About The Bee Conservatory
We are a community-funded conservation nonprofit working to reverse pollinator decline through direct habitat action, humane bee rescue, and science-based education — one colony at a time.
Reversing pollinator decline one colony at a time
The Bee Conservatory is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reversing pollinator decline through hands-on habitat creation, community bee rescue, and science-based education. We believe healthy bee populations are not a luxury — they are the biological foundation of a functioning food system and a resilient natural world. One in every three bites of food we eat exists because of pollinator activity (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service). Protecting bees is protecting ourselves.
Our model is built on direct action and measurable outcomes. We partner with landowners, school districts, municipal parks departments, and universities to plant native wildflower corridors, relocate at-risk colonies away from extermination, and train the next generation of citizen conservationists. Every program we run connects back to real field data — because good intentions without accountability are not enough when entire species are on the line.
Numbers that tell the story
From a local rescue to a national movement
The Bee Conservatory started the way most conservation efforts do — with a handful of people who couldn't look away. Our founders spent years watching bee colonies disappear from gardens, orchards, and wildlands across the Sacramento region. Neighbors were calling exterminators for swarms that posed no real threat. Habitat was being cleared for development without any mitigation plan for the pollinators that depended on it.
In response, they built a free swarm rescue network — showing up with protective gear and empty hive boxes, relocating colonies that would otherwise have been killed. Word spread. Requests came in from beyond Sacramento. Schools wanted educational programs. Landowners asked for help seeding native plant corridors. What started as a local operation grew into a multi-program nonprofit serving communities across California and beyond.
Today we operate four core programs — Hive Placement, Habitat Restoration, Community Education, and Bee Rescue — all funded entirely by individual donors and grants. We have never compromised our mission for a corporate sponsorship, and we never will.
Conservation with integrity and accountability
Science-Based Approach
Every program we run is grounded in peer-reviewed methodology and active partnerships with UC Davis, Cornell, and regional universities. We collect field data, publish outcomes, and refine our methods — because guesswork costs bees their lives.
100% Community Funded
We accept donations exclusively through Zeffy — a platform that charges zero processing fees to nonprofits. That means every dollar you give goes straight to conservation work. No admin overhead, no hidden deductions.
Measurable Impact
Every donor receives quarterly impact reports with real numbers: colonies relocated, acreage seeded, students reached, and colony health outcomes. We believe accountability is part of conservation — you deserve to see what your support accomplishes.
Working alongside trusted organizations
Interested in partnering with us? Get in touch
Ready to make a difference?
Your support funds real conservation work in real communities. We use Zeffy so 100% of every donation goes directly to bees and the habitats they depend on.
The Bee Conservatory is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible.