Feminist Bird Club

What Feminist Bird Club does

Feminist Bird Club (FBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in New York City in 2016 by Molly Adams, with the dual mission of making birding inclusive and channeling environmental passion into social justice fundraising. It serves LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, disabled, and neurodiverse communities by providing safe, affirming outdoor experiences and accessible programming, addressing the well-documented underrepresentation of these groups in birding (only ~5% of birdwatchers self-identify as BIPOC per a 2021 study). The organization operates a decentralized chapter model with 47+ active chapters across North America and the UK plus three sibling clubs in Latin America, each required to host a minimum of four events per year.

FBC's core 'products' are its chapter network, an annual artist-designed patch program, the published book 'Birding For A Better World' (Scribner, September 2023), and free educational resources (zines, ethical birding guides, webinars, self-defense videos). There is no proprietary technology platform; operations run on Squarespace (website/shop), Instagram (chapter and brand accounts), EventBrite (event ticketing), Google Forms (chapter sign-ups), and PayPal (donations). The technology stack is intentionally lightweight and community-organizing-oriented rather than software-driven.

FBC's revenue model is multi-stream and nonprofit: donations via PayPal (tax-deductible), annual limited-edition patch sales (proceeds donated to vetted partner organizations), merchandise (stickers, magnets), book royalties through major retailers, and event-based fundraising such as Birdathons and Pride Month walks. Cumulative funds raised and donated to partner organizations exceed $200,000 since founding, with the 2024 Female Wood Duck patch alone raising nearly $10,000 for Anera. The organization also received a $40,000 grant from the REI Cooperative Action Fund in 2024. Distribution spans direct e-commerce, specialty retail (Bird Collective), major book channels (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org), and on-the-ground chapter events; key institutional partners include Audubon Southwest, Bird Alliance of Oregon, and Ace Hotel Brooklyn.

Name

Feminist Bird Club

Legal name

Feminist Bird Club, Inc.

Website

https://feministbirdclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Feminist Bird Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs 47+ community birding chapters across North America and the UK, serving LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, and disabled communities through inclusive events, an annual artist patch program, and published educational resources including the book 'Birding For A Better World.'

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales (Patches, Stickers, Magnets): Annual patch sales are a flagship revenue stream featuring artist-designed patches with species illustrations. Proceeds are donated to partner organizations. Also sells stickers and magnets through the online shop.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal. Feminist Bird Club, Inc. is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in NY state.
3. Book Sales: Published 'Birding For A Better World: A Guide to Finding Joy And Community in Nature' by Sydney Golden Anderson and Molly Adams, available 9/5/2023 wherever books are sold (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop, Bird Collective).
4. Event-Based Fundraising: Chapters host virtual and in-person events, Birdathons, and partnerships that raise money for causes. 2024 patch sales raised nearly $10,000 for Anera.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Feminist Bird Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates a decentralized network of local birding chapters across North America and the UK, hosting inclusive birdwatching events for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, and other marginalized communities. The organization funds its mission and partner causes through annual artist-designed patch sales, stickers, magnets, donations, and book retail, while publishing educational resources and a published guide on inclusive birding.

Product overview

Feminist Bird Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates as a community-based birding network rather than a traditional software product. The organization consists of local chapters across North America and Europe that host inclusive birdwatching events and outings. The core offerings include the annual patch program (fundraising merchandise featuring bird artwork), the published book 'Birding For A Better World', educational resources (zines, guides, webinars), and the chapter network itself. The organization also maintains an online shop selling stickers, magnets, and patches; however, the shop currently shows no available products. Revenue generation comes primarily through merchandise sales, donations, and events, with proceeds donated to vetted social justice and conservation causes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Birding For A Better World: A Guide to Finding Joy And Community in Nature A published book celebrating birding as an inclusive activity for everyone, written by organizing members of the Feminist Bird Club and distributed through major book retailers.
• Annual Patch Program Annual limited-edition patches featuring bird artwork, sold to raise funds for charitable organizations. Each year's patch features a different bird species illustrated by a featured artist, with proceeds donated to vetted causes such as Planned Parenthood NYC, Black Lives Matter, and Native Wellness Institute.
• Chapter Network Events Local chapter-based birding groups across North America and Europe that host regular birdwatching events, outings, Pride Month events, accessible birding sessions, and community gatherings. Chapters are required to host a minimum of 4 events per year.
• Stickers and Magnets Bird-themed stickers and magnets sold through the Feminist Bird Club online shop and specialty retailer Bird Collective, supporting the organization's mission and fundraising efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $200,000 raised and donated to progressive organizations since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Audubon SouthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2026Feminist Bird Club Albuquerque-Santa Fe partners with Audubon Southwest for annual Pride Month LGBTQ-inclusive birding walks. Audubon Southwest has hosted Pride events for 7 consecutive years and expanded partnership with FBC chapters for inclusive programming.
• Ace Hotel BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Pride Month birding outing at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Ace Hotel hosts FBC for queer ecology celebration with complimentary snacks and beverages at the hotel after the birding walk.
• Bird Alliance of OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with FBC PDX chapter for accessible bird song outings at Whitaker Ponds. Bi-weekly Sunday events with registration through Bird Alliance of Oregon website, combining FBC's inclusive mission with Bird Alliance's resources and venues.
• Bird CollectivecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBird Collective carries FBC merchandise including the Birding for a Better World book and collaborated on a collection celebrating the artists and artwork from the book. Primary specialty retail partner for FBC products.
• 1% for the PlanetminorOthersFeminist Bird Club is listed as an Environmental Partner with 1% for the Planet, an organization connecting consumers with environmental nonprofits for charitable giving.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Premier academic ornithology institution running citizen-science platforms (eBird, Merlin) that engage millions of birders. Comparable to FBC because it sits at the center of US birding culture, hosts inclusive programming, and represents a potential institutional partner or peer organization with overlapping audience.
• Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, with conservation programming that overlaps FBC's birding/wildlife mission. Comparable because both rely on donations, chapters, and event-based fundraising, though TNC operates at vastly larger scale and a less explicitly social-justice framing.
• National Audubon Society: Largest US bird conservation organization with 500+ chapters and a national donor base. Directly comparable to FBC because Audubon Southwest is already an FBC partner (Pride Month walks) and both mobilize volunteers around birding, though Audubon operates at vastly larger scale and a broader conservation (not social-justice) framing.
• American Birding Association: Membership-based birding organization publishing Birding magazine and running ABA Podcast (which has featured FBC). Comparable as a peer birding membership/community organization with overlapping audience, though ABA is broader and less mission-driven on social justice dimensions.
• Sierra Club: Long-standing US environmental organization with chapters, outings, and advocacy. Comparable to FBC as a chapter-based environmental nonprofit mobilizing volunteers around outdoor activities, though Sierra Club's mission and scale are far broader than FBC's birding/social-justice niche.

Direct peers

• Outdoor Afro: National nonprofit reconnecting Black communities with nature through outdoor recreation. Most directly comparable peer to FBC because it addresses the same underrepresentation problem (BIPOC in outdoor spaces) through community-led chapters, events, and partnerships, validating the same model FBC uses for birding specifically.
• Bird Collective: Specialty birding retailer and FBC's primary merchandise partner, carrying FBC's book and an exclusive art collection collaboration. Directly comparable because it shares FBC's birding-focused consumer audience, sells art-driven bird merchandise, and operates at the intersection of birding culture and commerce.

Emerging players

• Melanin Base Camp: Nonprofit increasing diversity in the outdoors through storytelling, gear libraries, and community events. Closely comparable to FBC because it pursues the same diversity-in-outdoor-recreation mission, though its scope is broader (all outdoor activities vs. FBC's birding focus).
• Girls Who Bird: Community organization creating safe, inclusive birding spaces for women and non-binary people. Most directly comparable peer to FBC because it addresses the same demographic (women, non-binary, LGBTQIA+ birders) and similar safety/inclusion pain points, representing both a peer and a potential collaborator.

Regional players

• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB): UK's largest bird conservation charity with membership and local groups across Britain. Comparable to FBC because it shares the birding/community-organization model and operates in geographies where FBC has UK chapters (Scotland, England), making it both a peer and a potential collaborator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLVk0AaKAufIPqf8VgOQ9QHZGmDJjl_s01
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/feminist-bird-club

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Feminist Bird Club