South Florida Wildlife Center Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237086391
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA
Phone
9545244302
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Animal Protection and Welfare

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,615,449
Expenses
$2,972,454
Assets
$6,000,367
Liabilities
$139,659

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CAROLINA MONTANO (INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • ALESSANDRA MEDRI (EX-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • JEFFREY J ARCINIACO (PRESIDENT & CHAIR)

Highest reported compensation

  • CAROLINA MONTANO (INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $101,539 total reported compensation
  • ALESSANDRA MEDRI (EX-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $47,290 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The south Florida wildlife centers mission is protecting wildlife through rescue, rehabilitation, release, and education. The sfwc has been the trusted resource for wildlife in the tri-county region of miami-dade, broward, and palm beach, 365 days a year since 1969.

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025, south Florida wildlife center provided direct care to more than 7,700 birds, mammals and reptiles from 240 different species, solidifying our position as the highest-volume wildlife trauma hospital and rehabilitation center in Florida. Throughout the year, sfwcs dedicated staff and volunteers responded to more than 100,000 calls for assistance. Our team of wildlife rehabilitators, clinical staff, animal care specialists, and rescue experts remain committed to delivering lifesaving veterinary and rehabilitative care while advancing sfwcs mission to rescue, rehabilitate, release, and educate.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 95.3%; rating input score 95
  • Program expense ratio: 82.9%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $10.55 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.6%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.02; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -3.9% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 17.9% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 95.3% of revenue deployed · 82.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $102K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 37/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 7/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: CEO compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 57/100.