DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND
Founded in February 2001, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund provides the wildlife conservation community with a voice in the legislative and political process. The Defenders Action Fund focuses on strengthening conservation policies with focused legislative and electoral efforts.
Mission Statement: The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.
HOW DOES THE ACTION FUND DIFFER FROM DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE?
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the tax code. As such, it can lobby and engage in unlimited work to influence legislative action. Because of this, the Action Fund is not a charitable organization, unlike its sister organization, Defenders of Wildlife.
In this time of constant attacks on America’s wildlife and environment, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund offers the conservation community a powerful voice in the halls of Congress and in state legislatures. Americans don’t want to see their endangered animals disappear and we’re leading the way to make sure that doesn’t happen.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
In this political era, the worst enemy of responsible environmental protection and conservation is the elected leadership in Washington. It is no longer enough for the environmental movement to focus primarily on persuading elected officials to be good stewards of our land, air, water and wildlife; it must replace the problem officials themselves. The opportunity appears right for the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund to help do just that.
-Rodger Schlickeisen, CEO
WHAT WE DO
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund educates the public about the legislative records of members of Congress, especially through its Conservation Report Card. It lobbies to defeat bad policies and enact good ones, and runs public education campaigns designed to hold Representatives and Senators accountable to the public for their actions.
Defenders Action Fund also educates voters about the choices they face on Election Day and how those choices impact our country's wildlife, its habitat, and the environment we all share. The Fund mobilizes conservation voters to make their voice heard at the ballot box.
