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Genesee Valley Audubon Society

Rochester, NY · EIN 222506057 · Form 990EZ · FY2022 · Micro (<$100K) · gvaudubon.org
revenue
$16K
expenses
$12K
net assets
$96K
employees
mission · from form 990

To promote the conservation of the environment through education and to advocate its protection, focusing on birds and other wildlife in Western NY.

profile · synthesized from sources

Genesee Valley Audubon Society promotes environmental conservation through education and advocacy, focusing on birds, wildlife, and habitat in Western New York. The organization engages the public through birding events, conservation volunteering, and educational outreach. It has been active since 1975, advocating for species protection, habitat preservation, and bird-safe policies in Monroe County and surrounding areas.

named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual International Coastal Cleanup
Hosts a beach cleanup at Westpoint Marina in Greece, NY, to remove trash from Braddock Bay and prevent microplastics from entering the food chain.
Bird Window Collision Surveys Downtown
Partners with Smash the Crash and Rochester Birding Association to document bird-window collisions in downtown Rochester using field surveys and the Survey 123 app to advocate for bird-safe building designs.
Falcon Watch
Monitors Peregrine Falcon eyases on the Time Square Building in Rochester, rescuing grounded young falcons and operating RFalconCam.com for public viewing and education.
Great Backyard Bird Count
Participates in the annual February bird count event, contributing citizen science data through birdcount.org.
High Falls State Park Spring Bird Surveys
Conducts spring bird surveys in High Falls to establish baseline breeding and migratory bird data prior to state park construction, with plans to monitor habitat changes over 3–4 years.
Nature Walks and Birding Field Trips
Offers guided bird walks and accessible nature outings at local sites including Thomas Creek Wetland, Hidden Sidewalk in Charlotte, and other regional trails.
Water Chestnut Pulls
Organizes community hand-pull events to manage invasive European water chestnut in Braddock Bay in partnership with the DEC and Town of Greece.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 1 activity
    • Conduct bird and biodiversity research surveys
      Carries out scientific monitoring including spring bird surveys in High Falls to assess habitat impacts from development, bird-window collision surveys in downtown Rochester using trained volunteers and the Survey 123 app, and completed a biodiversity survey of Black Creek Park with findings shared with Monroe County Parks.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Conduct environmental education and conservation programs
      Delivers educational programming on birds and wildlife in Western New York, including public bird walks, field trips, and distribution of a seasonal newsletter, Meadowlark, which includes information on events and conservation topics.
  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
    • Lead invasive species management and habitat restoration efforts
      Organizes community-based invasive species removal efforts, including annual hand-pull events for European water chestnut in Braddock Bay in partnership with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of Greece, contributing to a significant reduction in infestation levels by 2017.
  • Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release 1 activity
    • Organize wildlife monitoring and rescue programs
      Runs the annual Falcon Watch volunteer program to monitor and rescue young Peregrine Falcons on State Street, a program active since 1998.
  • Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
    • Participate in coastal and environmental cleanups
      Engages in annual International Coastal Cleanup at Braddock Bay, removing over one ton of trash in prior years, and uses these events to raise awareness about plastic pollution and microplastics in the food chain.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Advocate for bird and environmental protection policies
      Advocates for birds and the environment through legislative monitoring on Great Lakes issues with Audubon New York and Healing Our Waters Coalition, holds a seat on the Remedial Action Committee for the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern, and has supported river otter restoration efforts through the New York River Otter Project.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$16K
Contributions & grants$14K89%
Program service revenue$2K11%
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$12K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$96K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$96K
2 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue -55.3%
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • Audubon New York Partner — Collaborates on monitoring legislation affecting the Great Lakes
  • Birdability Partner — References trail accessibility assessments from Birdability.org for outing planning.
  • Birdabilty Partner — Partner in assessing and sharing accessibility information for local birding trails.
  • Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Collaborates with GVAS on invasive species management, including water chestnut removal in Braddock Bay.
  • Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook to share updates on GVAS activities and programs.
  • Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management Partner — Partnered to control invasive water chestnut in Braddock Bay
  • Healing Our Waters Coalition Partner — Collaborates on monitoring legislation affecting the Great Lakes
  • Helen and Ritter Shumway Foundation Funder — Sponsors the annual International Coastal Cleanup event hosted by GVAS at Braddock Bay.
  • National Audubon Society Network — Original parent organization as the local chapter
  • National Audubon Society Network — Parent organization with which Genesee Valley Audubon Society is affiliated.
  • National Audubon Society Network — Participates in a national network by sharing member insights through a joint survey initiative.
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Collaborated to relocate falcon nest box and install cameras
  • Rochester Accessible Adventures Partner — Partner organization collaborating on inclusive community events and accessibility training.
  • Rochester Birding Association Partner — Partners with GVAS on bird-window collision surveys and other birding-related initiatives.
  • Smash the Crash Partner — Collaborates on bird-window collision research and prevention initiatives in the Rochester area.
  • Town of Greece Partner — Co-organizes community water chestnut removal events with GVAS and the Department of Environmental Conservation.
  • Twitter Partner — Uses Twitter to share updates on GVAS activities and programs.
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.

  • Accessibility Through Partnerships and Training
    methodology: accessibility_training_and_partnerships
    By partnering with disability-inclusion organizations and providing staff training, we increase equitable access to birding and nature experiences, because inclusive design and capacity-building ensure conservation engagement is available to diverse communities.
  • Community-Engaged Nature Experiences
    methodology: community-engaged-nature-experiences
    By organizing guided bird walks and similar activities, we cultivate public appreciation for nature and stewardship behaviors, because direct, shared experiences with wildlife build emotional connection and motivate conservation action.
  • Education and Advocacy for Conservation
    methodology: education-and-advocacy
    By delivering environmental education and advocacy programs, we foster public understanding and support for bird and wildlife conservation, because informed communities are more likely to engage in protective behaviors and policy change.
  • Evidence-Based Advocacy
    methodology: evidence-based advocacy
    By collecting and presenting empirical data such as bird-window collision statistics, we influence decision-makers to adopt bird-safe policies, because concrete local evidence increases the credibility and persuasive impact of advocacy efforts.
  • Long-Term Ecological Monitoring
    methodology: long-term ecological monitoring
    By conducting sustained observation of bird populations over time, we detect ecological impacts from habitat change due to development, because longitudinal data reveals trends and causal relationships that inform conservation priorities and interventions.