Funny part is these groups float their own boat just fine.
Henry wasn't overstating it when he described the Nature Conservancy as "an environmental organization that has more assets and income than many third-world countries". The have over 3 billion in reported assets, not including their sub-congolmerates like the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
As immoral as fed funding of these groups is, it's a drop in the bucket compared to what they get from private trusts and corporate interests. Of course that money comes with strings attached, "do as we wish or we put our money somewhere else". Those strings could be anything from land grabbing to targeting competitive business interests.
Just how much money do the taxpayers fork over to environmental organizations? Nobody knows. Ask your congressman and your senator. They can't tell you. That's right, nobody knows.
If government was honest; more precisely, if politicians and bureaucrats were honest their response would be an unequivocal 'zero' -- "no taxpayer money is given to environmental organizations."
U.S. Constitution
Article 1
Section 8
Clause 17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And