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Mission Vision Values Who We Are & What We Do The Four Pillars of our Work Annual Reports and 990s Engaging All Audiences What is a Joint Venture?Mission
Our mission is to protect monarchs and their migration by collaborating with partners to deliver habitat conservation, education, and science across the monarch range.
Vision
Our vision is thriving monarch populations that sustain the monarch migration into perpetuity and serve as a flagship for the conservation of other plants and animals.
Values
- Conservation: The grassroots work we do for monarchs and their habitat fosters resilient ecosystems and sustainable actions for the long-term health of our planet.
- Science: The latest research guides our evolving conservation practices and leads our community engagement efforts.
- Inspiration: Educational efforts not only provide the latest scientific information but also inspire others to be curious and take conservation actions that fit the needs and resources of their communities.
- Partnership: Authentic, supportive, and mutually respectful engagement with stakeholders from across North America leads to scalable and sustainable solutions.
- Leadership: Bringing people together allows us all to work more effectively toward common goals while leveraging our various industries, backgrounds, and areas of expertise.
- Inclusiveness: Broad collaboration with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds creates an equitable environment for growth, sustained involvement, and innovation.
The MJV's Commitment to Engaging All Audiences
The conservation of monarchs and our environment requires all hands on deck. As a national leader in monarch conservation, we are committed to working to bridge the barriers across our society. We all need clean air, clean water, and safe outdoor environments in which to live, learn, play, and just be. To achieve our mission, we must foster engagement opportunities for all. We will work to respectfully engage with the goal of growing collaboration and collective impact to strengthen a community committed to conservation. We commit to learning, listening, and acting to build a healthier planet for people, pollinators, and other living things.
Who We Are & What We Do
The Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) is a national conservation nonprofit that implements science-based conservation actions for monarch butterflies and other pollinators through four main pillars: habitat, science, education, and partnership. Conservation actions are organized in a regularly updated Monarch Conservation Implementation Framework, which serves as a guide to conservation planning for individuals, partners, and other interested stakeholders nationally. As a leader in monarch conservation, the MJV supports conservation planning and implementation efforts on a broad scale by facilitating information sharing, partnership building, and carrying out identified conservation priorities throughout the monarch’s migratory range.
MJV was founded in 2008, inspired by the collaborative model of bird joint ventures that successfully united diverse partners for migratory bird conservation. While monarch conservation carries that same spirit of international cooperation, our work is driven by voluntary partnerships and community action rather than direct legislative support. After a decade at the University of Minnesota, MJV became an independent nonprofit in 2018, expanding our capacity to lead and support conservation nationwide.
The Four Pillars of Our Work
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Habitat
The MJV habitat pillar advances habitat conservation through a wide range of efforts, from pollinator gardens to large-scale restoration projects and collaborations with agricultural producers and corporate land managers. We also provide technical assistance to land managers and conservation practitioners to help them design, establish, and maintain high-quality pollinator habitat. By increasing the quality and quantity of pollinator habitats, these efforts not only support monarchs and other pollinators but also enhance biodiversity and deliver broader environmental benefits such as soil health, water quality, and climate resilience.
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Education
The MJV education pillar fosters knowledge and awareness through professional development workshops, curated educational resources, online learning courses, webinars on the latest developments in monarch conservation, and community outreach initiatives. These efforts equip educators, partners, and the public with the tools to take action, expanding the reach and impact of monarch conservation.
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Science
The MJV science pillar advances monarch conservation through applied research and monitoring that informs on-the-ground action. MJV inventories and evaluates available habitat, studies how monarchs and other pollinators use that habitat, tests conservation strategies, and pioneers new technological innovations through remote sensing and drones. The program also coordinates two North America-wide monitoring programs, conducts primary research, maintains a library of monarch literature, and synthesizes emerging science to guide effective conservation practices.
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Partnership
The MJV partnerships pillar brings together over 135 federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic programs working to protect the monarch migration across its range. As the network leader, MJV facilitates connections among organizations, provides tools, fosters shared knowledge and resources, and cultivates collaborative conservation efforts. These efforts inspire action and commitment from a broad spectrum of individuals and entities, which is required to reach our nation’s ambitious monarch and habitat targets.
Annual Reports & 990s
Explore Monarch Joint Venture's Annual Reports and 990s to see our impact, financial transparency, and conservation efforts over the years.
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Conservation Implementation FrameworkThis plan identifies and prioritizes current important actions for U.S. monarch conservation to facilitate cooperation and coordination among diverse organizations working together to accomplish our nation’s monarch and pollinator goals.
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Our PartnersMore than 130 partners across the U.S. are working together to conserve the monarch migration.
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Staff and BoardExpertise and guidance from the MJV leadership team is essential to the success of this partnership organization.
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Prairie OaksNestled on 20 scenic acres on the west side of Belle Plaine, MN, this property will serve as a hub for conservation, education, and research. With two houses, agricultural structures, and a restored prairie, it will provide a serene setting for hosting educational events, workshops, and MJV offices.
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Job OpportunitiesVisit this page to learn about job opportunities with the Monarch Joint Venture!
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Donors and FundersThank you to all who support the Monarch Joint Venture! Find out more about our supporting agencies, organizations, and businesses here.
