Pelican Island Audubon Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE ANIMALS, PLANTS, AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE LAND AND WATER ON WHICH THEY DEPEND IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS.
- Income
- $413,484
- Spending
- $294,297
- Spent on programs
- 54%
- Reserves
- 49.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $64,575, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 49.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1554% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $73,756 spent. AUDUBON ADVOCATES, OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT AUDUBON HOUSE: ON A LIMITED BUDGET, WE PROVIDED AN EXCEPTIONAL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 104 5TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM FOUR UNDERSERVED SOUTH COUNTY SCHOOLS. EACH STUDENT LEARNED, IN 13 TWO-AND-A-HALF HOUR CLASSES ABOUT STORM AND WASTEWATER POLLUTION, BIRDS, AND OTHER ECOLOGICAL TOPICS BY KAYAKING IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, VISITING SEBASTIAN INLET STATE PARK, EGRET MARSH, AND THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY WEST WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, AND BY WALKING THE COUNTY'S VARIOUS SCRUB, HAMMOCK, AND WETLANDS HABITATS. WE RECEIVED GRANTS FROM THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY CHILDRENS SERVICE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO OPERATE THE PROGRAM, AND WE RAISED DONATIONS FROM COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS.
- $9,155 spent. PLANTING 100,000 TREES FOR LIFE: WE HAVE INSTALLED A GREENHOUSE, COLLECTED THOUSANDS OF ACORNS AND HAVE OVER 4,100 ACORNS THAT HAVE STARTED TO GERMINATE AND BEING PUT INTO ONE GALLON POTS. MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND IRC SCHOOLS HAVE SIGNED ON AS PARTNERS: UF/IFAS IRC EXTENSION OFFICE, OCEAN RESEARCH CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION, IRC SCHOOL DISTRICT, INDIAN RIVER LAND TRUST (IRLT), PETERSON'S FARMS, SEBASTIAN RIVER FARMS, CHERRY LAKE FARM, ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION, DIGG GARDENS, ESTUARINE, COASTAL & OCEAN SCIENCE, INC., FLORIDA RESEARCH CENTER, IRC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CITY OF VERO BEACH GIS DIVISION (EACH TREE PLANTED WILL BE PLACED ON A GPS MAP.), CULTURAL COUNCIL OF IRC, INDIAN RIVER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, VERO BEACH ELEMENTARY, INDIAN RIVER ACADEMY, CITRUS ELEMENTARY AND GLENDALE ELEMENTARY.
- $6,895 spent. PELICAN ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY PRESENTED OUR TRANSFORMING LANDSCAPES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WITH INFORMATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS AND REDUCING FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDE USE FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
- $68,982 spent. PELIGRAM, OUR MONTHLY PIAS NEWSLETTER (BOTH PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC), FEATURES MONTHLY ARTICLES ON NATIVE PLANTS, EXPERIENCES IN NATURE, ADVOCACY AND ARTICLES ON PUBLIC POLICY, LOCAL INTEREST, AND THE FLORIDA BIRD PHOTO OF THE MONTH WITH AN OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPH SUBMITTED BY A MEMBER OR STAFF. ALL ARTICLES HAVE SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL MESSAGES ABOUT BIRDS, NATURE AND CONSERVATION, AND THEY ADVERTISE OUR CHAPTER TO THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY TO PHOTOGRAPHERS AND LOCAL NATURALISTS.PIAS WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.PELICANISLANDAUDUBON.ORG PROVIDES EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION INFORMATION VIA VIDEOS TO OUR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY ON BASIC BIRDING, EBIRD, AND THE PELICAN ISLAND NWR, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED. PELICAN ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY INC HAS HELD A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON MARTHA WININGER PARK AND ADJACENT PROPERTIES WHICH WERE PURCHASED THROUGH FUNDRAISING AND ADVOCACY BY STUDENTS OF PELICAN ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO PROTECT RESIDENT FLORIDA SCRUB JAYS. IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, PELICAN ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY REQUESTED AND RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC TO REPAIR AND REPLACE FENCING AND INFORMATIONAL KIOSKS AND TO RESTORE AND IMPROVE TRAILS WHICH WERE CREATED FOR THE USE OF PELICAN ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, PELICAN ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY HAS DONE OUTSTANDING WORK KEEPING THE TRAILS CLEAR AND THE WORK WILL CONTINUE.FIELD TRIPS AND MONTHLY MEETINGS. PIAS SPONSORED BIRDING FIELD TRIPS AND MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT SPEAKERS IN TWO CITIES - SEBASTIAN AND VERO BEACH - TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS TO THE WHOLE COUNTY. ATTENDANCE VARIED FROM 40-110 FOR EACH MONTHLY MEETING, AND 15-40 PEOPLE JOINED EACH OF THE FIELD TRIPS. WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN OUR LOCAL CHRISTMAS BIRD AND GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNTS. EAGLE WATCH. PIAS MEMBER LEADS THE PROGRAM TO MONITOR NESTING BALD EAGLES IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY WITH ADDITIONAL PIAS MEMBERS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EFFORT. ANNUAL AWARDS. TO ENCOURAGE EXCELLENCE, PIAS GAVE DIFFERENT AWARDS TO FIFTEEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CHAPTER, IN THE AREAS OF OUTSTANDING CONSERVATIONIST, EDUCATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZEN, JOURNALIST, LANDSCAPER, AND GENEROSITY OF TIME & MONEY.PIAS NATURE LIBRARY. TWO PIAS BOARD MEMBERS WITH MEMBER SUPPORT HAVE TRANSFERED OUR 3,500-VOLUME LIBRARY TO THE AUDUBON HOUSE AND ARE CONTINUING TO COMPUTERIZE THE CATALOG COLLECTION SO THE PUBLIC MAY ACCESS IT MORE EASILY ON A COMPUTER IN OUR AUDUBON HOUSE BUILDING.SPOONBILL WATCH: TWO ROOKERY ISLANDS AT THE STICK MARSH RESERVOIR WERE DECLARED A CRITICAL WILDLIFE AREA BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION. THE DESIGNATION HAS HELPED TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR SPOONBILLS AND MANY OTHER NESTING BIRD SPECIES WITHOUT DISTURBANCE. CITIZEN SCIENCE VOLUNTEERS TRACKED ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, LED BY DR. DAVID COX AND DR. BILL LOFTUS.OSPREY WATCH: BLUE CYPRESS LAKE IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY FORMS THE HEADWATERS OF THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER AND HAS THE HIGHEST NESTING DENSITY OF OSPREY IN THE WORLD. SUCCESSFUL SURVEYS OF OSPREYS AND OTHER BIRD NESTS WERE CONDUCTED ON BLUE CYPRESS LAKE AS PART OF THIS CITIZEN-SCIENCE PROJECT THAT WE CONDUCT EACH YEAR. WE ALSO PERFORMED GEO-MAPPING OF THE GPS DATA TO VISUALLY DISPLAY THE NESTS ON AN AERIAL PHOTO OF THE LAKE. THIS DATA WILL BE INVALUABLE AS WE CONTINUE ON-GOING YEARLY SURVEYS WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING. LOCAL NEWSPAPER COVERAGE INFORMED THE PUBLIC OF THIS AMAZING LOCAL RESOURCE.
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 November 1967.
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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