March Conservation Fund
March Conservation Fund is a private foundation based in San Francisco that funds protected areas, ecological research, and conservation capacity-building globally. The official site provides program descriptions, regional grant listings, impact reports, and staff information. It notes that unsolicited proposals are not accepted and directs applicants to partner organizations when relevant.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Established conservation organizations or research institutions working on protected areas, species/wildlife conservation, or conservation capacity-building — especially those with existing links to California partners or national conservation networks.
Good Fit
- • Track record in protected-area management, ecological research, or species conservation.
- • Established nonprofit status and prior experience receiving institutional grants.
- • Operational or programmatic presence in California or strong partnerships with California-based conservation groups.
- • Relationships with intermediary organizations or referral partners in the conservation field.
- • Program scale consistent with observed grant sizes, from modest operating support to six-figure awards.
Geography
The latest year shows grants to recipients in 17 states, indicating a multi-state (effectively national) footprint, although about half of dollars were concentrated in California.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation funded 75 distinct recipients across conservation organizations and research institutions, with a substantial number of repeat grantees but also regular additions of new partners.
New Applicants
The website and application guidance state that unsolicited proposals are not accepted (the funder preselects recipients), yet observed giving includes about 15 new recipients in the latest year, suggesting new entrants can be added through proactive outreach, partner referral, or invitation rather than open application.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
