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FRIENDS OF THE MONTEZUMA WETLANDS COMPLEX INC
SENECA FALLS, NY · EIN 161581740 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE C32 · Environment · Micro (<$100K) · friendsofmontezuma.org
revenue
$49K
expenses
$19K
net assets
$231K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSES ARE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, HABITAT RESTORATION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, ENHANCING PUBLIC SUPPORT AND PUBLIC ACCESS FOR THE MONTEZUMA WETLANDS COMPLEX.

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex supports wildlife conservation and habitat restoration across a 50,000-acre complex in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The organization engages the public through education, birding events like the annual Muckrace, and volunteer programs. It works in partnership with federal and state agencies to enhance public access and protect critical migratory bird habitat.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Guy’s Marsh
Memorial wetland restoration project to honor Guy Baldassarre, focused on restoring habitat for waterfowl and marsh birds while enhancing public wildlife viewing opportunities
MARSH!
Volunteer work program for habitat restoration, including invasive plant removal and native vegetation planting, held on scheduled workdays across the Montezuma Wetlands Complex
Muckrace
Annual 24-hour birding competition and fundraiser where teams identify as many bird species as possible across the Montezuma Wetlands Complex; has supported habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and public access improvements
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 2 activities
    • Advocacy for wildlife management and habitat decisions
      Supports and advocates for wildlife management and habitat restoration decisions made by the managing agency to ensure conservation goals are met within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
    • Wildlife research and monitoring support
      Supports wildlife conservation research initiatives, including American Black Duck winter banding and other monitoring efforts, to inform management decisions and enhance biodiversity within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 2 activities
    • Habitat restoration and invasive species management
      Conducts ongoing habitat restoration and invasive species control across grassland, shrubland, forest, marsh, and river habitats within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, including biological control programs for purple loosestrife using root-mining weevils and leaf-eating beetles. Activities span over 50,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands.
    • Memorial wetland restoration projects
      Implements memorial habitat restoration projects, such as "Guy's Marsh," an 80-acre wetland restoration initiative funded by private donations to honor individual contributions and enhance waterfowl and marsh bird habitats.
  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Annual Muckrace fundraising and birding event
      Organizes the annual Muckrace, a 24-hour team birding and fundraising competition held at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, with recent participation reaching 35 teams. The event has generated over $125,000 in donations for habitat restoration, research, and public access projects.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Conservation education and public programming
      Delivers educational services through guided nature walks, school and community presentations, guided tours, educational displays, newsletters, articles, and an online tour. Programs are led by trained volunteers and Master Naturalists and promoted through coordinated outreach.
  • Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 1 activity
    • Facility improvement and public access enhancement
      Supports the construction and maintenance of visitor facilities and infrastructure, including the Deep Muck observation deck, touch screen educational displays, water level management systems on a 448-acre impoundment, and general grounds upkeep to improve public access and experience.
  • Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
    • Memorial and matching fund management
      Manages the Ann F. Sheppard Memorial Fund, which supports land conservation, bird habitat enhancement, and wildlife diversity, and uses these funds as matching contributions for grant applications to amplify project funding.
  • Public Garden Tours and Events 1 activity
    • Native plant promotion and public events
      Hosts the annual Native Plant Festival and Sale to promote the use of native plants for conservation and supports pollinator-friendly planting initiatives within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Artificial Nesting Habitat Management 1 activity
    • Partnership in operating the Montezuma Audubon Center
      Cooperates with Audubon New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the operation and programming of the Montezuma Audubon Center.
  • Museum Volunteer Engagement & Operations Support 1 activity
    • Volunteer-led public engagement and visitor support
      Operates a hands-on volunteer program that supports visitor services, including staffing the visitor center, managing the Nature Store and gift shop, producing newsletters, maintaining the website, and coordinating outreach through news releases and off-site educational displays.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$49K
Contributions & grants$12K25%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$1K3%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$19K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$237K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$231K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +40.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 6
  • CHUCK GIBSON — DIRECTOR
  • DAVE FITCH — DIRECTOR
  • JIM ECKLER — DIRECTOR
  • MATT FRACKELTON — DIRECTOR
  • MIKE BARD — DIRECTOR
  • STEVE BENEDICT — DIRECTOR
relationships · 29

Who they work with

  • Audubon Partner — Collaborates with Audubon to coordinate MARSH! volunteer events through joint event listings and registration.
  • Audubon New York Partner — Cooperates in the operation of the Montezuma Audubon Center.
  • Audubon Society Partner — Manages the Montezuma Audubon Center within the Complex.
  • Cornell Lab of Ornithology Partner — Provides scientific expertise for bird habitat enhancement and wildlife diversity initiatives at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Department of Environmental Conservation Partner — Collaborates on bird habitat restoration and conservation projects within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Ducks Unlimited Partner — Collaborated on the Guy’s Marsh wetland restoration project.
  • Ducks Unlimited Partner — Conservation organization contributing to wetland restoration and habitat management in the Complex.
  • Ducks Unlimited Partner — Partners to protect, restore, and enhance wildlife habitat in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Montezuma Audubon Center Partner — Collaborates on projects including a touch screen display highlighting habitat restoration.
  • Montezuma Audubon Center Partner — Partner in habitat restoration efforts at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • Montezuma Audubon Center Partner — Partner organization involved in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, contributing to public education and engagement.
  • Montezuma Audubon Center Partner — Partners on public programming and environmental education initiatives.
  • Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Partner — Collaborates on habitat restoration, public education, and visitor programs at the refuge.
  • Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Partner — Collaborates on volunteer events and programs at the refuge.
  • Montezuma Wetlands Complex Government — Primary partner in wildlife management, habitat restoration, and public education efforts
  • New York Department of Environmental Conservation Partner — Collaborates on protection, restoration, and enhancement of wildlife habitat in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • New York State Department of Conservation Government — Manages the Northern Montezuma Management Area within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Cooperates in the operation of the Montezuma Audubon Center.
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — State partner managing the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area.
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Partner — Partner in habitat restoration efforts at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Partner — Connected through Guy Baldassarre’s role as Distinguished Teaching Professor; involved former students and colleagues in the Guy’s Marsh project.
  • The Nature Conservancy Partner — Conservation organization involved in restoration and enhancement of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Government — Manages the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Government — Cooperates in the operation of the Montezuma Audubon Center.
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Government — Federal partner managing the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center.
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Government — Partner agency managing the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge; Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex operates in coordination with its programs.
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service Partner — Collaborates on bird habitat restoration and conservation projects within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Partner — Works with the organization to protect, restore, and enhance wildlife habitat in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
  • United States Fish and Wildlife Service Partner — Partner in habitat restoration efforts at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Citizen Science and Experiential Fundraising
    methodology: citizen_science_fundraising
    By using a 24-hour birding competition to combine species identification with fundraising, the organization engages the public in conservation, because experiential participation builds ecological awareness and motivates financial support.
  • Collaborative, Science-Informed Conservation Partnerships
    methodology: collaborative-science-based-conservation
    By partnering with government agencies and research institutions on science-based projects, the organization enhances habitat quality and species diversity, because collaborative design and ecological data improve the effectiveness and scalability of restoration efforts.
  • Community-Based Habitat Restoration with Volunteer Engagement
    methodology: community-based_conservation
    By engaging volunteers in hands-on habitat restoration across a large-scale wetland complex, the organization increases conservation impact and fosters community ownership, because public participation builds local support and sustains long-term stewardship.
  • Integrated Conservation Framework
    methodology: integrated-conservation-approach
    By combining habitat restoration, wildlife management, public education, and access within a unified model, the organization amplifies conservation outcomes, because integrated programming strengthens ecological resilience and public engagement simultaneously.
  • Wildlife-First Access and Habitat Management
    methodology: wildlife-first_public_access
    By prioritizing wildlife conservation in public access design and using hydrological controls to optimize habitat, the organization supports migratory species and minimizes disturbance, because habitat quality and low-impact visitation are essential for sensitive wetland ecosystems.