What International Elephant Foundation does

The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Azle, Texas, that funds and coordinates global elephant conservation across Africa, Asia, and North America. Its core offering is a grant program that disburses funds to 20–25 conservation projects annually at an average award of ~$15,000 per project, with 85%+ of funds directed to field programs; cumulative disbursements exceed $10 million since inception. Field activities span anti-poaching patrols (including K9 units at Conservation Lower Zambezi since 2016), human-elephant conflict mitigation, habitat protection, ranger support (3,201 rangers in 2025), community empowerment (184,236+ community members in 2025), and a notable scientific research portfolio — most prominently EEHV (Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus) vaccine and diagnostics development in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

IEF's business model is donation- and sponsorship-driven. Revenue streams include individual donations (one-time and monthly recurring), corporate sponsorships, planned giving (wills, trusts, IRA rollovers, stocks/bonds), and donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, BNY Mellon). The organization also operates the Sponsor-An-Elephant subscription program with Tsavo Trust in Kenya, and monetizes community engagement through educational resources for teachers and children. Customer segments are hybrid: individual donors (primary), conservation NGOs and zoo partners (primary, operational/strategic), corporate sponsors (secondary), and government wildlife authorities in elephant range countries (secondary, programmatic).

IEF extends its reach through a biennial International Elephant Conservation and Research Symposium (the 21st edition was hosted at Fort Worth Zoo in December 2025 with 160+ researchers from 27 countries), virtual Conservation Chats, the Elephant Echoes e-newsletter, and a multi-channel content presence across Instagram and Twitter. Payment processing relies on Stripe and PayPal integrations. The organization is governed by a board comprising zoo executives and conservation specialists, with Deborah Olson serving as Executive Director.

Name

International Elephant Foundation

Legal name

International Elephant Foundation

Website

https://elephantconservation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Elephant Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that funds ~20–25 elephant conservation projects annually across Africa and Asia through grants averaging $15,000, supported by individual donors, corporate sponsors, and zoo partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Elephant conservation
• Wildlife protection
• Habitat preservation
• Conservation grants
• Anti-poaching programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Azle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting elephant conservation. Monthly giving programs available for recurring support.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Business and corporate sponsors that support IEF's conservation programs in Africa and Asia, connecting customers and staff to conservation initiatives.
3. Planned Giving: Wills, trusts, IRA rollovers, stocks and bonds, and other planned giving mechanisms for legacy conservation contributions.
4. Grant Programs: IEF funds 20-25 conservation projects annually through grants averaging $15,000 per project, supporting human-elephant conflict prevention, habitat conservation, anti-poaching, and research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The International Elephant Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds elephant conservation worldwide through grant programs (20–25 projects annually at an average of $15,000 each), individual elephant sponsorships, scientific research on EEHV and elephant biology, anti-poaching operations, habitat protection, and human-elephant conflict mitigation programs. The foundation also hosts a biennial research symposium and runs educational programs, sustaining operations primarily through individual donations, monthly giving, corporate sponsorships, and planned giving.

Product overview

The International Elephant Foundation operates a conservation-focused platform centered on its website at elephantconservation.org. The core offerings include the Sponsor-An-Elephant Program enabling donors to support named elephants in Kenya, a portfolio of 20+ annual conservation projects across Africa and Asia, a grant program funding external researchers, and the biennial International Elephant Conservation and Research Symposium. Supporting offerings include educational resources for teachers and children, virtual Conservation Chats with experts, and Elephant Echoes e-newsletters. The platform integrates PayPal and Stripe for donation processing. IEF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 75-2815706) founded in 1999.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sponsor-An-Elephant Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 212,331+ km2 of habitat protected
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fort Worth ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the 21st International Elephant Conservation and Research Symposium in December 2025. IEF President Mike Fouraker serves as Executive Director. The Fort Worth Zoo's Asian elephant breeding program includes 2 adult bulls and 4 adult females.
• Tsavo TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Sponsor-An-Elephant program supporting Iconic Female Tuskers, Big Tuskers, and Emerging Tuskers in Kenya. Monitors individual elephants and provides security for these iconic animals.
• Conservation Lower ZambezicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK9 anti-poaching unit operations in Lower Zambezi, Zambia. Led to significant reductions in poaching since K9 unit inception in 2016.
• Uganda Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports scouts program and Snare Mountain project in Uganda. Rangers rescue at least three animals daily from snares.
• US Fish and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting elephant conservation programs.
• Uganda Wildlife AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for elephant conservation in Uganda.
• National Parks Agency of Gabon (ANPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for forest elephant conservation in Gabon, where about 95,000 forest elephants reside.
• Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman-elephant coexistence program in Kenya. Project fosters harmonious relationship between local population and elephants.
• Elephant-Human Relations AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner that reached 10 times more people last year with IEF support enabling their growth and development.
• Komunitas untuk Hutan SumateraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntensive patrolling and law enforcement activities to prevent human elephant conflict and ensure protection of elephants in Sumatra.
• Elephant ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on ensuring safe and increasing elephant populations must go hand in hand with safety of people and their livelihoods.
• Houston ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EEHV research collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine. Has 13 Asian elephants and is involved in elephant breeding and research programs.
• San Diego Zoo Safari ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVice President of Wildlife Care Dr. Kristi Burtis serves as IEF Secretary. Partner in elephant conservation and welfare programs.
• Columbus Zoo and The WildsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation Dr. Jan Ramer serves as IEF board member.
• Northern Rangelands TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenya-based trust focused on wildlife protection and community conservation.
• Frankfurt Zoological SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation organization supporting elephant habitat protection.
• IUCN African Elephant Specialist GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist group providing scientific expertise on African elephant conservation.
• Mount Kenya TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEF has supported Mount Kenya Trust's Horse Patrol Team for over 10 years.
• Baylor College of MedicinecoreTechnology or IntegrationDr. Paul Ling's lab developed qPCR tests for EEHV detection. Collaborates on EEHV vaccine research and genomic sequencing.
• Johns Hopkins School of MedicinecoreTechnology or IntegrationDr. Gary Hayward leads EEHV research, identified all seven known species of EEHV. Collaborates on diagnostic tests and vaccine development.
• VantaracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Conservation Partner for the 21st International Elephant Conservation and Research Symposium.
• Colossal BiosciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor. Dr. Wendy Kiso, IEF advisor, is Principal Scientist in Assisted Reproduction at Colossal.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elephant Crisis Fund: Joint fund of Save the Elephants and Wildlife Conservation Network focused exclusively on emergency elephant anti-poaching and anti-trafficking grants. Most narrowly comparable peer on mission, geography, and grantmaking style.
• Save the Elephants: Kenya-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to elephant conservation through research, anti-poaching, and community programs. Most directly comparable to IEF in mission, geographic focus, and grantmaking-style operations across Africa.
• Frankfurt Zoological Society: International conservation foundation funding species and habitat protection projects globally, including elephant work. Similar grantmaking nonprofit model and listed as an existing IEF partner, making it a strong functional peer.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO funding wildlife protection, habitat management, and community programs across the continent. Closely comparable to IEF on grantmaking model and African range country presence.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global zoo- and field-based conservation organization running elephant conservation programs across Africa and Asia. Larger and more diversified than IEF but operates overlapping zoo-anchored conservation model.
• Conservation International: Global environmental nonprofit funding biodiversity and habitat protection programs across developing economies. Larger and broader scope but overlapping donor base and field program model.
• Fauna & Flora International: Long-established international species conservation NGO operating across Africa and Asia. Comparable grantmaking nonprofit structure and conservation species focus, though with a broader portfolio than elephants alone.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global environmental nonprofit with land and species protection programs. Operates at substantially greater scale than IEF but competes for the same high-net-worth and corporate philanthropic dollars.
• World Wildlife Fund: Largest global wildlife conservation NGO with dedicated elephant and species programs in Africa and Asia. Competes with IEF for major institutional and corporate donors but operates at vastly greater scale.

Regional players

• Tsavo Trust: Kenya-based conservation trust focused on elephants and other wildlife in the Tsavo ecosystem. Functions as a current IEF implementation partner for the Sponsor-An-Elephant program and Big Tusker monitoring, making it a comparable field-operating peer in IEF's flagship geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ElephantsIEF
• Instagraminstagram.com/elephantsief
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalElephantFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-international-elephant-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Elephant Foundation