Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association

“Board members deborah and stephen edge are siblings.”

“The association's bylaws create 2 categories of members : voting members (who are the board of directors) associate members (who are public, dues-paying members of the sanctuary association). Associate members have no role in governance.”

“The business manager, president, and executive committee perform an initial review of the form 990. The entire board is then given the opportunity to review the form 990 before the return is filed with the irs.”

“Directors, officers, and key employees complete an annual questionnaire. The conflict of interest policy is consistently monitored by the executive committee. Family and business relationships are mentioned in the conflict of interest policy as sources of potential conflicts. Conflicted individuals recuse themselves from any decision-making involving the conflict.”

“The board of directors determines the compensation of the president by, among other things, reviewing comparable positions at similar non-profit organizations, with a focus on conservation organizations, to ensure compensation is within fair market range for the industry. The compensation review process for top officials is determined subsequent to the determination of the overall annual fiscal budget. The president establishes the overall annual budget, and compensation adjustments are then determined based on the overall budget with specific salaries set by the president. The budget, which includes salaries, is approved by the board.”

“The governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements are available upon request.”

“In 2020, the team launched the first collaborative and international study to pinpoint the cause for american kestrel declines in the eastern united states and is now pursing an endowment to secure annual funds for dedicated graduate students, post-docs and early-career scientists to help advance the sanctuary's ambitious research goals. Conservation science facilities include the hawk mountain acopian center for conservation learning center, a three-building complex with two residences and a research center that houses office, lab and work space along with a library that serves as a global information center for raptor migration science. The acopian center library is a world-class resource boasting 3,500-volumes and 168 scientific journals. The library is open by appointment at no cost to anyone with an interest in studying raptors or conducting research on conservation issues. 4) inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (i.d.e.a.): hawk mountain is committed to increasing accessibility for all and offers at no extra charge an all-terrain wheelchair for visitor use. Upon request, staff or volunteers will transport to the closest overlook, also at no cost, visitors with limited mobility via a low-impact golf cart. A fully accessible trail connects people to the nearest scenic overlook opened in 2015, further expanding the sanctuary's audience. This overlook includes an accessible but natural viewing platform. The pathway includes bench seating along the way offering multiple points for rest. Hawk mountain's education building and acopian center for conservation learning are both fully accessible, as is its newlly opened amphitheater. A project to plan upgrades to the sanctuary visitor center is underway and with an eye on accessibility, diveristy, equity and inclusion. In 2020, the hawk mountain board of directors approved a diversity, equity and inclusion statement, hosted two sessions of de&i training for its full board and senior staff, and incorprated goals into its strategic plan. The hawk mountain website includes an accessibility widget to better serve online uses with vision impairment. An idea tab on every page of its website is populated with information and continues to grow. Braille booklets with information on the sanctuary's native plant garden and other accessible areas are now available at no cost to visitors with visual impairments. In 2020, hawk mountain increased its board diversity adding a black female biologist/professior, a mexican male orinithologist, and a colombian female raptor educator to better reflect the sanctuary's national and international reach. A gift to launch an idea fund will allow staff to remove barriers and increase equity in the outdoors and continue discussion and eucation in this important topic. Hawk mountain's international training program has reached 453 individuals from 75 countries, providing visitors the chance to meet people from many different cultures and backgrounds during the course of a visit. Of its graduates, 46 percent are international, 53 from the united states, and 25 percent are from pennsylvania, with 60 percent of graduates being female, thus increasing the number of women in science, local to global.”