IFAW

What IFAW does

IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1969 in Canada, now headquartered in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, with a federated structure of regional entities across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, and South Africa. Its core programmatic activity spans animal rescue and rehabilitation, wildlife conservation (including the Room to Roam initiative in Africa and Big Tusker protection), anti-wildlife-trafficking enforcement, oiled-wildlife disaster response, and marine conservation (North Atlantic right whale vessel-strike mitigation). IFAW maintains active on-the-ground projects in more than 40 countries and works alongside organizations including NOAA, CITES, UNDP, WWF, Fauna & Flora International, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The organization earns revenue through three primary streams: individual donations and monthly membership subscriptions (with suggested tiers at $60, $100, $250, and $500), government and institutional grants (notably a ~$1 million U.S. Department of State award in 2021 for wildlife enforcement training in Indonesia, Congo, and Guyana), and media/broadcast partnerships. Its technology stack centers on the AI Guardian of Endangered Species system—co-developed with Baidu on the PaddlePaddle platform, with version 2.0 launched in November 2024 identifying 34 commonly traded wildlife species at 86% average accuracy—and on the StationKeeper AIS-based transceiver network built with NOAA, which achieved 83% vessel compliance in a Cape Cod Bay pilot. Distribution is multi-channel, including eight regional websites, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest), the action.ifaw.org advocacy platform, and recurring international events such as the co-organized World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest.

Name

IFAW

Legal name

The International Fund for Animal Welfare, Inc.

Website

https://ifaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IFAW is a 55-year-old international nonprofit headquartered in Yarmouth Port, MA, operating animal rescue, wildlife conservation, anti-trafficking enforcement, and disaster response programs across more than 40 countries, funded by individual donations, memberships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG), Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB), Disaster Preparedness & Animal Evacuation Services (BPAGAIAM), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Animal welfare services
• Wildlife conservation programs
• Animal rescue operations
• Anti-wildlife trafficking initiatives
• Disaster response wildlife

Headquarters

HQ city

Yarmouth Port

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Memberships: IFAW generates revenue primarily through individual donations, monthly giving programs, and membership contributions from supporters worldwide. The organization operates donation pages on its website with suggested donation amounts ($60, $100, $250, $500).
2. Government and Institutional Grants: IFAW receives grant funding from government agencies and international organizations. The U.S. Department of State awarded nearly $1 million to improve handling of confiscated wildlife in Indonesia, Congo, and Guyana.
3. Media Partnerships and Broadcast: IFAW partners with media organizations for broadcast content, such as the nationwide satellite media tour featuring CEO Azzedine Downes promoting 'The Path of Hope' initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) is a nonprofit organization that rescues individual animals, protects wildlife populations and habitats, and operates conservation programs across 40+ countries. The organization delivers animal rescue and rehabilitation, anti-wildlife trafficking enforcement support, disaster response for wildlife, and community-led conservation initiatives, funded primarily through individual donations and institutional grants.

Product overview

IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) is a nonprofit animal welfare and conservation organization with 55+ years of experience. The organization does not operate a traditional software product portfolio. Its core work encompasses animal rescue, conservation programs (including Room to Roam initiative in Africa), disaster response, and wildlife crime prevention campaigns. IFAW's programmatic activities include community-led conservation, species protection, and public education initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monthly Giving Program Recurring donation subscription program with suggested monthly tiers ($60, $100, $250, $500) that funds IFAW's animal welfare, conservation, and rescue programs globally.
• Room to Roam Conservation Initiative A visionary approach to conservation in Africa focused on landscape connectivity and wildlife corridors to enable animal populations to roam freely across their habitats.
• Team Lioness Project Conservation project transforming what it means to be a woman ranger, supporting female wildlife rangers in African conservation areas.
• Beijing Raptor Rescue Center (China) Bird-of-prey rescue and rehabilitation project in China, addressing the crisis of birds of prey falling prey to illegal trade and other threats.
• Academy of Rescue and Conservation Educational initiative from IFAW providing training and knowledge transfer for animal rescue and conservation practices to supporters, partners, and local responders.
• Oiled Wildlife Response Program Disaster response program providing protective equipment, virtual training on oiled wildlife response protocols, and frontline responder support during environmental disasters such as oil spills.
• AI Guardian of Endangered Species 2.0 AI-powered detection system (built with Baidu using PaddlePaddle platform and Large Vision Model) that identifies 34 commonly traded wildlife species with 86% average accuracy to detect illegal wildlife trade products online for prosecution.
• StationKeeper AIS Network Shore-based AIS transceiver network sending real-time speed-limit alerts to mariners to reduce vessel strikes on endangered North Atlantic right whales; pilot in Cape Cod Bay achieved 83% vessel compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 360,000+ suspected illegal wildlife trade images screened; 7,853 illegal postings deleted (2019-2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• BaiducoreTechnology or Integration · 21 November 2024IFAW and Baidu launched AI Guardian of Endangered Species 2.0 on 21 November 2024, an AI technology that can identify 34 commonly traded wildlife species with 86% accuracy to detect illegal wildlife trade products online. The system uses Baidu's PaddlePaddle platform and Large Vision Model for enhanced detection capabilities.
• NOAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW partnered with NOAA on AIS-based real-time alert network (StationKeeper) to reduce vessel strikes on endangered North Atlantic right whales along U.S. East Coast. Pilot project in Cape Cod Bay achieved 83% vessel compliance rate. Network expanding coastwide with over 60 transceivers installed.
• Fundación TemaikèncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW partnered with Fundación Temaikèn in Argentina for wildlife trafficking seizure operation. Fundación Temaikèn conducted 28-hour emergency rescue operation to stabilize surviving trafficked marine animals at their facilities after Argentine authorities seized 700+ animals at Ezeiza International Airport.
• CITES SecretariatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW co-organizes the annual World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest with CITES Secretariat and UNDP. The 2026 contest selected winners from over 4,200 entries representing 117 countries under the theme of medicinal and aromatic plants.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW co-organizes the annual World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest with CITES Secretariat and UNDP. The 2026 contest selected winners from over 4,200 entries representing 117 countries.
• WWFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW collaborated with WWF on joint report finding over 1,600 primates listed for sale across social media platforms during a six-week monitoring period in mid-2025. Report documents 1,131 posts advertising primates including macaques, capuchins, marmosets, and lemurs.
• Fauna & Flora InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW collaborated with Fauna & Flora International on joint report raising alarms about global exotic pet trade. Conservation organizations warned that millions of protected and vulnerable species are being legally and illegally trafficked worldwide to meet rising demand driven by social media.
• Association of Zoos and AquariumsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW collaborated with Association of Zoos and Aquariums on joint report finding over 1,600 primates listed for sale across social media platforms. Report documents commercial transactions disguised as rehoming efforts to bypass platform restrictions.
• News Media GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNews Media Group partnered with IFAW to produce and broadcast 'The Path of Hope' initiative following Dr. Jane Goodall's passing. Nationwide satellite media tour featuring CEO Azzedine Downes promoted community-led conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Fauna & Flora InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW estimates the exotic pet trade is a multi-billion-dollar global industry. Conservationists warn that some species are disappearing from the wild and current regulation is struggling to keep pace.
• Grupo Tortuguero del Estado de VeracruzmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAW is working alongside Grupo Tortuguero del Estado de Veracruz to strengthen wildlife protection preparedness along Mexico's Gulf coast following oil spill disaster. Equipping frontline responders with protective equipment and providing virtual training on oiled wildlife response protocols.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF is the largest global wildlife conservation nonprofit, with similar transnational structure, species-protection programs, and donor base. IFAW has co-published reports with WWF on online primate trafficking, confirming programmatic overlap in anti-wildlife-trafficking and conservation.
• Fauna & Flora International: FFI is a UK-based international conservation NGO that partners with IFAW on joint exotic-pet-trade research and anti-trafficking campaigns. It is directly comparable in mission (wildlife conservation, species protection), geographic spread, and donor-supported model.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS operates global wildlife conservation programs including anti-trafficking enforcement and species protection. Its Bronx Zoo–anchored brand and multi-country field operations closely mirror IFAW's blend of advocacy, rescue, and field conservation.
• Conservation International: Conservation International is a global nonprofit focused on protecting nature and biodiversity, with field operations in priority hotspots similar to IFAW's Room to Roam-style landscape initiatives. Comparable donor base, policy advocacy, and corporate-partnership model.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Defenders of Wildlife is a U.S.-based wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on imperiled species protection, predator coexistence, and policy advocacy—directly comparable to IFAW's wildlife advocacy and habitat-protection programs.
• Born Free Foundation: Born Free is a UK-based wildlife charity focused on animal welfare, conservation, and anti-exploitation campaigns. It is highly comparable to IFAW in mission (rescue, sanctuary, anti-trade) and operates as a multi-country nonprofit with similar donor-driven funding.
• African Wildlife Foundation: AWF focuses on African wildlife conservation and habitat protection, overlapping directly with IFAW's Room to Roam landscape initiative in Africa and comparable species-protection programs.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is one of the largest environmental nonprofits globally with broader scope (habitat, climate, water). While not animal-welfare specific, it competes with IFAW for environmentally-minded donor share and policy influence.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): HSUS is the largest U.S. animal welfare organization with a broader domestic-pet focus, but it competes with IFAW for animal-welfare donor dollars and engages in wildlife policy advocacy on overlapping issues.

Emerging players

• Ocean Conservancy: Ocean Conservancy is a U.S.-based marine conservation nonprofit that overlaps with IFAW's marine programs (whale protection, ocean policy). Comparable mission area and donor-supported nonprofit structure, though narrower focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ifaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifaw
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifaw
• TikToktiktok.com/@ifaw
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ifaw
• Xx.com/action4ifaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IFAW