Ding Darling Wildlife Society Inc

“A draft of the return is given to the organization to review for accuracy and completeness prior to electronically filing the tax return.”

“On an annual basis, all board members sign a document stating that they are in compliance with the conflict of interest policy.”

“One member of the executive committee is assigned to research area salaries based on job descriptions for similar positions held. On an annual basis, the board reviews the job performance of the executive director against goals established by the board the year prior. Current year's salary is based on review. In the fiscal year 2021-2022, ddws utilized a recruiting firm to provide a salary survey for its top management positions. It also uses data available online to determine the average salary paid for a particular position in this geographical area and then determines compensation based on that average.”

“One member of the executive committee is assigned to research area salaries based on job descriptions for similar positions held. On an annual basis, the board reviews the job performance of key employees against the goals established by the board the year prior. Current year's salaries are based on the review.”

“Governing documents are made available upon request.”

“Support the conservation operational and interpretive work of the j.n. "ding" darling national wildlife refuge and enhance the educational opportunities for the nearly 800,000 annual visitors about the importance of conservation and protection of our natural resources and the wildlife who depend on it for survival.”

“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 than 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. Our annual report celebrates what philanthropy made possible in 2023-2024. The philanthropic support we receive from foundations, businesses, corporations, and individuals made it possible to accomplish our mission- critical work and some of it is listed below: land acquisition & restoration update - the ddws offices temporarily remained at the boone property that was acquired on january 21, 2022, while the rebuilding of permanent offices at the refuge is in progress. - throughout the year, future plans for the boone property were discussed and designed with architects to prepare for when the time to break ground comes. - on june 25, 2024, the "ding" darling wildlife society proudly announced their closing on a 21.5-acre acquisition of land adjacent to bay drive thanks to a generous donation from the pine rock foundation of minneapolis, minnesota. - two conservation plots bookend the bay drive property, which will complete a critical wildlife corridor through mostly undeveloped land planted with mangroves and other native vegetation and frequented by a myriad of wildlife. Wildlife & research throughout the year, the ddws supported various critical projects to benefit wildlife and research at the refuge. - wildlife: usfws biological technician avery renshaw continues to monitor persisting populations of bobcats, gopher tortoises, nesting birds, and other species in the refuge. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, ddws continued supporting the salary for the role currently held by avery renshaw, thus furthering this important work. - water quality research: through philanthropic support, the society purchased water quality monitoring equipment which allows the refuge to continue to document changes in our waters. 45/82 legacy society - estate planning is a thoughtful way to ensure that your philanthropic values endure beyond your lifetime. The 45/82 legacy society was established to assist those interested in making a difference beyond their lifetime. - the 45/82 legacy society is made up of individuals who designate the "ding" darling wildlife society as a beneficiary in their estate plans. This past year, the 45/82 society gained several new members and we thank everyone for their vision of making a difference for "ding" darling and conservation. - two members of the 45/82 legacy society include jim & patty sprankle, long-time supporters and volunteers of "ding" darling. They generously included "ding" darling in their estate planning so that the refuge they love so much would continue to receive their support. Woodring homestead - the 6.57-acre woodring homestead, located on woodring point where ralph and jean currently live, has been a family home for the woodrings since 1888. The current residence, which dates back to 1916, represents an excellent example of the "florida cracker" style of architecture- one of the last of its kind on the island. In an agreement that took place 10 years ago, ddws worked with lee county 20/20, the refuge and the woodrings to preserve the homestead and surrounding land as part of the refuge complex. Education & outreach - the ddws and the lee county school district worked effectively together during the 2023-24 fiscal year in bringing school kids by bus to the refuge for”

“Fundraising expenses 0 0 74,561 boone property expenses 49,924 16,642 0 vistor center supplies 55,827 0 0 environmental education 40,743 0 0 publicity expense 0 39,155 0 biological equipment 31,918 0 0 im kind expense 31,000 0 0 other event expenses 23,105 2,521 1,386 urban outreach 26,451 0 0 nature store expense 22,923 260 0 conservation support 22,116 0 0 in kind prints, photos, 18,475 0 0 grant writing 12,953 0 5,173 community connector 17,456 0 0 other refuge expenses 6,323 0 0 total 359,214 58,578 81,120”

“Fundraising expenses 67,137 rental expenses 12,670 fundraising expenses -67,137 rental expenses -12,670 capitalized construction cost 0”