Wildlife Restoration Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
WILDLIFE RESTORATION FOUNDATION IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN VIRGINIA WITH THE MISSION TO SUPPORT PARTNERS THAT TOGETHER CAN INCREASE PARK WILDLIFE POPULATION VIABILITY AND CREATE SAFE CORRIDOORS FOR WILDLIFE PASSAGE IN HARMONY WITH HUMAN COMMUNITIES. WRF ASSEMBLES AND SUPPORTS, WITH NEUTRAL FACILITATION AND WRITTEN RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN AZA-ACCREDITED ZOOS/AQUARIUMS AND PARKS. WRF ALSO CONVENES DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS IN WORKSHOPS THAT HELP SOLVE CONSERVATION PROBLEMS.
- Income
- $219,834
- Spending
- $137,849
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 11.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $41,760, president and board member
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 37% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 94% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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
Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (5)
- $96,105 spent. ZOO-PARK PARTNERSHIP FOR AMERICA'S KEYSTONE WILDLIFE: WRF'S ZPPS HAVE DEMONSTRATED MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, INCLUDING INCREASED SURVIVAL RATES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, ENHANCED GENETIC MONITORING, REDUCED DISEASE TRANSMISSION, AND IMPROVED HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE. THE PARTNERSHIPS NOT ONLY BENEFIT WILDLIFE POPULATIONS WITHIN PARKS BUT ALSO EXTEND CONSERVATION MESSAGING AND STEWARDSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO MILLIONS OF ZOO VISITORS ANNUALLY.
- $4,725 spent. I AM BEAR SAFE: IABS IS A UNIQUELY EFFECTIVE METHODOLOGY GAINING THE BUY-IN AND TRUST OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE GATEWAY COMMUNITIES OF YELLOWSTONE AND GLACIER NATIONAL PARKS TO DELIVER BEAR SAFETY INSTRUCTION TO TOURISTS AND LOCAL RECREATIONISTS AT KEY POINTS OF INTERVENTION. COMPELLING CUSTOMIZABLE TOOLS CONVEY A TOWN SIGNATURE STEWARDSHIP EFFORT THAT IS RECOGNIZABLE ACROSS 14 PARK GATEWAYS THROUGH THE PARTICIPATION OF 420 BUSINESSES AND VACATION RENTALS, 14 CHAMBERS, 4-5 AIRPORTS, 3 ZOOS, 2 TRIBES, AND 2 NATIONAL PARKS. THROUGH A "BEAR QUIZ" REINFORCING SIGNAGE MESSAGING, ANYONE CAN BECOME A PARK BEAR STEWARD.
- $5,751 spent. PARK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM: THE PARK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS THE "YELLOWSTONE EXPERIENCE" IS A GROWING RESOURCE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. THIS EXPERIENCE IS A REPEATABLE METHODOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A GROUP OF PASSIONATE AND INTERESTED DONORS ON AN EXCLUSIVE TOUR OF YELLOWSTONE AND THE SURROUNDING TOWNS AND NATURAL AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES. ALL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE PROVIDED, AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION AND UNIQUE DINING AND WILDLIFE VIEWING. WRF'S PROJECT AND CONSERVATION MISSIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED AS A PART OF THE WILDLIFE EXCURSIONS, SO OUR DONORS ARE ABLE TO SEE OUR WORK IN ACTION!
- $20,023 spent. IMOFOLOZI PROJECT: THE DEFENDING A SOUTH AFRICAN WILDERNESS FROM WILDLIFE CRIME PROJECT, OR "THE IMFOLOZI PROJECT," IS A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE LED BY THE WILDLIFE RESTORATION FOUNDATION (WRF) AND THE WILDERNESS LEADERSHIP SCHOOL (WLS) TO PROTECT WILDLIFE IN HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI PROVINCIAL PARK (HIP) IN SOUTH AFRICA AND YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNP) IN THE US. THE PROJECT AIMS TO COMBAT SOPHISTICATED POACHING THREATS IN THESE ICONIC PARKS, WHICH ARE HOME TO CRITICAL POPULATIONS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES.HIP, LOCATED IN KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCE, HARBORS ABOUT HALF OF SOUTH AFRICA'S WILD RHINOS (1,500-1,800), WHILE YNP IS CRUCIAL FOR CONSERVING BISON, GRIZZLY BEARS, AND WOLVES. HOWEVER, PROVINCIAL PARKS' CAPACITY TO FIGHT POACHING HAS DIMINISHED DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, STAFF REDUCTIONS, AND PANDEMIC-RELATED CHALLENGES. THE PROJECT LEVERAGES WLS GUIDES' ADVANCED OUTDOOR SKILLS TO SUPPLEMENT ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS. THESE GUIDES HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO ANTI-POACHING UNIT ASSISTANTS, ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE (EKZNW) ANTI-POACHING UNITS (APUS). WLS HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED RHINO AND BIO-MONITORING PATROLS (RBMPS) AND COMMUNITY TRAILS TO IMPROVE SURVEILLANCE AND ENGAGE LOCAL RESIDENTS.
- I AM WILDLIFE SAFE: THE IAWS METHODOLOGY CREATES BROAD AWARENESS AND EMPATHY FOR BOTH THE CHARISMATIC WILDLIFE AND THOSE OFTEN VIEWED AS PESTS. COEXISTENCE CAN BE SIMPLE WHEN HOMEOWNERS ARE EDUCATED ON HOW THEIR ACTIONS IMPACT WILD ANIMALS USING THEIR YARDS TO SURVIVE. WRF'S UNIQUE MARKETING ITEMS CONVEY STEWARDSHIP MESSAGING IN VESSELS REAL ESTATE AGENTS COMMONLY USE TO TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES. THINK OF THE APPEAL TO HOMEBUYERS AND OWNERS THAT FIND AN AGENT ALSO CARES ABOUT NATUREESPECIALLY WHEN NATURAL SETTINGS ARE OFTEN A TOP SELLING POINT OF A PROPERTY. WRF WILL ALSO PROVIDE A CRAFTED SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT TO ALLOW PARTNERS TO ANNOUNCE THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO POTENTIAL CLIENTS ON VARIOUS PLATFORMS.
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
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 October 13, 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 December 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 July 2022.
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 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.