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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: February 2023 Expires: August 2025

Big Life Foundation USA

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards

Accreditation seal
1715 North Heron Drive
Ridgefield, WA, 98642

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

Big Life Foundation USA meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to, on the ground in Africa, partner with communities to protect nature for the benefit of all."

Year, State Incorporated:
2010, WA

Big Life Foundation USA (Big Life) works to protect and sustain East Africa's wildlife and wild lands, including one of the greatest populations of elephants left in East Africa. They do this by using conservation strategies and collaborating with local communities, partner NGOs, national parks, and government agencies. Big Life reports that they were the first organization in East Africa with coordinated anti-poaching teams operating on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border. Big Life recognizes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach. This approach is at the heart of their philosophy: that conservation supports the people and people support conservation.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, Big Life Foundation USA's program expenses were:

Program $3,754,961
Total Program Expenses $3,754,961

Chief Executive
Kim Schwalb, Executive Director

Compensation*
$150,094

Chair of the Board
Greg Gubitz

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Co-founder, HLS Therapeutics

Board Size
10

Paid Staff Size
5

*2021 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio

Fundraising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $6,176,323, 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 Big Life Foundation USA's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Source of Funds
Other $4,328
Sales revenue, net of cost of goods sold $7,300
Donated art and other in-kind contributions $116,905
Contributions $6,059,417
Total Income $6,187,950

Programs: 85% Fundraising: 9% Administrative: 5%

Total Income $6,187,950
Total expenses: $4,406,282
  Program expenses $3,754,961
  Fundraising expenses $415,062
  Administrative expenses $236,259
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $1,781,668
Beginning Net Assets $990,325
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $2,771,993
Total Liabilities $13,581
Total Assets $2,785,574

Note: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, Big Life received in-kind contributions totaling $116,905 in the form of web-based advertising ($100,905) and open and limited addition artwork ($16,000).

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.

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Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance