Nonprofit · EIN 23-7320150
WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Tax-exempt · ELY, MN 55731
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $612,835 | $276,561 | $336,274 | $1,340,560 | $91,222 | $1,249,338 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $479,709 | $440,977 | $38,732 | $1,020,939 | $107,875 | $913,064 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $271,206 | $173,745 | $97,461 | $933,553 | $59,221 | $874,332 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $571,658
- Program service revenue
- $16,590
- Investment income
- $23,367
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $1,220
- Other revenue
- $1,220
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $30,000
- Other salaries and wages
- $12,185
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $46,064
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $6,741
- Accounting fees
- $3,180
- Occupancy
- $13,582
- Travel
- $417
- Depreciation
- $19,962
- Program services (functional)
- $257,251
- Management and general (functional)
- $15,505
- Fundraising (functional)
- $3,805
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $1,020,939
- Total assets, end of year
- $1,340,560
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $91,222
- Net assets, end of year
- $1,249,338
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $274,370
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $1,249,338
- Gross receipts
- $614,926
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 100
- State of legal domicile
- MN
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYNN ROGERS | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $30,000 |
| DONNA ROGERS | VICE CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| CAROLYN QUICK | MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| KELLY ROGERS | MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Gordon Burghardt | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Peggy Stubbs | Treasurer Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Judy Thon | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 6 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYNN ROGERS | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $30,000 |
| Judy Thon | Director Officer | 1 | $2,000 |
| DONNA ROGERS | VICE CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Gordon Burghardt | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Bill Rice | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Peggy Stubbs | Treasurer Officer | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 6 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYNN ROGERS | CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $30,000 |
| DONNA ROGERS | VICE CHAIRMAN Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Gordon Burghardt | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Bill Rice | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Peggy Stubbs | Treasurer Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Judy Thon | Director Officer | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1482 TRYGG RD, ELY, MN 55731-8027
- Signed the 990
- LYNN ROGERS, Chairman
- Phone
- (218) 365-4480
- Website
- www.bearstudy.org
- Return prepared by
- Walker Giroux & Hahne LLC
Mission
TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON BEARS, OTHER WILDLIFE, AND THEIR HABITAT, AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO DECISION-MAKERS, THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, STUDENTS,AND THE PUBLIC.
Program accomplishments
- WRI CONTINUES TO CONDUCT THE LONGEST & MOST IN-DEPTH BEAR STUDY EVER DONE. SUCH RESEARCH HAS PRODUCED OVER 100 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS. THIS RESEARCH ALSO CREATED AND CONTINUES TO UPDATE THE CONTENT FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER'S VISITOR CENTER AS WELL AS THEIR AWARD WINNING WEBSITE AT bear.org.Expenses $107,512
- PROVIDED EDUCATION ON BLACK BEARS THROUGH WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY 54 PARTICIPANTS, DAILY RESEARCH UPDATES READ BY OVER 3000 FOLLOWERS, PRODUCTION OF THREE HOUR LONG BBC DOCUMENTARIES WATCHED BY OVER 7.8 MILLION VIEWERS IN THEIR FIRST AIRINGS, AND MAINTAINING TWO WEBSITES (bear.org and bearstudy.org) VISITED BY OVER 1.8 MILLION VISITORS.THERE ARE 168,612 FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS OF WRI'S PAGE "LILY THE BLACK BEAR."Expenses $92,311
- A FILM DOCUMENTING LYNN ROGERS AND THE BEARS BEING STUDIED AT THE WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS IN PRODUCTION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.Expenses $57,428
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 23-7320150
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1973
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $1,340,560
- Income (IRS master file)
- $614,926
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $612,835 | $276,561 | $1,340,560 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $479,709 | $440,977 | $1,020,939 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $271,206 | $173,745 | $933,553 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $409,134 | $191,373 | $835,399 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 23-7320150).
Questions about WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- What is the EIN of WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE is 23-7320150.
- Is WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1973.
- Are donations to WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who are the officers and directors of WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 7 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $30,000 (LYNN ROGERS, CHAIRMAN).
- How much revenue does WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $612,835, expenses of $276,561 and total assets of $1,340,560 at year end.
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