New York City Bird Alliance Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% 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 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 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)
- $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.
- $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.
- $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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.