Types of Organizations

Category

Conservancy

Community Foundation

Land Trust

"Friends of" Organization

Public Wealth Fund

Mission

Protect and preserve natural resources, often through a specific asset like a park, river, or wildlife area.

Improve life in a specific geographic area by pooling donations and making grants to local nonprofits.

Conserve land permanently by purchasing it or obtaining conservation easements, protecting natural habitats and farmland.

Raise funds for and support a specific foreign or larger domestic nonprofit organization.

Generate revenue from government-owned assets to fund public services or be distributed to citizens.

Funding Source

Public donations, memberships, grants, and fundraising events.

Donations from individuals, families, and businesses within the community.

Public donations, memberships, grants, and sometimes by purchasing land.

Donations from the public, especially those who wish to receive a U.S. tax deduction for supporting a foreign cause.

Revenues from government assets, such as utilities, transportation, real estate, or natural resources.

Geographic Scope

Can operate locally or nationally, but the focus is often on a specific project or natural resource.

Serves a specific, defined local geographic area.

Can be local, state, or national, with a focus on land within a specific service area.

Typically a U.S.-based entity supporting a foreign organization, but can also support a specific domestic institution like a park.

Can be national or local, managing assets within its jurisdiction.

Activities

Conducts direct conservation work, advocacy, and educational programs.

Administers funds, manages endowments, and issues grants to other organizations.

Acquires and manages land, holds conservation easements, and may offer public access or restoration.

Solicits donations in the U.S., but its board must retain discretion over grantmaking to the foreign partner.

Manages and invests public assets, often using revenue to fund public services or provide dividends.

Key Difference

Mission-focused and activist: Engages in direct environmental protection and advocacy work.

Broad and philanthropic: A grantmaking hub for all kinds of charitable giving in a specific area.

Land-acquisition focused: Specifically works with real estate to ensure permanent conservation.

Conduit for tax-deductible giving: Provides a legal vehicle for U.S. donors to support foreign (or specific domestic) charities.

Government-owned and revenue-driven: A state or city-run investment fund, not a nonprofit.