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Global Sanctuary for Elephants

EIN 46-3564818 · Brentwood, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE ODEDICATED TO RESCUING, PROTECTING AND PROVIDING SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS WORLDWIDE. OUR FOUNDING DIRECTORS AND ELEPHANT CARE SPECIALIST CONSULT INTERNATIONALLY FOR THE WELLBEING OF CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS. CURRENTLY BASED IN BRAZIL, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH BRAZILIAN NGO SANTUARIO DE ELEFANTES BRASIL, OUR FOUNDING DIRECTORS ARE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRST SANCTUARY FOR CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS IN SOUTH AMERICA. WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST RESIDENTS, GLOBAL SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS AND SANTUARIO DE ELEFANTES BRASIL HAVE GAINED INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE AND SUPPORT TO FURTHER THE MISSION OF GLOBAL SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS. THIS INCREASED EXPOSURE, SUCCESS AND RAPID PROGRESS HAS SPURRED ADDITIONAL INTEREST FROM THROUGHOUT SOUTH AMERICA, AS SANTUARIO DE ELEFANTES BRASIL IS QUICKLY BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE SOLUTION FOR AILING CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS.

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
19.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
12
Volunteers
3
Highest pay
$77,500, ceo & board president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 19.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    3 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (2)
  1. $1.4 million spent. THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS ARE WORKING ON-SITE IN BRAZIL, PROVIDING HANDS-ON EXPERTISE AND TRAINING TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF RESCUED ELEPHANTS AND STRENGTHEN THE OPERATIONAL CAPACITY OF SANTUARIO DE ELEFANTES BRASIL AS A SELF-SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION. THROUGH THIS WORK, THE ORGANIZATION HAS FACILITATED THE TRANSFER OF 11 ELEPHANTS TO THE SANCTUARY, CONTRIBUTING TO THE END OF ELEPHANT CAPTIVITY IN ARGENTINA AFTER MORE THAN 120 YEARS. PLANNED PHASES OF ELEPHANT HABITAT EXPANSION HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, AND ADDITIONAL PHASES ARE UNDERWAY TO SUPPORT FUTURE RESCUES.CONTINUES ON SCHEDULE OGLOBAL SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS MAINTAINED ACCREDITATION BY THE GLOBAL FEDERATION OF ANIMAL SANCTUARIES AND CONTINUES TO BE THE ONLY ACCREDITED ELEPHANT SANCTUARY OUTSIDE OF THE US.
  2. $143,059 spent. GSE INVESTS SIGNIFICANT EFFORT IN EDUCATING ABOUT THE TRUE DEPTH AND IMPACT OF CAPTIVITY AND THE TRANSFORMATIONAL RECOVERY THAT IS POSSIBLE WITHIN SPACIOUS, AUTONOMOUS ELEPHANT SANCTUARIES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE BEST WAY TO EDUCATE IS TO TRANSPARENTLY SHARE THE HISTORY, AS WELL AS THE COMPLEX RECOVERY, OF THE ELEPHANTS FOLLOWING YEARS OF TRAUMA, NEGLECT, AND ABUSE. WITH THIS SHARED KNOWLEDGE, GSE HELPS TO LEAD POSITIVE AND PROGRESSIVE CHANGE, ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO USE THEIR VOICE AND KNOWLEDGE GAINED TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL FUTURE, PIVOTAL TO RESHAPING THE LIVES OF CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS. CONTINUES ON SCHEDULE OGSE COLLABORATES WITH INTERNATIONAL ELEPHANT SANCTUARIES FOR THE RECOVERY AND WELL-BEING OF ELEPHANTS GLOBALLY. THE UNIQUE HISTORY AND WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF OUR FOUNDERS ARE SHARED LIBERALLY TO HELP ADVANCE SANCTUARY DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONALLY, ENCOURAGING PROGRESSIVE VISION TO YIELD THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF AUTONOMY, CARE, AND RECOVERY FOR CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 August 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.