The Conservation Fund's work to balance economic and environmental objectives requires financing to bring it to life. Whether through bridge loans to land trusts for conservation acquisitions or through small business financing to launch natural resource-based businesses, the Fund engages directly in promoting the sustainable use of financial and natural resources.

Our Revolving Funds:

Revolving Fund

Unlike an endowment, 100 percent of every dollar invested in the Revolving Fund is used to acquire important conservation lands. Our Revolving Fund provides ready capital to purchase top priority lands for conservation across the country. On average, each dollar in the Revolving Fund is recycled three times in five years.

Mississippi River Revolving Fund

Administered by The Conservation Fund, the Mississippi River Revolving Fund provides loans to nonprofit organizations and government agencies to aid in the protection of land along the main stem of the river or along key tributaries, as well as greenways that are part of larger regional projects.

Great Lakes Revolving Fund

In 2002 The Conservation Fund launched its Great Lakes Revolving Loan Fund with a generous grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Using capital from this source, the Fund provides technical assistance and bridge financing to nonprofit land trusts working to preserve resources within the Great Lakes Basin—the nation's most significant freshwater ecosystem.

Other Loan Programs:

Land Trust Loan Program

The Conservation Fund, through its Land Trust Loan Program, provides bridge financing and short-term loans to more than 1,700 local nonprofit land conservation organizations across the nation to accelerate the pace of conservation at the local level.

Small Business Financing

Some of the best business ideas start small—and rural. But how can these ideas move from the drawing board and into the community? Two of our programs offer solutions to small sustainable businesses. Our ShadeFund is a microloan program that individuals, corporations and foundations can donate to in order to provide loans to green entrepreneurs across America. Our Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) provides flexible, “patient” capital to small and emerging natural resource-based businesses that will advance sustainable economic development throughout West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.