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The Wildlife Society

EIN 52-0788946 · Bethesda, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE, EMPOWER, AND ENABLE WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS TO SUSTAIN WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND HABITATS THROUGH SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION.

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$3.3 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
13.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 57%
Employees
18
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$165,820, 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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 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

    12 of 12 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 (4)
  1. $909,665 spent. ANNUAL CONFERENCE - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST GATHERINGS OF WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS, STUDENTS AND SUPPORTERS IN NORTH AMERICA. FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, THE SOCIETY HAS HOSTED THIS UNIQUE AND INFORMATIVE EVENT THAT PROVIDES MORE THAN 900 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE THAN 40 NETWORKING EVENTS THROUGH WORKING GROUPS, MEETINGS, AND RECEPTIONS. ATTENDEES LEARN ABOUT THE LATEST ADVANCES IN WILDLIFE RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT, AND EDUCATION THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF SYMPOSIA, CONTRIBUTED PAPERS, WORKSHOPS, AND FIELD TRIPS. THE 2024 CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
  2. $656,825 spent. PUBLICATIONS - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY ISSUES VARIOUS PEER-REVIEWED, SCHOLARLY, AND TRADE PUBLICATIONS. THESE INCLUDE THE JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE MONOGRAPHS, THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN, THE WILDLIFE PROFESSIONAL, AND VARIOUS TECHNICAL REVIEWS. PUBLISHED SINCE 1937, THE JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS COVERING ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN WILDLIFE SCIENCE. TOPICS INCLUDE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS WITH DIRECT OR INDIRECT IMPLICATIONS FOR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY'S FLAGSHIP MAGAZINE, THE WILDLIFE PROFESSIONAL (PUBLISHED SIX TIMES ANNUALLY), CONTAINS NEWS AND ANALYSIS DESIGNED TO KEEP TODAY'S WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS INFORMED ABOUT CRITICAL ADVANCES IN WILDLIFE SCIENCE, CONSERVATION, AND MANAGEMENT.
  3. $553,117 spent. PUBLIC SERVICE AND EDUCATION - THE SOCIETY PROVIDES MATERIALS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH INFORMATION MATERIALS, WEBSITE CONTENT, CONFERENCES, AND MEETINGS. THE SOCIETY ALSO ACTIVELY PROVIDES SCIENCE-BASED WILDLIFE CONSERVATION INFORMATION TO DECISION-MAKERS SO THEY CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT ISSUES THAT IMPACT WILDLIFE AND BENEFITS THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, THE SOCIETY PROVIDES A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE THE CAREERS OF WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS. THIS INCLUDES A PEER-REVIEWED WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST CERTIFICATION PROCESS THAT BESTOWS THE TITLE OF ASSOCIATE WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST OR CERTIFIED WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST TO MEMBERS THAT MEET RIGOROUS EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE CRITERIA.
  4. $428,604 spent. MEMBERSHIP SERVICES - IN ADDITION TO ITS PUBLICATIONS, THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH A WEEKLY ENEWSLETTER PROVIDING ORGANIZATION UPDATES WHILE ALSO FEATURING TIMELY NEWS ARTICLES ON WILDLIFE SCIENCE, MANAGEMENT, AND CONSERVATION A MONTHLY WEBINAR SERIES FEATURING THE LATEST IN TOPIC AREA UPDATES FROM TWS WORKING GROUPS AND ACCESS TO AN ONLINE NETWORKING DIRECTORY TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL PEERS AND FOSTER MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. THE SOCIETY ALSO PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND ONLINE AND PERSONAL SUPPORT FOR MEMBERSHIP TRANSACTIONS.

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 December 1969.

    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.