Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT)

What Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) does

Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) is a German charitable foundation established in November 2015 under the foundation law of the State of Hessen, operating as a transboundary conservation trust fund dedicated to the Prespa-Ohrid ecoregion. The foundation's functional role is to provide stable, long-term financing to national parks, protected-area authorities, and environmental NGOs working across Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia — and, since December 2021, additionally across the Korab-Shara/Albanian Alps area. PONT is positioned as the only Conservation Trust Fund working in the Balkans, distinguishing itself from project-cycle funders through endowment-backed multi-year grant-making.

PONT's portfolio comprises grant programmes for protected areas, transboundary conservation support, scientific research and biodiversity monitoring, and capacity-building/training for protected-area staff and partner organizations. Its newest offering, PONT Connect (2025-2029), is a five-year programme financed by the French Facility Global Environment (FFEM) and the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, focused on ecosystem connectivity and ecological-corridor co-management. Reported operational outputs include more than 80 conservation actions per year, 30 annual monitoring tasks for species and habitats, and over 20 research projects with grantees; recent activity includes storm-damage forest restoration in Pelister National Park, cave-ecosystem protection in Galicica, and panoramic-platform infrastructure in Shebenik.

The business model is that of a nonprofit foundation: PONT does not generate commercial revenue. Its funding base consists of an initial €11 million endowment jointly provided by the MAVA Foundation and KfW Development Bank in 2015, a €5 million top-up from the German Government (BMZ via KfW) in 2018, an additional German Government capital contribution at the end of 2021 enabling Korab-Shara expansion, and programme-specific financing from FFEM and the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation for PONT Connect. The organization is led by Executive Director Mirjam de Koning (since January 2017), with a registered business office in Frankfurt am Main and a regional program office in Tirana, Albania.

Name

Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT)

Legal name

Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust

Website

https://pont.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) is a German nonprofit conservation trust fund, established 2015, that provides long-term financing and capacity support to protected-area authorities and environmental NGOs across Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, and Kosovo for transboundary biodiversity conservation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Trust Fund Services

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)

Keywords

• Conservation trust fund
• Transboundary conservation
• Protected area management
• Biodiversity conservation grants
• Connectivity conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt, Hesse

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PONT is a transboundary conservation trust fund providing stable, long-term funding through multi-year grants to national parks and environmental NGOs across Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia. Its portfolio includes the PONT Connect connectivity conservation programme (2025–2029), grant programs for protected area authorities and biodiversity actors, and accompanying capacity building, scientific research and monitoring support for the Prespa-Ohrid, Korab-Shara, Albanian Alps, and North-Western Greece ecoregions.

Product overview

Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) is a transboundary conservation trust fund operating across Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia. Rather than a technology product company, PONT offers a portfolio of conservation financing programs and support services including PONT Connect (a five-year connectivity conservation programme), grant programs for protected areas, scientific research and monitoring support, and capacity building services. The organization provides stable long-term funding to national parks and environmental actors working on biodiversity conservation in the Prespa-Ohrid ecoregion and connected areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PONT Connect A five-year connectivity conservation programme focused on improving conservation of ecosystem connectivity and sustainable co-management of ecological corridors across the Balkans, financed by the French Facility Global Environment (FFEM) and the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and delivered through implementing partners.
• Grant Programs for Protected Areas Long-term funding and grant support for national parks and conservation organizations in Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia to support conservation and sustainable management of biological diversity, awarded through calls for proposals and direct engagement with partner organizations.
• Transboundary Conservation Support Conservation trust fund providing effective long-term funding to support parks and organizations involved in transboundary conservation across Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia, stabilizing or improving ecosystem services and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 conservation actions implemented in 2020 alone through grant programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• WWF GreececoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided technical expertise during PONT's establishment phase.
• Frankfurt Zoological SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided technical expertise during PONT's establishment phase.
• EuroNatursupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting conservation work in the Prespa-Ohrid ecoregion.
• Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term grantee and strategic partner implementing biodiversity conservation in Prespa. Recipient of five-year strategic framework funding from PONT.
• Mirjam de KoningcoreOthersExecutive Director of PONT since January 2017, leading overall organizational leadership and strategic plan implementation.
• University of Ioannina (Biodiversity Conservation Lab)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CHAMOIS II project for Balkan chamois conservation through PONT Connect.
• Balkan Chamois SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CHAMOIS II project for Balkan chamois conservation.
• Hellenic Mountain ObservatorysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CHAMOIS II project for Balkan chamois conservation.
• Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for Prespa-Ohrid-Shebenik Ecoregion conservation and community engagement projects.
• World Vision AlbaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for panoramic balconies project in Shebenik National Park and Korab-Koritnik Nature Park.
• Rural Women of Prespa AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supported through CNVP and PONT for sustainable livelihoods project combining traditional cuisine and sustainable farming.
• Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative partnership for combined services between conservation trust funds.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF): A global grant-making mechanism that funds civil society to protect biodiversity hotspots, including the Mediterranean Basin which covers PONT's footprint. CEPF operates as a multi-donor conservation trust fund with regional implementation teams, making it a near-twin model to PONT.
• Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS): Frankfurt-based conservation organization that supported PONT's establishment phase with technical expertise. FZS focuses on managing and funding protected areas globally, sharing PONT's hybrid model of funding and field-level conservation support.
• Blue Action Fund: Multi-donor conservation trust fund providing grants for marine and coastal biodiversity, structured similarly to PONT around blended public and private foundation capital. Comparable as a specialized biodiversity fund vehicle.
• EuroNatur: European conservation foundation supporting transboundary and protected-area conservation across the Balkans and beyond. As a listed PONT partner, EuroNatur shares PONT's geographic focus and protected-area funding model.
• Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF): A conservation trust fund operating in the Caucasus region with the same endowment-based model as PONT, providing long-term grant funding for protected areas across Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. PONT itself lists CNF as an innovation partner for combined services.

Broad incumbents

• BirdLife International: Global partnership of national conservation organizations active in the Balkans, including Important Bird Areas that overlap with PONT's protected-area portfolio. Comparable as a network-based conservation NGO with on-the-ground grant sub-flows.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest conservation NGOs, operating a global portfolio of protected-area projects that overlap with PONT's transboundary conservation approach. Comparable at the level of conservation finance and protected-area management, though at vastly greater scale.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: International NGO operating field conservation programs across dozens of countries, combining protected-area management, science, and grant-making. Overlaps with PONT in protected-area governance and species/habitat monitoring.
• Conservation International: Global non-profit that channels major donor capital into biodiversity hotspots and protected areas, including the Mediterranean Basin. Comparable as a large-scale conservation grant-maker and capacity-builder.

Emerging players

• WWF Greece: National chapter of WWF that provided technical expertise during PONT's establishment phase and works on transboundary conservation in the Prespa-Ohrid region. PONT is a funder/grantee counterpart within the same ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prespa-ohrid-nature-trust-pont

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT)