Animal-Related
(D310)
IRS Verified
DX Registered
990 on File
THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE
Financial strength (30%)
90/100
Reliability (20%)
55/100
Effectiveness (25%)
88/100
Impact (25%)
No data yet
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CharityAI™ Score
Not yet evaluated
Mission Statement
Our Mission: The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, founded in 1995, is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered African and Asian elephants. The Sanctuary operates on 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee — 85 miles southwest of Nashville. The Elephant Sanctuary exists for two reasons: • To provide a haven for old, sick or needy elephants in a setting of green pastures, dense forests, spring-fed ponds and heated barns for cold winter nights. • To provide education about the crisis facing these social, sensitive, passionately intense, playful, complex, exceedingly intelligent and endangered creatures.
Financial Overview — FY 2025
$10.7M
Total Revenue
$8.1M
Total Expenses
$111.4M
Net Assets
73
Employees
Revenue Sources
Expense Breakdown
Program Expense Ratio
89.9%
Fundraising Efficiency
N/A
Operating Reserve
164.12x
Liability-to-Asset
0.0%
Revenue Diversification
89.6%
Executive Compensation
$462K
Compared with Peers
FY 2025
Compared with 399 similar organizations
(United States, Animal-Related, $1M–$10M in expenses), FY 2025.
This organization
Middle half of peers (P25–P75)
Peer median
| Ratio | This org | Peer median | Position (P10 → P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program expense ratio
Program expenses / total expenses
· higher is better
|
89.9% | 84.2% |
P10P90
|
Top quarter |
|
Admin expense ratio
Management and general / total expenses
· lower is better
|
6.3% | 9.4% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Fundraising expense ratio
Fundraising expenses / total expenses
· lower is better
|
3.8% | 4.5% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Operating reserve
Months of expenses covered by net assets
· higher is better
|
164.1 mo | 19.1 mo |
P10P90
|
Top quarter |
|
Liabilities to assets
Total liabilities / total assets
· lower is better
|
0.0% | 3.6% |
P10P90
|
Top quarter |
|
Revenue concentration
Share of revenue from the largest source
· lower is better
|
89.6% | 77.8% |
P10P90
|
Below median |
|
Revenue growth
Year over year revenue growth
|
14.8% | 10.2% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Expense growth
Year over year expense growth
|
8.6% | 8.4% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Surplus margin
Surplus as a share of revenue
|
24.2% | 5.1% |
P10P90
|
Financial History
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets | Program % | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10.7M | $8.1M | $111.4M | 89.9% | 73 |
| 2024 | $9.4M | $7.5M | $100.2M | 90.3% | 63 |
| 2023 | $11.8M | $6.9M | $89.4M | 90.3% | 57 |
| 2022 | $4.6M | $6.3M | $77.1M | 89.5% | 55 |
| 2021 | $13.8M | $5.7M | N/A | — | 54 |
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