Great Plains Conservation Foundation
Great Plains Conservation Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by National Geographic Explorers Dereck and Beverly Joubert that protects African wildlife and ecosystems across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya through conservation, community, and education programs funded by individual donations, grants, and corporate partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersJupiter, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Great Plains Conservation Foundation does
Great Plains Conservation Foundation (GPF) is a US 501(c)(3) and UK-registered non-profit conservation organization founded by National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert, with headquarters in Jupiter, Florida. GPF protects and restores African ecosystems through a portfolio of core programs including the Big Cats Initiative (transferred from National Geographic in 2022, having funded 157 grants across 29 countries historically), the Female Ranger Programme (27 rangers trained across Botswana and Zimbabwe), Project Rewild Zambezi (101 elephants reintroduced), Rhinos Without Borders (87 rhinos translocated), Conservation Roots (60,817 indigenous trees planted), School Food Program (9 million nutritious meals), Solar Mamas (1,000 homes electrified), Beads for Business (105 women employed), and Conservation Education Camps (2,312 schoolchildren hosted). The foundation operates across 1.1 million protected acres in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, partnering with national wildlife authorities, defense and police agencies, and local NGOs.
GPF's operating technology stack combines field-grade conservation tools — camera traps, GPS tracking collars, solar energy systems, and AI-powered biodiversity monitoring — with the proprietary Human Loudspeaker Early Warning System (LEWS), a network of village stations that alerts communities to lion movements and has reduced human-lion conflict by over 75% in project areas. The technology layer is deployed in service of program operations rather than commercialized as a product.
GPF's revenue model is 100% donation-based across four streams: individual donations (including the Earth Partners monthly giving program), Big Cats Initiative grants and project funding, corporate partnerships and matching gifts, and planned giving/bequests (wills, trusts, retirement accounts, stock). Program sponsorship is offered at granular tiers (e.g., $15,000 to sponsor a Female Ranger for a year; $250 for a solar household lighting unit; $25 to plant a tree; $500 per conservation education camp attendee). The foundation also participates in the annual Wildlife Ranger Challenge, which raised $3.35 million across 62 organizations in 2025.
Great Plains Conservation Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Great Plains Conservation Foundation
- Legal name
- Great Plains Conservation Foundation
- Website
- https://greatplainsfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Great Plains Conservation Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by National Geographic Explorers Dereck and Beverly Joubert that protects African wildlife and ecosystems across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya through conservation, community, and education programs funded by individual donations, grants, and corporate partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Great Plains Conservation Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)
Keywords
Where Great Plains Conservation Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jupiter
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Great Plains Conservation Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting conservation, wildlife protection, and community development initiatives. Includes monthly giving through Earth Partners program.
- Big Cats Initiative Grants: Grant funding for big cat conservation projects globally, previously under National Geographic partnership, now managed directly by Great Plains Foundation
- Planned Giving/Bequests: Legacy gifts through wills and trusts, retirement account donations, stock donations
- Corporate Partnerships: Matching gifts programs and corporate donations supporting specific conservation initiatives
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Female Ranger Sponsorship |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Solar Household Lighting Unit |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Tree Planting Donation |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Conservation Education Camp |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Great Plains Conservation Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Great Plains Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization that delivers African wildlife conservation and community development programs across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Its core offerings combine habitat protection (1.1M+ acres), wildlife translocation and ranger-supported anti-poaching (e.g., 101 elephants reintroduced, 87 rhinos translocated), human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and community empowerment programs such as Female Rangers, Solar Mamas, Conservation Roots tree planting, and School Food.
Product overview
Great Plains Foundation is a non-profit conservation organization operating conservation and community programs across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya in Africa. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on wildlife conservation, land protection, and community empowerment. Core offerings include the Big Cats Initiative (big cat conservation), Female Ranger Programme (women in wildlife protection), Solar Mamas (sustainable energy for women), Conservation Roots (tree planting), Student Conservation Camps (youth education), School Food Program (nutrition for schoolchildren), Project Ranger (ranger support), Rhinos Without Borders (rhino translocation), Project Rewild Zambezi (wildlife relocation), Biodiversity Monitoring (ecosystem research), and Beads for Business (women's economic empowerment). The organization also operates a monthly donor program called Earth Partners. These programs work together to achieve the foundation's mission of preserving, rescuing, and recovering African landscapes, wildlife, and communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Big Cats Initiative: Conservation initiative protecting big cat populations and habitats across Africa, previously under National Geographic, now managed by Great Plains Foundation.
- Conservation Roots
Products and services
- Big Cats Initiative A conservation grant program protecting big cats (lions, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, pumas, tigers) through habitat preservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and grant funding for projects across Africa and globally; previously managed under National Geographic, transferred to Great Plains Foundation in 2022.
- Female Ranger Programme An all-female ranger unit that trains and employs women as Biodiversity Monitors and Wildlife Rangers in Botswana's Okavango Delta and Zimbabwe's Sapi Reserve to conduct patrols, monitor wildlife, collect field data, support anti-poaching efforts, and engage communities.
- Solar Mamas A women's empowerment program that trains women in solar engineering, enabling them to install and maintain solar home lighting systems in rural communities bordering the Okavango Delta, providing sustainable energy and entrepreneurship opportunities.
- Conservation Roots An indigenous tree planting initiative partnering with local communities to restore ecosystems across Kenya, Botswana, and Zimbabwe through tree nurseries and conservation education, with 60,817 indigenous trees planted cumulatively.
- Student Conservation Camps / Conservation Education Educational programs for youth including Kids Conservation Camps, conservation lessons, and field trips in Kenya and Botswana that teach environmental awareness and develop future conservationists.
- School Food Program A nutrition initiative supplying nutritious daily meals to schoolchildren across Kenya (Amboseli, Shompole, Maasai Mara regions) to encourage school attendance and support educational progress.
- Project Ranger A program providing grants, training, and support to wildlife rangers across Africa, including the Wildlife Ranger Challenge annual fundraising event.
- Rhinos Without Borders A rhino translocation initiative that relocates rhinos from high-risk areas to safer habitats, having translocated 87 rhinos as part of the program.
- Project Rewild Zambezi An ambitious wildlife relocation initiative translocating elephants and other wildlife from overpopulated areas to the Sapi Reserve in Zimbabwe's Lower Zambezi Valley, having reintroduced 101 elephants.
- Biodiversity Monitoring Systematic observation and recording of wildlife populations and ecosystem health across protected areas (290,000 acres in Zimbabwe and 163,000 hectares in Botswana) to inform conservation decisions.
- Beads for Business Women's economic empowerment program supporting the Naboisho Women's Bead Group in Kenya to create and sell beaded crafts, with proceeds supporting education and healthcare for families.
- Great Plains Earth Partners Monthly giving program enabling donors to provide consistent support for conservation initiatives with tax-deductible donations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 million nutritious meals distributed to school children
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Great Plains Conservation Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Great Plains Conservation Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Great Plains Conservation Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- WASIMAcoreLocally led NGO in Tanzania working on human-lion coexistence; Big Cats Initiative grantee; installed lion-proof bomas reducing retaliatory lion killings from 8+ per year to near zero.
- Lucrecia AguilarminorResearcher studying human-lion dynamics in Kenya's Laikipia; BCI grant partially funded vehicle and 11 lions collared with 100 livestock tagged with GPS ear tags.
- Infinity OutdoorsminorPartner for conservation education camps in Kenya providing team building activities including yoga, orienteering and navigation.
- National GeographicflagshipNational Geographic Big Cats Initiative was established by founders Dereck and Beverly Joubert and transferred to Great Plains Foundation management in 2022. BCI funded over 150 projects in 29 countries and continues as a flagship program under GPF.
- Kenya Wildlife TrustcorePartnership for Conservation Leadership Program; Great Plains sponsors 6 students from Maasai Mara, Tsavo/Amboseli and Samburu/Laikipia to earn diplomas at Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute.
- The Maa TrustcoreJoint conservation education camps for Maasai Mara youth; students sponsored to attend educational field trips including marine conservation experiences.
- EcoExistminorHuman-elephant coexistence conservation partner in Botswana's Okavango Delta region; shares expertise on elephant behavior and conflict mitigation.
- CLAWS ConservancyminorLion conservation partner in Botswana sharing information on human-lion coexistence, collar monitoring, and mobile livestock pen construction.
- Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) BotswanacoreGovernment partner for wildlife monitoring, elephant carcass aerial surveys, and conservation operations across Okavango Delta.
- Botswana Defence ForcecoreCollaborative partner in elephant carcass aerial surveys and anti-poaching operations.
- Botswana PolicecorePartner in conservation law enforcement operations and wildlife crime prevention.
- Micato SafarisminorPartnership for conservation education camps in Kenya; provides mentorship and support for youth programs.
- Huru InternationalminorPartner providing menstrual health packages for girls attending conservation education camps.
- Mother Bear ProjectminorUS-based nonprofit donating hand-knit teddy bears for children in rural communities; 800 bears donated to Kenya and Botswana schools.
- SeevaminorSouth African pediatric optometry specialists providing eye tests and spectacles for rural school children in Kenya.
- Leo FoundationcoreWest African lion conservation in Senegal; training for rangers and eco-guards in Niokolo-Koba National Park on carnivore survey techniques.
- Instituto Homem PantaneirocoreJaguar conservation (Felinos Pantaneiros program) and environmental education in Brazil's Pantanal region; Big Cats Initiative grantee.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Great Plains Conservation Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wildlife Conservation Society: Major global wildlife conservation NGO operating field programs in Africa and beyond; a broad incumbent peer with overlapping big cat, elephant, and community-based conservation work.
- Conservation International: Large global conservation organization with significant Africa footprint; comparable in combining biodiversity protection, community programs, and corporate partnership models.
- World Wildlife Fund: Largest global wildlife conservation NGO; competes for the same donor pool and operates similar species-protection and community-based programs across Africa.
- The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization with a strong Africa program and land-protection focus; comparable as a non-profit leveraging large-scale donor networks and corporate partnerships for habitat outcomes.
Direct peers
- Save the Elephants: Elephant-focused conservation and research NGO based in Kenya; directly comparable in anti-poaching, GPS collaring, and human-elephant coexistence work overlapping with Great Plains' Project Rewild Zambezi.
- African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation non-profit operating habitat protection and community programs across multiple African countries; directly comparable in mission, geographic focus, and integrated wildlife-community model.
- Panthera: Wild cat conservation NGO focused on big cats globally; the most direct peer for the Big Cats Initiative with similar species-protection mission and grantmaking model across Africa and beyond.
Regional players
- Peace Parks Foundation: Facilitates transfrontier conservation areas across southern Africa; directly comparable in cross-border habitat protection and wildlife translocation work (overlaps with Rhinos Without Borders and Project Rewild Zambezi).
- EWT (Endangered Wildlife Trust): South African conservation NGO with similar species (rhino, big cat) focus and community-coexistence programs; comparable as a regional counterpart working on similar methodologies in southern Africa.
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy: Kenya-based conservancy with comparable rhino protection, community, and education programs; directly overlapping with Great Plains' Laikipia operations and Female Ranger concept.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Great Plains Conservation Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceGreat Plains Conservation Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Great Plains Conservation Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Great Plains Conservation Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Great Plains Conservation Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Great Plains Conservation 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 Great Plains Conservation Foundation
What does Great Plains Conservation Foundation do?
Great Plains Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization that delivers African wildlife conservation and community development programs across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Its core offerings combine habitat protection (1.1M+ acres), wildlife translocation and ranger-supported anti-poaching (e.g., 101 elephants reintroduced, 87 rhinos translocated), human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and community empowerment programs such as Female Rangers, Solar Mamas, Conservation Roots tree planting, and School Food.
Is Great Plains Conservation Foundation a public or private company?
Great Plains Conservation Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Great Plains Conservation Foundation founded?
Great Plains Conservation Foundation was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Great Plains Conservation Foundation based?
Great Plains Conservation Foundation is headquartered in Jupiter, United States, in the North America region.
How does Great Plains Conservation Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are big Cats Initiative Grants, planned Giving/Bequests and corporate Partnerships.
Who are Great Plains Conservation Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy. Direct peers are Save the Elephants, African Wildlife Foundation and Panthera. Regional players are Peace Parks Foundation, EWT (Endangered Wildlife Trust) and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Does Great Plains Conservation Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Great Plains Conservation Foundation.
What industry is Great Plains Conservation Foundation in?
Great Plains Conservation Foundation's product category is Wildlife Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAA, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8300.