Ducks Unlimited's 2024 Annual Report
An executive summary of DU’s financial and conservation accomplishments during the past fiscal year
November 19, 2024 •
3
min read
DonaldMJones.com
In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Ducks Unlimited delivered a year of unprecedented milestones reflecting our recognized position as the leader in North American wetlands and waterfowl conservation. We capitalized on generational support from an array of private and public partners to improve wetlands from coast to coast and from the top of the Prairie Pothole Region to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.
The exclamation point was the announcement that DU had delivered more than 1 million acres of conservation for the first time in a single fiscal year. This staggering total reflects on-the-ground habitat improvements in marshes, grasslands, and coastal areas crucial to waterfowl throughout their annual cycle.
Those 1 million acres produce cleaner water and reduced flooding risks for people. Those 1 million acres include more public land for hunters. Those 1 million acres improve biodiversity for all species that rely on wetlands. And those 1 million acres represent an organization leveraging unparalleled grassroots support to form bigger and stronger conservation partnerships.
THE PEOPLE
FY24 was another record-setting example of how 678,000 members and over 1 million supporters fuel DU’s conservation machine. DU volunteers continued their tireless devotion to our mission. In 2024, 30,000 volunteers hosted more than 629,000 attendees at 5,200 events, generating $99.5 million.
Ducks Unlimited’s staff has grown to meet the immediate opportunities to deliver priority habitats across North America. Our experts in the field include agronomists, water scientists, agriculture experts, and sustainability scientists. New staff in development and event fundraising are uncovering new sources of revenue while our policy teams continue to help protect our landscapes through advocacy in state capitals and Washington, DC. And leading the charge in all these efforts are true conservation champions on the boards of Ducks Unlimited Inc. and Wetlands America Trust.
THE FUNDING
In FY24, Ducks Unlimited Inc. generated impressive total revenues of $333 million. Habitat delivery revenue from government grants and partnerships was an impressive $177 million—$17 million above budget. DU also maintained outstanding operational efficiency, with 83 percent of our expenditures going toward our habitat delivery and conservation education mission.
Ducks Unlimited made great progress on our most ambitious comprehensive campaign in history, Conservation for a Continent, which will raise $3 billion by 2026. One of the largest fundraising efforts launched in North America devoted to landscape conservation and the future of our outdoor heritage, the campaign surpassed the $2 billion mark with two years remaining.
Cox Enterprises, DU’s longtime corporate partner, is leading our revenue growth and campaign progress. Cox has established a $100 million fund to support conservation in honor of Jim Kennedy, who is DU’s most prominent supporter, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises, and chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation. The gift from the newly established fund will go directly toward DU’s land trust, Wetlands America Trust, to help conserve North America’s Prairie Pothole Region—a crucial area for the continent’s waterfowl.
Major gift commitments from individuals, foundations, and corporations totaled a whopping $164.8 million, including $100 million from Cox Enterprises. This represents the largest commitment ever recorded for Ducks Unlimited and Wetlands America Trust.
While the Cox partnership will generate cash in successive years, FY24 major gift cash exceeded $52.3 million. New planned giving commitments surpassed $34.8 million, while estate maturities amounted to $7.6 million in cash.
Garrett Derr
During the past fiscal year, Ducks Unlimited delivered more than 1 million acres of conservation on vital landscapes across the United States, benefiting waterfowl, other wildlife, and people.
THE IMPACT
DU achieved success in all areas of its business during the past fiscal year. Ducks Unlimited de México (DUMAC), a key partner in the conservation of North American wetlands and waterfowl, celebrated its 50th anniversary. In August, over 150 DUMAC supporters gathered at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica resort in Cabo San Lucas to recognize DUMAC’s success in conserving more than 2.1 million acres of waterfowl habitat, and those supporters raised more than $1 million for future conservation projects in Mexico. Ducks Unlimited Canada also made important strides in protecting and improving breeding landscapes, which were even more valuable during recent periods of drought.
DU continued to engage and inspire future generations of conservationists through its youth and education programs, and our marketing and communications teams made additional progress in educating new audiences about the benefits of DU’s mission.
Fiscal Year 2024 gave us 1 million reasons to be proud of DU’s incredible achievements across the nation and the continent. And our volunteers, staff, and partners are the reasons Ducks Unlimited will continue to break new ground in wetlands and waterfowl conservation in the future. Thanks a million!
