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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: August 2026 Expires: August 2028

World Wildlife Fund

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(202) 293-4800
1250 24th Street NW
Washington, DC, 20037
https://www.worldwildlife.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

World Wildlife Fund meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on earth."

Year, State Incorporated:
1961, DE

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that it seeks to build a future in which people and nature thrive, working in partnership with others to protect and restore species and their habitats. The organization also works to strengthen local communities’ ability to conserve the natural resources they depend upon, transform markets and policies to reduce the impact of the production and consumption of commodities, ensure that the value of nature is reflected in decisions made by individuals, communities, governments and businesses, and mobilize individuals to support conservation. Environmental areas of focus include forests, oceans, marine, freshwater, wildlife, food, and climate. WWF states that it works in more than 100 countries (including through network affiliates) with projects including guiding conservation across 106 million acres across Africa and collaring 350 elephants to track and improve cohabitation. Some ($22,967,390 or 6%) of WWF's programs are conducted in conjunction with informational materials that include fundraising appeals.

For the year ended June 30, 2025, World Wildlife Fund's program expenses were:

Public education $137,005,710
Global conservation $133,408,850
Country offices $79,044,516
Markets and policy $32,232,067
Program management $12,904,725
Total Program Expenses $394,595,868

Chief Executive
Carter Roberts, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$1,348,079

Chair of the Board
Yolanda Kakabadse

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Chair of the Board, Charles Darwin Foundation in Galapagos

Board Size
22

Paid Staff Size
1314

*2024 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Co-Chair, Sanjeev Mehra, Managing Partner, Periphas Capital 

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Telephone appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Television, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Membership appeals, Workplace Giving

WWF incurred joint costs of $44,084,442 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $22,967,390 was allocated to program expenses and $21,117,052 was allocated to fundraising expenses.

Fundraising costs were 10% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $448,970,648, 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 World Wildlife Fund's audited financial statements - consolidated for the year ended June 30, 2025.

Source of Funds
Contributions $205,172,925
In-kind contributions $107,982,171
Government grants and contracts $65,524,536
Bequests, endowments, and split income gifts, net $49,486,024
Investment income, net $38,021,479
WWF network revenue $20,804,992
Royalties, service contracts, and other income $6,902,664
Total Income $470,369,078

Programs: 83% Fundraising: 10% Administrative: 7%

Total Income $470,369,078
Total expenses: $472,856,586
  Program expenses $394,595,868
  Fundraising expenses $45,130,200
  Administrative expenses $33,130,518
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-2,487,508
Beginning Net Assets $644,408,399
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $645,326,170
Total Liabilities $131,926,631
Total Assets $777,252,801

Note 1: As noted in the above financial section, "other changes in net assets" refers to a gain on foreign currency exchange.

Note 2: As noted in WWF's audited financial statements - consolidated - for the year ended June 30, 2025, the organization received $107,982,171 in contributed goods and services including advertising ($104,593,219), software ($2,421,436), consulting services ($801,973), electronic supplies ($114,232), and legal services ($51,311).

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