Sacajawea Audubon Society

What it reported doing in 2024

Sacajawea Audubon Society (SAS) continues to make remarkable progress in fulfilling its mission to promote the welfare of birds and the natural environment through conservation, education, and citizen science. Below is a summary of key achievements from 2024.Wetland Preservation ProgramSAS owns and manages the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve, a 40-acre urban wetland within the Bozeman city limits. This urban oasis was set aside by SAS to conserve and enhance wetland communities while offering environmental education accessible to all ages. The preserve serves as an outdoor classroom where visitors can learn about wetland ecology, observe wildlife, and participate in ongoing research and restoration efforts.In 2024, the preserves Busy Beaver Volunteer Corps continued to thrive, with 80 trained volunteers contributing to weekly citizen-science activities. These included avian point counts, piezometer and well monitoring, vegetation and wildlife surveys, and other projects that build vital baseline data for long-term research.The year also saw the launch of Montanas first-ever Wetland Master Naturalist Course, a hands-on educational program offering participants field-based training in wetland ecology and stewardship. Indreland Preserve led weekly bird walks, hosted school groups, and offered workshops on topics such as alternative weed control and wildlife management. In July, community members joined SAS for the third annual BioBlitz at the Indreland Preserve, documenting the biodiversity of this growing conservation area. Bridger Mountain Raptor ProgramIn 2024, SAS celebrated the 33rd year of monitoring fall raptor migration along the Bridger Mountain Range, the longest-running fall raptor survey in the Rocky Mountains. This two-month effort, each year, focuses on tracking Golden Eagles and other raptors that migrate through the range each fall. The season begins with a Raptor Identification Workshop and builds toward the Bridger Raptor Festival, which drew over 3,000 participants for two days of educational programs, live bird demonstrations, and family activities.Education, Field Trips, and Community EngagementSAS offered more than 20 free field trips, workshops, and courses, covering topics such as beginning and intermediate birding, wildlife communication and tracking, plant identification, and bird-friendly gardening (including tips for bird-safe windows and cat protection).In the fall of 2024 SAS offered, for the first time, a Certified Master Naturalist Course for 15 students.Volunteers also maintained a public bird-feeding station at Story Mill Community Park, giving visitors a chance to observe local birdlife up close.Together with Gallatin Valley Earth Day, SAS provided wildlife presentations and family activities during Earth Day celebrations. Education has been central to SASs mission for more than 57 years. Each year, we present nine engaging monthly programsboth in-person and virtuallyso that all community members can connect, learn, and be inspired by our natural resources.Bird-Friendly Communities InitiativeThrough the Bird-Friendly Communities Initiative, SAS continued to promote coexistence between people and wildlife by: Bird-Friendly Landscaping: Hosting community presentations, maintaining a demonstration garden, publishing a Plants for Birds newsletter column, and organizing a bird-friendly garden tour.Bird-Safe Windows: Designing and distributing educational brochures, creating display models of window treatments, writing awareness articles, and assisting members in making their homes safer for birds.Cats Safe at Home: Promoting responsible pet stewardship through brochure distribution and a popular Catio Tour, showcasing creative outdoor enclosures for cats.Conservation & Citizen Science ProjectsKnock Out Burdock Program: For the 12th year, SAS volunteers removed invasive burdocka plant whose burrs can fatally entangle songbirdsfrom local parks and trails, significantly reducing its spread.Nest Box P

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.2%; rating input score 73
• Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $113.18 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 24.7%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 21.12; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 17.8% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -27.4% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings