THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY

EIN 53-0167933 · Environment (C340)

What they do

FOUNDED IN 1935 BY CONSERVATION VISIONARIES, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY PROTECTS WILDERNESS and UNITES PEOPLE to PROTECT AMERICAS WILD PUBLIC LANDS. WE WORK to GUIDE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT to THE RIGHT PLACES and ENSURE THAT PUBLIC LANDS CONTRIBUTE to CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. WE WORK to ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN ACCESS and SHARE THE BENEFITS of THE OUTDOORS, FROM THE URBAN to THE WILD. IN 1964, WE LED THE EFFORT to ESTABLISH THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM, WHICH HAS NOW GROWN to 109 MILLION ACRES of PERMANENTLY PROTECTED WILDLANDS THAT PRESERVE AMERICAS NATURAL HERITAGE. FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS, WHICH BELONG to ALL AMERICANS, FACE GROWING THREATS. THOSE ACRES and MILLIONS MORE REQUIRE ACTION to CONSERVE THEIR NATURAL CHARACTER. SEE WWW.WILDERNESS.ORG.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $78.60 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2023The report may be old. Ask for a newer one.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders47 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

81.34%of revenue went to mission work78.6% of expenses · Program services

18.75%of revenue went to fundraising18.1% of expenses

$103.44spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

3.35%of revenue went to management and office costs3.2% of expenses

$2.74in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

90.6%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,446,010 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $509,193 for JAMIE WILLIAMS (PRESIDENT (TO SEP 24)). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2023

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$42,032,659

Mission workProgram services$34,187,77081.34% of revenue78.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,409,8163.35% of revenue3.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$7,881,08318.75% of revenue18.1% of expenses

Total expenses$43,478,669103.44% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2023CurrentExpense mix: 78.6% mission · 3.2% management · 18.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.44% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 75.6% mission · 5.3% management · 19.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 120.84% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 75.5% mission · 6.2% management · 18.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.30% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.0% mission · 5.8% management · 18.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 83.90% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 76.7% mission · 4.4% management · 18.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.81% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 77.7% mission · 4.7% management · 17.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.65% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 79.0% mission · 4.3% management · 16.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.38% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 79.7% mission · 4.1% management · 16.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.15% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$42,032,659

Expenses$43,478,669

Annual shortfall $1,446,010 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$34,187,770 · 78.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,409,816 · 3.2% of expenses

Fundraising$7,881,083 · 18.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$42,032,659

Expenses$43,478,669

Assets$119,089,723

Income$43,801,173

Contributions$38,066,122

Mission work (program services)$34,187,770

Fundraising$7,881,083

Grants given$25,871,651

Average grant$32,421

Management and general$1,409,816

Stocks and bonds$63,198,451

Accounting fees$163,573

Investing fees$74,243

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2023

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

JAMIE WILLIAMSPRESIDENT (TO SEP 24) · 39 hrs/week $509,193Base $449,985 · Other $59,208

DAVID SEABROOKCOO · 30 hrs/week $386,266Base $336,905 · Other $49,361

TERESA LANESVP, GIVING & IMPACT (TO OCT 23) · 39 hrs/week $332,867Base $316,536 · Other $16,331

ELVIS CORDOVACHIEF OF STAFF · 40 hrs/week $326,382Base $286,915 · Other $39,467

LAUREN GEPHARTVP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS · 40 hrs/week $318,209Base $269,408 · Other $48,801

CHASE HUNTLEYVP STRATEGY & RESULTS · 40 hrs/week $277,084Base $259,091 · Other $17,993

WORDNA MESKHENITENVP, PEOPLE & CULTURE · 40 hrs/week $270,261Base $217,071 · Other $53,190

MARIA HANDLEYED TWSAF & SPECIAL ADVISOR CHIEF OF STAFF · 10 hrs/week $231,411Base $180,717 · Other $50,694

MONIQUE DAILEYVP, CONSERVATION & COMMUNITIES · 40 hrs/week $222,098Base $201,627 · Other $20,471

JEANNA CANNANSR DIR HUMAN RESOURCES & OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $218,776Base $180,267 · Other $38,509

ANDREA OBRIENDVP, GIVING & IMPACT OPERATIONS & OUTREACH · 40 hrs/week $212,842Base $188,410 · Other $24,432

LYDIA WEISSSR DIR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS · 40 hrs/week $197,427Base $186,028 · Other $11,399

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (47)

JAMIE WILLIAMSPRESIDENT (TO SEP 24)

DAVID SEABROOKCOO

TERESA LANESVP, GIVING & IMPACT (TO OCT 23)

ELVIS CORDOVACHIEF OF STAFF

LAUREN GEPHARTVP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

CHASE HUNTLEYVP STRATEGY & RESULTS

WORDNA MESKHENITENVP, PEOPLE & CULTURE

MARIA HANDLEYED TWSAF & SPECIAL ADVISOR CHIEF OF STAFF

MONIQUE DAILEYVP, CONSERVATION & COMMUNITIES

JEANNA CANNANSR DIR HUMAN RESOURCES & OPERATIONS

ANDREA OBRIENDVP, GIVING & IMPACT OPERATIONS & OUTREACH

LYDIA WEISSSR DIR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

DEBORAH LIUVICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL (TO FEB 23)

YVETTE LOPEZ-LEDESMADVP, COMMUNITY-LED CONSERVATION

REBECCA L ROMGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

CAROLINE M GETTYGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

MARK WANGOV COUNCIL MEMBER (FROM NOV 23)

MARTINIQUE GRIGGCO-GOVERNING COUNCIL CHAIR

MATTHEW CAMPBELLGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

MICHAEL A MANTELLIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

MOLLY MCUSICVICE CHAIR

CARL FERENBACHGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

NORM CHRISTENSENGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

CATHY DOUGLAS STONESECRETARY

RUE MAPPCO-GOVERNING COUNCIL CHAIR

BEN JEALOUSGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

THEODORE ROOSEVELT IVGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

THOMAS A BARRONGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

WILLIAM J CRONONVICE CHAIR

AUGUST BALLGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

AARON WERNHAMGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

DAVID J FIELDGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

LISA KEITHGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

DANIEL CORDALISGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

KIM ELLIMANGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

KEVIN LUZAKGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

JUAN MARTINEZGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

JIM ENOTEGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

JENNIFER PERKINS SPEERSGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

JEFFREY RHODESGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

DAVE MATTHEWSGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

DAVID BONDERMANAT-LARGE

JACQUELINE BADGER MARSGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

INDY BURKEGOV COUNCIL MEMBER (FROM NOV 23)

HANSJORG WYSSAT-LARGE

FAITH BRIGGSGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

DAVID CHURCHILLGOV COUNCIL MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1942
Location: 1801 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW 200, WASHINGTON, DC 20006
County: District of Columbia
In care of: DAVID SEABROOK
Primary officer: DAVID SEABROOK, COO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailmember@tws.org Phone(800) 843-9453

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2023
Tax period began: October 1, 2023
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: JOHNSON LAMBERT LLP
NTEE classification: Environment (C340)
Grant-giving organization: Yes