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Golden Gate Bird Alliance

EIN 94-6086896 · Berkeley, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong94 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Through education, conservation, and habitat restoration, Golden Gate Bird Alliance protects native bird populations and their habitats in San Francisco and the north and western portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
31.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
17
Volunteers
1,217

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 74% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 31.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 68% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 227% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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

Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (5)
  1. $239,996 spent. Communications:Golden Gate Bird Alliances communication program serves our members and supporters with print and online publications, active social media accounts, the SF Bay Osprey Cam, and campaigns on conservation issues. The communications program also supports all conservation and education efforts of the organization. The Gull, our print publication is published four times a year and distributed to over 6000 households. Social media accounts reached over 60,000 people during the fiscal year, through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The Osprey Cam, which features a nest on Richmonds Whirly Crane, saw over 60,000 visitors on the website and through YouTube as the pair successfully fledged three young birds.
  2. $166,822 spent. Adult Education:Adult Education includes in-person lectures, video-conference presentation, field trips, and a monthly speaker series. We strive to develop and elevate conservation leaders of color to better serve their communities and our collective birding community. Secondarily, we aim to cultivate conservation leaders from other underrepresented communities: members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, and people from marginalized socio-economic groups.This Birding For Everyone Fellowship is intended to nurture diverse leadership within the Golden Gate Bird Alliance (GGBA) community by reducing financial and social barriers to participation in the GGBAs adult education offerings.
  3. $116,128 spent. Youth Education:Eco-Education is Golden Gate Bird Alliances award-winning youth program. Our educators and volunteers bring birds, bugs, and ecosystems to life through in-class lessons and field trips around the Bay Area. By bringing students into nature and fostering exploration through focused learning objectives, we are cultivating the next generation of nature-lovers and advocates.The core Eco-Education program is focused on 3rd-5th graders and provides 4 in-class visits and 3 field trips. The curriculum follows the water-cycle through the watershed, visiting a marsh, creek, and beach. Students are encouraged to think about how animals and plants interact and how humans play a role in the ecosystem.
  4. $114,382 spent. Conservation, Advocacy and Other Programs-----------------------------------------Our conservation committees help protect habitat and promote native plant landscaping throughout the Bay Area.
  5. $83,896 spent. Habitat Restoration:Our Habitat Restoration program held numerous events including several Earth Day/Month events. During these events, 1,217 volunteers contributed 12,878 hours restoring and maintaining 8 sites including; Pier 94, Herons Head Park, Crissy Field beach, the native plant perimeter garden at the Bison Paddock and North Lake, and Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline Park in Oakland. Volunteers spent some of those hours working with Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) at their native plant nursery on Treasure Island, up-potting plants, and pruning/caring for native plants, including some used at our restoration sites. GGBA partners with San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, San Francisco Parks Alliance, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, East Bay Regional Parks District, the City of Alameda, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support these restoration sites.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1952.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 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.