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Top Rated

African Wildlife Foundation

CharityWatch rating issued
May 2021

Top-Rated Charity
B+
CharityWatch Rating
Our independent rating based
on a number of factors.
 
78%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$20
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

African Wildlife Foundation
1100 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20003

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.awf.org

Stated Mission

To ensure wildlife and wildlands thrive in modern Africa.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2020

Program Percentage: 78%

The percentage of African Wildlife Foundation's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$28,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $20

How many dollars African Wildlife Foundation spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$25,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Joint Costs

African Wildlife Foundation's rating was adjusted for Joint Costs. If you are a donor who considers direct mail, telemarketing, and other Joint Cost solicitations to be true charitable programs, the below efficiency ratios, which were not adjusted for joint costs, may better reflect your goals.

Program % Cost to Raise $100
84% $14
Accounting rules allow charities to report some telemarketing, direct mail, and other solicitation costs as Program expenses. CharityWatch believes that most donors do not consider a charity's solicitation activities to be the Programs they are intending to support with their donations. We therefore adjust such expenses out of a charity's reported Program expense and add it to Fundraising expense prior to calculating its rating.

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
African Wildlife Foundation IRS Form 990 52-0781390
African Wildlife Foundation Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Multiple
Entity: African Wildlife Foundation
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 52-0781390
Entity: African Wildlife Foundation
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
African Wildlife Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
African Wildlife Foundation
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy Opt-Out Policy  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Kaddu Sebunya CEO $377,086
2 Charly Facheux VP of Conservation Projects $233,242
3 Lindsay Kosnik VP of Philanthropy & Marketing $231,383
1
Name: Kaddu Sebunya
Title: CEO
Compensation: $377,086
2
Name: Charly Facheux
Title: VP of Conservation Projects
Compensation: $233,242
3
Name: Lindsay Kosnik
Title: VP of Philanthropy & Marketing
Compensation: $231,383

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

According to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) audited Consolidated Statement of Activities for the year ended June 30, 2020, AWF reports receiving donated in-kind contributions on which it placed a value of $1,596,475.

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 8, Loan Payable):

"On April 29, 2020, AWF borrowed $802,337 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loan was issued by Bank of America. The loan will mature in April 2022 and bears a fixed interest rate of 1% per annum. The loan amount may be eligible for forgiveness pursuant to the PPP, which established minimum amounts of the loan to be used to cover payroll costs and the remainder used for mortgage interest, rent and utility costs over a specified period of time after the loan was made and based on the assumption that the number of employees and compensation levels were maintained. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, AWF applied for loan forgiveness."


According to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 9, Commitments, Contingencies & Risks, COVID-19):

"The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has caused business disruption through mandated and voluntary closings of businesses across the world for non-essential services. While the disruption is currently expected to be temporary, there is considerable uncertainty about the duration of closings. AWF has been able to continue most of its operations in a remote environment; however, at this point, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact AWF's financial condition or results of operations is uncertain."

According to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 9, Commitments, Contingencies & Risks, Litigation):

"AWF was a co-defendant in an action brought by a group of individuals who claimed ownership through adverse possession of a private parcel of land purchased for conservation purposes by AWF in fiscal year 2009 in Kenya. The seller of the land was a co-defendant in the suit, as well as the Kenya Wildlife Service, which manages the land on behalf of the Government of Kenya. In July 2018, the High Court of Kenya dismissed the case in favor of AWF and the co-applicants. The plaintiffs filed an appeal to The Court of Appeal of Kenya on July 14, 2018, and this is still pending in court. Management is optimistic that this appeal will be dismissed in due course."