Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) was a historic one for Ducks Unlimited, a year that raised the bar for wetlands and waterfowl conservation across North America. DU’s seven-year continental campaign, Conservation for a Continent, which concluded in June 2026, raised a record $4.06 billion for DU’s mission. Guided by our passionate volunteers, we stayed the course through leadership transitions, COVID disruptions, and economic uncertainty to shatter the campaign’s ambitious goal by a wide margin.
The People
A great example of the commitment of DU’s volunteer leaders came from past DU President George Dunklin and his wife, Livia. Their newest contribution to DU’s mission was the recent permanent protection of Reydell Farm in Arkansas. Located in Jefferson County, in the heart of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, the farm encompasses just over 630 acres of forested and emergent wetlands, which provide crucial habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The property serves as a site for nature-based recreation, wetlands and waterfowl education, and research. A conservation easement donated to DU’s Wetlands America Trust (WAT) will permanently protect this unique property’s wetlands, bottomland hardwood forests, water quality, open space, and scenic character in perpetuity.
The Money
To fuel our continental conservation work, Ducks Unlimited generated impressive revenues of $903.8 million. We continued our focus on efficiency, with 93 percent of our expenditures going toward habitat delivery and conservation education. More than 33,000 DU volunteers hosted over 6,000 events, generating $108 million in event income. Habitat delivery revenue from government grants, partnerships, and donated conservation easements was $693 million, more than $460 million above budget.
Major gift commitments from individuals, foundations, and corporations surpassed $105 million, while new planned giving commitments totaled $69 million. Major gift cash was nearly $125 million, with estate maturities adding another $20 million in cash. In addition, advertising, corporate relations, and direct marketing contributed more than $18 million of unrestricted support.
The Impact
To crown this extraordinary year, Cox Enterprises and the Cox family donated a landmark conservation easement to WAT on their 4,400-acre Clarendon Farms in South Carolina’s historic Lowcountry. Valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, this easement protects one of the last major undeveloped tracts in one of the nation’s most rapidly growing areas. The newly protected acreage includes over 40 miles of river and marsh frontage, nine islands, several hammock islands, and nearly 1,300 acres of upland forest. Once eligible for major commercial and residential development, Clarendon Farms is now protected forever and serves as a testament to the vision and commitment of Jim Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises and chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation.
With FY26 in the books, DU has now delivered more than 1 million acres of conservation for three straight years and restored or protected more than 20 million acres across the continent since its inception. These remarkable accomplishments show what DU’s 750,000 passionate members and contributors can achieve while working together for a common goal.
As we reflect on the past year’s success, we celebrate the efforts of DU volunteers, supporters, and partners who drive our mission. Working together, we shattered our goals, surpassed rare milestones, and set a new standard for wetlands and waterfowl conservation across North America.
Thank you!
