Creature Conserve

What Creature Conserve does

Creature Conserve is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Dr. Lucy Spelman and headquartered in Barrington, Rhode Island. The organization operates as an interdisciplinary platform that brings together artists, scientists, writers, and other creatives to support wildlife conservation through art-science collaboration. Its core offerings include a 6-month Mentorship Program with Mentorship Fellows, juried Curatorial Programs & Exhibits (including titled exhibits such as Re-Inhabiting Conservation, Re-Imagining Conservation, Re-Examining Conservation, Urban Wildlife, Learning to Co+Exist, and Wildlife Trade and Conservation), Scholarships & Fellowships for artists and conservationists, and leadership-focused Workshops. Since founding, Creature Conserve has supported over 1,500 individuals across 38 countries and 5 indigenous nations and reached 48,000+ people through exhibitions, media content, and public events.

The organization's intellectual output centers on its published content and curated exhibitions. In January 2025, Creature Conserve published 'Creature Needs: Writers Respond to the Science of Animal Conservation' through the University of Minnesota Press, co-edited by Dr. Lucy Spelman, Poet-in-Residence Christopher Kondrich, and Writer-in-Residence Susan Tacent. The book combines literary writing with scientific research on animal extinction and habitat loss. Supplemental content is delivered through Wildlife Resource Pages and Wildlife Art+Sci programming. The technical infrastructure is minimal: the website is built on Squarespace (evidenced by squarespace-cdn.com image URLs), and programs are delivered through a combination of in-person and online formats. No proprietary technology, APIs, or software products are documented.

Creature Conserve operates a donation-funded nonprofit model with no commercial product sales. Revenue derives entirely from charitable contributions, with the organization reporting that over 90% of its annual budget is distributed back to the community through scholarships, fellowships, mentorship, and artist support. The organization holds 501(c)(3) status (EIN 47-4607134) and has earned a GuideStar Transparency Seal for accountability. Its leadership team comprises nine members spanning executive direction, program management (Heather McMordie for Curatorial Programs, Derek Russell for Mentorship, Maura Nguyen Donohue for Performing Arts Fellowship), media and creative production (Alex Hopwood, Lizzie Brown, Deanne Fernandes), and creative residencies (Christopher Kondrich as Poet-in-Residence, Susan Tacent as Writer-in-Residence). The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed external funding rounds, and is governed by a Board of Directors including Melissa Torres (Chair) and Dr. Bianca Brown (Treasurer).

Name

Creature Conserve

Legal name

Creature Conserve, Inc.

Website

https://creatureconserve.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Creature Conserve is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects artists, scientists, writers, and creatives with wildlife conservation through mentorship, juried exhibits, scholarships, and workshops. Founded in 2015 in Rhode Island, it has supported over 1,500 individuals across 38 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Nonprofit Programs

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ), Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation outreach
• Art science mentorship
• Conservation scholarship programs
• Juried art exhibits
• Nonprofit conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Creature Conserve raises funds through donations to run programs, reach wider audiences, and grow their creative community. Over 90% of annual budget is distributed back to the community through programs including scholarships, fellowships, and artist support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Creature Conserve operates a 6-month mentorship program, curatorial juried exhibits, scholarship and fellowship stipends, and leadership workshops that bring together artists, scientists, writers, and other creatives to produce art-science wildlife conservation projects. Programs are delivered in-person and online and are funded entirely through charitable donations to the 501(c)(3) organization.

Product overview

Creature Conserve is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates as a platform connecting artists, scientists, writers, and other creatives to support wildlife conservation through art-science collaboration. The core offerings consist of: a 6-month Mentorship Program with Mentorship Fellows; Curatorial Programs & Exhibits featuring juried shows for art-sci conservation projects; Scholarships & Fellowships providing stipends for artists creating conservation-focused work; and Workshops for leadership skill-building. The organization also publishes 'Creature Needs' (University of Minnesota Press, January 2025), a literary work combining writing about animal conservation with scientific research. Additional resources include Wildlife Resource Pages and Wildlife Art+Sci programming. Programs are delivered both in-person and online, welcoming participants from all skill levels, backgrounds, and countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentorship Program A 6-month mentorship program supporting mentees in exploring the human connection to nature and creating new art-science pathways; includes Mentorship Fellows who expand the reach of the mentorship community.
• Curatorial Programs & Exhibits Juried exhibits and events for artists and writers combining arts with science to showcase and engage viewers in art-science conservation projects; includes Curatorial Fellows and Scholars exploring new exhibition methods.
• Scholarships & Fellowships Scholarship stipends awarded to artists, designers, writers, and experts with scientific and traditional knowledge to support creative processes and art informed by science that inspires conservation action.
• Workshops Leadership skill-building workshops that help participants make conservation science more accessible, meaningful, and relevant; includes writing workshops taught by the Poet-in-Residence.
• Creature Needs (book) A book edited by Christopher Kondrich, Lucy Spelman, and Susan Tacent and published by University of Minnesota Press, presenting a polyvocal call about animal extinction and habitat loss combining literature and scientific research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 48,000+ people with exhibitions, media content, and public events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global nonprofit working on biodiversity, climate, and species protection. Comparable as a conservation organization but with broader programmatic scope and corporate partnerships.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits worldwide, focused on habitat and species conservation. Comparable as a conservation nonprofit but operating at a vastly larger scale.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Largest wildlife conservation nonprofit globally, focused on species and habitat protection. Comparable in mission but operates at global scale with established brand recognition.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Major wildlife conservation nonprofit operating zoos and field conservation programs globally. Comparable as a wildlife conservation nonprofit but with much larger scope and resources.

Direct peers

• Rare: Global conservation nonprofit that uses behavioral change campaigns and storytelling to advance conservation. Comparable in using creative/communication-driven approaches to conservation outcomes.
• SciArt Initiative: Nonprofit dedicated to bridging science and art through residencies, events, and publications. Closely comparable as a community-led nonprofit connecting creatives and scientists.
• The Art of Conservation: Nonprofit engaging children and communities in wildlife conservation through art programs. Directly comparable as a small nonprofit combining art education with wildlife conservation mission.
• Artists for Conservation: Nonprofit that brings together artists and conservationists worldwide to support wildlife and habitat conservation through art. Directly comparable as a similarly sized nonprofit operating in the same art-conservation intersection.
• International League of Conservation Photographers: Organization of photographers using visual storytelling to advance conservation. Comparable as an art-meets-conservation nonprofit with a global creative community.

Emerging players

• Climate Museum: Emerging nonprofit using exhibitions and public programming to engage audiences in environmental issues. Comparable as a small educational nonprofit using exhibitions to drive environmental engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@creatureconserve
• Facebookfacebook.com/creatureconserve
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creature-conserve
• Instagraminstagram.com/creatureconserve

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Creature Conserve