Conservation International Foundation

Conservation International Foundation

Conservation International Foundation was established in 1987 by Spencer Beebe and Peter Seligmann. It functions as an endowment-style foundation that finances long-term conservation through trust funds and direct asset ownership. The organization maintains its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and runs regional offices in South Africa. The foundation allocates capital across private equity, land holdings, and carbon credit portfolios. Confirmed positions include SIMPLi, Seadling, Wittaya Aqua, JALA, and Althelia Climate Fund, all held through CI Ventures LLC. It also maintains public equity positions in UniCredit S.p.A. and Nexi S.p.A. Geographic reach covers North America, South America, Africa, and Asia, with specific projects in Kenya, Peru, Colombia, and Indonesia. Deployment occurs via direct ownership of protected areas, SPVs such as African Conservancies Fund LLC, and limited partner commitments. The foundation employs 1706 professionals. It manages Conservation Trust Funds valued at $2 billion for long-term financing. Recent activity includes participation as a speaker at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2026 on nature-positive economy topics. Adjacent vehicles include the Blue Abadi Fund, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, and Global Conservation Fund. It maintains memberships in the Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation and the Conservation Finance Alliance. The foundation's structure separates philanthropic grant-making from investment activities through dedicated vehicles and external advisors including Private Wealth Partners LLC and BTG Pactual. Governance includes board members drawn from finance and corporate backgrounds such as Robert J. Fisher and Byron D. Trott, creating a hybrid model that blends endowment management with operational conservation projects.