Our Story
Conservation starts with people.
The right partners help them grow.
The people closest to the work often have the vision, expertise, and local knowledge to lead lasting conservation efforts. Howell Conservation Fund provides early support that helps those ideas grow into durable environmental impact.
Most funders wait for certainty.
We look for momentum.
The earliest stages of conservation work are often the hardest to fund. Howell Conservation Fund backs community-led conservation at the earliest stage.
We trust the people closest to the problem.
We move early.
We stay close to the work, not just the funding.
We're not meant to be the last funder in the room.
We're a catalytic partner: the first check, the honest conversation, the introduction that opens the next door.
Who we back
Small nonprofits, community organizations, and local experts: people with the knowledge, drive, and proximity to make real change.
How we're different
We don't just fund. We listen, connect, and follow through. We help early-stage conservation work gain momentum.
Where we work
Everywhere. Locally led, globally connected. We work across communities, coastlines, lakes, reefs, and beyond, wherever strong conservation ideas are taking root.
The people behind the work.
Board of Directors
Our board shows up. They ask hard questions, celebrate the wins, and make sure HCF stays true to why we started this work in the first place.
Advisory Board
An entrepreneur for close to 30 years, Mike has been on the senior management team through two IPOs and five acquisitions. Having witnessed the impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill firsthand, he now studies how corporations, not just consumers, can take responsibility for their own waste.
Core Team
Brett founded Howell Conservation Fund to help early-stage conservation ideas become lasting solutions. Drawing on years of experience across philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and conservation, he works alongside local leaders to provide the funding, guidance, and long-term partnership needed to move promising work from idea to implementation. His belief is simple: the people closest to a challenge are often the ones best equipped to solve it.
Meredith leads communications strategy, brand storytelling, and digital content for HCF. She works across messaging, donor communications, and organizational narrative to translate complex conservation work into clear, human stories that inspire understanding, trust, and support.
Melisa serves as HCF's accountant through her role as Partner in the Non-Profit and Education group at Impact Accounting Partners. She's passionate about what's next for the organizations she serves, and believes deeply in the power of nonprofits to change their communities for the better.