Mojave Desert Land Trust Case Study

Within this vast service area, Mojave Desert Land Trust is the only conservation organization of its kind operating in and for the Mojave Desert. No other organization, public or private, serves to acquire desert land for protection and restoration. Additionally, no other nonprofit Native Plant Nursery exists in the entire region. This is an incredible strength because having its own nursery increases effectiveness and efficiency of restoration efforts and significantly reduces the possibility of foreign plant species invasion, ultimately benefiting a number of threatened and endangered species that exist in the area, including the Desert Tortoise and iconic Joshua Tree. These factors exponentially increase the value of its service.

These organizational strengths should result in additional growth in both land acquisition (resulting in habitat protection) and community outreach (creating an
Having a nonprofit status with the IRS means that the organization does not generate revenue to turn profit, only to support its mission. Sources of funding include proceeds from fundraisers, government grants, gifts from corporations, foundations, and private donors, and a membership that pays yearly dues. Unfortunately, since the organizations mission is very specific, it can be difficult at times to locate funding opportunities for “desert” or “habitat”.
Further, most government funds are restricted, meaning that the money must be used for a specific purpose. For Mojave Desert Land Trust, the restricted funds must be used toward the purchase or restoration of land only. Donations from the other sources are also often restricted for a specific project or purchase, which poses a problem for the funding of administrative expenses, also known as overhead costs, which range from staff time to office supplies. Often time there is no funding for these