irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $848KSCIENCE AND CONSERVATION - NYC BIRD ALLIANCE'S SCIENTISTS FOCUS THEIR RESEARCH AND PARTNERSHIPS ON THREE PROGRAMMATIC AREAS: (1) IDENTIFYING CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS FOR BIRD COLLISIONS WITH BUILDINGS, (2) MONITORING AND ENHANCING THE URBAN GREEN SPACES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE UPON WHICH BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY DEPEND AND (3) STUDYING AND SAFEGUARDING THE WATERBIRDS OF NEW YORK HARBOR. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, ALL THREE OF OUR SCIENCE PROGRAMS GREW. WE EXPANDED COMMUNITY SCIENCE COLLISION MONITORING TO NEW ROUTES ACROSS THE CITY, LAUNCHED A NEW PARTNERSHIP TO STUDY THE GREEN SPACES IN BROADWAY MALLS, AND ANALYZED THE LONG-TERM "HARBOR HERONS" DATASET TO IDENTIFY DECLINES IN WATERBIRD POPULATIONS.
- #2 $59KMEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH - WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST LOCAL, INDEPENDENT CHAPTERS OF NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY WITH 10,000 MEMBERS WHO CARE ABOUT AND SUPPORT BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVES IN NEW YORK CITY. WE ENGAGE MEMBERS THROUGH EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDING GUIDED BIRD OUTINGS, SPECIAL CONSERVATION EXPERIENCES AND A THRICE-YEARLY PRINT NEWSLETTER. WE ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCES ON BIRDS AND URBAN CONSERVATION TO NEARLY 25,000 NEW YORKERS WITH A MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER AND OUR WEBSITE.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Green Space as Habitat
Enhances bird habitat in urban green spaces such as parks, gardens, and green roofs, including research on Broadway Malls and the Javits Center green roof.
Let’s Go Birding Together (LGBT)
Inclusive birding outings that create safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ communities to engage with nature.
NYCHA in Nature
Engages low-income residents of New York City public housing in birding and nature experiences to promote equitable access to urban nature.
Project Safe Flight
Reduces bird collisions with buildings through monitoring, advocacy, and retrofitting recommendations; includes collision monitoring at Tribute in Light and the development of the dBird reporting platform.
Waterbirds Program
Monitors and safeguards waterbirds in New York Harbor as bioindicators of ecosystem health, including long-term Harbor Herons surveys and shorebird migration tracking.
dBird
National community science platform that crowdsources data on bird collisions to inform bird-safe building practices and policies.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 2 activities
- Project Safe Flight and bird collision mitigationOperates Project Safe Flight to reduce bird collisions with buildings and hazards from artificial light at night, including seasonal monitoring of collisions across all five boroughs, handling injured migratory birds, and advocating for bird-friendly building design. Monitors bird impacts at high-profile sites such as the 9/11 Tribute in Light.
- Scientific research on urban bird populations and threatsConducts long-term field and community science research on urban bird populations, including population monitoring, banding of species such as American Oystercatchers and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and analysis of threats like habitat loss, climate change, and collisions with buildings. Publishes peer-reviewed findings and uses data to inform conservation strategies.
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Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Advocacy for bird-friendly policies and legislationLeads advocacy campaigns to advance bird-friendly policies, including the successful passage of Local Law 15 (Int. 1482) mandating bird-safe building materials and "Lights Out" initiatives to reduce artificial light during migration. Mobilizes grassroots supporters to contact officials and testify in support of conservation legislation.
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Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
- Community science and volunteer engagementEngages thousands of volunteers across all five boroughs in conservation activities such as bird monitoring, collision surveys, public outreach, and habitat stewardship. Coordinates the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and supports the D-Bird crowdsourcing platform for reporting bird mortality.
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LGBTQ+ Community Events and Celebrations 1 activity
- Equity and inclusion initiatives in birding and conservationLaunches and supports programs to broaden participation in birding and conservation, including NYCHA in Nature for public housing residents, the Young Conservationist Group for ages 18–35, and events celebrating LGBTQ+ and Black communities in nature.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Production and distribution of conservation publicationsProduces and distributes The Urban Bird Call, a print and digital newsletter published three times per year, and The eGret, a monthly eNewsletter, to members and subscribers. Also publishes educational materials such as the Birding By Subway brochure and the bilingual field guide Las Aves de la Ciudad de Nueva York/The Birds of New York City.
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
- Public education and community engagement programsDelivers over 300 annual educational programs, including bird-watching outings, lectures, skill-building workshops, and virtual events. Offers bilingual and accessible programming in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, and hosts inclusive events such as “Let’s Go Birding Together” during Pride Month and #BlackBirdersWeek.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Urban bird conservation and habitat protectionProtects over 300 bird species across 30,000 acres of urban habitats in New York City through on-the-ground conservation work, including safeguarding waterbirds, enhancing biodiversity, and restoring critical habitats in wetlands, coastal areas, and green spaces. Monitors and reports on long-term population trends for species such as herons, egrets, and migratory birds.
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Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 1 activity
- Urban green space development and partnershipPartners with organizations to develop and enhance urban green spaces for birds and wildlife, including the creation of green roofs at Kingsland Wildflowers in Brooklyn, which improve environmental conditions and provide habitat in industrial areas.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.02M
Contributions & grants$1.56M77%
Program service revenue$751K37%
Investment income$-239K-12%
Other revenue$-57K
expenses
Total expenses$2.22M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$1.77M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.55M
Cash$267K
Investments$1.07M
Liabilities$131K
Net assets$1.42M
Liquid reserves7.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -11.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSICA G WILSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 38 | $228K |
| DUSTIN PARTRIDGE | DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE | 38 | $151K |
| MATTHEW COODY | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 38 | $127K |
| MONIKA DORSEY | CONTROLLER | 38 | $122K |
board members · 21
- ALEXANDER EWING — DIRECTOR (THRU JUNE)
- ANDRE MEADE — DIRECTOR
- ANGELA CO — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTIAN COOPER — VICE PRESIDENT
- DEBORAH LAUREL — DIRECTOR
- DRIANNE BENNER — TREASURER
- ELIZABETH NORMAN — DIRECTOR
- GEORGIA SILVERA SEAMANS — DIRECTOR
- GINA ARGENTO — DIRECTOR
- JEFFREY KIMBALL — DIRECTOR
- JUDY LIPTON — DIRECTOR
- KAREN BENFIELD — IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
- KYU LEE — DIRECTOR
- LILI TAYLOR — DIRECTOR
- LINDA FREEMAN — EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
- MARSILIA BOYLE — DIRECTOR
- MARYJANE BOLAND — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL TANNEN — VICE PRESIDENT
- MICHAEL YUAN — PRESIDENT
- PATRICK MARKEE — DIRECTOR
- PEPPER EVANS — DIRECTOR
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- Alive Structures Partner — Collaborates on the design and implementation of green roofs at Kingsland Wildflowers.
- Audubon Network — Participates in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count as part of a national community-science initiative.
- BlackAFInSTEM Collective Network — Participates in and hosts events as part of the #BlackBirdersWeek initiative organized by the BlackAFInSTEM Collective.
- Broadway Mall Association Partner — Collaborates on the Great Green Way Project to assess bird activity in urban green spaces.
- Broadway Mall Association Partner — Partners to monitor bird populations and enhance public programming in urban habitats.
- Broadway Stages Partner — Partners to develop green roofs at Kingsland Wildflowers in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
- Bronx River Alliance Partner — Partners to monitor bird use and expand public engagement in urban green spaces along the Bronx River.
- Donors Partner — Sustaining donors who support the organization's conservation programs
- Feminist Bird Club Partner — Partnered with Feminist Bird Club on a "Let's Go Birding Together" outing in Central Park during Pride Month.
- Flyway of Life Partner — Featured in the documentary film Flyway of Life, which showcases bird migrations along the Atlantic Flyway.
- Jefferson Market Garden Partner — Sponsored a lecture on urban green spaces and bird migration with NYC Bird Alliance.
- Jefferson Market Garden Partner — Works with to support bird use and public engagement in small urban green spaces.
- Madison Square Park Conservancy Partner — Collaborates on monitoring bird activity and expanding public programs in urban green spaces.
- Members Partner — Members who support and participate in the organization's mission
- NYC Audubon Network — Shares leadership pages and organizational resources with NYC Audubon, indicating a close operational or network affiliation.
- National Audubon Partner — Collaborates on the Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Central Park.
- National Audubon Society Network — Independent nonprofit that affiliates with the National Audubon Society as an urban chapter.
- National Audubon Society Network — NYC Bird Alliance is an urban chapter of the National Audubon Society and partners frequently with it and its state office, Audubon New York/Connecticut.
- National Audubon Society Network — One of the largest local, independent chapters of the National Audubon Society
- National Audubon Society Network — Remains a chapter of National Audubon and part of a national network of 400 local, independent chapters affiliated with the National Audubon Society.
- Natural Areas Conservancy Partner — Co-hosts World Migratory Bird Day events at Inwood Hill Park.
- New York City Housing Authority Partner — Collaborates on the NYCHA in Nature program to provide birding and nature engagement opportunities for public housing residents.
- Newtown Creek Alliance Partner — Collaborates on the creation and maintenance of green roofs at Kingsland Wildflowers in Brooklyn.
- Project Safe Flight Partner — Collaborates on monitoring and rescuing migratory birds injured during collisions with buildings.
- Public Housing Community Fund Partner — Co-launched the NYCHA in Nature program to connect public housing residents with urban nature and birding opportunities.
- The Ferriday Fund Charitable Trust Funder — Provides grant support for NYC Bird Alliance’s public programs, including bird outings.
- Volunteers Partner — Volunteers who contribute to the organization's conservation efforts
- board Partner — Collaborated with the board to shape strategic goals for science, advocacy, and engagement
- staff Partner — Engaged staff in feedback process to shape strategic goals
- supporters Partner — Involved supporters in feedback process to inform strategic planning
+ 1 more
strategies · 3
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 Science for Data-Driven Urban Conservationmethodology: community_scienceBy engaging volunteers in scientific monitoring of bird populations and building collisions, we produce scalable ecological data that informs targeted conservation strategies and policy advocacy, because community-participatory research increases data volume, public ownership, and real-world impact.
- Equity-Centered Engagement and Accessibility in Programmingmethodology: equity-centered_engagementBy designing inclusive, multilingual, and physically accessible birding programs led by diverse guides, we produce broader community participation and empowerment in conservation, because removing cultural, linguistic, and physical barriers enables historically excluded New Yorkers to engage meaningfully with nature and advocacy.
- Integrated Urban Habitat and Hazard Mitigationmethodology: integrated_urban-conservationBy combining habitat enhancement with structural and policy interventions to reduce window collisions and light pollution, we produce safer urban environments for migratory birds, because addressing both ecological support and anthropogenic threats simultaneously maximizes survival and biodiversity resilience in dense cities.