Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROTECT THE NATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS FOR PEOPLE AND FOR WILDLIFE THROUGH EDUCATION, LAND CONSERVATION, ADVOCACY, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND HABITAT STEWARDSHIP/RESTORATION.
- Income
- $56.2 million
- Spending
- $53.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 1,239
- Volunteers
- 5,550
- Highest pay
- $534,766, preident
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 of 26 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $36.5 million spent. MASS AUDUBON MAINTAINS 21 FIELD OFFICES AND STAFFED WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES (INCLUDING 18 SANCTUARIES WITH NATURE CENTERS, TWO OF WHICH ARE IN URBAN AREAS) AND AN ADDITIONAL 50 UNSTAFFED WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES WHICH ARE OPEN FOR PUBLIC VISITATION. MASS AUDUBON SANCTUARIES SERVE AS THE BASE FOR NATURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COURSES AND PROGRAMS, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER CONSERVATION-RELATED ACTIVITIES. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025, MASS AUDUBON PROTECTS 43,035 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IN MASSACHUSETTS, OWNING 34,130 AND PROTECTING THE REMAINING 8,905 WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THESE DIVERSE PROTECTED HABITATS RANGE FROM THE BERKSHIRES TO CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS AND HELP PRESERVE THE RICH BIODIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS. MASS AUDUBON ACTIVELY PURSUES BOTH DONATIONS AND PURCHASES OF ADDITIONAL CONSERVATION LAND AND IS THE LARGEST PRIVATE CONSERVATION LANDOWNER IN THE STATE. MASS AUDUBON ALSO ASSISTS OTHER LAND TRUSTS AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS IN ACQUIRING CONSERVATION LAND AND ESTIMATE THESE ASSISTS SINCE 2001 HAVE TOTALED MORE THAN 11,000 ACRES. AN ESTIMATED 601,000 VISITORS CAME TO ENJOY MASS AUDUBON PROPERTIES IN FY 2025.MASS AUDUBON IS ALSO THE LARGEST NON-GOVERNMENTAL PROVIDER OF NATURE EDUCATION IN THE STATE. MASS AUDUBON DEVELOPS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, LEGISLATORS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN FY 2025, MASS AUDUBON TAUGHT NATURE PROGRAMS TO MORE THAN 126,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS, ENROLLED MORE THAN 10,000 CHILDREN IN ITS SUMMER DAY AND RESIDENTIAL NATURE CAMPS, AND CONDUCTED SCIENCE/NATURE TRAINING FOR MORE THAN 2,300 TEACHERS. IN ADDITION, MASS AUDUBON WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE MORE THAN 5,550 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN 88,994 HOURS OF SERVICE ACROSS THE STATE IN FY 2025.
- $2.2 million spent. IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE NETWORK OF SANCTUARIES AND THE EDUCATION PROGRAMMING REFERRED TO ABOVE WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ALIKE, MASS AUDUBON MEMBERS ALSO ENJOY A PRINTED NEWSLETTER (EXPLORE) PRODUCED FOUR TIMES PER YEAR, A MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER (EXPLORATIONS), DISCOUNTS ON PROGRAMS AND AT GIFT SHOPS, AND PUBLICATIONS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WILDLIFE, NATURE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE MASS AUDUBON WEBSITE (WWW.MASSAUDUBON.ORG) OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF INFORMATION ON MASS AUDUBON'S SANCTUARIES, CONSERVATION EFFORTS, LAND PROTECTION PROJECTS, ADVOCACY ISSUES, CLIMATE CHANGE WORK, AND THE NATURAL WORLD. MASS AUDUBON ALSO OPERATES A GIFT SHOP IN LINCOLN WHICH SELLS MERCHANDISE RELATED TO NATURE, WILDLIFE OBSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO BOTH MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF SMALLER NATURE-THEMED GIFT SHOPS AT MANY OF THE SANCTUARIES.
- $4.6 million spent. MASS AUDUBON UTILIZES AND DEVELOPS SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT ITS LONGSTANDING TRADITION AS AN ORGANIZATION WHICH USES SCIENCE AS THE UNDERPINNING FOR ITS EDUCATION, LAND PROTECTION, ADVOCACY AND HABITAT STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES. CURRENT RESEARCH AND/OR ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT WORK FOCUSES ON THE PROTECTION, RESTORATION, AND STEWARDSHIP OF SELECTED MASSACHUSETTS HABITATS SUCH AS GRASSLANDS, COASTAL HEATHLANDS, RETIRED CRANBERRY BOGS, AND SALT MARSHES. IN ADDITION, MONITORING OF KEY GROUPS OF ORGANISMS SUCH AS BIRDS, AMPHIBIANS, INVERTEBRATES AND PLANTS CONTINUES ACROSS THE STATE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT BASELINE TO EVALUATE CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND LAND DEVELOPMENT. MASS AUDUBON HAS ALSO DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTS AN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF ITS LANDS AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR OTHER LANDOWNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.MASS AUDUBON LANDS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE DELIVERY OF ITS MISSION, AND ITS LAND PROTECTION EFFORTS FOCUS ON CONSERVING ECOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT TRACTS OF LAND ADJACENT TO EXISTING WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, THEREBY PROTECTING AND ENHANCING THEIR BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY AND VIABILITY AS PROGRAM SITES. MASS AUDUBON ALSO ADVANCES THE PROTECTION OF HIGH PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS BEYOND ITS EXISTING WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES AND LOCAL AND REGIONAL LAND TRUSTS. COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROTECTION PRIORITIES INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF MASSACHUSETTS HABITATS.
- $1.2 million spent. KEY MASS AUDUBON ADVOCACY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FY 2025 INCLUDE: 1. MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MAURA HEALEY SIGNED A SWEEPING CLIMATE AND ENERGY BILL INTO LAW FOR WHICH MASS AUDUBON HAD LOBBIED. THIS ACT PROMOTES A CLEAN ENERGY GRID, ADVANCES EQUITY, AND PROTECTS RATEPAYERS AND WILL PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED REFORM TO THE STATE'S APPROACH TO SITING AND PERMITTING CLEAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR CLEAN ENERGY IN MASSACHUSETTS.2. MASS AUDUBON LAUNCHED THE NATURE FOR MASSACHUSETTS COALITION, FIGHTING FOR AN INCREASE IN STATE INVESTMENTS FOR NATURE. THE CAMPAIGN KICKED OFF WITH A STATE HOUSE LAUNCH EVENT IN SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATION, AN ACT PROVIDING NATURE FOR ALL.3. MASS AUDUBON ALSO PARTICIPATED IN STATE ENERGY SITING REFORM PROCESSES, WITH THE GOAL OF SHIFTING INCENTIVES TO PUT MORE SOLAR PROJECTS ON BUILDINGS AND DEVELOPED AREAS, AND FEWER LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS IN FORESTS AND ON FARMS. THIS INCLUDED MASS AUDUBON'S APPOINTMENT TO THE STATE'S COMMISSION ON ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE SITING AND PERMITTING.4. MASS AUDUBON'S RESCUE RAPTORS CAMPAIGN TO CURB HARMFUL RODENT POISONS CONTINUES TO GROW, WITH OVER 90 COMMUNITIES NOW ORGANIZING AROUND THE ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE. 36 TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE REDUCED THE USE OF THESE POISONS (SGARS) ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTY, AND 18 HAVE FILED (OR WILL SOON FILE) HOME RULE PETITIONS TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO RESTRICT SGARS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. IN A VIRTUAL FORUM ATTENDED BY OVER 300 PEOPLE, MASS AUDUBON ALSO BROUGHT TOGETHER NEW ENGLAND'S LEADING POISON-FREE PEST CONTROL PROFESSIONALS TO DISCUSS HOW TO SAFELY MANAGE RODENT PROBLEMS.5. MASS AUDUBON HAS ALSO LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN WITH PARTNERS TO ACCELERATE RESTORATION OF WETLANDS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS. MASSACHUSETTS SALT MARSHES, FRESHWATER WETLANDS, AND RIVERS NEED HELP TO REVERSE DAMAGE FROM PAST LAND USES AND PROVIDE RESILIENCE TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON ADVOCATING FOR BOTH LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TACTICS TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1951.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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