ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation Program
In 1999, the NFWF and ConocoPhillips awarded their first three grants together, setting the stage for what would become an enduring legacy of wildlife conservation. In 2005, NFWF partnered with ConocoPhillips and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish an initiative officially named the ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program.
Our Goal
Through the ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program, NFWF and its partners sought to conserve and recover populations of imperiled birds and other species by improving the quality and connectivity of important habitats. It also sought to accelerate innovations for understanding wildlife conservation needs across species ranges.
Accomplishments
From 2005 through 2024, the ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program awarded 140 grants totaling more than $17 million in federal and private funds, leveraged by $49 million in grantee matching funds for a total conservation impact of $66 million. The program delivered significant conservation benefits for birds and many other species by improving more than 560,000 acres.
The SPIRIT of Conservation grant program led by NFWF ended in 2025. Learn more about the remarkable on-the-ground outcomes achieved through this NFWF–ConocoPhillips partnership.
NFWF and ConocoPhillips continue to work together to conserve vital habitats for migratory birds and many other species. Through an expansion of this partnership, ConocoPhillips now provides essential support for four NFWF grant programs. To learn more about grant opportunities related to these programs, please visit the links below:
Director, Central Regional Office
Senior Manager, Pollinator Programs
Related Species
Roseate spoonbill
The striking roseate spoonbill is found in tropical and subtropical wetlands throughout the Americas. In the United States, it is found within the Gulf states where it remains uncommon and local.
Whooping crane
The whooping crane is the tallest and one of the most threatened birds in North America. The only wild population winters along the Texas coast and migrates up to 2,500 miles to breed in or near Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn, also known as "antelope," are sagebrush-dependent ungulate known for their incredible speed. They are the sole-surviving member of their taxonomic family. With an evolutionary history rooted in open-grasslands, pronghorn are reluctant to leap over fences that have been constructed across the West for rangeland management, causing disruptions of their ancient migration routes and reducing access to high-quality habitat.
Mule deer
Mule deer are a social, migratory ungulate who are named for their large ears that resemble a mule's ears. An iconic species of the western United States, habitat loss and increased fragmentation of the landscape have caused localized declines in mule deer populations and reduced the function of critical migration paths.
