Grizzly Bear Foundation
The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a Canadian charitable nonprofit dedicated to grizzly bear conservation across North America, delivering research (Project Rewild), public education (GrizzCast podcast), and advocacy campaigns funded through individual donations and Indigenous nation partnerships with BC, Yukon, Alberta, and Greater Yellowstone stakeholders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew Westminster, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Grizzly Bear Foundation does
The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a Canadian charitable nonprofit dedicated to grizzly bear conservation across North America. Founded by Michael Audain and headquartered in New Westminster, British Columbia, the organization operates with a small staff (1–10 employees) and is led by Executive Director Nicholas Scapillati. Its mission is delivered through three pillars — research, public education, and advocacy — guided by a model that explicitly integrates Western science with Indigenous knowledge systems. The foundation does not sell products or services; it generates revenue via individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions solicited through its website and Keela-powered newsletter sign-up, with no publicly disclosed financial figures. Charitable registration #83975 8398 RR0001.
The foundation's program portfolio centers on the Indigenous Roundtable on Grizzly Bear Conservation & Bear Viewing Ecotourism, Project Rewild (a multi-year research partnership with the BC Provincial Government and Northern Lights Wildlife Society for orphaned grizzly cub rewilding), the "A New Approach to Living with Bears in BC" independent study, and the GrizzCast podcast franchise — Season 1 (five feature episodes, 2020–2021) plus a new short-format GrizzCast Dispatches series launched in June 2025. Advocacy campaigns include #GoBearViewing, Grizzly Bear Stewardship, and Protect Alberta Grizzly Bears. Distribution is digital-first: the website, podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, YouTube, Stitcher, iHeart Radio), and social channels; conservation programs are delivered directly through field partnerships with Indigenous Nations and government agencies in BC, Yukon, Alberta, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The organization is the only registered charity solely dedicated to grizzly bear welfare across North America, and its most notable historical outcome is its role in the 2017 ending of the grizzly bear trophy hunt in British Columbia, reported to save 300–350 bears annually. Its go-to-market is community-led: storytelling via GrizzCast, deep Indigenous partnerships with nations such as shishalh, Mamalilikulla, Kwikwasutinuxw Haxwa'mis, and Vuntut Gwitchin, and field-level wildlife management collaborations with provincial Conservation Officer Services and tourism partners such as Sea Wolf Adventures and Wild Bear Lodge.
Grizzly Bear Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grizzly Bear Foundation
- Legal name
- Grizzly Bear Foundation
- Website
- https://grizzlybearfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a Canadian charitable nonprofit dedicated to grizzly bear conservation across North America, delivering research (Project Rewild), public education (GrizzCast podcast), and advocacy campaigns funded through individual donations and Indigenous nation partnerships with BC, Yukon, Alberta, and Greater Yellowstone stakeholders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grizzly Bear Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)
Keywords
Where Grizzly Bear Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Westminster
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Grizzly Bear Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization generates revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions. Support is solicited through the website, newsletter subscriptions, and direct appeals for funding conservation projects like Project Rewild and Indigenous Roundtables.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Grizzly Bear Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a charitable nonprofit dedicated to grizzly bear welfare across North America. Its core offerings combine science- and Indigenous knowledge-based conservation programs (Project Rewild orphaned cub research, Indigenous Roundtable, A New Approach study) with public education and advocacy campaigns (Coexistence education, #GoBearViewing, Protect Alberta Grizzly Bears, Grizzly Bear Stewardship). The flagship public-facing product is GrizzCast, a podcast series with Season 1 feature episodes, Season 2 in-depth conversations, and the new GrizzCast Dispatches short-format series covering urgent conservation stories.
Product overview
The Grizzly Bear Foundation operates primarily as a conservation nonprofit offering educational content and advocacy programs rather than a traditional software product. The core offering is GrizzCast, a flagship podcast series consisting of Season 1 (2020-2021, 5 feature episodes), Season 2 (in-depth conversations), and GrizzCast Dispatches (new short-format series launched 2025). Supporting programs include Project Rewild (orphaned cub research), the Indigenous Roundtable on Grizzly Bear Conservation, and various campaigns focused on coexistence, stewardship, and protection. The organization functions as a charitable organization dedicated to grizzly bear welfare across North America, guided by science and Indigenous knowledge.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GrizzCast: Flagship podcast of the Grizzly Bear Foundation exploring the complex relationship between people and grizzly bears, featuring stories of conservation, Indigenous leadership, and coexistence
Products and services
- GrizzCast Podcast
- Project Rewild
- Indigenous Roundtable on Grizzly Bear Conservation & Bear Viewing Ecotourism
- Coexistence: Living With Grizzlies
- A New Approach to Living with Bears in BC
- Research & Reports
- GrizzCast Dispatches Series
Quantifiable outcome
- Ending of grizzly bear trophy hunt in British Columbia (2017)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Grizzly Bear Foundation
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Grizzly Bear Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Grizzly Bear Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Northern Lights Wildlife SocietycorePartnership with BC Provincial Government and Northern Lights Wildlife Society – the only wildlife shelter in North America that rescues, cares for, and releases orphaned grizzly bear cubs. This collaboration supports Project Rewild, a multi-year research program for orphaned grizzly cub rewilding efforts.
- Fur BearerssupportingWorking with the Fur Bearers to secure funding to support possible translocation efforts for Tex, the young grizzly bear on Texada Island.
- BC Conservation Officer ServicecoreCoordination with BC Conservation Officer Service on bear translocations, including the relocation of Tex in 2024 in partnership with shishalh Nation.
- shishalh NationcoreIndigenous-led partnership for bear management and translocation. The foundation works with shishalh Nation on Tex's situation and broader coexistence initiatives on their territory (swiya).
- Mamalilikulla First NationcoreLed by Chief Richard Sumner, Mamalilikulla First Nation partnered with the foundation on Mali's translocation and broader Indigenous-led grizzly bear management.
- Kwikwasutinuxw Haxwa'mis NationcoreLed by Chief Rick Johnson, partnered on Mali's story and Indigenous wildlife governance initiatives including the Indigenous Roundtable.
- Sea Wolf AdventuressupportingIndigenous-owned bear viewing and cultural tourism business owned by Mike Willie of Kwikwasutinuxw/Haxwa'mis First Nation. Featured in GrizzCast Episode 3 (Mali's Story) and represents the intersection of ecotourism and conservation.
- Wild Bear Lodge (formerly Grizzly Bear Ranch)supportingFormer bear viewing lodge featured in GrizzCast Episode 4 (Common Ground). Owned by Julius Strauss, instrumental in ending grizzly bear trophy hunt in BC and demonstrating coexistence model.
- Vuntut Gwitchin First NationsupportingPartnership with Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Yukon for cooperative management of Fishing Branch Protected Area and bear viewing operations at Bear Cave Mountain.
- CBVA (Commercial Bear Viewing Association)supportingCBVA is a sponsor of GrizzCast episodes and represents the commercial bear viewing industry which benefits from healthy grizzly bear populations.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Grizzly Bear Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- WildEarth Guardians: Western-US wildlife advocacy nonprofit known for aggressive legal action on behalf of imperiled species including grizzlies. Comparable for carnivore-focused advocacy, policy-driven impact model, and reliance on grassroots donors.
Broad incumbents
- Defenders of Wildlife: US-based wildlife conservation nonprofit with strong focus on large carnivores including grizzly bears. Comparable for species-specific advocacy, legal/policy work, and similar donation-funded operations, though US-centric in primary delivery.
- Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y): Large-scale North American corridor conservation nonprofit spanning from Yellowstone to Yukon. Comparable for the cross-border wildlife corridor mandate, grizzly bear range overlap in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, and partnership-driven conservation delivery model.
- David Suzuki Foundation: One of Canada's largest environmental nonprofits working across biodiversity, climate, and sustainability. Comparable as a Canadian conservation advocacy organization with science-based programming; broader mandate but similar donation model and government-relations playbook (the Grizzly Bear Foundation's Executive Director previously worked there).
Direct peers
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation: A BC-based conservation science and advocacy nonprofit working on coastal wolves, salmon, and grizzly bear habitat. Directly comparable because of overlapping BC/Yukon geography, grizzly bear research focus, science-driven advocacy model, and similar donation-funded structure.
- Northern Lights Wildlife Society: BC-based wildlife rehabilitation organization and the only North American shelter that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned grizzly bear cubs. Directly comparable as a Project Rewild partner with overlapping grizzly-specific rehab/release mandate.
- Pacific Wild: BC Great Bear Rainforest conservation nonprofit combining research, advocacy, and Indigenous partnerships. Comparable for shared BC operating geography, Indigenous co-governance model, and use of multimedia storytelling to drive donor engagement.
Others
- Commercial Bear Viewing Association (CBVA): Industry association representing licensed bear-viewing operators across BC. Included because GBF partners directly with CBVA (which sponsors GrizzCast episodes) and the two share aligned interests in sustainable, non-trophy bear economics.
- Vuntut Gwitchin Government / Fishing Branch Protected Area: Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation is an existing GBF partner managing bear-viewing operations at Bear Cave Mountain. Included because of formal partnership role and shared Indigenous-led bear stewardship mandate.
Regional players
- Coastal First Nations–Great Bear Initiative: BC coastal First Nations alliance advancing stewardship of the Great Bear Rainforest. Comparable for Indigenous-led conservation governance and grizzly bear range overlap, with comparable donor and partnership profile.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Grizzly Bear Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceGrizzly Bear Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grizzly Bear Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Grizzly Bear Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grizzly Bear Foundation 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 Grizzly Bear Foundation
What does Grizzly Bear Foundation do?
The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a charitable nonprofit dedicated to grizzly bear welfare across North America. Its core offerings combine science- and Indigenous knowledge-based conservation programs (Project Rewild orphaned cub research, Indigenous Roundtable, A New Approach study) with public education and advocacy campaigns (Coexistence education, #GoBearViewing, Protect Alberta Grizzly Bears, Grizzly Bear Stewardship). The flagship public-facing product is GrizzCast, a podcast series with Season 1 feature episodes, Season 2 in-depth conversations, and the new GrizzCast Dispatches short-format series covering urgent conservation stories.
Is Grizzly Bear Foundation a public or private company?
Grizzly Bear Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Grizzly Bear Foundation founded?
Grizzly Bear Foundation was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Grizzly Bear Foundation based?
Grizzly Bear Foundation is headquartered in New Westminster, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Grizzly Bear Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Grizzly Bear Foundation's main competitors?
WildEarth Guardians is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Defenders of Wildlife, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) and David Suzuki Foundation. Direct peers are Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Northern Lights Wildlife Society and Pacific Wild. Others are Commercial Bear Viewing Association (CBVA) and Vuntut Gwitchin Government / Fishing Branch Protected Area. Coastal First Nations–Great Bear Initiative is listed as a regional player.
Does Grizzly Bear Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grizzly Bear Foundation.
What industry is Grizzly Bear Foundation in?
Grizzly Bear Foundation's product category is Wildlife Conservation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAJ, Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare). Its NAICS code is 813312.