Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society reported $400.9 million in revenue and $456.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.28 went to program services, $8.52 to management and general costs and $3.20 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 73.5% of the total. Government grants made up 25.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,498,255 (President & CEO through 4/1/24). 239 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 57% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $456MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $401MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.3% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.2% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 73.5% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 25.9% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 14.7% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,498,255 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.33% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 239 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 22.9 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 36 of 36 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHighest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President & CEO through 4/1/24 Former, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,496,001 | $0 | $2,254 | $1,498,255 |
| EVP Chief Operating Officer Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $820,740 | $0 | $283,650 | $1,104,390 |
| EVP Director of Zoos/Aquarium Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $536,541 | $0 | $173,400 | $709,941 |
| EVP Public Affairs Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $469,088 | $0 | $115,866 | $584,954 |
| SVP General Counsel Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $434,752 | $0 | $114,699 | $549,451 |
| EVP Chief of GR through2/28/25 Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $453,198 | $0 | $94,141 | $547,339 |
| EVP Global Conservation Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $416,403 | $0 | $114,071 | $530,474 |
| VP and Director of City Zoos Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $342,278 | $0 | $112,626 | $454,904 |
239 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Wildlife Conservation Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $5.6M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b36 · 36 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 52,917
- Volunteers Part I, line 6729
Private foundation grants it received
241 private foundations reported grants to Wildlife Conservation Society totaling $25M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Wildlife Conservation Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Wildlife Conservation Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Wildlife Conservation Society spent in FY2025, $88.28 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Humane World for AnimalsWashington, DC · revenue $217M · programs 71.4% · 2025
- Zoological Society of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · revenue $438M · programs 85.0% · 2024
- Monterey Bay Aquarium FoundationMonterey, CA · revenue $208M · programs 81.4% · 2024
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsNew York, NY · revenue $446M · programs 74.5% · 2024
- Best Friends Animal SocietyKanab, UT · revenue $174M · programs 76.2% · FY2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Wildlife Conservation Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Wildlife Conservation Society reported that 88.3% of its $456.0 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 3.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Wildlife Conservation Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Wildlife Conservation Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,498,255, for the role of President & CEO through 4/1/24 (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Wildlife Conservation Society get its money?
Of $400.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 73.5% came from contributions and grants (including 25.9% from government grants) and 14.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Wildlife Conservation Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1740011 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202621329349300612 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202531329349300548 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401329349301150 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341329349300009 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202241339349300409 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202131329349302153 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1740011: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.