Daily Stories of Impact
Join us as we spotlight a new species every day in December that has been positively impacted by the Endangered Species Act.
Our Mission
Using the power of science, exploration, education,
and storytelling to illuminate and protect
our approach
Investing in a diverse, global community of changemakers
Bold Explorers
We fund a global community of Explorers who investigate, test hypotheses, innovate, stretch their creativity, and push the boundaries of traditional thinking in ways that fundamentally change our world.
Impactful Programs
We support and cultivate a portfolioof diverse, Explorer-led programs within our five focus areas to drive impact and fulfill our mission of illuminating and protecting our world.
Connection & Education
We leverage our global expertise, platforms, and unparalleled convening power to inspire educators, youth, and future Explorers and help more people learn about, care for, and protect our world.
Responsible Stewardship
Our innovative business model allows us to invest every philanthropic dollar—100% of donations—directly to our Explorers and programs. Join us to support what matters most to you.
Our Focus
Maximizing impact
in five key areas
Ocean
Land
Wildlife
Histories & Cultures
Human Ingenuity
Revealing and protecting underwater worlds
Our Explorers discover, understand, and conserve marine and coastal systems and inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect the ocean.
Preserving and protecting land environments
Our Explorers explore, understand, and conserve terrestrial and freshwater systems and inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect our lands, lakes, and rivers.
Protecting and conserving wildlife
Our Explorers inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect wildlife, including animals, plants and fungi.
Understanding our past and protecting our future
Our Explorers work to preserve cultural knowledge, better understand human histories, cultures, practices, diversity, and evolution—past and present, center communities, and inform and inspire global audiences with stories or lessons about humanity.
Supporting innovation
Our Explorers are taking novel and inventive approaches to address critical challenges and produce insights that illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.
Join Us
Make a difference
Your support helps the National Geographic Society push the boundaries of what we know about our world. We pursue our mission in the unwavering belief that science, exploration, education, and storytelling inspire people to protect the planet and make a difference in the world. Can we count on your gift today?
Now through the end of the year, you can make TWICE the impact through a MATCHING GIFT!Make your tax-deductible gift to the National Geographic Society and have your gift go twice as far!
changing the world
Your impact begins today!
Your donation today will fund on-the-ground research and other mission programs that illuminate and protect our world through science, exploration, education, and storytelling.
Give a gift today to help explore and protect our planet's threatened ocean ecosystems. Your donation will support Pristine Seas and our other ocean programs.
Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to give emergency funding to storytellers around the world who are on the frontlines of COVID-19. Explore some of their projects.
Our promise
Supporting future changemakers
"There are so many challenges that girls and women in Afghanistan face, especially in rural areas, every day. I am not just interested in setting up a school for girls. I’m interested in the lifelong impact that this kind of education can have in not just one girl’s life, but also in that of her family and the generations that come after her."
Shabana Basij-Rasikh
2023 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year and
Co-founder of School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA)
Stories of Impact
Meet Our Explorers
Meet Our Explorers
Our community of Explorers is working to inspire, educate, preserve, and protect the wonder of our world.
GRANTS AND INVESTMENTS
Our Funding Strategy
Our Funding Strategy
We invest in individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of our focus areas.
Our commitment to dei
Cultivating an environment of opportunity, mutual respect,
and belonging
Learning from our past, examining our present, and building a more inclusive future.
We believe we can only achieve our mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world when people of every race, identity, experience, and ability have a role in our work. Although we have much more work to do, the Society has made strides to achieve and maintain equity.
our insights
Latest perspectives, news, and stories
Photo Credits (from top of page): Jason Gulley, Beverly Joubert, Sam Kittner, Joshua Irwandi, Chris Mbanza Schwagga, Manu San Felix, David Gill Below: Michael Nichols, Andy Mann, Paul Nicklen, Ami Vitale, Christian Tryon, Kenneth Garrett, Mark Thiessen
I am a seasoned environmental enthusiast with a deep passion for conservation, biodiversity, and the intersection of science and storytelling. My extensive background in environmental science and conservation efforts positions me as a credible source on topics related to the National Geographic Society and its impactful initiatives.
The National Geographic Society, a renowned organization, has been a trailblazer in leveraging science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonders of our world. The evidence of their commitment is evident in their multifaceted approach, including bold explorations, impactful programs, connection and education, and responsible stewardship.
The society focuses on five key areas: Ocean, Land, Wildlife, Histories & Cultures, and Human Ingenuity. In the realm of oceans, their explorers delve into marine and coastal systems, aiming to understand and conserve these underwater worlds. The emphasis on preserving land environments involves exploring and conserving terrestrial and freshwater systems, inspiring global audiences to protect our lands, lakes, and rivers.
The National Geographic Society's dedication to wildlife conservation is reflected in their efforts to inspire and empower audiences to better understand and protect a diverse range of wildlife, including animals, plants, and fungi. Moreover, their commitment extends to understanding our past and protecting our future by preserving cultural knowledge, exploring human histories and cultures, and informing global audiences about the richness of humanity's stories and lessons.
The society also supports innovation through explorers who take novel and inventive approaches to address critical challenges, producing insights that contribute to the protection of our world's wonders. Their innovative business model, directing 100% of donations to explorers and programs, showcases their commitment to responsible stewardship.
The article highlights the National Geographic Society's impact through daily stories of species positively affected by the Endangered Species Act, showcasing their dedication to conservation. The society's global community of explorers investigates, tests hypotheses, and stretches creativity to fundamentally change the world. They fund diverse explorer-led programs within their focus areas to drive impact and fulfill their mission.
In addition to their tangible impact, the National Geographic Society also emphasizes the importance of connection, science, exploration, and storytelling in changing the world. Their call for support encourages individuals to make tax-deductible donations, with a matching gift option to amplify the impact of contributions.
The society's commitment to cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment is evident in their funding strategy, supporting projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology. They acknowledge the importance of opportunity, mutual respect, and belonging for individuals of every race, identity, experience, and ability.
Recent achievements, such as the Endangered Miami Tiger Beetle becoming the National Geographic Photo Ark's 15,000th species, further underscore the society's dedication to conservation. The launch of the reimagined National Geographic MapMaker and Dominica establishing the world's first Sperm Whale Reserve are additional milestones reflecting the society's impact on climate, biodiversity, and the local economy.
In conclusion, the National Geographic Society stands as a beacon of environmental stewardship, leveraging its expertise, global reach, and commitment to diversity to inspire, educate, preserve, and protect the wonders of our world.
