Seaworld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund is a 501(c)(3) private foundation established in 2003 and based in Orlando, Florida. The organization functions as a clearinghouse that aggregates and distributes funding to support wildlife conservation, research, and conservation education initiatives globally. The fund was created to enable guests of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment to become involved with wildlife conservation efforts.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.4M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+71.5% YoY
Grant Count
17
+30.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
+31.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports programs designed to promote:
- Species research
- Habitat protection
- Animal rescue and rehabilitation
- Conservation education
The fund addresses a wide range of subject areas including biodiversity, wildlife protection, aquatic wildlife protection, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife sanctuaries, animal welfare, and environmental education. The organization emphasizes the urgency of conservation work, noting that vertebrate populations worldwide dropped by 52% between 1970 and 2010, and that over one-third of species assessed by the IUCN are either endangered or threatened.
Grantmaking
The fund has shifted its grantmaking approach in recent years. It currently employs a proactive funding strategy and is not accepting unsolicited applications for conservation projects at this time. However, the fund maintains an Animal Crisis Program that responds to immediate and evolving wildlife emergencies.
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is global in scope. Within the United States, funding concentrates in locations where SeaWorld has parks, though this is not a strict requirement. The fund has supported projects in multiple states including Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. International funding has included projects in Namibia, South Africa, and the Galápagos Islands.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $2,382,065
- Total Annual Giving: $1,937,730
- Annual Revenue: $1,382,199
- Annual Expenses: $1,256,529
- Total Liabilities: $785
The organization maintains a healthy financial position with assets in the top 25% of foundations nationally.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,382,065 | $2,205,244 | $2,244,564 |
| Revenue | $2,235,232 | $1,382,199 | $1,507,935 |
| Expenses | $2,058,341 | $1,256,529 | $751,837 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $122,321 | $110,912 | $76,209 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Christopher Dold – President
- Rob Yordi – Executive Director
- Martin Hammar – Treasurer
- Corrine Brindley – Secretary
- Board Members: Hendrik Nollens, Lisa Cradit, Cara Martel, Patricia Dees
- Custodian: U.S. Bank Trust Department
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| U S Bank Trust Department | Custodian | 5 | $2,800 |
| Martin Hammar | Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Rob Yordi | Executive Director | 5 | — |
| Hendrik Nollens | Board Member | 5 | — |
| Corrine Brindley | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Christopher Dold DR | President | 5 | — |
| Lisa Cradit | Board Member | 3 | — |
| Cara Martel | Board Member | 3 | — |
| Patricia Dees | Board Member | 3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The fund has announced several significant conservation initiatives:
**Cornerstone Investments:** Made million-dollar cornerstone investments focused on at-risk species including manatees and Guadalupe fur seals
SeaWorld Conservation Fund Makes Million Dollar Cornerstone Investments**Marine Animal Rescue:** Awarded multi-year grants to support marine animal rescue capacity building, including a grant to World Vets for the Galápagos Islands
SeaWorld Conservation Fund Makes Multi-Year Grant to World Vets to Help\**Emergency Response:** Made emergency grants to wildlife organizations impacted by Hurricane Ian and to support endangered African penguin chicks in South Africa following habitat destruction from heavy rains
Following Habitat Destruction from Heavy Rains, SeaWorld Conservation FundThe fund continues to evolve its development efforts to enhance its positioning for future funding and remains open to general inquiries about its work.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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