Study Reports on Public Trust for Non-Profit Organizations

The Nature Conservancy Ends 2008 with Accolades

ARLINGTON, VA— December 22, 2008 — This holiday season, you can donate to The Nature Conservancy with confidence, as the organization persists in its dedication to honest, efficient and transparent operations, year after year. Not only does The Nature Conservancy hold Charity Navigator's highest four-star rating, but a recent Harris Interactive Poll named The Nature Conservancy among the "most trusted" organizations in Washington, DC.

The Conservancy garnered Charity Navigator's highest rating by exceeding industry standards and outperforming most other public charities in terms of efficiency, capacity and financial health. With this most recent survey, Harris Interactive has found that 82 percent of those familiar with The Nature Conservancy trust the organization.

"We are proud to be counted among the most trusted charitable organizations," said Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. "We work hard to keep to the highest standards of integrity and efficiency so that every contribution makes an impact. Thanks to our dedicated supporters, our smart, collaborative methods and our results-oriented focus, we will strive to maintain this commitment and trust as we move forward into 2009."

This is just one of the many accolades that The Nature Conservancy has recently received as the organization looks back on the past 12 months.

From Montana to New York and Australia to South America — in 2008, The Nature Conservancy worked around the world to protect nature and preserve life on Earth. This year, the Conservancy has preserved a 14,600 acre forest near Follensby Pond in New York, 1.7-million acres of water-rich land in the heart of Australia's vast central desert and 10,000 acres of wildlife habitat in California - and that's only the beginning. The Conservancy has planted over 100,000 trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest and continued our work on the largest conservation campaign in history.

(See what else has been keeping the Conservancy busy in 2008.)

For over 50 years, The Nature Conservancy has prided itself on maintaining high standards of efficiency and integrity. Together with its members and donors, the Conservancy has protected 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of river, and the potential for conservation grows with every contribution.

The Nature Conservancy's audited financial reports and IRS 990 forms are posted online and 84 cents of every dollar goes to conservation. You can feel confident that your investment with The Nature Conservancy will make a real difference.

Visit nature.org to learn more.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.