vet Team Veterinary support team providing health check-ups and emergency veterinary assistance to community-owned elephants across Mondulkiri Province. Operates in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Groups, Courses & Retreats Specialized programs for groups, educational courses, and retreats focused on elephant welfare, conservation, and environmental education at the Mondulkiri sanctuary.
- Fill Your Bellies For Ellies Restaurant partnership program where participating venues donate a portion of sales to support elephant food supplies and veterinary care at the sanctuary.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50%+ of funds go directly to causes outside elephant care
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Elephant Valley Project
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Elephant Valley Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Elephant Valley Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Wildlife Conservation SocietycoreREDD+ grant 2023-2024: Rebuilding and sustaining successful ecotourism at EVP to increase support to indigenous communities. Partnership with Ministry of Environment for Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary protection. Also provided Covid crisis grants in 2020 and 2021.
- GoAbroad FoundationminorEnables volunteer placement bookings through their organization and provides a fundraising platform to support EVP work.
- Ministry of Agriculture (Cambodia)coreCounterpart veterinarian from Ministry of Agriculture works with EVP team two days per week and is available when needed for elephant health checks and treatment.
- Ministry of Environment (Cambodia)corePartnership for Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary protection and forest conservation initiatives, working with ELIE to support forest rangers and anti-poaching efforts.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Elephant Valley Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES): Small-scale ethical elephant sanctuary in Sukhothai, Thailand focused on lifetime care for rescued elephants with a single-site, high-welfare model closely mirroring EVP's approach.
- Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center: Cambodia's largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center near Phnom Penh; comparable in operating rescued wildlife for public viewing and education in Cambodia, though broader in species scope.
- Be Sanctuary (BEES): Ethical elephant sanctuary in northern Thailand offering observation-based visits and volunteer programs with a similar small-team, donation-supported operating model.
- Samui Elephant Haven: Ethical elephant sanctuary on Koh Samui, Thailand offering observation-only visits and structured volunteer programs, with a comparable funding mix of tourism revenue and international donations.
- Mandalao Elephant Conservation: Ethical elephant sanctuary in Luang Prabang, Laos offering observation visits and volunteer placements with a comparable small-team, no-ride operational ethos in mainland Southeast Asia.
- Elephant Nature Park: Long-established ethical elephant sanctuary in northern Thailand operating on a similar no-ride, no-performance ethos with a comparable mix of visitor programs, volunteer placements, and donation-driven revenue.
Broad incumbents
- Four Paws International: Large international animal welfare organization with bear and big-cat sanctuaries; overlapping donor base and grant-making role but broader portfolio and global footprint.
- Fauna & Flora International: Global conservation NGO with active Cambodia and Southeast Asia programs; potential peer for conservation grants and technical partnerships rather than direct sanctuary competition.
Regional players
- Wildlife Alliance: Cambodian conservation NGO with overlapping geography (Cardamom Mountains, southern provinces) and similar programs in wildlife protection, community livelihoods, and forest law enforcement.
- Mondulkiri Project: Bunong-led nonprofit operating in the same Mondulkiri province, with overlapping focus on indigenous community support and forest protection, though not primarily an elephant sanctuary.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Elephant Valley Project social profiles
Digital presenceElephant Valley Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elephant Valley Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Elephant Valley Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elephant Valley Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elephant Valley Project
What does Elephant Valley Project do?
Elephant Valley Project operates Cambodia's original ethical elephant sanctuary on 1,500 hectares of protected forest in Mondulkiri Province, providing lifelong care for 7 retired and rescued captive elephants. The organization offers multi-day sanctuary visits, multi-week volunteer placements, elephant sponsorship programs, and donation channels, alongside a Mobile Vet Team serving community-owned elephants and indigenous Bunong community support programs.
Is Elephant Valley Project a public or private company?
Elephant Valley Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Elephant Valley Project founded?
Elephant Valley Project was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Elephant Valley Project based?
Elephant Valley Project is headquartered in Mondulkiri, Cambodia, in the Asia region.
How does Elephant Valley Project make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ecotourism - Visitor Fees are the primary driver. The others are volunteer Placements, elephant Sponsorship, foundation and Corporate Grants and general Donations.
Who are Elephant Valley Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES), Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, Be Sanctuary (BEES), Samui Elephant Haven, Mandalao Elephant Conservation and Elephant Nature Park. Broad incumbents are Four Paws International and Fauna & Flora International. Regional players are Wildlife Alliance and Mondulkiri Project.
Does Elephant Valley Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elephant Valley Project.
What industry is Elephant Valley Project in?
Elephant Valley Project's product category is Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAH, Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic), with a secondary code of THAAAAAG, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations). Its NAICS code is 71213 and its SIC code is 7900.