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Passes our checks

New York City Bird Alliance Inc

EIN 13-3057954 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

NYC BIRD ALLIANCE IS A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY THAT PROTECTS WILD BIRDS AND HABITAT IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL NEW YORKERS.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
5.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 77%
Employees
26
Volunteers
1,037
Highest pay
$228,464, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 (3)
  1. $848,566 spent. ADVOCACY AND ENGAGEMENT - NYC BIRD ALLIANCE'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS ENGAGE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS ANNUALLY IN LEARNING ABOUT AND APPRECIATING URBAN WILDLIFE THROUGH GUIDED BIRD OUTINGS, CLASSES, FESTIVALS, AND AN ONLINE LECTURE SERIES. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED (1) HOSTING NEARLY 400 GUIDED BIRD OUTINGS MOST OF THEM FREE AND SEVERAL IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES INCLUDING SPANISH AND MANDARIN (2) EXPANDED OUR "NYCHA IN NATURE" PROGRAM THAT ENGAGES LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC HOUSING WITH BIRDS AND NATURE, AND (3) ORGANIZED A RECORD-BREAKING CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT, ENGAGING MORE THAN 400 COMMUNITY SCIENCE VOLUNTEERS AND CONDUCTING THE CITY'S FIRST SPANISH LANGUAGE COUNT. (CONT'D ON SCH O)OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS WORK TO MOBILIZE NEW YORKERS TO MAKE THE CITY MORE SUSTAINABLE AND HEALTHIER FOR WILDLIFE AND FOR PEOPLE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE HELPED SECURE THE RENEWAL OF THE STATE'S GREEN ROOF TAX ABATEMENT, CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE BIRD COLLISIONS BY CHAMPIONING LAWS AND POLICIES THAT MAKE BUILDINGS SAFER FOR BIRDS, AND WORKED TO ENFORCE PROTECTIONS FOR THE WATERBIRDS OF NEW YORK HARBOR.
  2. $847,957 spent. SCIENCE 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.
  3. $59,080 spent. MEMBERSHIP 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.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 November 6, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1981.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.