Ding Darling Wildlife Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
"FOUNDED IN 1945, THE J.N. "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE CONSISTS OF NEARLY 8,000 ACRES OF SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE AND ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. BUDGETS CONTINUE TO DECREASE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING DOES NOT COVER ALL THE NEEDS OF THIS VERY POPULATED REFUGE. AS A RESULT, THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY - FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE (DDWS) PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT WHERE FEDERAL FUNDING FALLS SHORT. EVERY YEAR, THE VISITATION TO THE REFUGE INCREASES AND NEARLY ONE MILLION VISITORS EXPLORE THESE PUBLIC LANDS. FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, THE DDWS HAS SUPPORTED THE REFUGE IN AREAS OF EDUCATION, LAND ACQUISITION, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AND EXHIBITS, HABITAT MANAGEMENT, BIOLOGICAL STUDIES, WATER RESEARCH, AND MUCH MORE.
- Income
- $3.5 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 87.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 81%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 210
- Highest pay
- $171,136, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 35Spendable reserves would cover 87.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 40% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (1)
- $1.8 million spent. ART IN THE WILD & OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN OCTOBER, ART IN THE WILD CELEBRATES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK, THE BIRTHDAY OF THE REFUGE'S NAMESAKE, JAY NORWOOD "DING" DARLING, AS WELL AS THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE BY THE WINNER OF THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CONTEST. THIS EVENT MERGES ART, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH; ATTRACTING FAMILIES, ARTISTS, AND CONSERVATION SUPPORTERS. ALL COMMUNITY ART EVENTS THAT ARE HOSTED AT THE ROOST, THE VISITOR & EDUCATION CETNER, AND OUTREACH VENUES, ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THANKS TO THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF ART- IN-EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND ONGOING CONSERVATION WORK. GO WILD FOR DING GO WILD FOR "DING," THE SOCIETY'S FLAGSHIP ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA, IS A POWERFUL TESTAMENT TO THE GENEROSITY, VISION, AND SHARED COMMITMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY. HELD EACH FEBRUARY AT THE SANIBEL COMMUNITY HOUSE, THIS SPIRITED EVENING BRINGS TOGETHER DONORS, CONSERVATIONISTS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND NATURE LOVERS FOR A CELEBRATION OF PURPOSE, PARTNERSHIP, AND PHILANTHROPY. FROM HIGH-PROFILE AUCTIONS TO IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES THAT BENEFIT THE REFUGE, THE EVENT OFFERS A DYNAMIC BLEND OF EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, AND GIVING. GUESTS ALSO ENJOY A LIVELY DINNER RECEPTION, TAILORED SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND DIRECT "BID TO GIVE" APPEALS THAT AMPLIFY IMPACT. THE 2025 GALA, THEMED "DREAM OF A WHITE PELICAN," RAISED AN UNPRECEDENTED 300,000 - RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF MAJOR SPONSORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS. THESE FUNDS WERE DEDICATED TO ADVANCING EDUCATION, CONSERVATION, AND RESEARCH AT THE REFUGE, AND THEY REFLECT A DEEP, COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE. MORE THAN A FUNDRAISER, GO WILD FOR DING IS A RALLYING POINT - A MOMENT WHERE GENEROSITY MEETS MISSION, AND WHERE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS EMPOWER DDWS TO RESPOND SWIFTLY AND STRATEGICALLY TO EMERGING NEEDS. WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO EVERY SUPPORTER WHO MAKES THIS LEGACY POSSIBLE. DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES EACH WINTER SUPPORT FROM OUR DONORS ALLOWS DDWS TO OFFER A SERIES OF LECTURES WHICH BLEND EDUCATION WITH CULTURAL ENRICHMENT ON TOPICS FROM WILDLIFE BIOLOGY TO LOCAL HISTORY AND NATIONAL CONSERVATION ISSUES. AS AN ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE FREQUENTLY ABLE TO OFFER THESE LECTURES TO SENIOR COMMUNITIES WITH WHOM WE PARTNER. RECENT LINE-UPS HAVE FEATURED CELEBRATED PHOTOGRAPHERS, ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORS, SCIENTISTS, AND INSPIRATIONAL FIGURES IN WILDLIFE ADVOCACY. TARPON TOURNAMENT ANOTHER SIGNATURE FUNDRAISING EVENT, THE "DING" DARLING & DOC FORD'S TARPON TOURNAMENT, IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN BOTH THE REGION'S ANGLING HERITAGE AND ITS CONSERVATION MISSION. LAUNCHED TO HONOR THE FIRST RECORDED TARPON CATCH AT THE REFUGE AND TO ENGAGE A BROADER SPORTING PUBLIC IN CONSERVATION AWARENESS, THE TOURNAMENT'S FORMAT IS STRICTLY CATCH-AND-RELEASE, WITH ALL ENTRY FEES RETURNED AS ANGLER PRIZES. THE 2025 TOURNAMENT SET A PARTICIPATION RECORD WITH 61 REGISTERED TEAMS AND MORE THAN 266,000 RAISED FROM SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS, MAKING A CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF OVER 1.57 MILLION FOR RESEARCH, HABITAT PRESERVATION, AND EDUCATION PROJECTS OVER ITS 13-YEAR HISTORY. THE IMPORTANCE OF SPONSOR NETWORKS (BOTH CASH AND IN-KIND) CANNOT BE OVERSTATED - WITHOUT THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THE EVENT'S IMPACT WOULD BE FAR SMALLER. ADVANCING EDUCATION AND STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION IS EMBEDDED IN THE DNA OF DDWS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING TO MEET OVERWHELMING VISITOR DEMAND, THE SOCIETY HAS PRIORITIZED INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTHS AND ADULTS, INVESTING HEAVILY IN BOTH ON-SITE AND MOBILE OUTREACH CAPABILITIES. TODAY, ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ENCOMPASSES: CURRICULUM-BASED FIELD TRIPS FOR AREA SCHOOLS THAT FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMMING, OFTEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOUNG SCIENTIST INTERNSHIPS AND HANDS-ON JOB TRAINING. COMMUNITY LECTURES, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, AND NATURE-BASED ARTS ENRICHMENT. IN 2024, OVER 12,000 CONSERVATION LESSONS WERE TAUGHT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, EITHER THROUGH WOW, IN-REFUGE PROGRAMS, OR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS. THE WILDLIFE -FOCUSED CURRICULUM IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH STATE LEARNING STANDARDS, AND CLASSROOM VISITS FREQUENTLY INCLUDE ECOSYSTEM DEMONSTRATIONS. WOW (WILDLIFE ON WHEELS) WOW REPRESENTS A PARADIGM SHIFT IN MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE. THROUGH THIS MOBILE PLATFORM AND THE ADDITION OF A DEDICATED URBAN OUTREACH COORDINATOR, THE SOCIETY HAS FORGED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND OTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES. FOR EXAMPLE, WEEKLY WILDLIFE FRIDAYS AT THE IMMOKALEE LIBRARY HAVE BROUGHT THE REFUGE EXPERIENCE TO CHILDREN UNABLE TO VISIT SANIBEL, FOSTERING INTEREST AND STEWARDSHIP AMONG DIVERSE AUDIENCES. POCKET REFUGE EACH YEAR SINCE 2005, THE JN "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY-FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE (DDWS), HAS AWARDED CONSERVATION GRANTS TO LOCAL TEACHERS FOR SCIENCE PROJECTS RELATED TO STUDYING THE ENVIRONMENT. EACH YEAR THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY OFFERS GRANTS TO NEW SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS GRANTS FOR UPKEEP OF EXISTING POCKET REFUGES. DISCOVERING "DING THANKS TO THE ROTARY OF SANIBEL-CAPTIVA AND SANIBEL-CAPTIVA KIWANIS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ALLIES, THE "DISCOVERING DING" PROGRAM, WHICH CONNECTS THE JN "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITH SANIBEL SCHOOL, WAS BACK IN ACTION WITH AROUND 156 LESSONS OFFERED TO STUDENTS VISITING THE REFUGE EACH MONTH FOR HANDS-ON, SCIENCE-BASED LEARNING. STUDENTS CREATE "DISCOVERING DING" JOURNALS TO COLLECT DATA, LEARN VOCABULARY, USE BIOLOGICAL TOOLS, AND EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVITY THROUGH ART, HONORING THE LEGACY OF JAY NORWOOD DING" DARLING. ART IN THE WILD & OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN OCTOBER, ART IN THE WILD CELEBRATES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK, THE BIRTHDAY OF THE REFUGE'S NAMESAKE, JAY NORWOOD "DING" DARLING, AS WELL AS THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE BY THE WINNER OF THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CONTEST. THIS EVENT MERGES ART, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH; ATTRACTING FAMILIES,
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1983.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 2026.
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