10 reasons to give to ICL during Idaho Gives

Idaho Gives 2023 is here! Idaho Gives is an annual statewide fundraiser designed to bring people together to support Idaho nonprofits. As an Idaho-grown organization, we rely on the generosity of individuals to do our work. We can’t protect Idaho without the support of our members, donors, and advocates!

As ICL celebrates 50 years of conservation in 2023, we invite you to join in the celebration with a gift to ICL! Here are a few key reasons to give to ICL during Idaho Gives.

1. Clean air and water benefit everyone. ICL focuses on projects across the state to ensure that Idaho’s clean air and clean water are protected. As the climate in Idaho continues to change, issues like toxic algae outbreaks, declining quality of groundwater, air pollution, and wastewater treatment plants failing to meet standards are all issues we work on to make sure Idaho has clean air and clean water now and in the future. ICL has worked to keep coal-fired power plants out of Idaho, and has helped put the state on a path to a clean energy future, protecting Idaho’s air quality. Our water quality work from North Idaho to the Snake River as it flows through southern Idaho includes holding polluters accountable and working to restore iconic waterways for all Idahoans to enjoy.
2. ICL is a voice for wildlife. Idaho’s wildlife – game and nongame species alike – need advocates. With enhanced data analysis, more precise population estimates, and the advent of remote sensing, we know more about wildlife than ever before. And every sign is flashing big, red warning lights – a recent World Wildlife Fund study found a 69 percent average decline in wildlife populations worldwide over the past 50 years. It is with keen awareness of the importance of Idaho’s wildlife heritage and how that wildlife is managed that ICL launched a new Wildlife Program in 2022. This program is dedicated to protecting and restoring the full breadth of Idaho’s wildlife. From the wolverine to mountain bluebird to the monarch butterfly, ICL is working to protect Idaho’s iconic wildlife heritage for now and generations to come.
3. We’re working to protect and restore the great lakes of North Idaho. North Idaho’s waters are part of what makes the region a beautiful place to live and raise a family. But more work is needed to keep it this way. Recognizing this, ICL launched a North Idaho Lakes Advocacy Program in 2023. This program focuses on protecting the waters of Idaho’s panhandle from degradation, pollution, and poor land use management. North Idaho staff work with partner organizations and Tribes to ensure that places like Lake Pend Oreille, Lake Coeur d’Alene, Priest Lake, the Kootenai River and more are protected for now and future generations.
4. ICL lifts up youth voices. Youth voices are critical in environmental activism. ICL recognizes this, and works to empower, inspire, and support youth advocates through multiple programs. ICL’s Youth Salmon Protectors is a coalition of young people across the Pacific Northwest dedicated to breaching the four lower Snake River dams to save wild salmon, steelhead and orca, honoring Tribal treaties, and restoring the lower Snake River. ICL’s Emerging Leaders for Idaho’s Environment (ELIE) program is a leadership program focused on connecting the next generation of conservationists with opportunities to make a difference with Idaho’s environmental movement. 
5. We are more than an organization – we are a community. And we do this work for ALL Idahoans. We have grown from a cadre of volunteers in 1973 to an organization with 30 full-time staff and offices in Boise, Ketchum, McCall, Sandpoint, and Seattle. This is only possible because of our members who embrace the mission to keep Idaho wild and protect the land we love. 
6. ICL is your voice for conservation in the Idaho Statehouse. ICL was founded in 1973 to serve as the voice for conservation in the Idaho Statehouse, and for 50 years we’ve played a critical role on issues that matter to you and families across the state. The Idaho Legislature considers hundreds of bills each session, many of which have an impact on Idaho’s air, water, wildlife, and communities. We represent our members by working with legislators, partners, and constituents to advance conservation goals. We also track, analyze, and take positions on proposals that impact our environment and public health. ICL is at the statehouse every day during the legislative session to represent you, advocating for clean energy, public lands, clean water, and wildlife. 
7. Your gift helps keep public lands in public lands. ICL works hard on behalf of Idaho’s beloved public lands. We participate in collaborative projects across the state to help develop and implement policies that help restore and sustain the natural resources of Idaho’s public lands while laying the groundwork for permanent protective designations. Our focus is protecting public lands for future generations and the native plants, fish, and wildlife that depend on them. 
8. A gift to ICL is a gift to future generations. ICL works to protect the best of Idaho for now and future generations. Whether it is the designation of Wilderness like in the Boulder-White Clouds of Owyhees, or the protection of thousands of acres of roadless areas, the impacts of ICL’s work will be seen for decades to come. When you give to ICL, you are giving a gift to future generations of Idahoans, ensuring they can enjoy the Idaho we enjoy today.
9. Your gift will have double the impact! All gifts to ICL during Idaho Gives will be DOUBLED up to $25,000! That means your gift of $50 becomes $100, or your gift of $250 becomes $500! You’ll help ICL reach our goal during Idaho Gives while doubling your impact for conservation.
10. It’s our 50th birthday! Since 1973, ICL has worked to become Idaho’s leading voice for conservation. As we celebrate 50 years of conservation in 2023, we both celebrate our past wins and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Protecting Idaho’s environment is work that will never be complete. With your support, ICL will always be there to protect and restore the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the lands and wildlife you love. For the love of Idaho, join us! 

Idaho Gives goes from May 1-4, but early giving is open now! Thank you for your support as we celebrate 50 years of conservation in Idaho – we look forward to your partnership for many years to come!