About
The International Crane Foundation (ICF) works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on which they depend. Headquartered on a nearly 300-acre campus in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the foundation is home to a captive flock of approximately 100 cranes — the only complete collection of all 15 of the world's crane species — and operates conservation programs across five continents.
Mission
ICF is "committed to a world where cranes, people, and our natural heritage thrive together." Because 10 of the world's 15 crane species face extinction, the foundation pairs species conservation with protection of the wetlands and grasslands that cranes — and the human communities around them — rely on.
What they do
- Community-based conservation: partnering with local communities to develop conservation plans that address health, economic, and livelihood needs
- Protected areas management: supporting the long-term management of key protected areas
- Scientific research: grounding all conservation work in sound scientific principles, alongside captive breeding and reintroduction efforts
- Education and outreach: operating the Crane Discovery Center at its Baraboo headquarters and raising awareness through media and events
- Landscape restoration across the regions where cranes live
History
The International Crane Foundation was established in 1973 in Baraboo, Wisconsin, by ornithology students Ron Sauey and George Archibald, who met at Cornell University in 1971.
Scale and impact
- Approximately 150 staff and associates, with offices and staff in China, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Texas, working with a network of hundreds of specialists in over 50 countries on five continents
- More than 1 million acres protected in Zambia's Kafue Flats
- The Critically Endangered Siberian Crane population has grown to 7,000, nearly doubling over the last decade
- More than 500 students trained as wetland conservationists in Southeast Asia
- The Baraboo headquarters draws tens of thousands of visitors each year (the foundation cites 25,000-30,000 annual visitors)
- ICF reports having protected millions of acres of wetlands and grasslands on the five continents where cranes live
Financials
According to its most recent Form 990 on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (fiscal year ending March 2026), ICF reported total revenue of $17,664,216, total expenses of $15,693,530, and total assets of $71,280,712, with net assets of $69,731,719. Contributions made up 89.1% of revenue.
Governance
The International Crane Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 39-1187711). Richard Beilfuss serves as President and CEO.
