Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a public charity based in the Bronx, New York. Founded in 1895, it says its mission is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. Its work includes global conservation, education, and management of New York City wildlife parks; its website describes about 500 conservation projects in more than 60 countries.
Wildlife Conservation Society at a glance
In short: Wildlife Conservation Society gave $6.9M across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $178K), top state Maryland. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,949,680
- -9.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- -18.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $178,197
- +11.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $52,514
- Total assets
- $1,249,431,919
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (10 of 39, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (19% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wildlife Conservation Society
- How to Apply
-
The Research Fellowship Program is not currently accepting applications. The application instructions and eligibility criteria described above are from a past cycle.
- Review Cycle
- July 31, 2015 (past cycle).
- Deadline
- July 31, 2015 (past cycle).
- Contact
Mailing address: 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460
Phone: (718) 220-5100
Website: https://wcs.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wildlife Conservation Society funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Partners for Development (PfD) ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $5.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
222 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 78 grants of 222 (35%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WCS’s website describes conservation projects in more than 60 countries. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Maryland (19%), New York (16%), California (14%), Massachusetts (12%), and Iowa (12%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wildlife Conservation Society open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 39 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $160K; repeat grants $184K. How we count
Medians: $95K first-time, $51K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2021) to $8.3M (2022). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $6.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Partners for Development (PfD) Silverspring, MD | Conservation | $1,266,855 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Inc New York, NY | Conservation | $973,690 |
| Internews Network Arcata, CA | Conservation | $928,428 |
| Catholic Relief Services USCCB Harlan, IA | Conservation | $803,979 |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Woods Hole, MA | Conservation | $528,210 |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK | Conservation | $268,888 |
| Rare Inc Arlington, VA | Conservation | $219,565 |
| ADM Capital Foundation Inc Quicy, MA | Conservation | $206,000 |
| Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Conservation | $147,189 |
| EpiEcos Flagstaff, AZ | Conservation | $120,240 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The grant totals are reported separately from revenue and expenses.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,249,431,919 | $400,861,377 | $456,032,967 | $6,949,680 | 39 | $11,709,802 |
| 2024 | $1,254,629,446 | $389,150,742 | $448,907,632 | $7,651,116 | 48 | $7,595,989 |
| 2023 | $1,249,623,944 | $345,503,315 | $373,628,213 | $7,010,571 | 51 | $7,606,785 |
| 2022 | $1,271,369,998 | $393,224,094 | $337,028,286 | $8,278,782 | 53 | $7,344,549 |
| 2021 | $1,266,701,657 | $281,057,125 | $312,580,356 | $3,648,547 | 31 | $18,495,404 |
| 2020 | $1,109,496,534 | $255,583,692 | $298,619,522 | $4,040,088 | 31 | $4,812,443 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WCS’s stated mission is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. Its website describes work addressing climate change, natural-resource exploitation, the connection between wildlife health and human health, and sustainable development of human livelihoods. It also identifies Global Priority Species—including apes, big cats, elephants, flamingos, sharks and rays, vultures, and cetaceans—and Recovery Species such as North American bison and tortoises and freshwater turtles.
The 2025 filing lists grants for conservation. The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported: Environmental Defense Fund describes its work on climate change, pollution, and environmental protection; Internews Network describes a mission to empower local media; and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin describes work to protect Wisconsin’s lands, waters, and wildlife through funding and partnerships.
WCS also describes scholarship and graduate-training programs for conservationists. These include international graduate education opportunities and programs in India and at the University of Buenos Aires. These are training and scholarship programs, distinct from grants to outside organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, WCS reported 39 grants totaling $6,949,680. Grant amounts ranged from $5,132 to $1,266,855, with a median of $52,514. The largest awards included $1,266,855 to Partners for Development, $973,690 to Environmental Defense Fund, $928,428 to Internews Network, $803,979 to Catholic Relief Services USCCB, and $528,210 to Woods Hole Oceanographic. The filing gives conservation as the purpose for these awards.
WCS’s Research Fellowship Program website says the program is not currently accepting applications. The application page describes electronic submission of an application, CV, any permits or letters of endorsement, and a recommendation letter; it recommends that applicants first seek feedback from WCS field staff. The listed eligibility page gives a July 31, 2015 deadline, which is a past cycle, and a maximum award of $15,000. Its stated criteria include individual applicants in early conservation careers, with preference for master’s and doctoral students, and projects relevant to WCS priority landscapes or species. Organizations and teams were not eligible under those criteria.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Monica P. Medina as President & CEO through April 1, 2024; Robert G. Menzi as EVP and Chief Operating Officer; James J. Breheny as EVP and Director of Zoos/Aquarium; John F. Calvelli as EVP of Public Affairs; Christopher J. McKenzie as SVP and General Counsel; Paula Hayes as EVP and Chief through February 28, 2025; Joseph Walston as EVP of Global Conservation; Craig Piper as VP and Director of City Zoos; Daniel Zarin as Executive Director of Forest Programs; and Jelle Boot as VP of Human Resources.
Wildlife Conservation Society is led by Monica P Medina, President & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 16 of 54 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Monica P Medina
President & CEO
President & CEO From → President & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$615K (2024) → $1.5M (2025)
Alejandro Santo Domingo
Chair & Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Piper
Vice President & Director of City Zoos
Director of City Zoos → Vice President & Director of City Zoos, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$301K (2022) → $342K (2025)
Daniel Zarin
E. Director of Forest Programs
E.dir Forests & Climate Change → E. Director of Forest Programs, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$308K (2023) → $329K (2025)
Adebayo O Ogunlesi
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ambrose K Monell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew H Tisch
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Antonia M Grumbach
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline N Sidnam
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher J Elliman
Vice Chair & Trustee
Trustee → Vice Chair & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David B Schiff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Duncan A Chapman
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth M Ainslie
Vice Chair & Trustee
Secretary → Secretary & Trustee, 2024
Secretary & Trustee → Vice Chair & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Adams
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hamilton E James
Trustee
Vice Chair & Trustee → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John N Irwin III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan D Green
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Juan Manuel Santos
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judith H Hamilton
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julia Marton-Lefvre
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine L Dolan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Sherrill
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul A Gould
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosina M Bierbaum
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas J Edelman
Treasurer & Trustee
Trustee → Treasurer & Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Walter C Sedgwick
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
O Andreas Halvorsen
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter T Grauer
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert B Zoellick
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adrienne E Adams
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Akiko Yamazaki
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Antonio Reynoso
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad Lander
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Hatzius
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Loretta M Stadler
Secretary & Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2023
Trustee → Secretary & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcel van Poecke
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Donoghue
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vanessa L Gibson
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Cumbo
Executive Officio Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neil Barr
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Trevor Kempner
Trustee
Trustee From → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher J McKenzie
Senior Vice President General Counsel
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$373K (2020) → $435K (2025)
James J Breheny
Executive Vice President Director of Zoos & Aquarium
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$360K (2020) → $537K (2025)
Jelle Boot
Vice President Human Resources
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$283K (2020) → $327K (2025)
John F Calvelli
Executive Vice President Public Affairs
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$383K (2020) → $469K (2025)
Joseph Walston
Executive Vice President Global Conservation
Senior Vice President Field Conservation → Executive Vice President Field Conservation, 2022
Executive Vice President Field Conservation → Executive Vice President Global Conservation, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$295K (2020) → $416K (2025)
Laura Stolzenthaler
Senior Vice President & CFO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$310K (2020) → $367K (2025)
Mary Dixon
Senior Vice President for Communications
Senior Vice President Communications → Senior Vice President for Communications, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$253K (2020) → $302K (2025)
Niko Radjenovic
Vice President Business Services
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$246K (2020) → $338K (2025)
Paula Hayes
Executive Vice President Chief of Gr Through2
Executive Vice President Chief of Global Resources → Executive Vice President Chief of Gr Through2, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$389K (2020) → $453K (2025)
Robert Calamo
Vice President & Comptroller
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$296K (2020) → $181K (2025)
Robert G Menzi
Executive Vice President Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$492K (2020) → $821K (2025)
Susan Chin
Senior Vice President of Strategy & Advancement
Vice President Planning & Design → Vice President of Planning & Design, 2022
Vice President of Planning & Design → Senior Vice President of Strategy & Advancement, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$241K (2020) → $338K (2025)
Patrick Mouton
Vice President & Comptroller From
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$231K (2025)
Former officers (19)
- Former: Frederick W Beinecke (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Roselinde Torres (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Stephen Ham (2023–2024) — Vice President of Individual Giving
- Former: CRISTIAN SAMPER (2020–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: David J Millstone (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Gordon E Dyal (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Rudolph F Crew (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Amanda Fine (2022) — Associate Director Asia Wildlife Health
- Former: Bill De Blasio (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: corey johnson (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: John G. Robinson (2020–2021) — Executive Vice President Conservation
- Former: mitchell SILVER (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: Patrick Thomas (2020–2021) — Vice President Associate Director Bronx Zoo
- Former: Ruben Diaz Jr. (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: Scott Stringer (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: tom finkelpearl (2020–2021) — Executive Officio Trustee
- Former: Paul Elkan (2021) — Regional Director Central Afr
- Former: Bradley L. Goldberg (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Wellington J. Denahan (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1.5M, to Monica P Medina (President & CEO through 4/1/24). 16 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wildlife Conservation Society
How much does Wildlife Conservation Society give each year?
Wildlife Conservation Society gave $6.9M across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $7.7M across 48 grants.
What is Wildlife Conservation Society's typical grant size?
Wildlife Conservation Society's median grant in 2025 was $52,514, and its average grant was $178,197, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wildlife Conservation Society that year got $160K on average.
Where does Wildlife Conservation Society give grants?
Wildlife Conservation Society's top state is Maryland, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (16%) and California (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Arlington, VA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Madison, WI (2 grants).
Does Wildlife Conservation Society give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 39 grants with a stated purpose on Wildlife Conservation Society's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Conservation" (39 grants).
Who are Wildlife Conservation Society's largest grantees?
Wildlife Conservation Society's largest 2025 grantees include Partners for Development (PfD) ($1,266,855), Environmental Defense Fund Inc ($973,690) and Internews Network ($928,428), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wildlife Conservation Society?
Wildlife Conservation Society reported $1.2B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $400.9M.
What does Wildlife Conservation Society fund?
WCS’s stated mission is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wildlife Conservation Society?
The Research Fellowship Program is not currently accepting applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wildlife Conservation Society's EIN?
Wildlife Conservation Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1740011. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wildlife Conservation Society's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wildlife Conservation Society funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wildlife-conservation-society-morg_97519a46985740cf968c4da83d9deca8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131740011_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wildlife Conservation Society funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wildlife-conservation-society-morg_97519a46985740cf968c4da83d9deca8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Wildlife Conservation Society's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Wildlife Conservation Society down — hundreds of funders to go?