Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Wild Nature Institute

EIN 46-3021940 · Manchester, NH

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The purposes of the Wild Nature Institute are to conduct scientific research on at-risk wildlife species and their habitats, advocate for their protection, and educate the public about the need to preserve wild nature.

Income
$201,601
Spending
$238,375
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
13.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$22,000, secretary-treasurer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $120,527 spent. Giraffe Research and Conservation. Conducted 8 giraffe photographic identification surveys in the Tarangire and Serengeti ecosystems and 2 distance sampling surveys for giraffes in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Tanzania. Collected DNA samples from giraffe dung in Enduimet WMA and Manyara Wildlife Park. Published 3 scientific papers (Journal of Wildlife Management; PNAS Nexus, and African Journal of Wildlife Research). Share our giraffe research at presentation for other scientists, students, and zookeepers (Giraffid and Ungulate TAG conferences; Greater Serengeti-Mara Conservation Society managers meeting; Kalahari Research Center, South Africa; Wilder Workshop on Demographic Resilience, Berlin), general members of the public (Sacramento Zoo, TED conference in Nairobi), Tanzanian decision-makers (Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute and TAWIRI Biennial Conference, Tanzania), and the media (coverage about our giraffe conservation research)
  2. $98,992 spent. Celebrating Africa's Giants Education Program. Conducted 2 teacher trainings with 32 participants. Did 214 classroom visits at 14 Tanzanian schools to teach ecology and conservation to a total of 1127 children. Did 7 trips to national parks in Tanzania and Kenya with a total of 597 children to learn about wildlife first-hand. Maintained 2 tree nurseries at 2 Tanzanian schools, started 10,000 seedlings, and planted 9,600 trees in giraffe habitat and the local village. Celebrated World Giraffe Week with 651 children and 2179 adults in Tanzania and Kenya, printed and distributed hundreds of giraffe t-shirts, and helped 375 children create giraffe art for the Necks-hibition. Held a Snake Blitz to teach 550 Tanzania children and their teachers appreciation for snakes and how to prevent snake bites.
  3. $18,856 spent. Food4Thought. Implemented a pen pal exchange and free school lunch program at Esilalei Primary School in Tanzania with 603 enrolled students, and expanded the free school lunch program to Jangwani and Baraka primary schools, feeding 1900 school children every school day of the year at all three schools.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.