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African Wildlife Foundation

EIN 52-0781390 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AWF'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE WILDLIFE AND WILD LANDS THRIVE IN MODERN AFRICA. WE WORK TO EQUIP AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS, INSTITUTIONS, BUSINESS, AND COMMUNITIES WITH THE TOOLS, INSIGHTS, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DEFINE, OWN, AND REALIZE A CONSERVATION AGENDA TIED TO PROGRESS. OUR STRATEGIES BRIDGE SCIENCE, ON-THE-GROUND PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY.

Income
$37.3 million
Spending
$37.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
49
Volunteers
40
Highest pay
$567,681, chief executive officer

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

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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 19% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    31 of 32 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. $27.3 million spent. NATIONAL AND LANDSCAPE LEVEL CONSERVATION PROGRAMSIN KENYA, WORK FOCUSED ON RANGELAND RESTORATION AND COEXISTENCE. WATER SECURITY REMAINED CENTRAL IN THE TSAVOMKOMAZI LANDSCAPE WHERE AWF WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES TO RESTORE CATCHMENTS AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO FRESHWATER FOR PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE, WHILE ALSO LAUNCHING AN AMBITIOUS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WILDLIFE CLUBS OF KENYA TO ENGAGE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN CONSERVATION. ADDITIONALLY, AWF SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT OF KAJIADO COUNTY WITH A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS INVESTMENT STRATEGY TIED TO LOCAL MANAGEMENT OF AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK. IN RWANDA, THE GOVERNMENT'S VISION OF REGIONAL GREEN GROWTH TIED TO INCREASED HABITAT FOR GORILLAS ADVANCED SIGNIFICANTLY, WITH A COMMUNITY-ENDORSED COMPENSATION AND LAND VALUATION FRAMEWORK APPROVED THROUGH RIGOROUS FPIC PROCESSES ESTABLISHED BY AWF. AWF ALSO INVESTED IN WOMEN-LED AGRICULTURE, NATURE-BASED ENTERPRISES, AND EARLY PLANNING FOR SMART GREEN VILLAGES. IN CAMEROON, AWF STRENGTHENED GOVERNANCE IN THE CAMPO MA'AN LANDSCAPE THROUGH ENHANCED COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, A GRIEVANCE REDRESS SYSTEM, UPDATED PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLANNING, AND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING OF ELEPHANTS, GORILLAS, CHIMPANZEES, AND OTHER ICONIC SPECIES. PARALLEL LIVELIHOOD INVESTMENTS IN SUSTAINABLE COCOA, RUBBER, AND PLANTAIN FARMING HELPED REDUCE LOCAL RELIANCE ON FOREST EXTRACTION. IN THE DJA LANDSCAPE, AWF ENHANCED PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT OF THE DJA FAUNAL RESERVE, REINFORCED ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS, AND ENGAGED LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH RIGHTS-BASED TRAINING. SIMULTANEOUSLY, AWF PROMOTED ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS, LIKE FISH FARMING, TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY AND ENSURE COMMUNITY COOPERATION IN MAINTAINING THE RESERVE'S INTEGRITY. IN FARO LANDSCAPE, AWF STRENGTHENED MANAGEMENT AND ANTI-POACHING OPERATIONS IN FARO NATIONAL PARK. CONFLICT BETWEEN LOCAL RESIDENTS AND HERDERS WAS REDUCED VIA THE TANGO INITIATIVE, AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES WERE ENGAGED IN SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE, INCLUDING TRAINING INDIGENOUS MBORORO COMMUNITIES IN PLANT NURSERY MANAGEMENT AND PROVIDING EQUIPMENT FOR CROP PROCESSING AND RICE FARMING. IN DRC, AWF STRENGTHENED CONSERVATION OUTCOMES ACROSS TWO CRITICAL CONGO BASIN LANDSCAPES BILI-UL AND MARINGA-LOPORI-WAMBA ADVANCING PROTECTION, COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE, AND LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE. IN BILI-UL, AWF'S CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH NATIONAL WILDLIFE AUTHORITY, THE INSTITUT CONGOLAIS POR LA CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE (ICCN) ENHANCED SECURITY ACROSS A CORE ZONE OF THE PROTECTED AREA THROUGH INTENSIFIED PATROLS AND STRENGTHENED OPERATIONAL BASES. LAW-ENFORCEMENT OUTCOMES IMPROVED AND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRESSED WITH CAMERA TRAPS AND A NEW RESEARCH CAMP. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND RIGHTS-BASED APPROACHES WERE REINFORCED THROUGH ACTIVE COMPLAINT-MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS, TRAINING FOR ECOGUARDS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES BENEFITING NEARLY 36,000 PEOPLE. IN THE MARINGA-LOPORI-WAMBA LANDSCAPE, AWF ADVANCED INTEGRATED CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LOMAKO-YOKOKALA AND IYONDJI COMMUNITY BONOBO RESERVES. THE RENOVATED PUBLIC SCHOOL IN ILIMA EMERGED AS CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, COMPLEMENTING ONGOING RIGHTS-BASED AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND GOVERNANCE TRAINING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES. AWF ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTERS. AWF CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES ON MONITORING AND ANTI-TRAFFICKING EFFORTS. IN ETHIOPIA, DESPITE DISRUPTIONS CAUSED BY REGIONAL INSECURITY, AWF CONTINUED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE ETHIOPIAN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AUTHORITY (EWCA), SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WALIA IBEX NATIONAL STRATEGY AND ACTION RECOVERY PLAN, AND STRENGTHENING EWCA'S INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR IMPROVED COORDINATION AND DATA-DRIVEN MANAGEMENT. THE COUNTER WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING PROGRAM PROVIDED ONGOING SUPPORT TO CANINE UNITS AT BOLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND ASSISTED THE JUDICIARY IN WILDLIFE CRIME PROSECUTION. WORK IN SIMIEN MOUNTAINS INCLUDED SUPPORT TO THE LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, A WILDLIFE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM TARGETED TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND ONGOING EFFORTS FOCUSED ON FOREST REGENERATION, LAND REHABILITATION, AND SOIL EROSION CONTROL. IN TANZANIA, AWF PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL POLICY DIALOGUES. IN THE KILOMBERO LANDSCAPE, AWF PARTNERED WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY LAND-USE PLANNING AND DEVELOP SHARED NATURAL RESOURCE AGREEMENTS. AWF ALSO SUPPORTED COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP THROUGH LOCAL NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEES, EXPANDING A NETWORK OF CONSERVATION CHAMPIONS ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE, AND SUPPORTING CONSERVATION ENTERPRISES AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. IN UGANDA, AWF'S COUNTER WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING PROGRAM SUPPORTED AUTHORITIES IN CONDUCTING NEARLY ONE MILLION SEARCHES FOR ILLEGAL WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE PRODUCTS AT KEY TRAFFICKING POINTS. OTHER EFFORTS STRENGTHENED COEXISTENCE AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES ACROSS KIDEPO AND MURCHISON FALLS LANDSCAPES. PREPARATIONS FOR RHINO REINTRODUCTION AT AJAI WILDLIFE RESERVE ADVANCED THROUGH IMPROVED RANGER CAPACITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IN ZIMBABWE, AWF CONCLUDED A CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH ZIMPARKS FOR MANA POOLS NATIONAL PARK IN THE MID-ZAMBEZI LAN
  2. $4.1 million spent. PAN AFRICAN PROGRAMSTHROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH PEACENEXUS, AWF ADVANCED RIGHTS-BASED AND CONFLICT-SENSITIVE APPROACHES WITH INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES. GOVERNMENTS WERE SUPPORTED TO DEVELOP BIODIVERSITY ECONOMIES THROUGH INVESTMENT FRAMEWORKS, ASSESSING NATURE-POSITIVE ENTERPRISES, AND SHAPING PATHWAYS THAT DIVERSIFY REVENUE AND DIRECT BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES. PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE AFRICA PROTECTED AREAS DIRECTORS (APAD) AND OTHERS CONTRIBUTED TO STRONGER PAN-AFRICAN REPRESENTATION IN GLOBAL CONSERVATION PLANNING. AWF INCREASED THE CAPACITY OF AFRICAN CONSERVATION LEADERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES, INCLUDING FELLOWSHIP AND TRAINING PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO BUILD INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO DRIVE DURABLE CONSERVATION ACTION. OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WHICH ALREADY INCLUDED TWO FELLOWSHIPS TARGETING YOUNG CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS EXPANDED TO REACH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH WILDLIFE CLUBS OF KENYA. COUNTER WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING TRAININGS FOR AFRICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDICIARY, PROSECUTORS, AND WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES TOOK PLACE IN FIVE COUNTRIES, EMPHASIZING OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH FOCUSED ON DETERRENCE, DETECTION, INVESTIGATION, AND PROSECUTION. THE PROGRAM DIRECTLY SUPPORTED WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES WITH RESOURCES IN UGANDA, CAMEROON, TANZANIA, ETHIOPIA, AND KENYA.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1962.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.