What Great Bear Foundation does

Great Bear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Missoula, Montana, with a Northern Office in Haines, Alaska. The organization's mission is the conservation of all eight species of bears worldwide (polar, brown/grizzly, American black, Asiatic black, sun, sloth, spectacled, and giant panda) and their habitats. Core programmatic activities include the Bear Basics K-12 education program and Bears of the World curriculum; the Bears and Apples human-bear conflict mitigation program in Missoula; the Chilkoot River Brown Bear Monitoring Project in Alaska using remote-sensor wildlife cameras; and conservation-based field courses in Churchill, Manitoba, hosted at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. The organization also produces media, most notably the documentary "Walking Bear Comes Home: The Life and Work of Chuck Jonkel," which aired on KSPS Public TV in January 2026.

Great Bear Foundation is also an active advocacy organization, submitting regulatory comments on ESA protections for grizzly bears, co-filing a 2024 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan petition with 14 partner organizations, opposing the Palmer Mine project in Alaska's Chilkat Watershed, and partnering with the Gitga'at Nation in British Columbia on Spirit Bear habitat protection. The organization maintains strategic partnerships with the University of Montana (for field course credit), Wind River Bear Institute (bear shepherding media project), Caribou Crossing (documentary production with President Dr. Frank Tyro), and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.

The foundation operates as a member-funded nonprofit with an estimated 5-10 staff. Revenue streams include tiered memberships ($25 Student/Senior to $1,000 Legacy), donations through PayPal, JustGiving, and Network for Good (including planned gifts), conservation-based field courses starting at $3,950 per person, and merchandise sales (documentary DVDs, art prints, books, magnets) through its online shop. Field course participants can earn undergraduate or graduate credit through the University of Montana. The organization publishes the Bear News quarterly newsletter and operates a free Bear Email monthly update.

Name

Great Bear Foundation

Legal name

Great Bear Foundation

Website

https://greatbear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Bear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that conserves all eight bear species worldwide through K-12 education, Churchill field courses, human-bear conflict programs, scientific monitoring, and advocacy, funded by memberships, donations, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK), Wildlife Health & Conservation Disease Management (HLAMAJAM)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation nonprofit
• Bear habitat protection
• Environmental education programs
• Wildlife field courses
• Conservation advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Haines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Memberships: Annual membership subscriptions at multiple tiers from $25 Student/Senior to $1,000 Legacy membership. Members receive Bear News newsletter and support educational/outreach programs.
2. Donations: General donations and specific program contributions. Accepts one-time and recurring monthly donations via PayPal, JustGiving, and Network for Good. Also accepts planned gifts (wills, insurance policies, IRA/401k beneficiaries).
3. Field Courses: Conservation-based wildlife education programs in Churchill, Manitoba. Polar Bear Ecology Field Course (October-November) and Berries, Belugas, and Bears summer trip, both starting at $3,950 per person. Includes $1,000 deposit. 100% of proceeds fund bear conservation projects.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling documentary DVDs ($20), posters ($10), limited edition art prints ($170-$210), merchandise ($6 pewter magnet), and endorsed children's books ($17.95). Public performance rights available for documentary screenings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Great Bear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving all eight species of bears and their habitats worldwide. It sells membership subscriptions, tax-deductible donations, conservation-based wildlife field courses in Churchill, Manitoba, K-12 educational programs, branded merchandise (DVDs, prints, books, magnets), and a quarterly newsletter. Programs include Bear Basics (K-12 education), Bears and Apples (human-bear conflict mitigation), and the Chilkoot River Brown Bear Monitoring Project.

Product overview

Great Bear Foundation operates as a non-profit conservation organization offering educational programs, field courses, research projects, media productions, and merchandise. Core programs include the Bear Basics K-12 education program and Bears of the World curriculum; conservation initiatives such as the Bears and Apples human-bear conflict mitigation program and Chilkoot River Monitoring Project; documentary film Walking Bear Comes Home produced with Caribou Crossing; and conservation-based polar bear field courses in Churchill, Manitoba. The organization publishes Bear News quarterly newsletter and Bear Email updates, and sells merchandise including DVDs, prints, books, and gifts through its online shop. Membership program with 10 tiers from $25 to $1,000 provides access to publications and supports all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bears and Apples: Program to reduce bear-human conflicts in Missoula area by coordinating volunteers to help residents clean up fruit on their trees and in their yards.
• Polar Bear Ecology Field Course

Products and services

• Walking Bear Comes Home: The life and work of Chuck Jonkel Feature-length documentary film produced by Great Bear Foundation and Caribou Crossing, exploring the life and legacy of co-founder Chuck Jonkel, pioneer of polar bear biology. Available as a DVD (NTSC) with a 56:40 main feature and 80 minutes including bonus features; public performance rights offered for screenings.
• Polar Bear Ecology Field Course Conservation-based wildlife education program in Churchill, Manitoba, offering hands-on field experience observing polar bears in their natural habitat. Includes lodging at Churchill Northern Studies Centre, lectures, and cultural activities. 100 percent of proceeds fund bear conservation projects; University of Montana Environmental Studies credit available.
• Berries, Belugas, and Bears – Summer Trip to the Arctic Experiential learning course exploring Hudson Bay ecology, including beluga whale observation, polar bear viewing, and cultural education. Includes boat tour via Sea North Tours; 100 percent of proceeds fund bear conservation projects.
• Bear Basics Program Free interactive K-12 educational presentation on the natural history, behavior, and ecology of black, grizzly, and polar bears, including hands-on materials, games, and safety information. Delivered to schools in western Montana, Southeast Alaska, Yukon, and Northern British Columbia.
• Bears of the World Curriculum Free downloadable curriculum for elementary and middle school students covering all eight bear species, including lessons on population, adaptations, biomes, climate change, and hands-on cooking activities.
• Bears and Apples Program Human-bear conflict mitigation program coordinating volunteers to harvest fruit from residential trees in Missoula, Montana, preventing bears from accessing attractants. Harvested fruit is donated to local food banks.
• Chilkoot River Monitoring Project Scientific study monitoring brown bear foraging success and habitat use along the Chilkoot River in Haines, Alaska, using remote-sensor wildlife cameras, tubeless infrared traffic counters, and citizen scientist observations.
• Bear Yoga Poster by Frank Tyro Limited edition signed photographic print taken during a Polar Bear Ecology Field Course in Churchill, Manitoba; 20 by 16 inch poster sold through the Great Bear Foundation online shop.
• Solar Bear I and II Giclee Prints by Douglas E. Taylor Limited edition giclee prints (50 copies and undetermined respectively) created exclusively for Great Bear Foundation, with 50 percent of proceeds benefiting the organization. Available on archival rag paper or canvas.
• Pewter Grizzly Bear Paw Magnet Hand-cast pewter refrigerator magnet replicating a grizzly bear front paw track from the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Made in Montana by S.R. Funke Company.
• Wild About Bears Children's Book by Jeannie Brett Children's book endorsed by Great Bear Foundation covering all eight bear species with accurate information. Ages 6 to 9, published by Charlesbridge Publishing; hardcover edition sold through the online shop.
• Great Bear Foundation Membership Program Tax-deductible annual membership program with 10 tiers from $25 Student/Senior to $1,000 Legacy. Includes a one-year subscription to the Bear News quarterly newsletter and supports all Foundation programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased individual donors by 20 percent in 2025 spring fundraiser
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Churchill Northern Studies CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership hosting Polar Bear Ecology Field Courses and Berries, Belugas, and Bears summer programs at their LEED-certified facility in Churchill, Manitoba. Provides accommodations, dining, and classroom space.
• University of Montana School of Lifelong & Extended LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides undergraduate and graduate credit options in Environmental Studies for field course participants. Additional fees apply through the university.
• Wind River Bear InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping media project to highlight 'Bear Shepherding' program that uses Karelian Bear Dogs to teach bears human boundaries and prevent human-bear conflict.
• Caribou CrossingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership with Dr. Frank Tyro's company for documentary films. Produced 'Walking Bear Comes Home: The life and work of Chuck Jonkel' released in 2017.
• Garden City HarvestminorOthersPartner in Bears and Apples program with fruit gleaning programs and cider pressing events in Missoula.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and ParkssecondaryOthersPartner agency supporting Bears and Apples program and bear conservation efforts in Montana.
• Gitga'at NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolidarity partnership opposing Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline. GBF made monetary contribution to Hartley Bay Band and committed to raising awareness and funding for regulatory hearings. Represents First Nations-led conservation effort to protect Spirit Bear habitat.
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on protecting grizzly bear linkage zones and habitat in Canada and the United States.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Raincoast Conservation Foundation: Canadian conservation science organization operating in the Great Bear Rainforest and British Columbia; comparable in spirit bear/grizzly habitat protection work and BC-based advocacy posture that aligns with GBF's Gitga'at partnership.

Direct peers

• Wind River Bear Institute: Bear coexistence and conflict mitigation nonprofit using Karelian Bear Dogs; direct partner with GBF on media projects and adjacent in the human-bear conflict and education space.
• Polar Bears International: The leading polar bear-focused conservation nonprofit; directly comparable to GBF's Churchill-based polar bear education work and global species mission. Most directly competitive in the polar bear conservation-tourism and education niche.
• Vital Ground Foundation: Grizzly bear habitat conservation foundation and current funder of GBF's Bears and Apples program. Highly comparable in mission scope (bear habitat protection), donor base, and small-staff nonprofit operating model.
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y): Landscape-level conservation initiative focused on connecting and protecting grizzly bear habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon. GBF is already an explicit partner; the missions overlap substantially on grizzly linkage zones.

Others

• Churchill Northern Studies Centre: LEED-certified research and education facility in Churchill, Manitoba that hosts GBF's field courses. Comparable as a Churchill-based wildlife education provider, though operating a research facility rather than a conservation advocacy mission.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation giant with active bear programs (giant panda flagship, Asiatic black bear, etc.). Overlaps on multiple bear species GBF lists and competes for international wildlife donor share.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife advocacy nonprofit with overlapping grizzly bear ESA advocacy and habitat protection campaigns. Larger and broader in scope, but shares GBF's regulatory and Endangered Species Act focus.
• National Wildlife Federation: Largest US-based nonprofit conservation organization; competes for wildlife advocacy attention and donor dollars, with bear-related education and habitat protection among many priorities.

Emerging players

• Center for Biological Diversity: Aggressive ESA-driven advocacy organization frequently co-filing petitions with groups like GBF. Overlaps on grizzly ESA petitions, mining opposition, and Endangered Species Act litigation strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/greatbearfoundation
• Xx.com/greatbearfnd
• Facebookfacebook.com/greatbearfnd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-bear-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Great Bear Foundation