Wild South
We inspire people to enjoy, value and protect the wild character and natural legacy of the South.
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Wild South supports communities in practical projects that produce real conservation results, combining enjoyment of the outdoors with on-the-ground accomplishments that meet specific forest needs shaping National Forest policy. Projects include trash/graffiti cleanup, trail maintenance/construction. Wild South supports communities in science-based solutions to the shared challenges of NationalForests, targeting opportunities where people can make a difference in the wildest of the South's forestsand waters. Projects include stream restoration, endangered plant protection, non-native plant removal. Wild South supports communities in National Forest decision-making for ecological andeconomic sustainability, defending wild lands in close collaboration with the wide range of forest stakeholders. Projects include advocacy for wilderness study areas and proposed wild & scenic rivers.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
We inspire people to enjoy, value and protect the wild character and natural legacy of the South.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar environment in United StatesConcerns
· 1 red flagWhere every $1 goes
· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Wild South has a complete profile, sourced from the IRS.
- GiveRadar holds a more complete profile for this organization than for 80% of the 30,143 environment charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
- It has more complete contact information than nearly all comparable charities, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
- It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all comparable charities, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- a donation page
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyWild South is a registered environment nonprofit based in Spruce Pine, NC, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1999 and has been operating for 27 years. Its EIN is 562173810. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 74/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $431K in annual revenue. 48 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.
Wild South's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 562173810. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.
Wild South has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 74/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 74 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 82% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for environment charities in United States is 90/100.
Wild South is located in Spruce Pine, NC, United States. The organization was established in 1999 and has been active for 27 years.
Based on official tax filings, Wild South has $431K in annual revenue. It allocates 82% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 72% for environment charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $2M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Wild South is classified as an Environment organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $431K in annual revenue. The organization has 48 disclosed officers and directors.
GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for Wild South. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.
According to GiveRadar's records, Wild South holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 82% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 72%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
Wild South supports communities in practical projects that produce real conservation results, combining enjoyment of the outdoors with on-the-ground accomplishments that meet specific forest needs shaping National Forest policy. Projects include trash/graffiti cleanup, trail maintenance/construction. Wild South supports communities in science-based solutions to the shared challenges of NationalForests, targeting opportunities where people can make a difference in the wildest of the South's forestsand waters. Projects include stream restoration, endangered plant protection, non-native plant removal. Wild South supports communities in National Forest decision-making for ecological andeconomic sustainability, defending wild lands in close collaboration with the wide range of forest stakeholders. Projects include advocacy for wilderness study areas and proposed wild &... Wild South is classified as an environment organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1999.
Among environment charities registered in United States: It allocates 82% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 72%. Its annual revenue of $431K is below the peer average of $2M.
Yes, donations to Wild South are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Wild South is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 562173810, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Filing history
5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
WILD SOUTH is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2024 filing
Officers & trustees (17)
Source: Public filings
17 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
No recent news coverage found
News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 48 disclosed in the public registry.
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2024 on record
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Named leadership · 48 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1999
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Wild South
- What is Wild South?
- Wild South is a environment publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Spruce Pine, United States. Wild South supports communities in practical projects that produce real conservation results, combining enjoyment of the outdoors with on-the-ground accomplishments that meet specific forest needs shaping National Forest policy. Projects include trash/graffiti cleanup, trail maintenance/construction. Wild South supports communities in science-based solutions to the shared challenges of NationalForests, targeting opportunities where people can make a difference in the wildest of the South's forestsand waters. Projects include stream restoration, endangered plant protection, non-native plant removal. Wild South supports communities in National Forest decision-making for ecological andeconomic sustainability, defending wild lands in close collaboration with the wide range of forest stakeholders. Projects include advocacy for wilderness study areas and proposed wild & scenic rivers.
- When was Wild South founded?
- Wild South was founded in 1999.
- Who leads Wild South?
- Kevin Massey serves as Executive Director.
- Where is Wild South located?
- Headquartered in Spruce Pine, NC, United States.
- What is Wild South's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 82% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Wild South trustworthy?
- Wild South has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 74 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Wild South's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 562173810.
- What is Wild South's website?
- http://www.wildsouth.org