National Audubon Society Inc

“Effective september 27, 2023, audubon amended its bylaws to prohibit any compensated employee, other than the ceo, to serve on its board of directors. This change was made to ensure the independence and integrity of audubon's governing body.”

“Under the bylaws, any individual or organization approving the purposes and objectives of audubon is eligible for membership. The members elect the board of directors at the annual meeting.”

“Audubon's bylaws authorize its members to elect the individuals that shall serve on the board of directors.”

“The form 990 is prepared by audubon staff in conjunction with a nationally recognized accounting firm. The form 990 is presented to the audubon audit, risk and ethics committee by its independent accounting firm and reviewed by management to ensure accuracy and completeness. The audit, risk and ethics committee reviews the 990 for sharing with the full board of directors. The 990 is made available electronically to the board and the directors are given a week to provide feedback, and any comments or questions are reviewed with the audit, risk and ethics committee. Comments are incorporated, and the form 990 is filed with the internal revenue service.”

“Audubon's conflict of interest policy covers all employees, directors, and officers of the corporation. Directors, officers, and key employees are required to complete an annual questionnaire which elicits information with respect to potential conflicts. The office of general counsel reviews any potential conflicts identified on the questionnaire. In the event of a conflict the office of general counsel will assure the conflict is either properly mitigated, or the transaction will not go forward. The audit, risk and ethics committee, with the assistance of audubon's general counsel, monitors adherence to and compliance with audubon's conflict of interest policy.”

“The chief executive officer's annual compensation is established pursuant to a written employment contract that defines her base compensation, as well as any incentive payments she may be entitled to by virtue of meeting certain objective performance metrics. The organization utilizes various sources of industry data to ensure that her compensation is reasonable and commensurate with the salaries paid to executives at similarly sized not-for-profits within audubon's geographic region. Annual increases to the chief executive officer's compensation are reviewed and approved by the audubon board of directors and those decisions are memorialized in committee meeting minutes. Compensation, including merit and the bonus pool, is included in the annual budget, which is approved by the audubon board of directors. Bonuses are awarded based on merit and awarded at the discretion of management or the board. The chief executive officer has the authority to determine the annual compensation for those officers who directly report to her on a day-to-day basis. Compensation tiers are budgeted by the audubon board of directors, but ultimately the chief executive officer has the discretion to determine the annual raises and bonuses (if offered) for her direct reports.”

“Audubon's form 990, audited financial statements and annual report are available to the public on audubon's website. The conflict of interest policy and other governing documents are made available to the public upon request and at management's discretion.”

“Audubon's new strategic plan for fiscal years 2023-2028, called flight plan, orients audubon toward achieving a singular guiding star: halting, and ultimately reversing, the precipitous decline of birds across the americas. Audubon works across 11 countries in the western hemisphere, with 15 state and regional u.s. Offices, 31 conservation action centers, and 29 sanctuaries. The organization supports 415 independent active community chapters and 92 campus chapters and collaborates with hundreds of partners throughout the americas. Audubon works throughout the americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. State, regional, and country programs, conservation action centers, chapters, and partners give audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action.”

“Audubon completed the first year of flight plan - a bold and transformative strategic vision for 2023-2028 designed to forge a future where birds thrive across the americas while maximizing benefits for people and the planet. Audubon's conservation programs address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss by driving action in four key areas: conserving priority habitats, advancing climate solutions, championing transformational public policy, and growing and diversifying the community of bird enthusiasts across the western hemisphere who take conservation action. Guided by science and strengthened by partnerships, audubon's conservation efforts are dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. As a hemispheric organization, we bring our collective power to "bend the bird curve" - halting and ultimately reversing the sharp decline of bird populations across the americas. Audubon's conservation efforts are carried out through its north american and latin american and caribbean teams, each led by managing directors. North america encompasses 15 state and regional offices in the u.s., the canada program, and teams dedicated to habitat and climate strategies for the region. Additionally, the team includes 31 conservation action centers and 29 sanctuaries across the u.s. Audubon's latin america and caribbean program oversees the organization's habitat and climate initiatives across central and south america and the caribbean. Teams focused on community building and policy, under the guidance of managing directors, are developing unified organizational strategies for our goals across the western hemisphere. They partner closely with teams in north america, latin america, and the caribbean. Community building guides the organization's approach to conservation action centers and sanctuaries, oversees our collaboration with 415 community chapters and 92 campus chapters, and drives programmatic opportunities and community science initiatives in communities across the americas. Policy develops strategies for policy priorities at all levels of government, leveraging our science and policy expertise to advance our objectives. The team also builds and activates advocates to demonstrate public support for these priorities. Conservation funding, equitable conservation, partnerships, and science are programs that span the conservation team, driving impact toward the conservation milestones and supporting the north american and latin american and caribbean teams and our community building and policy priorities. Audubon is achieving measurable progress toward its conservation milestones: habitat conservation: in collaboration with local communities and partners, audubon is creating a network of conserved areas stretching from north america's boreal forest to south america's rainforests. Through conservation, restoration, and management efforts, audubon is already improving more than 116 million acres across the americas, making significant progress toward its ambitious goal of conserving 300 million acres of bird habitat by 2028. Key highlights include: the great salt lake watershed enhancement trust-co-managed by audubon and the nature conservancy-brought together a coalition to deliver 10,000 acre-feet of water to great salt lake, a vital ecosystem for millions of migratory birds. Water donated by the jordan valley water conservancy district and the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, and managed by the utah division of wildlife resources and the utah division of forestry, fire, and state lands, will flow from utah lake along the jordan river for 51 river miles. Along the way it will enrich habitat essential to species like the olive-sided flycatcher on its journey from colombia to alaska, ultimately lowering salinity levels and helping to control the spread of avian disease in great salt lake. Working for nearly a year and a half, rural communities in calima el darin, colombia, succeeded in”

“In partnership with peer organizations, audubon successfully recommended the u.s. Department of energy designate a 12-mile-long area off the coasts of new york and new jersey as a priority transmission corridor. This infrastructure will more efficiently connect wind energy produced in the mid-atlantic to the power grid, significantly growing energy capacity while moving toward the elimination of polluting fossil fuels. As of september, the u.s. Has approved 10 lease areas for offshore wind projects, representing more than 15 gigawatts of energy-enough to power more than 11 million homes for a year. As a member of the regional wildlife science collaborative for offshore wind, audubon has played a major role in identifying and responsibly siting these projects. Policy leadership: audubon combines advocacy with diplomacy to advance our healthy birds, healthy planet policy agenda. This year, we successfully enacted nine federal policies and 38 state policies aimed at protecting birds, people, and the planet. Additionally, we are mobilizing thousands of bird enthusiasts to advocate for conservation policies at state, local, and national levels. Key highlights include: building on our long history of protecting migratory species, audubon advocated for and secured the reauthorization of the neotropical migratory bird conservation act. The program provides an innovative, cost-effective approach to promoting and investing in hemispheric bird conservation, providing critical funding for habitat protection, research, and education across the americas. Since 2002, neotropical migratory bird conservation act grants have funded more than 700 projects across 35 countries, conserving habitat for birds that include cerulean warblers, bobolinks, and hudsonian godwits. The new legislation takes an important step forward: it lowers the barrier to entry to receive grants, opening the door for new partners to participate and benefit. Audubon played an influential role in building support for the bolstering ecosystems against coastal harm (beach) act, bipartisan legislation that significantly enhances the coastal barrier resources act (cbra). Both the senate and the house passed the bill with overwhelming support, and it was signed into law by the president this november. The beach act adds more than 290,000 acres that are vulnerable to storms and sea-level rise to the cbra, constituting the largest expansion the system in more than three decades and protecting habitat that birds like red knots, american oystercatchers, and piping plovers rely upon. Together with a coalition of more than a dozen tribes, community organizations, and local businesses, audubon has championed the creation of a new chuckwalla national monument and the expansion of joshua tree national park. This unique region of palm oases and rocky mountain ranges comprises 620,000 acres of wildlife habitat, sites of historical significance, and landscapes sacred to local indigenous peoples. Audubon and our partners presented 840,000 signatures from across the country calling on the administration to expand, designate, and protect national monuments and sacred lands. Community building: across the hemisphere, audubon is cultivating a passionate constituency dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need. Through our efforts, we have engaged thousands of bird enthusiasts who are taking meaningful conservation and policy actions to help advance the goals of the flight plan. Key highlights include: every year, the iain nicolson audubon center at rowe sanctuary hosts 35,000 people from all 50 states and 60 countries who come to witness one of birding's most iconic spectacles: the annual sandhill crane migration. This fall, we celebrated the completion of a $12.5 million expansion to rowe sanctuary to support our visitors, including the lauritzen great hall and the anne m. Hubbard education center. This fall, the conservation community gathered in cali, colombia, for cop16, the unite”

“Technology: program service expenses 2,820,847. Management and general expenses 65,334. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 2,886,181. Recruiting and employment fees: program service expenses 640,929. Management and general expenses 295,267. Fundraising expenses 144,957. Total expenses 1,081,153. Expense reimbursements: program service expenses 322,652. Management and general expenses 60,390. Fundraising expenses 16,653. Total expenses 399,695. Honorarium: program service expenses 159,494. Management and general expenses 100. Fundraising expenses 1,250. Total expenses 160,844. Telemarketing: program service expenses 0. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 131,686. Total expenses 131,686. Audio visual productions: program service expenses 25,532. Management and general expenses 8,603. Fundraising expenses 20,993. Total expenses 55,128. Program restoration work: program service expenses 520,598. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 520,598. All other professional fees: program service expenses 16,221,749. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 1,046,777. Total expenses 17,268,526.”

“Change in value of charitable trusts 4,726,822. Charitable trust additions 414,535. Pension and postretirement related changes 219,882. Intercompany elimination -56,623.”

“Audubon's audit, risk and ethics committee of the board of directors assumes responsibility for oversight of the audit of its financial statements and selection of an independent accountant. The audit, risk and ethics committee has a charter that requires periodic rotation of engagement partners, and review of the auditor engagement.”