What is the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund Grant Program?  

It all started with Assembly Member (and volunteer songbird rehabilitator!) Marie Waldron and a few allies, including San Diego Humane Society which sponsored:

Assembly Bill 1031 in 2017 to add a new voluntary contribution fund (check-off) to the income tax form establishing a Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Fund. AB 1031 specified that funds contributed from taxpayers would be distributed through a competitive grant program for nonprofit organizations throughout our state whose mission it is to aid in the recovery of injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. The legislature passed the bill and Governor Jerry Brown, Jr. signed it into law. Here is a link to view year to date of how much this fund has raised for wildlife rehabilitators!

And now it’s here!

In 2022, this fund received nearly $350,000 from California taxpayers to support rehabilitation

this year, we need your help too!

If you are filling out your own income taxes, look for the section labeled “Contributions.” Fill out your donation in the box next to “Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund,” and review the other great causes in this section of your taxes! See below for an example from side 3 the Resident Income Tax Return form.

If you are using tax software, you will be asked if you would like to donate to any funds. If a tax preparer is filing for you, make sure to tell them that you’d like to contribute!

Look for the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund on any form of California income tax return in order to donate! Thank you, California, for another year of your support for the mission of Wildlife Rehabilitators!