Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Key mass audubon advocacy accomplishments in fy 2025 include: 1. Massachusetts governor maura healey signed a sweeping climate and energy bill into law for which mass audubon had lobbied. This act promotes a clean energy grid, advances equity, and protects ratepayers and will provide much-needed reform to the state's approach to siting and permitting clean energy infrastructure. This is a big step forward for clean energy in Massachusetts.2. Mass audubon launched the nature for Massachusetts coalition, fighting for an increase in state investments for nature. The campaign kicked off with a state house launch event in support of the legislation, an act providing nature for all.3. Mass audubon also participated in state energy siting reform processes, with the goal of shifting incentives to put more solar projects on buildings and developed areas, and fewer large-scale projects in forests and on farms. This included mass audubon's appointment to the state's commission on energy infrastructure siting and permitting.4. Mass audubon's rescue raptors campaign to curb harmful rodent poisons continues to grow, with over 90 communities now organizing around the issue across the state. 36 towns and cities have reduced the use of these poisons (sgars) on municipal property, and 18 have filed (or will soon file) home rule petitions to request authority to restrict sgars on private property. In a virtual forum attended by over 300 people, mass audubon also brought together new england's leading poison-free pest control professionals to discuss how to safely manage rodent problems.5. Mass audubon has also launched a campaign with partners to accelerate restoration of wetlands across Massachusetts. Massachusetts salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, and rivers need help to reverse damage from past land uses and provide resilience to the impacts of climate change, and we're focused on advocating for both legislative and regulatory tactics to make those changes.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.9%; rating input score 89
• Program expense ratio: 82.5%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $8.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Pass
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.45; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.4%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings