BBB Wise Giving Report for
Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

BBB Wise Giving Report issued May 2009
BBB Wise Giving Report expires February 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
Address: 183 Buck Hollow Road
  Hohenwald, TN 38462
Phone: 931-796-6500
Web Address: www.elephants.com
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1995, Tennessee
Affiliates: Highland Lake Properties
Stated Purpose: "to provide a haven for old, sick or needy elephants and to educate about the crisis facing these creatures."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (EST) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

EST’s natural habitat currently houses fifteen Asian and two African elephants. The organization offers space for these captive elephants to recover from neglect, and reconnect to the natural world. EST also focuses on non-invasive research and education which contributes to improved elephant welfare. EST also educates people about its work through the internet, videoconferencing, live streaming video, the media, outreach, and documentaries. Their programs provide veterinary care to displaced elephants, work to reclaim and preserve the elephants’ wild homelands, and gather information that will help to relieve the human-elephant conflict problem. EST’s annual Volunteer Day program as well as its internships and Alternative Spring Breaks allow individuals and groups to be directly involved in the organization’s growth while instilling respect for elephants.

For the year ended December 31, 2007, EST's program expenses were:

  
Shelter and Care 1,508,728
Education 267,489
Research 73,324
Total Program Expenses: $1,849,541
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Carol Buckley, President, CEO
Compensation*:
$27,031

Chair of the Board: Janice Zeitlin
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Nashville Gallery Owner

Board Size: 7

Paid Staff Size: 23

*2007 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Grant proposals, Internet appeals, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 2% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $5,277,787, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
EST incurred joint costs of $112,371 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $99,882 was allocated to program expenses and $12,489 was allocated to fund raising expenses.
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Tax Status

              

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.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on EST's audited financial statements (combined with its affiliate) for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Source of Funds  
Membership dues/donations 4,972,329
Merchandise 161,773
Investment/interest 141,412
Grants 89,552
In-kind donations 54,133
Provision for change in allowance for uncollectible promises to give 50,000
Education revenue 24,605
Other 6,441
Total Income $5,500,245


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 87%  Fund Raising: 4%  Administrative: 9% 

Total income   $5,500,245
  Program expenses $1,849,541
  Fund raising expenses 80,815
  Administrative expenses 193,225
 
Total expenses   $2,123,581
Income in Excess of Expenses   3,376,664
Beginning net assets   11,211,068
Ending net assets   14,587,732
Total liabilities   281,547
Total assets   $14,869,279


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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 BBB 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 Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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