Nonprofit · EIN 59-2240895
DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC
Tax-exempt · SANIBEL, FL 33957
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2025 | 990 | $3,502,148 | $2,104,533 | $1,397,615 | $30,213,047 | $12,115 | $30,200,932 |
| September 30, 2024 | 990 | $5,102,598 | $2,429,023 | $2,673,575 | $27,398,829 | $107,127 | $27,291,702 |
| September 30, 2023 | 990 | $5,613,650 | $1,868,474 | $3,745,176 | $22,809,826 | $109,739 | $22,700,087 |
| September 30, 2022 | 990 (amended) | $5,673,228 | $1,809,746 | $3,863,482 | $18,138,588 | $73,835 | $18,064,753 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $2,836,028
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $648,593
- Net rental income
- -$41,002
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $2,806
- Net income from fundraising events
- -$155,976
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $214,505
- Other revenue
- $17,527
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $109,961
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $149,350
- Other salaries and wages
- $352,640
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $629,357
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Occupancy
- $4,954
- Travel
- $10,707
- Depreciation
- $140,612
- Program services (functional)
- $1,759,602
- Management and general (functional)
- $135,065
- Fundraising (functional)
- $209,866
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $27,398,829
- Total assets, end of year
- $30,213,047
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $12,115
- Net assets, end of year
- $30,200,932
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $6,946,093
- Publicly traded securities
- $14,450,711
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $22,270,918
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $7,930,014
- Gross receipts
- $4,011,454
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 210
- Year formed
- 1988
- State of legal domicile
- FL
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 September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANN MARIE E WILDMAN | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $156,941 | $14,195 |
| JIM BIRMINGHAM | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BARBARA BLUEDORN | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARVELL BRADLEY | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBIN COOK | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY FELKER | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WILLIAM HARKEY | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HEIMAN | SECRETARY TO Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WENDY KINDIG | PAST PRES Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD LEVINSON | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BILL MILLAR | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| STUART SERGEANT | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| HANK SPIRE | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BILL VALERIAN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2024: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANN MARIE E WILDMAN | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $98,269 | $13,960 |
| SARAH ASHTON | PAST PRESIDE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JIM BIRMINGHAM | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BARBARA BLUEDORN | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARVELL BRADLEY | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBIN COOK | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY FELKER | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PHYLLIS GRESHAM | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WILLIAM HARKEY | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HEIMAN | SECRETARY Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAVID JEFFREY | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WENDY KINDIG | PAST PRES Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD LEVINSON | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BILL MILLAR | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| STUART SERGEANT | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BILL VALERIAN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2023: 13 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIRGIT P MILLER | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $151,075 | $10,716 |
| SARAH ASHTON | PAST PRESIDE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BARBARA BLUEDORN | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBIN COOK | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY FELKER | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PHYLLIS GRESHAM | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WILLIAM HARKEY | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HEIMAN | SECRETARY Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAVID JEFFREY | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| WENDY KINDIG | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD LEVINSON | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| STUART SERGEANT | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BILL VALERIAN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2022: 14 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIRGIT P MILLER | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $151,075 | $10,950 |
| SARAH ASHTON | PAST PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 | $0 |
| BARBARA BLUEDORN | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| ROBIN COOK | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| NANCY FELKER | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| PHYLLIS GRESHAM | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| WILLIAM HARKEY | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HEIMAN | SECRETARY Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| DAVID JEFFREY | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| WENDY KINDIG | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD LEVINSON | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| WILLIAM MILLAR | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| STUART SERGEANT | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | – | $0 | $0 |
| BILL VALERIAN | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | – | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1 WILDLIFE DR, SANIBEL, FL 33957-3032
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- ANN MARIE E WILDMAN, 1 WILDLIFE DR, SANIBEL, FL 33957
- Signed the 990
- ANN MARIE E WILDMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Phone
- (239) 472-1100
- Website
- WWW.DINGDARLINGSOCIETY.ORG
- Return prepared by
- STROEMER & COMPANY
Mission
"FOUNDED IN 1945, THE J.N. "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE CONSISTS OF NEARLY 8,000 ACRES OF SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE AND ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. BUDGETS CONTINUE TO DECREASE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING DOES NOT COVER ALL THE NEEDS OF THIS VERY POPULATED REFUGE. AS A RESULT, THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY - FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE (DDWS) PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT WHERE FEDERAL FUNDING FALLS SHORT. EVERY YEAR, THE VISITATION TO THE REFUGE INCREASES AND NEARLY ONE MILLION VISITORS EXPLORE THESE PUBLIC LANDS. FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, THE DDWS HAS SUPPORTED THE REFUGE IN AREAS OF EDUCATION, LAND ACQUISITION, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AND EXHIBITS, HABITAT MANAGEMENT, BIOLOGICAL STUDIES, WATER RESEARCH, AND MUCH MORE.
Program accomplishments
- ART IN THE WILD & OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN OCTOBER, ART IN THE WILD CELEBRATES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK, THE BIRTHDAY OF THE REFUGE'S NAMESAKE, JAY NORWOOD "DING" DARLING, AS WELL AS THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE BY THE WINNER OF THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CONTEST. THIS EVENT MERGES ART, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH; ATTRACTING FAMILIES, ARTISTS, AND CONSERVATION SUPPORTERS. ALL COMMUNITY ART EVENTS THAT ARE HOSTED AT THE ROOST, THE VISITOR & EDUCATION CETNER, AND OUTREACH VENUES, ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THANKS TO THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF ART- IN-EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND ONGOING CONSERVATION WORK. GO WILD FOR DING GO WILD FOR "DING," THE SOCIETY'S FLAGSHIP ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA, IS A POWERFUL TESTAMENT TO THE GENEROSITY, VISION, AND SHARED COMMITMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY. HELD EACH FEBRUARY AT THE SANIBEL COMMUNITY HOUSE, THIS SPIRITED EVENING BRINGS TOGETHER DONORS, CONSERVATIONISTS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND NATURE LOVERS FOR A CELEBRATION OF PURPOSE, PARTNERSHIP, AND PHILANTHROPY. FROM HIGH-PROFILE AUCTIONS TO IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES THAT BENEFIT THE REFUGE, THE EVENT OFFERS A DYNAMIC BLEND OF EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, AND GIVING. GUESTS ALSO ENJOY A LIVELY DINNER RECEPTION, TAILORED SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND DIRECT "BID TO GIVE" APPEALS THAT AMPLIFY IMPACT. THE 2025 GALA, THEMED "DREAM OF A WHITE PELICAN," RAISED AN UNPRECEDENTED 300,000 - RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF MAJOR SPONSORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS. THESE FUNDS WERE DEDICATED TO ADVANCING EDUCATION, CONSERVATION, AND RESEARCH AT THE REFUGE, AND THEY REFLECT A DEEP, COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE. MORE THAN A FUNDRAISER, GO WILD FOR DING IS A RALLYING POINT - A MOMENT WHERE GENEROSITY MEETS MISSION, AND WHERE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS EMPOWER DDWS TO RESPOND SWIFTLY AND STRATEGICALLY TO EMERGING NEEDS. WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO EVERY SUPPORTER WHO MAKES THIS LEGACY POSSIBLE. DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES EACH WINTER SUPPORT FROM OUR DONORS ALLOWS DDWS TO OFFER A SERIES OF LECTURES WHICH BLEND EDUCATION WITH CULTURAL ENRICHMENT ON TOPICS FROM WILDLIFE BIOLOGY TO LOCAL HISTORY AND NATIONAL CONSERVATION ISSUES. AS AN ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE FREQUENTLY ABLE TO OFFER THESE LECTURES TO SENIOR COMMUNITIES WITH WHOM WE PARTNER. RECENT LINE-UPS HAVE FEATURED CELEBRATED PHOTOGRAPHERS, ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORS, SCIENTISTS, AND INSPIRATIONAL FIGURES IN WILDLIFE ADVOCACY. TARPON TOURNAMENT ANOTHER SIGNATURE FUNDRAISING EVENT, THE "DING" DARLING & DOC FORD'S TARPON TOURNAMENT, IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN BOTH THE REGION'S ANGLING HERITAGE AND ITS CONSERVATION MISSION. LAUNCHED TO HONOR THE FIRST RECORDED TARPON CATCH AT THE REFUGE AND TO ENGAGE A BROADER SPORTING PUBLIC IN CONSERVATION AWARENESS, THE TOURNAMENT'S FORMAT IS STRICTLY CATCH-AND-RELEASE, WITH ALL ENTRY FEES RETURNED AS ANGLER PRIZES. THE 2025 TOURNAMENT SET A PARTICIPATION RECORD WITH 61 REGISTERED TEAMS AND MORE THAN 266,000 RAISED FROM SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS, MAKING A CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF OVER 1.57 MILLION FOR RESEARCH, HABITAT PRESERVATION, AND EDUCATION PROJECTS OVER ITS 13-YEAR HISTORY. THE IMPORTANCE OF SPONSOR NETWORKS (BOTH CASH AND IN-KIND) CANNOT BE OVERSTATED - WITHOUT THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THE EVENT'S IMPACT WOULD BE FAR SMALLER. ADVANCING EDUCATION AND STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION IS EMBEDDED IN THE DNA OF DDWS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING TO MEET OVERWHELMING VISITOR DEMAND, THE SOCIETY HAS PRIORITIZED INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTHS AND ADULTS, INVESTING HEAVILY IN BOTH ON-SITE AND MOBILE OUTREACH CAPABILITIES. TODAY, ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ENCOMPASSES: CURRICULUM-BASED FIELD TRIPS FOR AREA SCHOOLS THAT FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMMING, OFTEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOUNG SCIENTIST INTERNSHIPS AND HANDS-ON JOB TRAINING. COMMUNITY LECTURES, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, AND NATURE-BASED ARTS ENRICHMENT. IN 2024, OVER 12,000 CONSERVATION LESSONS WERE TAUGHT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, EITHER THROUGH WOW, IN-REFUGE PROGRAMS, OR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS. THE WILDLIFE -FOCUSED CURRICULUM IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH STATE LEARNING STANDARDS, AND CLASSROOM VISITS FREQUENTLY INCLUDE ECOSYSTEM DEMONSTRATIONS. WOW (WILDLIFE ON WHEELS) WOW REPRESENTS A PARADIGM SHIFT IN MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE. THROUGH THIS MOBILE PLATFORM AND THE ADDITION OF A DEDICATED URBAN OUTREACH COORDINATOR, THE SOCIETY HAS FORGED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND OTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES. FOR EXAMPLE, WEEKLY WILDLIFE FRIDAYS AT THE IMMOKALEE LIBRARY HAVE BROUGHT THE REFUGE EXPERIENCE TO CHILDREN UNABLE TO VISIT SANIBEL, FOSTERING INTEREST AND STEWARDSHIP AMONG DIVERSE AUDIENCES. POCKET REFUGE EACH YEAR SINCE 2005, THE JN "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY-FRIENDS OF THE REFUGE (DDWS), HAS AWARDED CONSERVATION GRANTS TO LOCAL TEACHERS FOR SCIENCE PROJECTS RELATED TO STUDYING THE ENVIRONMENT. EACH YEAR THE "DING" DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY OFFERS GRANTS TO NEW SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS GRANTS FOR UPKEEP OF EXISTING POCKET REFUGES. DISCOVERING "DING THANKS TO THE ROTARY OF SANIBEL-CAPTIVA AND SANIBEL-CAPTIVA KIWANIS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ALLIES, THE "DISCOVERING DING" PROGRAM, WHICH CONNECTS THE JN "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITH SANIBEL SCHOOL, WAS BACK IN ACTION WITH AROUND 156 LESSONS OFFERED TO STUDENTS VISITING THE REFUGE EACH MONTH FOR HANDS-ON, SCIENCE-BASED LEARNING. STUDENTS CREATE "DISCOVERING DING" JOURNALS TO COLLECT DATA, LEARN VOCABULARY, USE BIOLOGICAL TOOLS, AND EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVITY THROUGH ART, HONORING THE LEGACY OF JAY NORWOOD DING" DARLING.Expenses $1,759,602 · grants $109,961
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 September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 30, 2026 | February 16, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | September 30, 2025 | February 17, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | September 30, 2024 | February 18, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 59-2240895
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1983
- Accounting year ends
- September
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Animal-related (D113)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $30,213,047
- Income (IRS master file)
- $4,011,454
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | September 2025 | $3,502,148 | $2,104,533 | $30,213,047 | XML |
| 990 | September 2024 | $5,102,598 | $2,429,023 | $27,398,829 | XML |
| 990 | September 2023 | $5,613,650 | $1,868,474 | $22,809,826 | XML |
| 990 | September 2022 | $5,673,228 | $1,809,746 | $18,138,588 | XML |
| 990 | September 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 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 59-2240895).
Questions about DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC
- What is the EIN of DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC is 59-2240895.
- Is DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1983.
- Are donations to DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC 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 DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 names ANN MARIE E WILDMAN.
- Who are the officers and directors of DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 14 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $156,941 (ANN MARIE E WILDMAN, EXECUTIVE DI).
- How much revenue does DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $3,502,148, expenses of $2,104,533 and total assets of $30,213,047 at year end.
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