Norman Bird Sanctuary
Norman Bird Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center operating 300 acres of protected habitat in Middletown, Rhode Island, offering memberships, facility rentals, environmental education programs, and annual community events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersMiddletown, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Norman Bird Sanctuary does
Norman Bird Sanctuary (NBS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center headquartered at 583 Third Beach Road in Middletown, Rhode Island, four miles from Newport on Aquidneck Island. Founded in 1946 through the vision of Mabel Norman Cerio, the organization stewards 300 acres of protected open space, 6 miles of hiking trails, the National Register-listed Paradise Farmhouse, and the iconic Hanging Rock viewpoint, while running an annual conservation program that includes installation of 300+ nest boxes and ongoing grassland restoration. The operating entity employs 11-50 staff and is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent company, with EIN 22-2746733.
NBS generates revenue across five core product lines: (1) trail access and a tiered membership program with eight price points from a $50 Individual membership up to a $5,000 Paradise Valley Lifetime membership, plus discounted rates for seniors, students, active and retired military, and first responders; (2) event venue rentals across Mabel's Studio (capacity up to 38), the Barn (up to 90), Mabel's Studio Lawn, and Mabel's Garden; (3) the Paradise Farmhouse historic vacation rental; (4) photo and film location rental permits; and (5) environmental education programs including summer camps, the Curiosity Lab, internships, and the Nest Box (adopt-a-bird-box) program, alongside 100+ annual events such as Beach Bash and Harvest Fair. Distribution is regional and direct via an in-person Welcome Center (open daily 9am-5pm), online channels including DonorPerfect for trail passes/donations, DirectStays for Farmhouse bookings, and Eventbrite for event ticketing, with marketing executed through organic Facebook and Instagram, an email newsletter, a blog, and a digital archive hosted on CatalogIt.
The organization supplements earned income with structured philanthropy via the Paradise Pollinators leadership giving circle ($1,000+ annual donors) and the Paradise Valley Society planned-giving/estate recognition circle, plus the Birds of a Feather Business Partners B2B program (tiers from $250 to $2,500) with cross-promotional discounts at five local partner businesses. The leadership team comprises Executive Director Kaity Ryan, Director of Finance and Operations Carolyn Moy, Marketing and Communications Manager Madison Williams, and Development Manager Joanne Rodino. NBS does not operate proprietary technology platforms; its stack is commodity nonprofit SaaS (DonorPerfect, DirectStays, Eventbrite, CatalogIt, WordPress), and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability.
Norman Bird Sanctuary firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Norman Bird Sanctuary
- Legal name
- Norman Bird Sanctuary
- Website
- https://normanbirdsanctuary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Norman Bird Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center operating 300 acres of protected habitat in Middletown, Rhode Island, offering memberships, facility rentals, environmental education programs, and annual community events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Norman Bird Sanctuary industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Education Services
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Norman Bird Sanctuary is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Middletown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Norman Bird Sanctuary business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Household Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Extended Household Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Partner - Shady Glade |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Partner - Red Fox |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Partner - Gray Craig |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Partner - Hanging Rock |
| Subscription | Annual | Paradise Valley Lifetime Membership |
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Norman Bird Sanctuary product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Norman Bird Sanctuary operates a 300-acre protected wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center in Middletown, Rhode Island, offering trail access through paid memberships and day passes, environmental education programs (camps, Curiosity Lab, internships, Nest Box Program), event venue rentals (Mabel's Studio, The Barn, outdoor gardens), Paradise Farmhouse vacation rental, and commercial photo/film location permits, supported by donations, grants, and ticketed annual events such as Beach Bash and Harvest Fair.
Product overview
Norman Bird Sanctuary offers a portfolio of visitor experience and rental services centered on its 300-acre wildlife sanctuary property. The core offerings include trail access through various membership tiers, event venue rentals (Mabel's Studio, The Barn, outdoor spaces), Paradise Farmhouse vacation rental, photo/film location rentals, and environmental education programs including camps and the Nest Box Program. The organization also hosts annual community events like Beach Bash and Harvest Fair. These services work together to support the sanctuary's nonprofit mission of fostering connections between people and the natural world while generating revenue for conservation efforts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Paradise Valley Society: A giving circle recognizing those who have included the Sanctuary in their estate plans.
- Paradise Pollinators
- Birds of a Feather Business Partners
Products and services
- Trail Access and Memberships Tiered annual memberships (Individual, Household, Extended Household, Business Partner tiers, and Paradise Valley Lifetime) and paid day trail passes providing access to 6 miles of hiking trails across 300 acres of protected sanctuary habitat, plus discounts on programs, events, and shop purchases.
- Event Venue Rentals Rental of indoor and outdoor event spaces including Mabel's Studio (up to 38 people), Mabel's Studio Lawn, Mabel's Garden, and The Barn (up to 90 people) for corporate retreats, weddings, private parties, and other gatherings; pricing varies by seasonality, guest count, and space.
- Paradise Farmhouse Stay Vacation rental of the historic Paradise Farmhouse, the former home of founder Mabel Norman Cerio, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, suited for family vacations, wedding parties, retreats, and company outings; booked through the DirectStays platform.
- Photo Shoot and Film Location Permits Commercial photography and videography location permits across the sanctuary's diverse campus, including unique natural settings and historic structures; drone usage requires prior permission and permits are coordinated through the Marketing and Communications Manager.
- Environmental Education Programs Nature-based education offerings for youth and the community, including summer camps, Curiosity Lab, internships, and the Nest Box (adopt-a-bird-box) Program, designed to engage participants with conservation and the natural world.
- Annual and Seasonal Events Ticketed annual and seasonal community events such as Beach Bash and Harvest Fair, plus ongoing programs supporting the sanctuary's environmental education and conservation mission.
Companies that use Norman Bird Sanctuary
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles6 records
Norman Bird Sanctuary technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Norman Bird Sanctuary partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Norman Bird Sanctuary competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mass Audubon: Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating more than 60 wildlife sanctuaries with a comparable membership, education, conservation, and visitor-trails model—just at much greater scale and geographic spread.
- Quechee Wildlife Refuge (VINS): Vermont Institute of Natural Science operates a wildlife sanctuary, nature center, and raptor programs with trails, education, and visitor admissions—highly comparable to NBS's wildlife and education focus in the broader New England market.
- Appalachian Mountain Club: New England-based outdoor recreation and conservation nonprofit offering trail access, education programs, and huts/lodges, comparable in member-supported outdoor experiences but more focused on backcountry recreation than wildlife habitat.
- The Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts nonprofit preservation organization managing 120+ properties of cultural, ecological, and scenic significance with membership-driven public access, very similar to NBS's protected-land-and-visitor model.
- Audubon Society of Rhode Island: Rhode Island's largest nonprofit wildlife and habitat conservation organization operating multiple wildlife refuges, nature centers, and sanctuaries across the state with similar membership, education, and trail-access programs to Norman Bird Sanctuary.
Broad incumbents
- National Audubon Society: The national umbrella for bird and habitat conservation in the U.S., operating sanctuaries and centers while coordinating advocacy, research, and policy—overlapping with NBS's bird-focused mission but at vastly larger scope.
- The Nature Conservancy (Rhode Island chapter): Global conservation nonprofit that protects ecologically significant land, including parcels in Rhode Island; shares the land-protection and habitat-restoration mission but operates with a much larger global footprint.
Regional players
- New England Botanical Society / Native Plant Trust: New England's native plant conservation organization operating Garden in the Woods and other public-facing natural sites, with similar education, membership, and conservation focus on regional ecosystems.
- Sakonnet Preservation Association: Nearby Little Compton, RI nonprofit that preserves open space and farmland on Aquidneck Island's neighboring town with overlapping regional conservation mission and small-staff nonprofit operations.
Emerging players
- Wild Care Cape Cod: Wildlife rehabilitation center on Cape Cod with a smaller visitor-facing footprint than NBS but overlapping wildlife-rescue and education mission, useful as a comparable for nonprofit wildlife operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Norman Bird Sanctuary social profiles
Digital presenceNorman Bird Sanctuary financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Norman Bird Sanctuary leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Norman Bird Sanctuary funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Norman Bird Sanctuary M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Norman Bird Sanctuary
What does Norman Bird Sanctuary do?
Norman Bird Sanctuary operates a 300-acre protected wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center in Middletown, Rhode Island, offering trail access through paid memberships and day passes, environmental education programs (camps, Curiosity Lab, internships, Nest Box Program), event venue rentals (Mabel's Studio, The Barn, outdoor gardens), Paradise Farmhouse vacation rental, and commercial photo/film location permits, supported by donations, grants, and ticketed annual events such as Beach Bash and Harvest Fair.
Is Norman Bird Sanctuary a public or private company?
Norman Bird Sanctuary is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Norman Bird Sanctuary founded?
Norman Bird Sanctuary was founded in 1946. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Norman Bird Sanctuary based?
Norman Bird Sanctuary is headquartered in Middletown, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Norman Bird Sanctuary's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mass Audubon, Quechee Wildlife Refuge (VINS), Appalachian Mountain Club, The Trustees of Reservations and Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Broad incumbents are National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy (Rhode Island chapter). Regional players are New England Botanical Society / Native Plant Trust and Sakonnet Preservation Association. Wild Care Cape Cod is listed as an emerging player.
Does Norman Bird Sanctuary have an API?
No public API is recorded for Norman Bird Sanctuary.
What industry is Norman Bird Sanctuary in?
Norman Bird Sanctuary's product category is Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAFAA, Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations), with a secondary code of THAAAFAB, Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations). Its NAICS code is 71219 and its SIC code is 7997.