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Conservation International Foundation

CharityWatch rating issued
May 2025

Top-Rated Charity
A
CharityWatch Rating
Our independent rating based
on a number of factors.
 
86%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$10
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Conservation International Foundation
2011 Crystal Drive
Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22202

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the well-being of humanity.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2023

Program Percentage: 86%

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

$246,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $10

How many dollars Conservation International Foundation spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$206,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Conservation International Foundation IRS Form 990 52-1497470
Conservation International Foundation & Affiliates Consolidated Audited Financial Statements Multiple
Government Breakout (CA Filing) Other 52-1497470
Entity: Conservation International Foundation
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 52-1497470
Entity: Conservation International Foundation & Affiliates
Document Type: Consolidated Audited Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple
Entity: Government Breakout (CA Filing)
Document Type: Other
Tax ID: 52-1497470

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?
 
Conservation International Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Conservation International 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 No Sharing  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Sanjayan Muttulingam CEO $1,041,355
2 Sebastian Anders Troeng EVP Conservation Partnership $648,255
3 Daniela Raik EVP Field Programs $472,997
1
Name: Sanjayan Muttulingam
Title: CEO
Compensation: $1,041,355
2
Name: Sebastian Anders Troeng
Title: EVP Conservation Partnership
Compensation: $648,255
3
Name: Daniela Raik
Title: EVP Field Programs
Compensation: $472,997

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.

CharityWatch's rating of Conservation International Foundation (CI) also includes the operations of 14 CI affiliates: CI-Aotearoa in New Zealand, CI-Australia Ltd., CI-Brazil, CI-Europe in Belgium, CI-Guyana, CI-Hong Kong, CI-Japan, CI-Mexico, CI-Philippines, CI-Singapore, CI-Suriname, CI-UK, Conservation South Africa, and Yayasan Konservasi Cakrawala Indonesia. These affiliates are consolidated in CI's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.

According to the CI fiscal 2023 consolidated audit (Note 1, Nature of Activities): "...All of the aforementioned [affiliated] organizations are separately incorporated in their respective countries. Due to the significant amount of oversight and support (financial and programmatic) provided by CI, their financial activities have been consolidated with CI's financial activities." All transactions between CI and its affiliates have been eliminated in the audit consolidation.

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2023 (Note 4, Contributions of Nonfinancial Assets):

CI received contributions of nonfinancial assets during the fiscal year-ended June 30, 2023, on which it placed a total value of $1,481,000. Of this amount, $967,000 and $353,000 was attributed to "Professional services" and "Travel," respectively.

[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 Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2023 (Note 6, Grants and Promises to Give Receivable):

"...CI's ten largest contributors during the year ended June 30, 2023, comprised approximately 44% or $107,653,000 of total support and revenue..."

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2023 (Note 7, Project Advances to Partners):

"As an accredited implementing agency of the Global Environment Fund (the GEF), CI has entered into a limited partnership in an impact investment fund. The investment objectives of the fund are (1) to generate measurable social and environmental outcomes and provide reasonable financial returns for investors by making debt and equity investments in fishing and seafood-related enterprises and (2) to demonstrate the effectiveness of private capital investment as a catalyst to help coastal fisheries to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

As of the year ended June 30, 2021, CI committed and paid $6,000,000 to the fund, of which $1,763,000 had been deployed as a capital contribution, leaving a balance of $4,237,000 as a project advance to the partner. During the year ended June 30, 2022, an additional $1,563,000 was deployed, resulting in $2,674,000 remaining as a project advance to the partner. During the year ended June 30, 2023, an additional $1,540,000 was deployed, resulting in $1,134,000 remaining as a project advance to the partner. 

In addition, CI Ventures also provided a project advance to an investment partner of $950,000 and $200,000 as of June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively."

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) tax filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, CI reports re: Compensation, Supplemental Information (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part III):

Regarding severance and supplemental nonqualified retirement plan payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, Line 4a-b):

"...Sanjayan Muttulingham, CEO, received $150,000 in deferred compensation this year. Each company contribution plus interest are subject to a three-year cliff vesting schedule.

A CI employee received a severance payment in the amount of $69,058..."

Regarding nonfixed payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, Line 7):

"CI's variable pay plan seeks to drive executive performance by linking a portion of their compensation to meeting established achievement measures. CI determines executive compensation based on annual market analysis performed by a firm specializing in non-profit compensation. Base salaries are set net of anticipated variable pay. Executives receive the balance of their compensation, in the form of variable pay, based upon the organization's documented performance against its approved annual goals, as well as their individual performance against their approved deliverables. A committee of CI's Board of Directors reviews and approves executive compensation levels including annual variable pay."


CI reports "Bonus & incentive compensation" payments to ten individuals in calendar year 2022, including $231,231 paid to Sanjayan Muttulingham, Chief Executive Officer, who had total reported compensation of $1,041,355. The other nine individuals have reported "Bonus & incentive compensation" amounts that range from $45,280 to $89,878, with associated reported total compensation that ranges from $355,259 to $648,255 (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part II).

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2023 (Note 16, Related-Party Transactions):

"During the years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, CI continued to support a related party under a services agreement to provide technical and programmatic services. This organization's mission, which CI shares, places a specific focus on ensuring Indigenous people have the economic power and cultural independence to steward, support, and protect their livelihoods and territories. At June 30, 2023 and 2022, there was a remaining related-party net receivable balance of $1,125,000."


According to the Conservation International Foundation tax filing of June 30, 2023, IRS Form 990, Schedule L, Part IV, Business Transactions Involving Interested Persons:

The "Name of Interested Person" is reported as "Christopher White."

The "Relationship between Interested Person and the Organization" is reported as "Board Family Member."

The "Amount of Transaction" is reported as "$92,700."

The "Description of Transaction" is "Salary."


According to the Conservation International Foundation tax filing of June 30, 2023, IRS Form 990, Schedule L, Part V, Supplemental Information:

Regarding Schedule L, Part II, Loans to and from Interested Persons:

"(A) Name of Person: Mark Ferguson

(B) Relationship with Organization: Board Member

(C) Purpose of Loan: Maasai Mara Conservancies

Schedule L, Part II, Loans to and from Interested Persons continuation: Conservation International Foundation is the sole member of the African Conservancies Fund LLC. This fund is a loan facility created to support conservancies in Africa, such as the Maasai Mara Landscape in Kenya, in order to preserve these vital ecosystems, which are under constant threat especially when the ecotourism industry struggles. In August 2021, CI received a $250,000 loan from Mark Ferguson, Board Member, to provide lending capital to fund the program."



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