Disable all preview features

Animals : Wildlife Conservation (Grantmaking)

Big Life Foundation USA

Protecting over 1.6 million acres of wilderness

four stars

95.47

1715 North Heron Drive Ridgefield, WA 98642
tel: (971) 322-3326   Web Site
EIN: 27-3455389

Board Leadership
Nick Brandt
President

CEO
Kim McCoy
Executive Director

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 95.47 four stars
  Financial 95.00 four stars
  Accountability & Transparency 96.00 four stars
This rating was published 10/01/2019 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Using innovative conservation strategies and collaborating closely with local communities, partner NGOs, national parks, and government agencies, Big Life seeks to protect and sustain East Africa's wildlife and wild lands, including one of the greatest populations of elephants left in East Africa. The first organization in East Africa with coordinated anti-poaching teams operating on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border, Big Life recognizes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach. This approach is at the heart of Big Life's philosophy that conservation supports the people and people support conservation. Big Life has established a successful holistic conservation model in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem that can be replicated across the African continent.

Using innovative conservation strategies and collaborating closely with local communities, partner NGOs, national parks, and government agencies, Big Life seeks to protect and sustain East Africa's wildlife and wild lands, including one of the greatest populations of elephants left in East Africa. The first organization in East Africa with coordinated anti-poaching teams operating on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border, Big Life recognizes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach. This approach is at the heart of Big Life's philosophy that conservation supports the people and people support conservation. Big Life has established a successful holistic conservation model in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem that can be replicated across the African continent.

Impact Information

data icon
GuideStar is Charity Navigator's trusted partner in sharing information on how this organization seeks impact.  GuideStar has recognized this organization with a Platinum Seal of Transparency for voluntarily and publicly sharing information about how they measure their progress and results.  Learn More about Impact Information.
Reported Results
Showing 3 of 11
Total in 2018
Number of kilometers patrolled by Big Life Rangers
2,531,810
Arrests since 2011
3,087
Poaching tools seized since 2011
3,824
Number of Maasai rangers employed
300
Number of permanent outposts
31
Number of acres of land protected
1,600,000
Number of student scholarships awarded
248
Number of teachers' salaries paid
30
Number of legal cases concluded
19
Number of lion hunts stopped
16
Number of livestock animals killed by predators, for which compensation was issued
2,103
This organization has earned a GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency by voluntarily sharing the measures of progress and results they use to pursue their mission. Organizations earn Platinum Seals by selecting from a catalog of over 900 expert recognized metrics or by creating a new metric that best fits their work. This information is reported by the organization and displayed publicly on their GuideStar Nonprofit Profile. With over 1.6 million Nonprofit Profiles, 9 million annual visitors and over 200 data partners, GuideStar is the world's leading source of information about nonprofit organizations. A nonprofit itself, GuideStar is dedicated to providing better data for better decisions for a better world.
This impact information is current as of September 2019, when it was provided to us by GuideStar. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

four stars

95.00

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

96.00

This rating was published 10/01/2019 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 86.8%
  Administrative Expenses 7.6%
  Fundraising Expenses 5.5%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.04
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 0.93
  Program Expenses Growth 16.7%
  Liabilities to Assets 0.2%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Big Life Foundation USA on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Big Life Foundation USA on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Big Life Foundation USA (WA) 95.47 four stars
Polar Bears International (MT) 86.52 three stars
WildAid (CA) 100.00 four stars
Georgia Wildlife Federation (GA) 92.92 four stars
Orangutan Foundation International (CA) 93.38 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $3,055,731
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $0
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $0
Total Contributions $3,055,731
   Program Service Revenue $0
Total Primary Revenue $3,055,731
   Other Revenue $3,374
TOTAL REVENUE $3,059,105
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $2,609,220
   Administrative Expenses $202,103
   Fundraising Expenses $149,330
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $2,960,653
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $98,452
   
Net Assets $2,219,266

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Wildlife Security $1,356,794 52.0%
Human-Wildlife Conflict $1,121,965 43.0%
Education and Scholarships $130,461 5.0%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2017-12 10/01/2019 95.47 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 27-3455389
Name in IRS Master File BIG LIFE FOUNDATION USA
NTEE Code D34
NTEE Classification Wildlife Sanctuary, Refuge
NTEE Type Animal-Related
Classification Educational Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date May, 2011
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
  • December, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$116,000 3.91% Kim McCoy Executive Director

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Big Life Foundation USA (WA) 95.47 four stars
Wildlife Center of Virginia (VA) 94.28 four stars
Point Blue Conservation Science (CA) 91.23 four stars
African Wildlife Foundation (DC) 86.78 three stars
Pacific Marine Mammal Center (CA) 87.87 three stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

Big Life Foundation USA
1715 North Heron Drive
Ridgefield, WA 98642
tel: (971) 322-3326
EIN: 27-3455389

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Nick Brandt
President

CEO

Kim McCoy
Executive Director

please wait...

    • I want to donate to Big Life Foundation USA

      $
      next

    • Frequency

      back
      next

    • Would you like us to email someone and CC you?

      This email identifies you as the donor but does not specify the amount of your gift.
      back
    A donation of to has been added to your Giving Basket!

    Basket Total:
    Check Out Now or Continue Researching

Join Our Mailing List

Join over 400,000 other informed givers and get updates on charity ratings, new features, hot topics, and tips for donating.

As seen on