San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is dedicated to promote sustainability in the Bay Area and beyond by engaging communities in avian science, habitat restoration, and education.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 4.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 57%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 125
- Highest pay
- $111,625, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 8 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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)
- $904,985 spent. Our science programs are the Snowy Plover and Least Tern Program, Waterbird Program, Landbird Program, Climate Change Program, Habitats Program. The Snowy Plover and Least Tern Recovery Program works toward the recovery of the federally threatened Western snowy plover and endangered California least tern. Biologists monitor breeding snowy plovers and least terns by surveying former salt ponds, stormwater retention ponds, and other suitable habitat of the San Francisco Bay where the birds breed. Program biologists work closely with local land managers and restoration projects to implement management practices to help recover the populations of these sensitive species in the Bay. The Waterbirds Program collects crucial data on the ecology and management ecosystems at a landscape-scale across California. Program biologists and over 100 volunteers collect and analyze large-scale data on waterbird abundance, distribution, foraging, breeding, and disease ecology from across the Bay Area. These data inform management of the largest tidal marsh restoration on the Pacific Coast of North America. In 2025 we continued new initiatives on Oakland Herons, phalarope foraging, and North Bay Colonial Waterbird monitoring. We also started several major new efforts: (1) drafting the first ever rangewide model of North American phalaropes with a novel two-species statistical model, (2) expanding our monitoring of gull and corvid abatement effectiveness to a new site in North Bay, (3) a new collaboration banding California Gulls with researchers from San Jose State University, and (4) co-authoring two region-wide analyses of waterbird health, the SF Bay State of the Birds and Our Estuary reports. The Landbird Program's bird banding has been ongoing for 44 years, involved hundreds of community volunteers who we train, and has been the basis of seven scientific papers in the last 5 years. Currently we involve 65 volunteers in bird banding, and collaborate with other researchers as well as local students embarking on research careers to understand avian responses to climate change and habitat restoration and improve research methods. We also host dozens of students every year ranging from middle school to college to learn about conservation ecology, in collaboration with the Education-Outreach Program and our Student Opportunities in Avian Research partners.
- $616,522 spent. The Habitats Program is a science-based restoration program focused on sustainable restoration of tidal marsh-upland transition zone habitats. In 2025, we added another 5 acres of restoration work at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, grew and planted over 40,000 native plants, and continued managing 27 acres of restored habitat around the Bay. We started work planting and managing 17 acres of newly constructed levee slopes in North San Jose, which will continue for the next 3 years. Restoring tidal marsh-upland transition zones provides critical high tide refugia for tidal marsh fauna, including the federally endangered Ridgway's rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. Healthy marsh vegetation also protects bayside communities from flooding by absorbing energy from incoming storm surges and accelerating sediment accumulation. Ecologists use applied research to find innovative methods for restoration, and work with land managers to integrate transition zone habitat into larger restoration projects. We expanded our successful partnership with Valley Water, Santa Clara County Parks, and educational nonprofit Marshmallow Minds to teach 6th - 8th graders from Title I schools about San Francisco Bay ecology and host them for restoration work and a short hike at Alviso Marina County Park.
- $38,293 spent. Our Education & Outreach Program connects people with our mission to promote sustainability in the Bay Area and beyond by engaging communities in avian science, habitat restoration, and education. We offer youth and adults activities virtually and in the field to teach them about birds, conservation, and science. We also participate in region-wide efforts to compile long term datasets to guide restoration and conservation planning efforts, and offer opportunities for the general public to be involved in scientific research by participating as volunteer community scientists in our scientific and habitat programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 December 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 1982.
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.