"Just the economically active residents of Gauteng could fund a wildlife rehabilitation centre for a whole month, for 1.86c each."
- Wild Serve
How Wild Serve
earns its funding.
​Wild Serve sustains its work through a diverse range of income streams that reflect both traditional nonprofit mechanisms and innovative models designed to meet the scale and urgency of ecological need in Gauteng:
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Spontaneous donations: Contributions from direct beneficiaries or the public, often after receiving support.
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Solicited donations: Via grant applications, letters of enquiry, project investments, and some corporate social investment (CSI) partnerships.
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Corporate Social Investment (CSI): Support aligned with a company’s ethics, marketing strategy, or tax commitments.
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Loyalty Programmes: e.g., MyPlanet, which redirect rewards from public purchases to support our work.
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Events and fundraisers: Public talks, raffles, campaigns, and other engagement activities.
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In-kind donations: Gifts of goods, expertise, and services.
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Ad hoc co-payments*: Cost-based fees for consulting and services to non-subscribers.
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Program subscriptions: A unique option allowing like-minded citizens to collectively fund services for themselves and their communities.​​​​
Why we charge co-payments and offer subscriptions.
Collective responsibility
Children grow up in a world where ownership and control are prioritised, shaping their view of nature as something to possess. But life itself cannot be owned - nature belongs to everyone. It is our shared home, heritage, and life support system, offering emotional, spiritual, and cultural grounding. It cleans our air, filters our water, regulates climate, and nourishes body and mind. The plants, animals, and ecosystems around us root us in meaning and identity. Protecting nature is protecting ourselves. Every citizen has a role — because when nature thrives, so do we.
adapt . enhance
Embedded in our slogan is a clear commitment: to amplify the value of our entire sector through thoughtful interpretation and continuous innovation. We believe that the challenges we face - ecological, economic, and social - can no longer be shouldered in isolation. Together, in solidarity, we must find smarter, more collaborative ways to lighten the load. For the public to truly benefit from the services we provide, we must be willing to re-examine some of the internal assumptions and structures that have long shaped our sector. Our proposed solution to funding shortfalls is both simple and conventional - yet fair, strategic, and forward-thinking. It recognizes not only the moral contribution of a subscriber toward the greater ecological good, but also the direct, tangible value to them should they ever need to make a wildlife-related call of their own. Non-governmental organisations exist to meet the critical needs left unfulfilled by the state. Should the government choose to assume our role, the tax required to fund such a department would far exceed the modest R0.0186 (1.86c) we need from each economically active citizen in Gauteng. Until we get there (and we will strive to) we have formulated an actuarial starting point of R123. It could even be compared to the price of one lunch for you or just the cost of the return trip from one rescue for us. We wish for you to see this as a pragmatic, principled, and sustainable model designed to serve both people and planet.
A sufficiently resourced Wildlife Rescue organization in CANADA.
We give back MORE of our time to Subscribers.
And negotiate discounts for:
EMERGENCY WILDLIFE RESPONSE​
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Unlimited home calls for wildlife emergencies.
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1x off-site courtesy call (during Subscriber visit) per year.
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2x roadside courtesy calls (e.g. hit a bird).
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HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE
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2x population conflict assessments (wildlife incursions where the environment needs restoration or the animals need exclusion or relocation).
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2x free True-Green™ pest control consultations.
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HABITAT RESTORATION
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Investigate habitat threats under Corridors of Life™ Project e.g. waterbody pollution, damage to wetlands, destruction of natural vegetation/trees, etc.
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20% discounts on our or our partners', bat, owl or tree-Hollow houses.
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1x FREE Bat, owl or tree-hollow house per 5 sign-ups (Friends & Family). Includes free installation and 50% off annual servicing.
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PLUS
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2x tickets to each WiSe quarterly Urban Coexistence Talks (after our 1st 50 signings).
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Monogrammed golfer or cap.
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Volunteer participation & invites to orientations.
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Exclusive monthly report on outputs.
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Your investment even covers callouts to SASSA Beneficiaries.
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Minimum Rand value is R14,600p.a. and Subscribers pay 10%! Non-subscribers pay adhoc co-payments to support subscription pool.
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Individual subscribers:
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Min. 123 p.m. or 1,476 p.a.
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Commercial, Community Scheme & Agricultural subscribers:
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​Calculated based on land use & tenancy​
(from only R4.10p.m. per unit)
How the co-payment system has been received.
​Historically, 88% of callers did not donate toward their cases. Only 10% made voluntary donations, covering just 17% of a case's costs. Some 2% of callers (or 20% of donors) contributed more than 17%. ​​Since implementing co-payments, 16% of ALL qualifying callers now voluntarily exceed the co-payment, recognising the real value of the service. That shift is powerful: When the expectation is payment, people value it more appropriately. Note: We do not charge the destitute, Social Grant Recipients (including SASSA pensioners) or cases reported on public or communal land - these we have to fundraise for separately. We also guide those who cannot/prefer not to pay (approximately 5% of callers query the payment with only 2% ultimately refraining*) to alternative help. ​​​​ *As an end-of-line specialist about 55% of our calls are referrals from wildlife centres or vet practices and of these we only refer 4% back i.e. they are still serviced. A further 35% of calls are word-of-mouth referrals with the remainder, 20% being generic calls.
