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 serves the lands that belong to all Americans such as the Arctic Refuge, the Rocky Mountain Front, Yellowstone, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and Okefenokee. WS reports it had a strong role in the creation of the National Wilderness Preservation System and have aided in building it to a total of more than 700 wilderness areas. The organization serves the public through education, advocacy, and scientific analysis, and uses some of the latest technologies from GIS mapping to Web campaigns to help save America’s wild places. WS has teamed up with citizens around the country to further the organization’s efforts in adding acreage to the national wilderness preservation system. WS aims to help defend 58 million unprotected roadless acres in national forests from efforts to allow road building and logging. The organization mobilizes local support for the protection of national monuments and other units in the national landscape conservation system. WS plays a role in reviewing National Forest plans around the country to promote ideas that will curb damage caused by dirt bikes, ATVs, and other off-road vehicles. The organization works with partners to defeat legislation that would have authorized oil drilling in the arctic national wildlife refuge, and actively engages in efforts to protect the Wyoming range, roan plateau, and other wild places in the Rocky Mountain States from proposed oil and gas leasing. In 2007, the organization put more resources toward the issue of climate change. It teamed up with the University of Alaska to examine potential impacts of climate change on wildlife refuge lands that state. Some ($1,176,060 or 31%) of WS's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, WS's program expenses were:

Conservation projects	17,810,909
Public education	3,747,813
Total Program Expenses:	$21,558,722

Chief Executive : William H. Meadows, President

Compensation*:

$338,534

Chair of the Board: Brenda Davis
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Retired

Board Size: 31

Paid Staff Size: 172

*October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007 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, membership appeals, and individual solicitation

Fund raising costs were 35% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $22,370,225, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

WS incurred joint costs of $4,552,831 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $1,176,060 was allocated to program expenses and $3,376,771 was allocated to fund raising 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 2008.

Source of Funds
Individuals	14,481,059
Foundations	6,979,435
Corporations	909,731
Other revenues	580,103
Investment income	528,484
Program services	72,724
Total Income	$23,551,536

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 70%  Fund Raising: 25%  Administrative: 5%

Total income				$23,551,536
	Program expenses			$21,558,722
	Fund raising expenses			7,822,542
	Administrative expenses			1,459,330
Total expenses				$30,840,594
Expenses in Excess of Income				(7,289,058)
Beginning net assets				55,443,202
Other Changes in Net Assets				(5,794,137)
Ending net assets				42,360,007
Total liabilities				7,673,563
Total assets				$50,033,570

Note: Other change in net assets (-$5,794,137) represents a loss on investments.