In June of 1991, a meeting was called by representatives of state and national agricultural, conservation, wildlife, and scientific organizations leading to the establishment of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Twenty-two states were represented at the meeting. During this first organizational meeting, six national organizations agreed to sponsor the GLCI. They were the Kansas Farm Bureau’s national affiliate, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the Kansas Forage and Grassland Council’s national affiliate, American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC), American Sheep Industry (ASI), National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), the Kansas Livestock Association’s national affiliate, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), and the Society for Range Management (SRM). In December of 2000, the first national conference was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, beginning the triennial cycle of well attended conferences.

By 2012, the organization continued these conferences, but this time hosted independently. The following year, the organization underwent a name change to what it is now known as, the National Grazing Lands Coalition. Since then, NatGLC has continued to progress. The organization has been awarded two Conservation Innovation Grants from NRCS, as well as strengthened partnerships with other organizations. In 2016, NatGLC developed a strategic plan to ensure that their mission to promote ecologically and economically sound management of private grazing lands for their adapted uses and multiple benefits to the environment and society.