Audubon Society of Western Pa
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 251324559
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2023
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Phone
- 4129636100
- Rating
- 90
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Natural Resources Conservation and Protection
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,742,703
- Expenses
- $2,708,513
- Assets
- $8,728,893
- Liabilities
- $494,264
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
14 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JAMES PASHEK (PRESIDENT)
- GWILYM PRICE (VICE PRESIDENT)
- JAMES BONNER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU AUG)
Highest reported compensation
- JAMES BONNER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU AUG): $150,271 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The audubon society of western Pennsylvania's mission is to connect the people of southwestern Pennsylvania to birds and nature through our program, projects, and places.
What it reported doing in 2024
Audubon society of western Pennsylvania (aswp) operates nature stores at locations in fox chapel, butler, and sarver, pa providing a friendly landing spot for visitors to engage with us. The stores carry aswp's proprietary bird seed, beechwood blend, which is specially formulated for the birds in this region. By providing products that allow people to better enjoy the natural world, from binoculars to gardening tools, we increase connection and accessibility to birds, native plants, and wildlife for people of all ages. Audubon nature stores also focus on locally produced natural items such as honey and maple syrup, as well as environmentally friendly products created from reused, recycled, or repurposed materials. A discount is offered on most items for aswp members. During special promotions, including a spring and fall native plant sale, discounts are extended to all individuals. Audubon nature store at beechwood farms nature reserve is home to aswp's native plant nursery. The nursery is open any time the store is open, allowing individuals to shop for plants that support wildlife including birds, beneficial insects, and butterflies. Aswp sold 14,344 plants in 2025, representing 130 species of locally sourced native plants.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 88
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 36
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 88.1%; rating input score 88
- Fundraising efficiency: $7.27 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -55.4%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.22; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 5.5%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 88.1% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $2.4M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $150K · 14 people listed
- Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 28/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 3/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 52/100.