irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0BEDFORD AUDUBON'S PROGRAMS AND PROPERTIES EDUCATE, EMPOWER, AND ENGAGEVISITORS IN CREATING BIRD-FRIENDLY AND PEOPLE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES.THE SANCTUARIES AND NATIVE GARDEN CONTINUE TO BE FREE AND OPEN TO THEPUBLIC FROM DAWN TO DUSK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Habitat Gardening Initiative
Educational program promoting the use of native plants in home landscapes to support local wildlife, particularly birds, by providing food, shelter, and nesting materials.
MAPS Program
Long-term avian monitoring initiative at Hunt-Parker Sanctuary established in 2009, part of the continental Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program to track bird populations and survival rates.
Sanctuaries and Native Garden
Free public access to protected natural areas including the James Ramsay Hunt & Mary Welsh Parker Sanctuary and the Leon Levy Native Garden, open year-round for nature observation and environmental education.
Youth Engagement and Teen Council
Program to involve young people in nature connection and conservation activities, fostering stewardship through hands-on experiences in local sanctuaries.
activities · 10 groups
What they do
-
Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 4 activities
- Facilitating youth engagement in nature and conservationEstablished a Teen Council to increase youth involvement in nature connection and conservation activities, fostering the next generation of environmental stewards.
- Offering expert information on birds and habitats to the publicProvides expert knowledge about birds and their habitats to the local community through educational programming and outreach.
- Organizing birding and nature-based events and tripsHosts recurring events such as Bird-A-Thon, monthly bird walks, and international birding trips including a 9-day trip to Colombia’s Central Andes with limited attendance to ensure quality experiences.
- Providing environmental education and community engagement programsOffers interactive workshops, monthly bird walks, bird-themed trivia events, butterfly programming, book clubs, and field trips to deepen public understanding of birds, conservation, and the natural world.
-
-
Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 2 activities
- Conducting local environmental and conservation researchConducts local research projects to advance understanding of the natural world and inform effective conservation strategies.
- Conducting long-term avian research through MAPS programOperates a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) station at Hunt-Parker Sanctuary to conduct scientific research on bird populations, including productivity and survivorship trends.
-
-
Local Land Conservation Advocacy 1 activity
- Advancing conservation policy through historical and ongoing advocacyPlayed an integral role in enacting early conservation laws in New York State to protect birds and their habitats, reflecting a long-standing commitment to environmental advocacy.
-
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting members' photo exhibits in community librariesHosts members' photo exhibits at local libraries such as the Patterson Library in Somers and the Larchmont Library to engage the community with nature photography.
-
-
Free Public Access Nature Sites 1 activity
- Maintaining public access to wildlife sanctuaries and native gardensKeeps wildlife sanctuaries and the Leon Levy Native Garden open to the public for free year-round from dawn to dusk, providing access to natural spaces for recreation and education.
-
-
Campus Facility Operations and Management 1 activity
- Operating Bylane Farm as organizational and educational hubOperates Bylane Farm as its center of operations, which includes offices, meeting spaces, a library, and residences for staff, interns, and visiting scientists. The facility supports administrative, educational, and research activities.
-
-
Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 1 activity
- Organizing volunteer trail stewardship across sanctuariesConducts trail maintenance and posts trail markers along 8+ miles of trails at the John Ramsey Hunt & Mary Welsh Parker Memorial Sanctuary and other wildlife sanctuaries.
-
-
Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Providing community resources on native plants and habitat gardeningProvides a comprehensive list of native plants beneficial for birds, insects, and wildlife, and offers programming to support habitat gardening practices.
-
-
Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Restoring native habitats through invasive species management and reforestationConducts habitat restoration including planting native shrubs and trees, sheet mulching, and managing invasive species in the Leon Levy Native Garden and across sanctuaries.
-
-
Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
- Supporting volunteer engagement in sanctuary and garden stewardshipSupports volunteer participation at the James Ramsay Hunt & Mary Welsh Parker Sanctuary and the native habitat garden through recurring opportunities in trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and garden cultivation.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$432K
Contributions & grants$221K51%
Program service revenue$9K2%
Investment income$152K35%
Other revenue$51K
expenses
Total expenses$273K
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$150K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.76M
Cash$112K
Investments$2.18M
Liabilities$4K
Net assets$3.75M
Liquid reserves100.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +78.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 8
- CEASAR BRYAN — TREASURER
- IAN MACLEAN — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN HANNAN — PRESIDENT
- LINDA BURKE — SECRETARY
- MELANIE BROCKLEHURST — VICE PRESIDENT
- PHIL SETTEMBRINO — BOARD MEMBER
- STEPHEN RICKER — BOARD MEMBER
- SUZANNE KLEIN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Beth Metzger Partner — Volunteer leader in Garden Volunteer Days
- Bylane Farm Partner — Hosts Bylane Book Club meetings at its historic farmhouse headquarters located at 35 Todd Road in Katonah.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project NestWatch Partner — Collaborates by referencing and promoting Project NestWatch’s guidelines for nest box selection, placement, and predator management.
- Holbrook Travel Partner — Collaborates with Holbrook Travel to offer curated international birding experiences.
- James Ramsay Hunt & Mary Welsh Parker Sanctuary Partner — Site where volunteerism is growing and programming is delivered
- Larchmont Library Partner — Hosted Bedford Audubon Society's members' photo exhibit.
- Missy Fabel Partner — Landscape designer and horticulturist leading Garden Volunteer Days
- New York New Jersey Trail Conference Partner — Collaborates on trail maintenance by offering a free Trail Maintenance 101 Workshop for volunteers.
- Parker Family Partner — Donated Bylane Farm to Bedford Audubon Society for use as its operational center.
- Patterson Library Partner — Hosted Bedford Audubon Society's members' photo exhibit.
- Plants for Habitat Gardening Partner — Collaborates on the development and dissemination of plant lists for native habitat gardening.
- Steve Ricker Partner — Board Member and Naturalist leading Habitat Renewal Volunteer Days workshops
strategies · 4
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.
- Community-Engaged Conservationmethodology: community-engaged_conservationBy involving community members in hands-on stewardship and education across sanctuaries and native habitats, Bedford Audubon empowers them to create bird-friendly and sustainable local environments, because direct engagement fosters personal investment and behavioral change.
- Experiential Environmental Educationmethodology: experiential_environmental_educationBy using immersive, interactive, and expert-led experiences—such as bird banding demonstrations, habitat gardening, and literature discussions—Bedford Audubon deepens public understanding of ecology, because direct, multisensory learning produces stronger connection and retention than passive instruction.
- Habitat-Based Biodiversity Strategymethodology: habitat-based_biodiversityBy promoting native plant cultivation, layered vegetation, ecological untidiness, and cavity-nesting conservation, Bedford Audubon enhances suburban biodiversity, because structurally complex and ecologically functional landscapes support robust food webs and native species survival.
- Youth Leadership in Conservationmethodology: youth-led_conservationBy supporting youth-led projects such as Eagle Scout and Gold Award initiatives with structured guidance and autonomy, Bedford Audubon cultivates the next generation of conservation leaders, because ownership and real-world impact deepen commitment and skill development.