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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: May 2026 Expires: May 2028

Wilderness Society

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(800) 843-9453
1801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC, 20006
https://www.wilderness.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Wilderness Society meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to protect America's wild places."

Year, State Incorporated:
1937, DC

Wilderness Society reports that it works to unite people to protect America's wild places and protect wild public lands. The organization assists with the implementation of federal land management law, advocating policy and science-based solutions to pollution and the destruction of wildlands, and community-based collaboration to conserve public lands and waters across the United States. Some ($2,797,241 or 8%) of Wilderness Society's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fundraising appeals.

For the year ended September 30, 2024, Wilderness Society's program expenses were:

30 x 30 $16,287,368
Community led conservation $8,496,843
Net zero $6,482,780
Critical mass $2,545,714
Action fund $1,264,652
Total Program Expenses $35,077,357

Chief Executive
Tracy Stone-Manning, President

Compensation*
$440,122

Chair of the Board
Rue Mapp

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Outdoor Afro

Board Size
31

Paid Staff Size
138

*2025 compensation, as reported by the organization, includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Co-Chair, Martinique Grigg, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Coro Foods

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Radio, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Membership appeals, Workplace Giving

Wilderness Society incurred joint costs of $6,690,149 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $2,797,241 was allocated to program expenses, $2,103,704 was allocated to fundraising expenses, and $1,789,204 was allocated to administrative expenses.

Fundraising costs were 20% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $38,971,706, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

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 Wilderness Society's audited financial statements - consolidated for the year ended September 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
Contributions $38,971,706
Investment income, net $14,079,318
Other income $306,960
Program services $197,926
Total Income $53,555,910

Programs: 79% Fundraising: 18% Administrative: 3%

Total Income $53,555,910
Total expenses: $44,290,636
  Program expenses $35,077,357
  Fundraising expenses $7,861,710
  Administrative expenses $1,351,569
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $9,265,274
Beginning Net Assets $84,782,776
Other Changes In Net Assets $529,753
Ending Net Assets $94,577,803
Total Liabilities $25,828,556
Total Assets $120,406,359

Note: As noted in the above financial section, "other changes in net assets" refers to a change in value of beneficial interest.

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 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 International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

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

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance