Mission: New Jersey Audubon is a privately supported, not-for profit, statewide membership organization. Since 1897 NJ Audubon has been connecting people to nature. As one of ... (More)
New Jersey Audubon Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1937, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Contact Information
Nine Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville NJ 07924
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Star Rating System by Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. We also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.
Good
This charity's score is 84.66, earning it a 3-Star rating. Donors can "Give with Confidence" to this charity.
This score is calculated from two sub-scores:
Finance: 79.47 View details
Accountability & Transparency: 93.00 View details
This score represents Form 990 data from 2020, the latest year published by the IRS.
View this organization’s historical ratings.
Star Rated Report
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Program Expense Ratio
74.4%
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expenses
8.3%
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expenses
17.1%
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
3.3%
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency
$0.19
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio
4.26 years
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth
-4.77%
We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
Governance
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Governance: | |
|---|---|
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
| |
| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) | |
| Compensates Board ... (More) |
Policies
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Policies: | |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) | Partial |
Transparency
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Transparency: | |
|---|---|
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Audited Financial Statements on Website ... (More) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) |
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Eric P. Stiles, President & CEO
$139,241 (2.20% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Business Master File Data
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Preservation of natural resources (conservation) (BMF activity code: 350)
Other school related activities (BMF activity code: 059)
Museum, zoo, planetarium, etc. (BMF activity code: 060)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
New Jersey Audubon Society reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
While program and event-related revenues declined over 60%, New Jersey Audubon applied for and received a PPP loan, which allowed us to retain our most important asset – our staff. When combined with the PPP loan, new online emergency appeals and increased electronic communications helped offset the lost programmatic revenues.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Our nature centers were closed, and most programs ceased. Eco-travel tours, remain stalled until pandemic conditions improve globally. Local field trips, events, school programs, and summer camps were also halted, though our trails were maintained and open for public use. Accommodations were promptly made to conduct our field research and stewardship work and, as restrictions slowly lifted, outdoor programs returned on a limited/reduced capacity basis following strict COVID guidelines.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
A new online Media Center was created, offering educational videos for families and school children learning from home. Virtual field trips brought nature into homes for those unable to be outdoors and some programs were offered online. Our nature stores shifted online for their twice-yearly Native Plant Sales. Virtual nature camps were created, providing families with a printed toolkit to use on their own at home. Events – particularly our signature World Series of Birding (our most important fundraising event) was modified to allow greater participation flexibility while our Spring & Fall Festivals, and our Catch of Cape May all became virtual/online events.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Our Online Media Center will continue to offer nature education and opportunities for those unable to join our programs in person. Our World Series of Birding and Festivals will continue to offer virtual participation components, broadening their reach across the US and worldwide. Our virtual camps will be re-branded as at-home family nature opportunities, while in-person camps resume this summer. Online store expansion will continue, offering nature-related merchandise to a broader customer base.
Historical Ratings
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 2/1/2022 | 2020 | 84.66 | |
| 6/1/2021 | 2019 | 84.01 | |
| 12/23/2020 | 2019 | 83.91 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 9/3/2019 | 2018 | 87.66 | |
| 10/1/2018 | 2017 | 94.64 |  |
| 9/1/2018 | 2017 | 86.48 | |
| 11/1/2017 | 2016 | 94.60 | |
| 10/1/2016 | 2015 | 90.59 | |
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 87.96 | |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 11/1/2015 | 2014 | 81.51 | |
| 9/1/2014 | 2013 | 81.91 | |
| 12/1/2013 | 2012 | 79.34 |  |
| 11/6/2012 | 2011 | 82.48 | |
| 9/20/2011 | 2010 | 92.51 | |
| Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
| 10/1/2010 | 2009 | 91.83 | |
| 9/1/2009 | 2008 | 91.23 | |
| 10/1/2008 | 2007 | 96.14 | |
| 8/1/2007 | 2006 | 93.58 | |
| 10/1/2006 | 2005 | 93.57 | |
| 12/1/2005 | 2004 | 93.01 | |
| 10/1/2004 | 2003 | 95.86 | |
| 12/1/2003 | 2002 | 96.50 | |
Previous: Finance & Accountability / Next: Leadership & Adaptability
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
New Jersey Audubon Society cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Do you work at New Jersey Audubon Society? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
New Jersey Audubon Society reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
$2,317,595
Spent in most recent FY
51%
Percent of program expenses
Education and Sanctuaries
$1,676,986
Spent in most recent FY
37%
Percent of program expenses
Conservation
$526,499
Spent in most recent FY
11%
Percent of program expenses
Research and Monitoring
Previous: Impact & Results / Next: Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
This score provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by New Jersey Audubon Society is a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
Founded in 1897, New Jersey Audubon is a privately supported, not-for profit, statewide membership organization and one of the oldest independent Audubon societies. We protect wildlife, especially endangered and threatened species; connect all people with nature, fostering environmental awareness and a conservation ethic; and promote the preservation of New Jersey's natural habitats, stewarding the nature of today for all people of tomorrow. New Jersey Audubon is committed to building and integrating diversity, equity, inclusion and justice into our mission, conservation priorities, and organizational structure. We believe that every person has the fundamental right to safe, welcoming, and positive experiences in nature, free of violence, threat, harassment, or harm. By celebrating New Jersey’s diversity as a strength and affirming that everyone has a right to enjoy and conserve nature, we carry out our work with mindfulness and inclusivity.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
As a result of human pressures, one million wildlife species may be pushed to extinction in the coming decades, with serious consequences for all life on Earth. Birds are in especially grave peril. The North American bird population has decreased by nearly 3 billion since 1970, with even common birds at risk and over 90% of reported losses derived from a handful of species, including warblers and sparrows. The consequences of inaction are vast. New Jersey Audubon has the expertise to conduct focused, science-based conservation and to empower and activate New Jersey residents and decisionmakers to preserve our natural legacy for future generations. We rely on transformative change. There are no other options.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Sustain healthy populations of wildlife, plants, insects and fisheries in light of the overwhelming losses of wildlife and their populations globally.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Support conservation strategies and policies on climate change, creating resilient communities for wildlife and people.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: Provide leadership and support for large-scale conservation initiatives addressing wildlife, land and water conservation, and environmental literacy.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
All staff are provided with a regular schedule of professional development opportunities and are encouraged to affiliate with professional organizations and their offerings. Tuition reimbursement is available for staff that focuses on advancing their mission-area expertise or leadership development. Finally, NJ Audubon is conducting an organization-wide DEIJ audit to ensure that NJA is truly for the benefit all.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Policy Advocacy
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
New Jersey Audubon’s strength is its ability to mobilize advocates to leverage its expertise, affecting positive policy change for wildlife and habitat conservation. Examples include: The Delaware River Watershed Initiative, stakeholders across four states protecting the drinking water for 15 million people; Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition, conserving this lynchpin of healthy coastal ecosystems; New Jersey Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative, an international partnership addressing declines in shorebird populations; Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, engaging stakeholders in protecting and restoring the land and waters in the Delaware River Basin; Keep It Green Coalition, protecting watersheds, conserving habitat, providing greenspaces, saving agricultural and archeological resources; Northern Bobwhite Restoration Initiative, a partnership between New Jersey Audubon, Pinelands cranberry growers, and other collaborators to re-establish the bobwhite quail back into the state.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
New Jersey Audubon’s programs focus on the organization’s conservation priorities. With COVID-19 constraints, summer camps, school field trips, festivals, afterschool programs, adult natural history field trips, and family nature programs had to be re-imagined for online and virtual platforms. Despite restrictions, staff continued to innovate so our most iconic events – The World Series of Birding (at-home version) and So.Many.Birds (virtual) Festivals – did not shrink but instead widened the arc to include new audiences just when people needed nature most. We conducted a hybrid Monarch Festival utilizing both virtual and in-person models, developed a new Birder’s Bucket List Bash, a 4-day virtual event to engage people from around the world in eco-tourism, and offered multiple learning webinar series focused on bird families, gardening for wildlife, nature photography, and nature-based yoga. When local and state parks closed during the height of the pandemic, we maintained our trails for social distancing, providing access to nature during this difficult time. Virtual summer programs were conducted in Newark, Plainfield, and Wildwood and newly developed Nature Quests were designed for parents to help children explore nature in their own yards. Teacher workshops, summer institutes, webinars, and face-to-face meetings were re-tooled to train and support teachers working remotely to integrate ecology, environmental science, and sustainability into their curricula. Our Gardening for Wildlife program was re-envisioned, including conducting our first-ever society-wide native plant sale online with gardeners pre-ordering plants for curbside pick-up. Gardening for Wildlife certifications increased by 47%, as people stayed home and improved their yards for wildlife. While our South American shorebird research was halted, all other wildlife research, habitat stewardship, and conservation advocacy progressed, adhering strictly to COVID protocols.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Additional Information
Unscored
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Organization Leadership
Eric Stiles
President, CEO
Richard Kauffeld
Board Chair
Previous: Leadership & Adaptability
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Learn more about how and why we rate Culture & Community.
Culture & Community Score
Not Currently Scored
New Jersey Audubon Society is currently not eligible for a Culture & Community score because we have not received its Constituent Feedback or Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion data. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the How We Listen and Equity Practices sections of their Candid profile.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Culture & Community Report
Unscored
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
This organization has not provided information regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Methodology
We are utilizing data collected by Candid to document and assess the DEI practices implemented by the organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the Equity Strategies section of their Candid profiles to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Constituent Feedback
Constituent Feedback and Listening Practice data are not available for this organization. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Methodology
We've partnered with Candid to survey organizations about their feedback practices. Nonprofit organizations can fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Below you can find more information about the metrics we currently evaluate in this beacon and their relevance to nonprofit performance.
Constituent Feedback
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
