New Jersey Audubon Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY IS A PRIVATELY SUPPORTED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, STATEWIDE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DETAILS).
- Income
- $8.5 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -16.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 57%
- Employees
- 104
- Volunteers
- 1,300
- Highest pay
- $179,198, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 2516 of 16 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 August 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)
- $3.0 million spent. EDUCATION AND SANCTUARIES - PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH SUMMER CAMPS, FIELD TRIPS, LECTURES AND WEEKEND EVENTS AND TO MAINTAIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, EDUCATIONAL CENTERS AND OTHER PROPERTIES. NEW JERSEY AUDUBON ENVISIONS A FUTURE WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE TOGETHER AND SEEKS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CARE FOR NATURE THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND. TO REACH THIS VISION, THE ORGANIZATION ARTICULATED A SET OF GOALS FOCUSED ON AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGING PEOPLE; CONSERVING AND RESTORING HABITAT; AND SAVING SPECIES OF CONCERN. IN RECENT FISCAL YEARS, NEW JERSEY AUDUBON HAS GROUPED AND DESCRIBED PROGRAMMATIC DELIVERY BY LANDSCAPE TYPE: FORESTS, FARMS AND WATERSHEDS: COASTS AND TIDAL WETLANDS; AND CITIES AND TOWNS.
- $1.6 million spent. LAND STEWARDSHIP - ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT SOUND CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND LAWS. FORESTS, FARMS, AND WATERSHEDS NEW JERSEY AUDUBON PARTNERS WITH PEOPLE WHO WORK THE LAND IN SUSTAINABLE WAYS. THIS WORK SPANS MANY HABITATS INCLUDING ROW CROPS, NATIVE GRASSLANDS, UPLAND FORESTS, RIGHTS-OF-WAY, AND WETLANDS. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS EDUCATE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND CONNECT THEM WITH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE FARM-LEVEL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. THIS WORK WITH FARMERS DIRECTLY PROTECTS STATE-ENDANGERED BOG TURTLES. STAFF DEVELOP ECOLOGICALLY BASED FOREST STEWARDSHIP PLANS FOR PUBLIC LANDOWNERS, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, AND THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON PROPERTY PORTFOLIO. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CONDUCT CLEAN-UPS, INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL EVENTS, AND ACTIVELY RESTORE HABITAT FOR CRITICAL SPECIES, LIKE SWAMP PINK. STAFF MONITOR NESTING SUCCESS OF GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS, PRAIRIE WARBLERS, AND BLUE-WINGED WARBLER ALONG AND ADJACENT TO UTILITY RIGHTS-OF-WAY. WITHIN THESE AREAS, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CONDUCT OUTREACH, EDUCATION, NATUREWALKS, AND PROGRAMS TO TEACH ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF ECOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO INCREASE THE AREA HIGH-FUNCTIONING MODEL HABITATS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
- $991,503 spent. RESEARCH AND MONITORING - DISSEMINATE AND ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS. COASTS AND TIDAL WETLANDS NEW JERSEY AUDUBON HAS SPECIALIZED RESEARCH STAFF WITH DEEP EXPERTISE IN THE ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF SHOREBIRDS AND THE ECOSYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT THEM. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM SPANS NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE BUILT A COALITION TO PROTECT HORSESHOE CRABS THAT DEPOSIT PROTEIN-RICH EGGS IN THE SANDS OF DELAWARE BAY, SUPPORTING MIGRATION. THESE EFFORTS HAVE LIMITED HORSESHOE CRAB HARVEST IN SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS. STAFF HAVE WORKED WITH SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS TO DEVELOP HUNTER TRAINING PROGRAMS TO PROTECT MIGRATORY BIRDS. APPLIED RESTORATION ACTIVITIES HAVE FOCUSED ON INCREASING MARSH HABITAT FOR EASTERN BLACK RAIL AND SALTMARSH SPARROW. FINALLY, THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON CAPE MAY BIRD OBSERVATORY ENGAGES THOUSANDS OF VISITORS AT MIGRATION WATCHES AND BIRDING EVENTS THAT INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CARE FOR NATURE THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR BIRDS AND MIGRATION, THEREBY EXPANDING SOCIETY-LEVEL CONSERVATION ETHIC. CITIES AND TOWNS TO TRULY BENEFIT HABITAT AND SPECIES THROUGH TIME AND AT SCALE, NEW JERSEY AUDUBON ENGAGES PEOPLE, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND INSPIRING THEM TO CARE FOR NATURE. STAFF WORK WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE NATURE-BASED EDUCATION. STAFF DELIVER A SET OF SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS THAT TEACH CHILDREN THE JOY OF THE OUTDOORS AND PREPARES THEM TO BE STEWARDS OF NATURE. THE ORGANIZATION IN ENGAGES IN WIDE-RANGING EFFORTS THAT PROMOTE THE USE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND GARDENING TO BENEFIT WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY BIRDS AND NATIVE POLLINATORS. THIS WORK OCCURS IN AND AROUND THE NETWORK OF NEW JERSEY AUDUBON NATURE CENTERS, RANGING FROM FRANKLIN LAKES IN THE NORTH TO CAPE MAY IN THE SOUTH, AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE, INCLUDING URBAN CENTERS OF EAST NEWARK, LINDEN, AND WILDWOOD. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO BUILD ENGAGED AND COMMITTED COMMUNITIES OF NATURE SUPPORTERS WHO CAN HELP THE ORGANIZATION CREATE A FUTURE WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE TOGETHER.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 August 2025.
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 1937.
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.
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