Big Cat rescues mission is to provide funding for care of the cats formerly housed at the sanctuary, end abuse of Big cats in captivity and prevent extinction of Big cats in the wild.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$148K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.7M a year · 60% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$148K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
30 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 30.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
23
named funders · $221K
Looks good: 23 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$94K
0.6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.4M
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
92%
Net assets
$14.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4.4M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.4M
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$3.3M
FY2024$18.1M
FY2025$5.0M
Expenses
$2.8M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.8M
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$1.6M
Net assets
$14.9M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$14.9M
FY2021$16.0M
FY2022$15.8M
FY2023$15.7M
FY2024$31.9M
FY2025$37.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1996.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $2.6M Management & general 6% · $172K Fundraising 2% · $59K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

9 people listed on the 990; $148K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$72,631Pt VII · Sec A
Secty / Trea
$39,500Pt VII · Sec A
CEO / Founde
$35,750Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
VP / Directo
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jamie Veronica Murdock’s $104K as President / is at the 39th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3869 $1–10M human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jamie Veronica Murdock$103,759$86,125$85,865$78,280$74,885$72,631
Howard Baskin$92,739$88,775$89,243$83,123$76,942$39,500
Carole Baskin$79,715$75,933$75,885$69,472$66,500$35,750

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.

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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

Rescues big cats, ends their captivity abuse, and prevents wild extinction.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Care for Big Cats

Provided a permanent home for approximately 53 big cats, many of whom have been abused, abandoned, orphaned or retired from performing acts. Care included food, shelter, veterinary care through a state of the art cat hospital, operant conditioning and consistent frequent enrichment activities.

$2.2Mprogram expense
02

Advocacy

The sanctuary performed its advocacy mission by teaching about the plight of the big cats in captivity and in the wild through guided tours of the sanctuary to approximately 6,700 visitors during the year (versus the usual 30,000 after closing in march 2020 due to covid), through its website that received approximately 2,000,000 visitors…

$294Kprogram expense
03

In-Situ Grants

We provide grants to nonprofit organziations and individuals to support in-situ conservation work directly related to preserving big cats in the wild. Grants ranging from 1,000 to 21,000 were made to 20 in-situ conservation projects spanning 14 species in 20 countries.

$101Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 23 funders →
Grants paid · 17 grants · $989K · 2020–2025
Geoffrey Cat Working GroupFY2025$123,500
Alley Cat Rescue INCMD · FY2025$15,000
Felidae Conservation FundCA · FY2025$8,740
Geoffrey Cat Working GroupFY2021$7,500
Animals Asia FoundationSC · FY2020$8,400

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$799K
Investment incomeLn 3$389K
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$172K
Fundraisingcol D$59K
Owns and owesPt X
$14.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.1M
Total assetsLn 16$15.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$94K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$11K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$295K
Investment incomeLn 3$389K
Other incomeLn 4–11$799K
Total revenueLn 12$4.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$7.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.3M
Other assetsLn 15$2.2M
Total assetsLn 16$15.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$94K
Net assetsLn 32$14.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 61
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.3M$7.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$998K$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.5M$4.3M
Total assetsLn 16$13.4M$15.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$85K$94K
Net assetsLn 32$13.3M$14.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$37K$37K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$84K$84K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$147K$120K$18K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$482K$376K$93K$14K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$22K$18K$4K$777
Other employee benefitsLn 9$78K$61K$14K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$49K$38K$9K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$222K$222K$230
Accounting feesLn 11c$11K$11K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$206K$204K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$47K$36K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$199K$159K$25K$15K
Information technologyLn 14$254K$254K
TravelLn 17$746$746
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$13K$13K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$210K$210K
InsuranceLn 23$39K$39K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$698K$693K−$124$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.6M$172K$59K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $5.0M$1.6M$3.4M$37.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $18.1M$2.0M$16.1M$31.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.3M$3.4M−$112K$15.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.4M$2.6M−$213K$15.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.5M$2.3M$1.2M$16.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $4.4M$2.8M$1.6M$14.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,393,076 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,120,980$2,910,979
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,183,411$294,867
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $263,843$388,656
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $689,136$798,574
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,257,370$4,393,076
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $138,405$121,706
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $983,195$777,503
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,296,531$1,907,793
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,418,131$2,807,002
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,839,239$1,586,074
Part VI · Governance 5 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,393,076 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $95,798 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$49,892
VIII-1c Fundraising events$11,275
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,849,812
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,910,979
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $294,867$294,867
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $388,656$388,656
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $208,495$208,495
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $8,114$8,114
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $100,314 · Excluded from tax $385,853$486,167
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $395,181 · Unrelated business $93,176 · Excluded from tax $993,740$4,393,076
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,807,002 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $37,270$37,270
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $84,436$84,436
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $120,442 · Management $17,691 · Fundraising $8,386$146,519
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $375,693 · Management $93,135 · Fundraising $13,625$482,453
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $17,503 · Management $3,910 · Fundraising $777$22,190
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $61,347 · Management $13,704 · Fundraising $2,722$77,773
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $38,310 · Management $8,558 · Fundraising $1,700$48,568
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $222,064 · Management $230$222,294
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $10,750$10,750
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $8,000$8,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $204,044 · Fundraising $2,100$206,144
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $36,219 · Fundraising $10,704$46,923
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $159,044 · Management $24,506 · Fundraising $15,051$198,601
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $254,378$254,378
IX-17 TravelPrograms $746$746
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $13,227$13,227
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $209,876$209,876
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $39,264$39,264
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $693,431 · Management −$124 · Fundraising $4,283$697,590
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,575,294 · Management $172,360 · Fundraising $59,348$2,807,002
Part X · Balance sheet $14,968,581 assets, 14 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $5,306,253$7,086,623
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $209,701$226,379
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $176,732$96,143
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,461,052$4,263,804
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $943,044$1,023,817
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $55,385$55,385
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,221,685$2,216,430
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,373,852$14,968,581
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $85,389$94,044
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $85,389$94,044
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $12,357,779$13,888,648
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $930,684$985,889
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,288,463$14,874,537
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,373,852$14,968,581
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,874,537 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,393,076
XI-2 Total expenses$2,807,002
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,586,074
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,288,463
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,874,537

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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