2024 Annual Meeting

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands

---

At Nachusa Grasslands, rare and endangered remnant prairie, woodlands, and wetlands are being reconnected through habitat restoration to create one of the largest and most biologically diverse grasslands in Illinois by protecting native grasses, wildflowers, birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
 
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands (Friends) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 2008 by volunteers dedicated to providing for the long–term care and management of the project. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) owns and operates Nachusa Grasslands. Over the past thirty+ years, hundreds of concerned people have invested thousands of hours protecting and restoring remnant prairie at Nachusa Grasslands.

Although many more years of effort lie ahead, Nachusa is already one of the most successful restorations in the world. We are now providing for its long–term survival.

Directors
 
Mike Carr
   2024-2026

Heather Herakovich
   2024-2026

Betty Higby
   2023-2025
​
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Conflict of Interest Policy

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Whistleblower Policy

Officers

President
Bernie Buchholz
 
Vice President
Mike Saxton
 
Treasurer
Eric Kingery
 
Secretary
Mary Meier

---

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Mission

The mission of Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is to build endowments that will help defray the cost of natural areas management, staff and operating expenses; conduct and encourage stewardship; support education and scientific activity; and fund land acquisition at the preserve.

Over 96% of our income is expended on achieving these goals. See the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands 2024 Annual Meeting Minutes for more information on our organization. Note that the minutes will be approved at our 2025 Annual Meeting.

---

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands' score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If our organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is a platinum-level GuideStar participant, demonstrating its commitment to transparency.

---

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Objectives

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Board of Directors has adopted the following objectives:

Operating Endowments – The Friends Endowment for Nachusa Grasslands managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) and the Nachusa Grasslands Stewardship Endowment managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC):

• Increase the combined balance to $5 million from $3 million.
• A $5 million endowment will generate $200,000+ annually for Nachusa operations.

Science Endowment – The Friends Endowment for Nachusa Science managed by CFNIL:

• Increase to $1M from $100,000.
• A $1 million endowment will generate $40,000 annually for science grants.

Science Grants:

• Increase to $75,000 per year. (2024 grants totaled $70,617.)
  
• Annual funding from the general fund will be supplemented by the Science Endowment.

Land Protection Fund:.

• Fund at $50,000 per year
• Support a variety of land protection opportunities as approved on a case-by-case basis.

Volunteering:

• Increase volunteer hours by 5% annually over the base established in 2022.
• Continue to connect volunteers to the richness of the natural world, restoration best practices, and the Nachusa community.
• Seek out and develop candidates for Board and Officer positions.

---

---

Build Endowed Funds
​
​Permanently endowed funds will support the conservation and preservation of native plants, animals, and natural communities by providing funding for long-term stewardship at Nachusa Grasslands.
 
The Friends Endowment for Nachusa Grasslands and the Friends Endowment for Nachusa Science are managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. The Nachusa Grasslands Stewardship Endowment is managed by The Nature Conservancy.
 
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Friends donated $228,925 to the endowments. As of June 30, 2024, the total of endowment funds was approximately $4.8 million. Our goal is to permanently endow $6 million, with annual distributions going primarily toward operations at Nachusa Grasslands.

---

Conduct and Encourage Stewardship
​
​Volunteers are the heart and soul of prairie restoration at Nachusa. Whether it’s harvesting, planting, educating, monitoring, photographing, repairing, or advocating, you’ll discover a role that fits your passion and schedule.

In 2023-2024, Friends had 53 Voting Members who donated to Friends and volunteered at the preserve as well as 234 additional supporters committed to conserving Nachusa Grasslands.

Volunteers typically give an amazing 8,000 hours at the preserve each year.

Friends offers opportunities to volunteer outside on the prairie or inside with social and administrative tasks. Your stewardship will make an important difference.

---

Support Science and Education
​
​To encourage science and education at Nachusa Grasslands, the Friends awards monetary grants to qualified candidates conducting scientific research significant to Nachusa Grasslands. Research projects should focus primarily on prairie, savanna, wetland, woodland, and stream habitat management such as prescribed fire, seed collection, weed control, general or specific flora or faunal populations, and natural areas restoration. 

Since the awards began in 2011, annual amounts have increased from $1,000 to $77,800 in 2025.

Fund Land Protection
​
​Friends' participation in land protection is intended to ensure that sites are acquired at the quickest possible pace and, thus, support the timely realization of the project's geographic goals. 

Working cooperatively with The Nature Conservancy, Friends will support land protection opportunities on a case-by-case basis. This could include matching funds, acquisitions in unique situations, and other activities. If you have questions about our land protection efforts, feel free to contact an officer or board member.

As of June 2024, the balance of the Land Protection fund was approximately $538,000.

---

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Financials

• 2023-2024 Treasurer's Report
• IRS 990 – 07/01/23 to 06/30/24
• Audited Financial Statements – 07/01/23 to 06/30/24
• Cash Flow Diagram

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is a nonprofit registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our tax identification number is 26-3303031.

Save the Dates – 2025

Nachusa Grasslands Science Symposium: April 26, 2025

Friends Annual Prairie Potluck: June 14, 2025

Friends Annual Meeting:  July 26, 2025

Autumn on the Prairie: September 20, 2025

Friends and The Nature Conservancy
​
Nachusa Grasslands is owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit conservation organization.
 
Several of the activities described on this website, including workdays, controlled burns, hunting, public tours, the Prairie Smoke Annual Report, and Autumn on the Prairie, are offered and overseen by The Nature Conservancy. 
 
Except for specific Friends–sponsored events, such as our Prairie Potlucks and Science Symposium, all Nachusa visitors and volunteers are under the auspices of The Nature Conservancy.
 
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands provides information about The Nature Conservancy programs to help fulfill our goals of promoting volunteerism, science, and education, but Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is not responsible for these activities.

---

UPDATED 02/2025