National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation reported $584.2 million in revenue and $520.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $96.50 went to program services, $2.62 to management and general costs and $0.88 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 74.1% of the total. Government grants made up 53.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,635,457 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CEO). 92 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 68% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $521MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $584M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$20.48 $120M
- Government grants$53.10 $312M
- Program service revenue$19.15 $113M
- Investment income$7.27 $43M
Other revenue was negative: −$4.0M. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 96.5% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 2.6% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.9% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 74.1% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 53.5% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 19.3% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,635,457 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.31% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 92 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.8 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 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 expenseThe National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (nfwf) is dedicated to sustaining, restoring, and enhancing the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations. Nfwf advances its mission by making grant and related program expenditures in line with our mission
Highest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $1,569,300 | $0 | $66,157 | $1,635,457 |
| CHIEF CONSERVATION OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $584,193 | $0 | $119,755 | $703,948 |
| CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $627,916 | $0 | $71,889 | $699,805 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATION OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $591,976 | $0 | $36,038 | $628,014 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $480,560 | $0 | $123,961 | $604,521 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $549,618 | $0 | $35,020 | $584,638 |
| VP, HUMAN RESOURCES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $504,312 | $0 | $71,489 | $575,801 |
| VP & CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $509,296 | $0 | $60,839 | $570,135 |
92 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.5M (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–1b26 · 26 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 4No
- 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 5185
- Volunteers Part I, line 628
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MCKINSEY AND CO INC Consulting services | $1,660,000 |
| LBR TOURING INC Event production services | $1,062,000 |
| VENABLE LLP Legal services | $274,203 |
| DECADE LLC Video production services | $205,873 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 16 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
33 private foundations reported grants to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation totaling $8.6M 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 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation spent in FY2025, $96.50 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsNew York, NY · revenue $446M · programs 74.5% · 2024
- Zoological Society of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · revenue $438M · programs 85.0% · 2024
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyBronx, NY · revenue $401M · programs 88.3% · FY2025
- Humane World for AnimalsWashington, DC · revenue $217M · programs 71.4% · 2025
- Monterey Bay Aquarium FoundationMonterey, CA · revenue $208M · programs 81.4% · 2024
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation reported that 96.5% of its $520.8 million in expenses went to program services, 2.6% to management and general and 0.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does National Fish and Wildlife Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation National Fish and Wildlife Foundation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $1,635,457, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does National Fish and Wildlife Foundation get its money?
Of $584.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 74.1% came from contributions and grants (including 53.5% from government grants) and 19.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is National Fish and Wildlife Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1384139 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 September 30, 2025, object 202641979349300629 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202501999349300110 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202402269349300850 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202311869349301051 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202202229349301755 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202132089349300708 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1384139: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.