Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY BIRD ALLIANCE PROMOTES THE ENJOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING, AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE BY ENGAGING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES IN BIRDING, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION.
- Income
- $908,729
- Spending
- $539,522
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 59.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $107,909, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 59.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 12 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
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 May 31, 2026, 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)
- $237,165 spent. Environmental Advocacy SCVBA is one of the most active and successful environmental advocacy organizations in the South Bay area. Our staff Environmental Advocates and volunteer members of the Environmental Action Committee (EAC) engage in a large spectrum of activities with focus on the protection of birds and wildlife habitat as development in our region intensifies. This includes advocacy for the protection of open space, riparian corridors, wetlands and the Bay as well as advocacy for ecological urban design that focuses on increasing canopy and green infrastructure, planting California native vegetation, and implementing dark skies and bird safe design policies. We also advocate for local species such as the Burrowing Owl, Black Skimmers, Egrets and more. Audiences of our advocacy efforts include decision makers, advisory boards and staff in many of our local cities, agencies and jurisdictions. Advocacy work includes: engaging as stakeholders in Conservation planning efforts, Master Planning and Strategic Planning processes; writing comment letters on CEQA documents for Master Plans and development projects; writing advocacy letters to and/or meeting with community members, local agencies' staff, commissioners and elected officials; Preparing educational materials, including webinars and short videos, for a wide audience; and informing our members to issues of interest where their engagement is encouraged. We also partner with other conservation and natural history organizations and/or work with local neighborhoods, encouraging community members to plant trees and native landscaping to support biodiversity and to advance conservation of birds and wildlife habitats. conservation and natural history organizations in the south bay. Conservation Burrowing Owls: SCVBA continues to manage habitat for Burrowing Owls on a 200-acre site in San Jose. This work includes population surveys for Burrowing Owls and predator species, vegetation management, and reporting to the City of San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency, Our biologists continue to create strategies to improve the habitat and increase breeding success. Cavity nesters: Since 1997, SCVBA has led the Cavity Nesters Recovery Program, which trains volunteers to establish and monitor nest box trails for cavity-nesting birds across Santa Clara County. In addition, our program provides nest boxes for volunteers who collaborate with other local organizations and authorities to install nest boxes at parks, open spaces, schools, businesses, etc. Nest boxes provide crucial habitat for 24 species of cavity-nesting birds in the county, species that continue to suffer from increased habitat loss from urban development. In addition to serving as crucial habitat mitigation, nest boxes also give volunteers a way to monitor bird populations through weekly checks, where data on fledging and predation can be recorded. This data is submitted to the California Bluebird Recovery Program at the end of each nesting season, and then statewide data is available to scientists nationwide. Bio Blitzes: We lead and/or collaborate with other organizations to offer bioblitz events in parks and open space. The data is recorded with iNaturalist, a community-science platform available to all.
- $130,329 spent. Education and Outreach The Wetlands Discovery Program has been inspiring young minds to become more involved in conservation since 1988. We aim to show students, grades 3-5, the value of wetlands and how they support the birds and other wildlife that inhabit them. By giving students practical hands-on experience with these concepts, we hope to encourage them to consider the impact they are having on the earth, and to determine ways that they can make a difference. Key conservation concepts are first covered through materials that are provided to schoolteachers by SCVBA. SCVBA docents then visit the schools to reinforce these concepts by helping students work through activity stations that cover environmental topics ranging from bird adaptations and migration, to human impact and ecosystem interactions. Students are also trained to use binoculars in preparation for the field trip. On the day of the trip, docents lead students on a nature walk around local baylands and challenge them to apply their newfound knowledge. This experience allows students to see and understand how the concepts they have learned play out in the real world. We have also found through student evaluations that most have never been bird watching or visited a wetland prior to our program. After the program's completion, an overwhelming majority of students show an interest in bird watching at the wetlands again. Though we continue to receive positive feedback on this program, we regularly use student and teacher feedback to evaluate our curriculum and make changes to increase its effectiveness. Beyond the Wetlands Discovery Program, we offer several other education programs that are targeted towards both adults and families. These include beginning bird identification by sight and sound, nest box building workshops to create bird habitat, owl pellet dissections, community science activities, and customized programs on local birds and bird adaptations. We are proud to offer a variety of education programs to promote the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of birds and other wildlife, to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Currently we are initiating a new set of school programs with walkable field trips, allowing us to take classes on trips to wildlife habitat while circumnavigating the issue of bus funding. PUBLIC FIELD TRIPS: SCVBA considers the field trips we offer to be an equally important part of our education program. Open to members and to the public, our carefully selected itinerary of destinations, seasonal planning, and experienced field trip leaders ensure attendees leave each trip having had a learning experience. From bird behavior, vocalizations, migration, anatomy, and obviously identification, the trips are not merely show-and-tell, but observe-and-understand. The firsthand experience of seeing local birdlife in all its variety is an experience of a lifetime-one that can be had not just once, but several dozen times a year. We strive to make that available to everyone who wishes to spend a few hours with us, and care about and appreciate our birds. These virtual offerings include an extensive library of "self-guided field trips" covering more than 100 locations in Santa Clara County, an online speaker series featuring artists, authors, and scientists, as well as a growing library of educational content on YouTube. We continue to broaden our outreach efforts with Mandarin Language walks, LGBTQ+ and Women's Walks-all programs that encourage inclusivity and building an accepting community.
- $84,345 spent. Membership Benefits SCVBA reaches out to the public to promote the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of birds and other wildlife by engaging people of all ages in birding, education, and conservation. We provide a free Speaker Series featuring notable environmental personalities. We lead free birding field trips lead by volunteers, host classes on birding, wildlife illustration, photography and other related activities. We have a vibrant online presence including our own website, Facebook, and Instagram social media and we host a collection of educational videos on our new YouTube channel. Since 1929, SCVBA has published its member newsletter on a regular schedule. The "Avocet" was transitioned from bimonthly to a quarterly schedule, roughly corresponding to the seasonal movement of birds. The change meant more content per issue, increased page count, and a need for new and improved versatile design. The Avocet is now available online. Additionally, monthly updates are produced and emailed directly to members. The cost of newsletter publication, web hosting, teleconferencing, instructional materials and other expenses are supported through membership dues.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, 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 May 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 October 1977.
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.