Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

What Adventure Travel Conservation Fund does

The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 2016 and headquartered in Monroe, United States, that functions as an industry-led conservation grant alliance for the adventure travel and outdoor recreation sector. Its core operation is a grant-making program that channels member contributions to community-led conservation projects in adventure tourism destinations, with cumulative grants of $585k supporting 39 communities across 28 destinations as of the most recent reporting. The organization supplements its grant program with a suite of funding initiatives, including a tiered membership program for adventure travel and outdoor industry companies, an "Adopt-a-Project" sponsorship mechanism, and a conservation travel auction that monetizes donated travel experiences.

The underlying technology stack is minimal and non-differentiating: the organization operates on a Squarespace-hosted website and was actively soliciting a volunteer web developer, indicating limited proprietary infrastructure and no SaaS or platform product. Its core "platform" is relational rather than technical — a curated pipeline connecting member dues and donor contributions to vetted on-the-ground conservation projects via an online grant criteria, nominations portal, and grantee showcase. Product lines include the Grant Program, Adopt-a-Project, Travel Auction, ATCF Membership tiers, Project Nominations, the Grant Projects Portal, and the Conservation Stories Blog.

ATCF's business model is hybrid nonprofit revenue: recurring membership dues from adventure travel and outdoor industry businesses (multiple undisclosed tiers), charitable contributions and grants channeled through 1% for the Planet affiliation, targeted Adopt-a-Project sponsorships, and auction-based transaction revenue. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on trade association affiliation with ATTA, the Conservation Alliance, and 1% for the Planet to recruit members and amplify visibility rather than direct sales infrastructure. Customer segments are bilateral: paying members (adventure travel and outdoor industry businesses) on one side, and grantees (conservation NGOs operating in adventure destinations) on the other. The organization operates globally with disclosed project presence in Uganda, Namibia, and Colombia, and has earned GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency (2024).

Name

Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

Legal name

Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

Website

https://atconservationfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) is a membership-based nonprofit founded in 2016 that awards conservation grants and runs travel industry fundraising programs to support community-led projects in adventure tourism destinations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Citizen Science & Conservation Volunteer Tourism Programs (On-Site) (THAAAFAH)

Keywords

• Conservation grants
• Adventure travel nonprofits
• Outdoor industry alliance
• Sustainable tourism funding
• Community conservation projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Adventure travel and outdoor industry businesses pay membership dues to join the ATCF alliance. The organization offers multiple membership levels to accommodate different brand sizes and commitments.
2. Grants and Donations: The ATCF receives charitable contributions and grants to fund conservation projects. The organization is affiliated with 1% for the Planet as a nonprofit partner, facilitating donations from member companies.
3. Adopt-a-Project Program: Organizations and individuals can sponsor specific conservation projects through the Adopt-a-Project initiative, providing targeted funding for particular initiatives.
4. Travel Auction: The ATCF conducts conservation travel auctions where participants can bid on unique travel experiences, with proceeds supporting conservation initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ATCF awards conservation grants and runs travel industry fundraising programs to support community-led projects in adventure destinations. The organization operates a Grant Program that has awarded $585k to support 39 communities across 28 adventure tourism destinations, complemented by membership programs for adventure travel businesses, an Adopt-a-Project sponsorship initiative, and travel auctions.

Product overview

The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund operates as a membership-based conservation grant organization. The core offering is its Grant Program, which has awarded $585k in conservation grants supporting 39 communities across 28 adventure tourism destinations. The portfolio includes funding initiatives (Adopt a Project, Travel Auction), a membership program for industry organizations, a project nominations portal for submitting conservation initiatives, and a Conservation Stories Blog for sharing project updates. The various offerings work together as a conservation funding ecosystem connecting adventure travel businesses to verified conservation projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $585k in conservation grants awarded supporting 39 communities across 28 adventure tourism destinations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerATCF is a nonprofit member partner of 1% for the Planet, enabling member companies to direct their environmental giving through the ATCF. This affiliation provides credibility and access to a network of environmentally committed businesses.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerATCF maintains an organizational affiliation with ATTA, the leading trade association for adventure travel companies. This partnership provides access to industry members and amplifies visibility among adventure travel operators.
• Conservation AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerATCF is affiliated with the Conservation Alliance, a coalition of outdoor businesses working to protect wild places. This partnership connects ATCF with conservation-focused outdoor industry companies.

Scale indicators3 records

Others

• The Conservation Alliance: A coalition of outdoor industry businesses funding land and water conservation grants; structurally aligned with ATCF as an industry-funded grantmaker for conservation.
• 1% for the Planet: A nonprofit network that routes member company giving to approved environmental partners; ATCF is itself a participating partner, making it a direct enabling/ecosystem counterpart.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO funding biodiversity and community programs at large scale, including tourism-related landscapes; comparable as a broad incumbent conservation grantmaker.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): The principal trade association for adventure travel operators globally and an ATCF partner; a broader incumbent that serves the same industry members but with a wider mandate spanning events, research, and advocacy.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): One of the world's largest conservation grantmakers operating globally; comparable as a high-scale incumbent competing for the same donor dollars and travel-sector partnerships.
• Rainforest Alliance: Major international NGO focused on biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use, including sustainable tourism certification; comparable as a much larger incumbent in conservation grantmaking and travel-sector engagement.

Direct peers

• Tourism Cares: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit mobilizing the travel industry around destination preservation and community impact, with a similar industry-funded, project-driven model to ATCF.
• The International Ecotourism Society (TIES): A nonprofit dedicated to ecotourism best practices, education, and partnerships; comparable as a niche conservation-and-travel organization funding and supporting nature-based tourism projects.
• The Long Run: A global membership community of nature-based tourism businesses committed to conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods — directly comparable as a tourism-industry-funded conservation alliance.
• Sustainable Travel International: A nonprofit that partners with travel businesses and destinations to advance sustainability practices and fund conservation; highly comparable as a travel-industry-aligned sustainability and conservation funding organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atconservation
• Facebookfacebook.com/atconservationfund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adventuretravelconservationfund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Adventure Travel Conservation Fund