Help support the formation of wilderness stewardship organizations

What is the NWSA FUND?

The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance Fund (NWSA Fund) is a donor-advised endowment established in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation through a generous donation from The David Berolzheimer Foundation to honor life-long friend and wilderness champion, Elaine Dermody, who is a Founding Member of the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. Proceeds from this endowment and donations to the NWSA Fund will be used to support the formation of new wilderness stewardship programs in an effort to have a wilderness stewardship group for every wilderness area in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

What will the proceeds from the FUND be used for?

New groups often have difficulty with assembling funds for the myriad start-up costs of establishing a new organization.  Whether it be recording fees, creating by-laws, developing business materials, incorporation fees, the list goes on and on.  The NWSA Fund is a source of funding for new groups to help them hit the ground running and to save their scarce resources for the on the ground job needs.

How do wilderness stewardship organizations apply for start-up funding?

Groups can apply through-out the year.  Proposals should follow the guidelines established in the Financial Support for Newly Forming Stewardship Groups NWSA policy paper.  A team of NWSA Board members reviews applications and makes selections on an as needed basis based on the available funding.

What if I have Questions about the FUND?

Questions about the Fund should be addressed to Joelle Marier, Executive Director, at [email protected]. Funding proposals can be submitted to Joelle as well.

Thank you for your support of wilderness stewardship!

Groups Supported by the Fund

2020 - Wild Alabama

Wild Alabama is proud to partner with National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance!  As we are a newly rebirthed organization with all the startup costs associated with this, we are so appreciative of the NWSA Startup grant to help us cover costs such as our website, IRS filing fees, and marketing costs to broaden our presence in the state. We look forward to a long relationship helping to continue to protect and educate about Alabama's three wilderness areas, Sipsey, Cheaha, and Dugger Mt.   -  Maggie Johnston Executive Director, Wild Alabama

Track our progress to 50 new wilderness stewardship group members above.

Your gift ensures an enduring wilderness

America’s wilderness needs our care. The demands of a burgeoning population, climate change, and dwindling federal funds makes NWSA’s work more critical than ever. Your gift goes to support our work in building a stronger wilderness stewardship community that is enabled to restore, protect and nurture America's wilderness.

You do not need a PayPal account to processes a donation with PayPal.  In order for your member donation to be attributable to your organization, please use your organization email in the payment screen.  The credit card info, name and number will not affect which account the money is attributable, just the email that is used.  When a personal email is used we often have to go back and change the information in our website database to attribute the donation to the correct source.  Thanks for helping out.  

Your donation as a Partner Organization provides discounts to NWSA events, like the National Wilderness Workshop and provides access to funding programs. Your organization MUST be a Partner Organization member to be eligible for NWSA Funding Programs. Your membership is annual and runs from January 1 – December 31 of the following year.  Our annual membership drive runs from October - December each year.  Renewals during this time credit to the upcoming year.

New Member Benefit for 2022:  Joining NWSA now provides a subscription to the International Journal of Wilderness.  When your membership is processed your organization will be given a link and a pass code to sign up for the Journal.  You will be able to share this with your staff and key members.  Keep informed about wilderness science and management issues with the Journal.

Member Requirement for 2022:  Participation in the NWSA WSP Funding will require a membership in NWSA in order to submit an application.  Be sure to renew prior to the April 15 Funding deadlines.. 

If you want to donate by check, please make check payable to NWSA and specify in the note field if the gift is for an individual or for a Partner Organization, and mail it to:

Note new address:  as of May 2023

National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
PO Box 185

Del Norte, CO 81132