Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Washington Wildlife First

EIN 87-1701857 · Copalis Xing, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Washington Wildlife First is the nation's only state-based advocacy group dedicated to reforming state wildlife policy. We seek to transform Washington's relationship with its fish and wildlife from an approach centered around consumptive use to a more democratic paradigm that values science, recognizes the intrinsic value of individual animals, and prioritizes protecting, preserving and perpetuating wild lives.

Income
$422,181
Spending
$341,918
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
5.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
4
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$59,400, president, interim executive director

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

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 57% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 91 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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. $161,805 spent. Public Engagement and Grassroots Advocacy: We focus on educating and empowering the Washington public to demand a state Department of Fish and Wildlife that is ethical, scientific, and reflective of Washington values. We provide a broader view of how the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) falls short of its responsibility to act as a public trustee for wildlife, as well as keeping the public informed about current policy issues. We develop strategies to address emergent issues, develop talking points, coordinate letter-writing campaigns, and host workshops to help people learn how to advocate effectively. We have built a coalition of fish and wildlife advocacy groups to help us mobilize broad grassroots involvement. At the state Fish and Wildlife Commission, our grassroots campaigns brought an end to Washington's recreational spring bear hunt; defeated a WDFW proposal to prematurely downlist wolves on the state endangered species list; and obtained passage of rules to reduce bear and cougar mortality to more sustainable and ethical levels. At the legislative level, our campaigns promote legislation to improve state wildlife policy and reform the wildlife governance system, while also helping to defeat harmful legislation, including attempts to weaken the Marine Mammal Protection Act and frequent efforts to decrease protections for gray wolves.
  2. $73,547 spent. Direct Participation in Current Issues: We use our scientific expertise to serve as watchdogs over WDFW, monitoring its activities, investigating problems, and responding to issues. We attend every meeting and committee meeting of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, following current issues, providing frequent testimony, and submitting letters on a wide variety of topics. We submit formal comments informed by science on issues ranging from the Game Management Plan to the State Wildlife Action Plan to hatchery policies. We coordinate with our coalition of fish and wildlife advocacy groups to join forces on issues of importance, focusing our combined resources to achieve better outcomes for fish and wildlife.
  3. $58,838 spent. Rulemaking, Litigation, and Other Legal Actions: We use our legal expertise to employ a range of legal strategies to hold WDFW accountable as a public trustee. We draft rulemaking petitions, including to protect fish species from overexploitation and stop WDFW from shooting state-endangered gray wolves on public lands at the behest of the beef industry. When other strategies fail, we file litigation to hold WDFW accountable to the law, including challenges to WDFW's arbitrary and capricious decisions to kill wolves, its frequent violations of the State Environmental Policy Act, and its disregard for the Public Records Act.

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 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 November 6, 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 December 2024.

    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 January 2022.

    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 November 4, 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.