Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	National Wildlife Federation
Address:	11100 Wildlife Center Drive
	Reston, VA 20190-5362
Phone:	703-438-6000 800-822-9919
Web Address:	www.nwf.org

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

NWF focuses its efforts in three primary areas: safeguarding wildlife, confronting global warming, and connecting people with nature. Regarding safeguarding wildlife, NWF helps individual species such as the sage grouse and Florida panther through hands-on conservation programs, advocacy, and litigation under the Endangered Species Act and other laws where required. The organization also works to ensure adequate water for wildlife and to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species. Additionally, NWF provides homeowners, schools, and communities an opportunity to turn their green spaces into valuable wildlife habitat. Through print, an interactive website community, and a volunteer network, people learn how to restore habitat for wildlife in urban settings where development has eliminated much habitat. As of December 2009, NWF reports that more than 120,000 certified wildlife habitat sites have been registered with the organization. NWF is also training professional wildlife managers on the impacts of global warming on wildlife. With regard to global warming, the organization advocates for a comprehensive federal plan of climate action, state and local initiatives to reduce emissions and promote clean energy, and programs to inspire individuals to reduce their emissions. NWF also works with colleges and universities to reduce their emissions, and through NWF’s forestry program, the organization strives to restore native ecosystems that can sequester carbon dioxide. NWF is partnering with diverse communities, including hunters and anglers and tribes, to create and sustain a national conservation movement, and have convened national and regional summits to confront global warming. Finally, NWF’s BE OUT THERE campaign connects children to the natural world. NWF provides curriculum materials for teachers, a web-based community for parents, and activities for after school, pre-school, and home school. In 2009, NWF began the Eco-School program, providing hands-on environmental education in participating schools. The organization also sponsors the annual Great American Backyard Campout, and lobbies for outdoor education in schools at the state level and through support of the No Child Left Inside legislation at the federal level. Some ($11,366,000 or 16%) of NWF’s program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008, NWF's program expenses were:

Education outreach and publications	28,170,000
Conservation advocacy programs	25,526,000
Membership education programs	13,814,000
Other nature education programs	2,819,000
Total Program Expenses:	$70,329,000

Chief Executive : Larry J. Schweiger, President and CEO

Compensation*:

$347,730

Chair of the Board: Craig Thompson
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: College Professor, Engineering and Environmental Science

Board Size: 30

Paid Staff Size: 389

*September 1, 2007 - August 31, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.

Fund raising costs were 20% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $64,565,000, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

NWF incurred joint costs of $21,065,000 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $11,366,000 was allocated to program expenses, $7,872,000 was allocated to fund raising expenses, and $1,827,000 was allocated to administrative expenses.

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 NWF's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008.

Source of Funds
Contributions from individuals	48,129,000
Publications	22,248,000
Contributions from governments, foundations and corporations	16,436,000
Royalties	3,072,000
Other	1,005,000
Investment return	-2,788,000
Total Income	$88,102,000

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 78%  Fund Raising: 14%  Administrative: 8%

Total income				$88,102,000
	Program expenses			$70,329,000
	Fund raising expenses			13,028,000
	Administrative expenses			6,779,000
Total expenses				$90,136,000
Expenses in Excess of Income				(2,034,000)
Beginning net assets				67,179,000
Other Changes in Net Assets				(4,858,000)
Ending net assets				60,287,000
Total liabilities				69,805,000
Total assets				$130,092,000

Note 1: According to NWF's audited financial statements, the organization received in-kind contributions in the amount of $1,580,000 which included magazine PSAs ($1,220,000), legal, actuarial, creative and other professional donated services ($215,000), Miscellaneous goods ($92,000), and coastal Louisiana restoration donated materials, travel, food, and lodging ($53,000).

Note 2: In the above financial summary, "other changes in net assets" refers to pension and post retirement benefits (-$4,730,000), loss on impairment of assets (-$55,000), and loss on NWP litigation judgment (-$73,000).