National Headquarters

Tax-deductible

Memphis, TN501(c)(3)Since 1937EnvironmentEIN 13-5643799

Ducks unlimited, INC. Conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for north america's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 31,562 volunteers and 985 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $38.0M a year · 13% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$5.0M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.1 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $123K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$76.8M
17% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 17% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
67
of 68 voting members
Looks good: 67 of 68 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$380.3M
-14% vs prior year
Spent
$386.7M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$373.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$380.3M
FY2024▼ -14%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$185.4M
FY2021$215.3M
FY2022$339.5M
FY2023$302.2M
FY2024$443.6M
FY2024$380.3M
Expenses
$386.7M
FY2024▲ +22%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$209.6M
FY2021$220.4M
FY2022$256.5M
FY2023$291.2M
FY2024$318.2M
FY2024$386.7M
Net assets
$373.1M
FY2024▼ -1%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$151.9M
FY2021$169.8M
FY2022$241.3M
FY2023$263.8M
FY2024$377.8M
FY2024$373.1M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 1956.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $330.7M Management & general 2% · $8.7M Fundraising 12% · $47.3M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

81 people listed on the 990; $5.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$688,752Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$516,769Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Conservation Officer
$407,043Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$390,674Pt VII · Sec A
National Director of Development
$375,114Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Secretary, Dui and Wat
$362,702Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Event Fundraising Officer
$362,100Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer & Asst. Treasurer
$346,608Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Adam Putnam$688,752$565,644———$267,439
Adam Putnam——$622,094$480,795$362,837—
E Nichols Wiley$516,769$493,184———$344,445
E Nichols Wiley——$410,161$392,161$268,509—
Karen Waldrop PHD$407,043—————
H Dale Hall—————$405,371
Richard B Smith$390,674$349,142———$235,103
Chad Manlove$375,114—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See National Headquarters executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Conserves, restores, and manages North American wetlands and habitats to benefit waterfowl, wildlife, and communities while providing conservation education to its members.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $326.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Ducks unlimited supports the life cycle of waterfowl in north america by developing, preserving, restoring and maintaining waterfowl habitats. Direct allocations are made to affiliated organizations - ducks unlimited canada ($22,137,717) and ducks unlimited mexico ($1,234,767).

$292.7Mprogram expense
02

Educating the public about wetlands and waterfowl management is a critical component of sustaining the life cycle needs of migratory waterfowl. Activities include wetlands demonstrations, educational literature, interpretive center, youth programs, and outdoor conservation exhibits.

$27.7Mprogram expense
03

Ducks unlimited maintains a public policy presence in washington, DC because of the critical importance of public policy to maintaining wetlands and ecosystems that support migratory waterfowl.

$5.9Mprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$380.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$338.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$28.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$7.4M
Money outPt IX
$386.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$330.7M
Managementcol C$8.7M
Fundraisingcol D$47.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$373.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$67.0M
Total assetsLn 16$449.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$76.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
81
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a68
IndependentVI 1b67
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$338.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$151.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$28.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$7.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$5.8M
Gains on assetsLn 7$4.0M
Total revenueLn 12$380.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.5M
SavingsLn 2$64.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$67.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18.3M
Other assetsLn 15$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$449.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$76.8M
Net assetsLn 32$373.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5985
VolunteersI 631,562
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$38.3M$67.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.3M$15.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$27.5M$18.3M
Total assetsLn 16$459.6M$449.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$81.8M$76.8M
Net assetsLn 32$377.8M$373.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$23.4M$23.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$4.1M$441K$3.2M$400K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$82.4M$58.7M$1.9M$21.9M
Other employee benefitsLn 9$5.5M$11.4M−$9.8M$4.0M
Payroll taxesLn 10$5.4M$3.8M$223K$1.4M
Legal feesLn 11b$288K$23K$228K$36K
Accounting feesLn 11c$539K$0$539K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$179K$179K$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$426K$426K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.6M$2.6M$435K$2.6M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4.1M$1.4M$251K$2.4M
Office expensesLn 13$2.7M$1.7M$112K$884K
Information technologyLn 14$4.7M$3.0M$558K$1.1M
OccupancyLn 16$2.1M$2.6M−$1.0M$583K
TravelLn 17$9.1M$3.7M$431K$5.1M
InterestLn 20$516K$513K$3K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3.5M$3.3M$245K$24K
InsuranceLn 23$13.6M$1.5M$11.4M$574K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$218.4M$212.4M$30K$5.9M
All other expensesLn 24e$198K$189K$1K$8K
Total functional expensesLn 25$386.7M$330.7M$8.7M$47.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $443.6M$318.2M$125.4M$377.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $302.2M$291.2M$11.0M$263.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $339.5M$256.5M$82.9M$241.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $215.3M$220.4M−$5.1M$169.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $185.4M$209.6M−$24.3M$151.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $380,340,506 across 13 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$36,380
VIII-1b Membership dues$20,566,589
VIII-1d Related organizations$65,786,224
VIII-1e Government grants$151,126,718
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$101,401,071
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,536,809
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$338,916,982
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $28,228,320$28,228,320
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,384,021$3,384,021
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $3,116,131$3,116,131
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $4,046,645$4,046,645
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $2,648,407$2,648,407
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $28,228,320 · Unrelated business $2,648,407 · Excluded from tax $10,546,797$380,340,506
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $386,688,706 across 20 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $23,372,484$23,372,484
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $441,256 · Management $3,238,239 · Fundraising $400,308$4,079,803
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $58,680,590 · Management $1,862,235 · Fundraising $21,877,463$82,420,288
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $11,357,420 · Management −$9,847,168 · Fundraising $3,952,740$5,462,992
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,837,713 · Management $223,393 · Fundraising $1,378,419$5,439,525
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $23,407 · Management $228,055 · Fundraising $36,044$287,506
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $538,809 · Fundraising $0$538,809
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $179,352 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$179,352
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $426,000$426,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,608,449 · Management $435,424 · Fundraising $2,562,121$5,605,994
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,400,855 · Management $250,647 · Fundraising $2,426,788$4,078,290
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,658,556 · Management $111,944 · Fundraising $884,304$2,654,804
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,991,569 · Management $557,616 · Fundraising $1,139,535$4,688,720
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,560,019 · Management −$1,044,744 · Fundraising $582,666$2,097,941
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,655,203 · Management $430,642 · Fundraising $5,052,719$9,138,564
IX-20 InterestPrograms $513,473 · Management $3,000 · Fundraising $0$516,473
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,261,337 · Management $244,881 · Fundraising $24,388$3,530,606
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,547,914 · Management $11,430,126 · Fundraising $573,659$13,551,699
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $212,445,810 · Management $30,182 · Fundraising $5,944,372$218,420,364
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $189,217 · Management $1,350 · Fundraising $7,925$198,492
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $330,724,624 · Management $8,694,631 · Fundraising $47,269,451$386,688,706
Part X · Balance sheet $449,920,008 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,405,801$2,525,827
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $35,847,119$64,426,398
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $265,541,017$208,722,096
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $96,068,194$111,163,236
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $9,548,144$10,308,479
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,983,489$9,857,433
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $27,507,312$18,264,942
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $15,349,314$15,185,858
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$1
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,318,645$9,465,738
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $459,569,035$449,920,008
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,034,402$16,765,715
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $37,729,931$33,374,852
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $23,263,121$24,883,793
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $81,775,959$76,772,940
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $71,914,382$85,146,288
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $305,878,693$288,000,780
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $377,793,075$373,147,068
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $459,569,034$449,920,008
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $373,147,068 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$380,340,506
XI-2 Total expenses$386,688,706
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$6,348,200
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$377,793,076
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,611,711
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$90,482
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$373,147,068

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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