Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	Wilderness Society
Address:	1615 M Street, NW
	Washington, DC 20036
Phone:	202-833-2300 800-843-9453
Web Address:	www.wilderness.org

Wilderness Society (WS) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

WS works to protect America’s public lands, the 635 million acres collectively owned by the American people and managed by the government. The organization works to preserve the wildest and most ecologically important landscapes in throughout the country. WS develops, analyzes and applies the best available science to determine where and how the organization focuses its resources. The organization advocates for national policies that work to ensure the health and viability of the nation’s public lands and waters in perpetuity. WS works to achieve lasting, measurable results on a landscape scale through the designation of new wilderness areas. According to WS, to date, the organization’s work has resulted in a total of 110 million acres of wilderness permanently protected within the National Wilderness Preservation System. Some ($1,569,586 or 7%) of WS's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, WS's program expenses were:

Conservations projects	18,603,273
Public education	5,531,832
Total Program Expenses:	$24,135,105

Chief Executive : William H. Meadows, President

Compensation*:

$390,609

Chair of the Board: Douglas W. Walker
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, WRQ, Inc.

Board Size: 35

Paid Staff Size: 201

*October 1, 2009 - September 30, 2010 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

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

Fund raising costs were 19% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $20,347,273, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

WS incurred joint costs of $3,380,316 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $1,569,586 was allocated to program expenses, $1,444,862 was allocated to fund raising expenses, and $365,868 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 WS's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010.

Source of Funds
Individuals	11,909,951
Foundations	7,803,470
Change in value of split interest agreements	2,696,238
Gain on investments	2,600,408
Other revenues	1,883,907
Corporations	633,852
Investment income	361,127
Program services	2,612
Total Income	$27,891,565

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 82%  Fund Raising: 13%  Administrative: 5%

Total income				$27,891,565
	Program expenses			$24,135,105
	Fund raising expenses			3,904,676
	Administrative expenses			1,604,523
Total expenses				$29,644,304
Expenses in Excess of Income				(1,752,739)
Beginning net assets				48,796,789
Other Changes in Net Assets				(520,898)
Ending net assets				46,523,152
Total liabilities				6,629,427
Total assets				$53,152,579

Note: In the financial section above, "other changes in net assets" includes disposal of equipment.