Yosemite Foundation
Providing For Yosemite's Future
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Improving the visitor experience of Yosemite National Park. Assist in improving the visitor flow during the high attendance period in the summer months
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Grants to Yosemite National Park
The Yosemite Conservancy's projects are carefully selected to help preserve and protect Yosemite National Park. Main areas of interest include:
-Habitat Restoration
-Trail Repair and Access
-Scientific Research
-Wildlife Management
-Cultural & Historic Preservation
Retail & Publishing
Yosemite Conservancy Bookstores are your best source for information; whether you are planning your first trip to Yosemite, trying to identify the diverse wildlife of the Sierra Nevada, or investigating the colorful history that shaped this National Park.
Proceeds from Conservancy bookstores are used to fund trail repair & access, habitat restoration, and wildlife protection.
Visitor Programs & Services
Find your adventure in Yosemite – with guided hikes, backpacking trips, art workshops, theater programs, volunteer opportunities and more.
Or, if part of your Yosemite experience is heading into the wilderness, Yosemite Conservancy is here to help you secure your wilderness permit and bear-proof canister.
Fees collected from permits and canisters are put to work in the park, in projects ranging from wildlife protection to educational programs.
Where we work
Awards
4 Stars 2017
Charity Navigator
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of organizations applying for grants
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Visitor Programs & Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Yosemite Conservancy raises funds for the preservation and restoration of Yosemite National Park
Total number of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Grants to Yosemite National Park
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Grants to Yosemite National Park support projects that preserve and protect Yosemite by transforming trails, restoring habitat for plants and animals, creating enriching visitor experiences and more.
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Grants to Yosemite National Park
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Grants to Yosemite National Park support projects that preserve and protect Yosemite by transforming trails, restoring habitat for plants and animals, creating enriching visitor experiences and more.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Through the generosity of our donors, Yosemite Conservancy provides grants and support to Yosemite National Park to help preserve and protect Yosemite today and for future generations. Work funded by the Conservancy is visible throughout the park, in trail rehabilitation, wildlife protection and habitat restoration. The Conservancy is also dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience and providing a deeper connection to the park through outdoor programs, volunteering, wilderness services and its bookstores.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Yosemite Conservancy is the park's primary fundraising partner and does not replace congressional funding for Yosemite National Park, but enhances it. The purpose of friends groups like Yosemite Conservancy is to help the National Park Service achieve a margin of excellence by funding programs that are outside routine park maintenance and management. Funding from private supporters enhances the experiences of visitors in parks and the protection of natural and cultural resources in ways that are beyond the financial capacity of the National Park Service.
In Yosemite, each project grant is proposed by the National Park Service then reviewed and vetted with Yosemite Conservancy leadership. The Conservancy's Board approves the grants that will be funded each year.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Yosemite Conservancy has a professional staff of 65 individuals from the executive team, development, marketing, project management, finance, technology, retail, publishing and visitor and volunteer services all working in concert to advance the mission of the organization. The Conservancy has offices in San Francisco and El Portal (just outside the park), strategically placing staff where they will be most successful in fundraising, project management and enhancing the Yosemite visitor experience.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Yosemite National Park project managers submit status reports to the Conservancy in May, August and December each year. Conservancy staff work closely with National Park Service staff to ensure that progress is made toward completing the projects in the proposed time frame and that donors are kept apprised of any milestones or challenges.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Yosemite Foundation
Board of directorsas of 11/01/2023
Mr. Matthew Adams
Ms. Dana Dornsife
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: