Pan African Sanctuary Alliance

What Pan African Sanctuary Alliance does

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, that operates as an alliance and accrediting body for 23 wildlife sanctuaries across 13 African countries. Its core business is the coordination, accreditation, and support of member primate sanctuaries that provide rescue, rehabilitation, lifelong care, and reintroduction services to over 3,400 rescued great apes and monkeys. PASA delivers value to member sanctuaries through rigorous accreditation standards, emergency support, professional development workshops, keeper exchanges, and fundraising/marketing assistance, while addressing threats including illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction, bushmeat trade, and the primate pet trade through three programmatic pillars: Conservation, Care, and Coexistence.

PASA's revenue model is charitable giving rather than product pricing. The organization generates funding through individual donations processed via a self-serve web portal (support.pasa.org), including a recurring monthly giving program called Primate Protectors, one-time gifts, corporate partnerships, and online petition-driven fundraising. PASA reports 92% of donations flow to program support, holds a 100% 4-star Charity Navigator rating, and meets all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance charity accountability standards. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer fundraising via website, email newsletter, and social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), supported by content marketing through blog/stories and policy advocacy at international forums including CITES, where PASA holds official observer status.

PASA's product and technology surface is minimal: its core offerings are the Sanctuary Alliance network, the Accreditation Program, Conservation Programs, Sanctuary Care Services, Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programs, the PASA Library, and the Primate Protectors monthly giving program. The technology stack is standard nonprofit infrastructure (Wix-hosted website, donation portal, social media), with no proprietary technology, AI, or data product. PASA's customer base is effectively two-sided: member sanctuaries (the primary operational customers receiving accreditation and services) and individual donors (the revenue customers) plus corporate partners. Strategic partnerships span enforcement bodies (EAGLE Network, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), major operators (Jane Goodall Institute, The Aspinall Foundation, Lola ya Bonobo/ABC), and policy coalitions (IFAW, AZA, SMACC, CITES).

Name

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance

Legal name

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance

Website

https://pasa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits and supports 23 member primate sanctuaries across 13 African countries, funding rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation programs through individual donations and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaverton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: PASA generates revenue through individual donations including monthly recurring contributions through the Primate Protectors program and one-time donations. Donors contribute to support the network of African primate sanctuaries, rescue operations, and conservation initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) operates the only alliance of accredited African primate sanctuaries, uniting 23 sanctuaries across 13 African countries under standardized accreditation and delivering three programs: Conservation (habitat protection, anti-wildlife-trafficking advocacy), Care (rehabilitation and lifelong sanctuary for rescued primates), and Coexistence (community-based education and human-wildlife conflict mitigation). Donors support the alliance through the Primate Protectors monthly giving program, one-time gifts, and corporate partnerships, with 92% of donations funding on-the-ground conservation programs.

Product overview

Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) is a nonprofit alliance of African primate sanctuaries offering a unified platform of conservation, sanctuary care, and community coexistence programs. The core offering is the PASA Sanctuary Alliance network, which unites over 20 accredited sanctuaries across Africa through a rigorous accreditation program. Member sanctuaries provide expert care to over 3,400 rescued primates. Additional offerings include Conservation Programs addressing habitat protection and illegal wildlife trade, Sanctuary Care Services for rehabilitation and lifelong care, Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programs for community engagement, the PASA Library with operational manuals and reports, and the Primate Protectors monthly giving program. PASA serves as both an accrediting body and a coordinating alliance that connects donors with member sanctuaries to maximize conservation impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PASA Sanctuary Alliance (Network of Accredited Sanctuaries) The core alliance network uniting accredited primate sanctuaries across Africa to provide expert care to rescued animals and advance conservation efforts. Currently encompasses 23 accredited wildlife sanctuaries across 13 African countries.
• PASA Accreditation Program A rigorous accreditation process that vets and certifies African primate sanctuaries against 20+ standards of animal care, operations, and conservation practices.
• Conservation Programs Conservation initiatives focused on protecting primates, preserving habitat, and addressing threats including illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction, and human-wildlife conflict.
• Sanctuary Care Services Expert care provided to rescued primates including rehabilitation, lifelong sanctuary, medical care, and social group management across member sanctuaries, currently serving over 3,400 rescued animals.
• Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programs Initiatives fostering harmonious relationships between local communities and wildlife through education, alternative livelihoods, and community engagement, reaching approximately 500,000 people annually with environmental education.
• Primate Protectors Monthly Giving Program A monthly recurring donation program allowing supporters to provide ongoing care for rescued apes and monkeys, with regular updates on impact.
• PASA Library A digital repository of annual reports, financial reports, project reports, and sanctuary operation manuals including veterinary and education resources, demonstrating financial transparency and accountability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of all donations support programs
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• J.A.C.K. SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 December 2023J.A.C.K. (Jeune Association pour la Conservation des Kilas) is a PASA member sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo that receives rescued primates from international trafficking seizures. PASA coordinates with J.A.C.K. on wildlife enforcement operations and animal rescue missions, including the largest international seizure of monkeys in Africa in December 2023.
• EAGLE NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAGLE Network (Economy of Animal Living Systems) is a wildlife investigation organization that collaborates with PASA members on enforcement operations to intercept illegally trafficked primates. The network provided support during the December 2023 seizure of 40 monkeys in Togo that were being trafficked from DRC to Thailand.
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA holds official observer status at CITES conferences, representing the unique viewpoint of African wildlife sanctuaries. PASA engages with Parties, lobbies for wildlife-friendly positions, gives public statements, and organizes events to highlight issues facing African primates.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA co-hosts events with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at CITES meetings to speak about members' crucial work managing confiscated live animals. The USFWS submitted a document on the illegal trade in great apes at CoP19.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA co-hosted an event with IFAW at CITES 19th Conference of Parties in Panama to discuss wildlife trafficking and sanctuary conservation efforts.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA partners with AZA at CITES conferences to discuss sanctuary management of confiscated live animals and wildlife conservation policy.
• Friends of Bonobos / Amis des Bonobos du Congo (ABC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC operates Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in DRC and is a PASA member. ABC successfully conducted the second-ever bonobo rewilding in March 2022, returning 14 bonobos to Ekolo ya Bonobo Community Reserve. PASA supports ABC through its sanctuary network and conservation initiatives.
• Jane Goodall InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jane Goodall Institute operates several PASA member sanctuaries including Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in Congo, Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Kenya, and Chimp Eden in South Africa. PASA provides accreditation and support services to these member organizations.
• Ekolo ya Bonobo Community ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 120,000-acre protected area in the Congo rainforest where Lola ya Bonobo conducted the historic bonobo rewilding in March 2022, releasing 14 bonobos back to the wild.
• The Aspinall FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Aspinall Foundation operates PPG Congo and PPG Gabon, two PASA member sanctuaries that have rescued over 100 gorillas orphaned by the bushmeat trade and have reintroduced over 70 gorillas back into the wild.
• Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA has been working in SMACC for over two years to document online wildlife cruelty and advocate for platform policies. PASA staff contributed to the wild pets report documenting that 76% of animals featured in cruelty posts were primates.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Aspinall Foundation: Runs PASA member sanctuaries (PPG Congo, PPG Gabon) and is a leading gorilla reintroduction operator (>70 gorillas returned to the wild). Directly comparable as an African primate sanctuary funder and conservation nonprofit with rewilding outcomes.
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-headquartered wildlife conservation nonprofit with explicit primate and great-ape programs in Africa (notably in Sierra Leone, Cameroon, and DRC). Comparable as a UK/US donor-funded NGO engaged in sanctuary-style species recovery and similar policy coalitions as PASA.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Africa-focused conservation NGO with protected-area and species (including great apes) programming. Comparable as a regional conservation nonprofit targeting overlapping donor pools and operating in many of the same 13 African countries as PASA member sanctuaries.
• EAGLE Network: PASA partner that coordinates wildlife law-enforcement operations intercepting trafficked primates (e.g., Dec 2023 Togo seizure of 40 monkeys). Comparable as a working partner in the same wildlife-trafficking response chain, often receiving confiscated primates routed to PASA member sanctuaries.
• Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: Focused exclusively on great ape (gorilla) conservation in Africa with research, field protection, and community programs. Comparable as a primate-specific conservation nonprofit working in African range states with similar donor demographic and policy engagement.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Co-hosts CITES events with PASA and works on wildlife trafficking policy. Comparable as a wildlife-trade-focused international nonprofit that engages the same donor segment, runs advocacy campaigns, and partners on confiscation and policy issues alongside PASA.
• Jane Goodall Institute: Operates PASA member sanctuaries (Tchimpounga, Sweetwaters, Chimp Eden) and is the most prominent chimpanzee-conservation nonprofit globally. Highly comparable as a primate-focused NGO with international fundraising footprint overlapping PASA's donor base and policy engagement at CITES.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): The largest international wildlife conservation NGO with deep Africa footprint and major influence at CITES. Comparable as a high-recognition donor-funded nonprofit in the same funding pool and policy venues, though broader in mandate (habitats, species, climate).
• Wildlife Conservation Society: One of the largest global wildlife NGOs with field presence across Africa including great-ape range states. Comparable as a large, established wildlife conservation nonprofit operating field programs and influencing CITES policy, but operating at far greater scale and broader taxonomic scope than PASA.

Emerging players

• Bonobo Conservation Initiative: Specialist nonprofit focused exclusively on wild bonobos, supporting community reserves in DRC. Comparable as a smaller, species-specific conservation nonprofit working in the same Congolese range as PASA member ABC's Ekolo ya Bonobo reserve.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pasaprimates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pan-african-sanctuary-alliance-pasa-
• Instagraminstagram.com/pasaprimates

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pan African Sanctuary Alliance