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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: October 2024 Expires: October 2026

Defenders of Wildlife

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
Accreditation seal
(800) 385-9712
1130 17th Street NW
Washington, DC, 20036-4604
https://defenders.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Defenders of Wildlife meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to protect all native animals and plants in their natural communities."

Year, State Incorporated:
1947, DC

Defenders of Wildlife (DOW) is a national conservation organization focused on wildlife and habitat conservation and the safeguarding of biodiversity. The organization aims to protect and restore imperiled species throughout North America by transforming policies and institutions and promoting innovative solutions. DOW works to develop enduring solutions to wildlife conservation challenges and develop distinctive strengths to advance its mission. Some ($5,583,597 or 16%) of DOW's programs are conducted in conjunction with informational materials that include fundraising appeals.

For the year ended September 30, 2023, Defenders of Wildlife's program expenses were:

Biodiversity conservation: $18,360,266

Constituency mobilization: $17,334,236

Total Program Expenses: $35,694,502

Chief Executive
Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$616,278

Chair of the Board
Mark Caylor

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
President of Mission Systems, Northrop Grumman

Board Size
16

Paid Staff Size
125

*2022 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Television, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Special events, Telemarketing, Print advertisements, Corporate solicitation

DOW incurred joint costs of $7,137,494 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs, $5,583,597 was allocated to program expenses, $771,085 was allocated to fundraising expenses, and $782,812 was allocated to administrative expenses.

Fundraising costs were 3% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $41,559,280, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Defenders of Wildlife's audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2023.

Source of Funds
Grants and contributions $26,507,465
In-kind contributions $5,908,513
Bequests $9,143,302
Royalties $345,429
Investment return, net $3,324,153
Split-interest contributions $36,944
Change in value of split interests $162,130
Mailing list royalties $227,556
Other income $48,222
Total Income $45,703,714

Programs: 82% Fundraising: 3% Administrative: 15%

Total Income $45,703,714
Total expenses: $43,341,795
  Program expenses $35,694,502
  Fundraising expenses $1,111,040
  Administrative expenses $6,536,253
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $2,361,919
Beginning Net Assets $43,715,540
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $46,077,459
Total Liabilities $4,374,159
Total Assets $50,451,618

Note: According to DOW's audited financial statements - consolidated - for the year ended September 30, 2023, the organization received in-kind contributions in the amount of $5,908,513 in the form of legal services ($5,800,697) and advertising ($107,816).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance