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American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

EIN 47-4016989 · Reno, NV

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE CAMPAIGN IS THE NATION'S LEADING CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE FREEDOM AND HABITAT OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS. THROUGH ITS INITIATIVES IN ADVOCACY, CONSERVATION, LAND PRESERVATION, AND LEGAL AND POLICY REFORM, AWHC IS ACTIVELY SHAPING A FUTURE WHERE THESE ICONIC ANIMALS CAN THRIVE IN THE WILD, SAFEGUARDED AND FREE IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.

Income
$3.4 million
Spending
$4.8 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
22
Volunteers
125
Highest pay
$138,467, secretary & executive dire

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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

    6 of 7 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 December 31, 2024, 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. $2.0 million spent. AWHC REACHES MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ANNUALLY THROUGH STRATEGIC ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS, MEDIA OUTREACH, AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING. THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINS A ROBUST MEDIA PRESENCE WITH COVERAGE IN MAJOR NATIONAL OUTLETS RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT WILD HORSE AND BURRO ISSUES AND THE NEED FOR HUMANE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS. AWHC USES DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING PLATFORMS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT FEDERAL WILD HORSE PROGRAMS AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICY REFORM. AWHC'S MEDIA CAMPAIGNS HIGHLIGHT THE BRUTALITY OF HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS, WITH TRAINED OBSERVERS CAPTURING FOOTAGE THAT IS USED TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THIS CRUEL TREATMENT AND STRENGTHEN POLITICAL WILL FOR CHANGE.AWHC'S VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM EMPOWERS GRASSROOTS ADVOCATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO CHAMPION WILD HORSES AND BURROS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND WITH LAWMAKERS. THIS GROWING NETWORK OF INFORMED ADVOCATES HELPS DRIVE POLICY CHANGE AND PUBLIC AWARENESS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS.AWHC CO-LEADS THE HOMES FOR HORSES COALITION, WHICH UNITES HUNDREDS OF RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE. THIS COALITION PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENDING HORSE SLAUGHTER AND OTHER FORMS OF EQUINE ABUSE WHILE ALSO ELEVATING STANDARDS OF CARE AND PROFESSIONALISM IN THE RESCUE COMMUNITY.
  2. $1.1 million spent. AWHC'S CONSERVATION WORK FOCUSES ON IMPLEMENTING HUMANE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING WILD HORSE POPULATIONS WHILE PRESERVING THEIR HABITAT. AWHC'S GROUNDBREAKING FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY IN REDUCING THE NEED FOR HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS.AWHC'S FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAM ON NEVADA'S VIRGINIA RANGE HAS BECOME A GLOBAL MODEL FOR HUMANE WILD HORSE MANAGEMENT. THROUGH SUSTAINED VACCINATION EFFORTS, THE PROGRAM HAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FOALING RATES WHILE MAINTAINING HEALTHY, FREE-ROAMING POPULATIONS. THIS PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED BROAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND HAS INFLUENCED FEDERAL POLICY AND FUNDING PRIORITIES. AWHC PROVIDES FINANCIAL, LOGISTICAL, AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAMS IN MULTIPLE HERD MANAGEMENT AREAS ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. THESE PROGRAMS DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF MANAGING WILD HORSE POPULATIONS IN BALANCE WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH SCIENCE-BASED, HUMANE METHODS. AWHC'S CONSERVATION SCIENTIST CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PRESENTS FINDINGS AT PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES, ESTABLISHING THE ORGANIZATION AS A LEADER IN EVIDENCE-BASED WILD HORSE MANAGEMENT.AWHC PRESERVES CRITICAL HABITAT FOR WILD HORSES AND BURROS, REFLECTING AWHC'S COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION. THE LLC ACQUIRES OPEN RANGE HABITAT IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF FEDERALLY PROTECTED HERDS. THESE ACQUISITIONS SERVE AS PILOT PROJECTS FOR HABITAT RESTORATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.
  3. $762,902 spent. AWHC IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF LEGAL AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO PROTECT WILD HORSES AND BURROS. THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK FOCUSES ON LITIGATION, LEGISLATION, AND EXPOSING MISMANAGEMENT OF THESE ICONIC ANIMALS BY FEDERAL AGENCIES. AWHC CHAMPIONS FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO BAN HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS, REQUIRE HUMANE ALTERNATIVES, AND REFORM THE MANAGEMENT OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO SECURE PROTECTIVE LANGUAGE IN ANNUAL SPENDING BILLS, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR FERTILITY CONTROL, PROTECTION AGAINST SLAUGHTER, AND DIRECTIVES FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO ROUNDUPS AND REMOVALS. AWHC SUPPORTS STATE-LEVEL LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES HUMANE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS AND PROVIDES FUNDING FOR FERTILITY CONTROL AND OTHER NON-LETHAL POPULATION MANAGEMENT METHODS. THE ORGANIZATION COLLABORATES WITH STATE OFFICIALS AND ADVOCATES TO ADVANCE HUMANE WILD HORSE POLICIES. AWHC WORKS WITH COALITION PARTNERS TO SUPPORT FEDERAL LEGISLATION ADDRESSING BROADER EQUINE WELFARE ISSUES, INCLUDING BILLS TO PREVENT HORSE SLAUGHTER AND PROTECT POPULATIONS FROM EXPLOITATION, REFLECTING AWHC'S COMMITMENT TO THE WELFARE OF ALL EQUINES. AWHC FILES LITIGATION TO CHALLENGE UNLAWFUL FEDERAL ACTIONS THAT THREATEN WILD HORSE POPULATIONS AND HABITAT. THE ORGANIZATION'S LEGAL TEAM ACTIVELY PURSUES CASES INVOLVING VIOLATIONS OF THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT AND OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS, HOLDING FEDERAL AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.AWHC CONDUCTS INVESTIGATIONS INTO FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO EXPOSE FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE. THESE INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS HAVE REVEALED SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS IN GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND HAVE LED TO INCREASED SCRUTINY AND CALLS FOR REFORM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 December 2015.

    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.