We all remember the iconic moments:
When Bambi takes his first wobbly steps into a lush forest full of friends with discoveries waiting to be made. When Mufasa shows Simba everything that the light touches — a breathtaking view of the African savanna thriving with life and hope. When little Moana is awestruck by the ocean revealing its wonders — its glittering water, graceful sea turtles, curious fish.
What do they all have in common? The power of storytelling and the magic of nature.
This year, the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) celebrates 30 years of working to protect this magic that inspires our stories and enriches our lives.
To kick off our anniversary year, we’re awarding more than $500,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations working to provide inspirational experiences for youth to get outside and take action for wildlife and wild places in their communities.
- In celebration of National Geographic’s Secrets of the Penguins, the Disney Conservation Fund and National Geographic Society are teaming up to support the ambitious expansion of Nat Geo Explorer, Popi Borboroglu’s work with Global Penguin Society. These efforts help engage people in penguin conservation efforts across Argentina, Chile, and New Zealand.
- In celebration of Disneynature’s Sea Lions of the Galapagos, DCF is supporting Conservation International to provide hands on experiences to connect youth with the beauty of the Galápagos.
- In recognition of Disney employees who took action for the planet this Earth Month, DCF awarded a grant to the Jane Goodall Institute to inspire even more young leaders to take action for their communities and the natural world.
- DCF sponsored the first REEL WILD™ NEW YORK Film Festival, founded by Wildlife Conservation Society to connect people to nature through impactful storytelling and a new Emerging Filmmaker Award that will support the next generation of conservation advocates.
- Support for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Party for the Planet will empower AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to leverage the reach and resources of the AZA network to provide family-friendly volunteer and conservation action opportunities that benefit our planet from Earth Day (April 22) to World Ocean Day (June 8).
The fund also launched a new grant opportunity to support eligible nonprofit organizations in their efforts to protect, restore, and re-wild wildlife corridors and migratory pathways around the world and we’re excited to announce the grant recipients this summer.
These latest grants build on a strong legacy: since 1995, the fund has directed $132 million to help 600 nonprofit organizations protect more than 1,000 species of wildlife across half the countries in the world and all five oceans. Our grants have provided millions of awe-inspiring nature experiences to kids and families across the globe. And, beyond our grants, our dedicated teams have committed their talent and expertise to best-in-class scientific research and efforts to empower Cast and communities to take action to help protect wildlife and their habitats. This has benefited butterflies and other pollinators, coral reefs, sea turtles, and purple martin songbirds, to name just a few. These are just some of the ways we are bringing our Disney Planet Possible commitment to life — taking action for a brighter, more sustainable future.
As we reflect on 30 years, we are filled with gratitude for all of those who have been a part of our story. Walt Disney started this legacy of environmental stewardship that has been carried forward by so many — our dedicated Cast Members and employees, our supportive Disney guests and audiences, and our valued global conservation community. And in part because of your dedication, we are seeing the positive benefits: multiple populations of species starting to recover, large expanses of land and ocean protected, communities driving lasting local change for a more sustainable future, and kids around the world inspired by the magic of nature.
To all of you — thank you for your role in this story and for your commitment to a world where wildlife thrives and nature is treasured and protected. We hope you enjoy a new video below celebrating some of the incredible grantees we’ve proudly supported together over the past 30 years. And stay tuned, because after 30 years, we’re just getting started.