The Wilderness Society
The Wilderness Society reported $38.3 million in revenue and $38.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.27 went to program services, $4.71 to management and general costs and $20.02 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $402,350 (COO). 92 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 3% 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 $38MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 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 $38MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.3% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.7% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 20.0% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.22 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 92.2% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.5% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $402,350 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.06% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 92 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 32.2 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 28 of 28 | 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 expenseConnect, protect, steward lands: america's public lands face serious threats from efforts to open them to extractive industries like oil, gas and mining; rollbacks of existing protections for national monuments and wilderness areas; proposals to sell or transfer federal lands to state or private ownership; and cuts to the agencies that manage these places. The Wilderness Society actively tracks and responds to these threats through advocacy, legal intervention, and public education. We work with communities, policymakers and researchers to advance science-based, nonpartisan conservation…
Equitable access: equitable access to hike, camp, and recreate on federal lands is a key principle for ensuring communities benefit from and love their public lands. We are committed to the ideal that wilderness and all public lands can bring people and communities together and that everyone should share equitably in their benefits
Climate solutions: public lands are home to important wildlife habitat, migration corridors, recreation areas, and cultural resources valued by communities, tribes, and the multi-billion dollar outdoor economy. At the same time, the western U.S. Has exceptional renewable energy potential, and some of our nation's best solar, wind, and geothermal resources are found on public lands. If appropriately sited and subject to robust public engagement, renewable energy projects can create thousands of jobs, promote american energy independence, and reduce emissions
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COO Officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $373,570 | $0 | $28,780 | $402,350 |
| PRESIDENT (TO SEP '24) Officer, 39.00 hrs/week | $374,838 | $0 | $23,976 | $398,814 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF (TO OCT '24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $357,458 | $0 | $23,462 | $380,920 |
| VP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $267,373 | $0 | $29,838 | $297,211 |
| VP, PEOPLE & CULTURE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $252,170 | $0 | $27,634 | $279,804 |
| VP STRATEGY & RESULTS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $259,030 | $0 | $16,393 | $275,423 |
| ACTING VP, GIVING & IMPACT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $250,186 | $0 | $17,000 | $267,186 |
| SR DIR, NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS (TO JUL '24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $222,264 | $0 | $11,327 | $233,591 |
92 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Wilderness Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.5M (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–1b28 · 28 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 2Yes
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5178
- Volunteers Part I, line 632
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS INC Direct mail | $2,322,899 |
| M & R STRATEGIC SERVICES Digital consulting | $944,594 |
| ROI SOLUTIONS INC Digital consulting | $202,454 |
| EGON ZEHNDER INTERNATIONAL INC Executive search firm | $176,410 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 13 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
149 private foundations reported grants to The Wilderness Society totaling $12M 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 The Wilderness 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 The Wilderness Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Wilderness Society spent in FY2025, $75.27 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- West Michigan Horticultural SocietyGrand Rapids, MI · revenue $38M · programs 80.1% · FY2025
- Cdp North AmericaNew York, NY · revenue $39M · programs 89.2% · FY2025
- Rewiring AmericaWashington, DC · revenue $38M · programs 75.1% · 2024
- Product CARE Association of CanadaCanada, · revenue $39M · programs 82.3% · 2024
- Climate LeadSan Francisco, CA · revenue $38M · programs 78.2% · 2024
All environment charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of The Wilderness Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, The Wilderness Society reported that 75.3% of its $38.0 million in expenses went to program services, 4.7% to management and general and 20.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Wilderness Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Wilderness Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $402,350, for the role of COO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Wilderness Society get its money?
Of $38.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 92.2% came from contributions and grants and 0.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Wilderness Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 53-0167933 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 202612269349301621 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202521989349301562 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023 (amended), object 202412709349301456 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 (amended), object 202411619349300106 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202211589349300401 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202121339349302797 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 53-0167933: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.