The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
300224549
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Laguna Hills, CA, USA
Phone
9493053785
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Reported finances

Revenue
$22,803,495
Expenses
$18,945,179
Assets
$24,406,648
Liabilities
$399,801

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MELISSA SCIACCA (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • ANNE EISELE (PRESIDENT)
  • JACQUELINE CITTONE-MAGID (VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER)

Highest reported compensation

  • MELISSA SCIACCA (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $305,420 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To provide financial support to programs which specialize in the preservation of wildlife in their natural habitat and the dissemination of knowledge for the furtherance of wildlife preservation. The most important activity of the corporation in furtherance of this purpose will be to provide financial, technical, and other support for the programs of the david sheldrick wildlife trust (the "trust").

What it reported doing in 2025

The organization's most important program effort is funding the david sheldrick wildlife trust ("dswt") (dba sheldrick wildlife trust (swt)) which, to-date, has successfully hand-raised over 250 infant elephants, along with accomplishing its long-term conservation priority by effectively reintegrating orphans back into the wild. Dswt focuses on the preservation and protection of wildlife through anti-poaching efforts, surveilling and safe guarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, and rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans. Rearing elephant and rhino orphans.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 99% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • 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. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 87
  • Transparency & Controls: 72
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 64
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.5%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 95.9%; rating input score 96
  • Fundraising efficiency: $610.99 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Limited
    • Conducts field audits: Limited
    • May suspend future funding: Limited
    • Requires financial reports: Limited
    • Conducts site visits: Limited
    • Requires grant agreements: Limited
    • May require repayment: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 16.9%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.29; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.6%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 16.3% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17.3% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 23.2% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.5% of revenue deployed · 95.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $18.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $305K · 7 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2011 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.