What Madison Audubon Society does

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon Society, legally rebranded in 2023) is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and local chapter of the National Audubon Society, founded in 1935 as the Madison Bird Club. The organization conducts bird conservation, environmental education, habitat management, and advocacy programs across south-central Wisconsin, serving Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Marquette, Richland, and Sauk counties. It manages several sanctuaries spanning thousands of acres with diverse habitats including prairies, wetlands, woodlands, and oak savannas — notably Fair Meadows (374 acres), Faville Grove, Goose Pond, Hillside Prairie, and Otsego Marsh — and was ranked 3rd of over 450 Audubon chapters in total acreage managed for wildlife. The organization is a nationally-accredited land trust and holds a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating and GuideStar Platinum Transparency Seal.

The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including youth and adult education (Signature Field Trips, Birding 101, Conservation Academy with Operation Fresh Start), community science initiatives (Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring, Bird Collision Corps), paid summer ecological restoration internships, sanctuary access and trail programs, and coalition-based advocacy campaigns on issues such as Knowles-Nelson Stewardship, lead ammunition reduction, and bird-window collision prevention. Weekly content is published through the Friday Feathered Features blog series. Revenue is generated through annual membership dues, individual donations and planned giving, foundation grants (Caerus Foundation, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin), corporate business memberships, and nominal program fees ($8-$25 per participant). Membership stands at 3,000+ individuals. The organization operates with a small staff including an Executive Director (Matt Reetz), Directors of Education, Development, Outreach, and Communications, sanctuary managers, land stewards, educators, and a membership and development associate, supported by a Board of Directors chaired by Matt Fortney.

The business model is a community-led nonprofit distribution approach: all engagement is direct through the organization's own sanctuary properties, field programs, and membership model, with no third-party distribution channels. Marketing is executed through content marketing (blog, newsletter), field trips and events, community partnerships (BIPOC Birding Club, Feminist Bird Club), and organic social media. The gtm_motion is primarily community-driven engagement supplemented by event-driven programming, ranging from beginner birding walks to advanced ecological restoration activities and monarch tagging.

Name

Madison Audubon Society

Legal name

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance

Website

https://madisonaudubon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon Society) is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) and National Audubon chapter conducting bird conservation, environmental education, habitat management, and advocacy across south-central Wisconsin through several sanctuaries and a 3,000+ member community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to programs, sanctuaries, and member benefits
2. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, major gifts, and planned giving programs including legacy circle and endowment donations
3. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Caerus Foundation and Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin for specific programs and internships
4. Program Fees: Fees for special programs such as kestrel chick banding ($25 adults, $10 children) and educational events ($8 for special programs)
5. Business Memberships: Corporate sponsorship program for businesses

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon Society) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that conducts bird conservation, environmental education, habitat management, and advocacy programs. It operates as a nationally-accredited land trust managing several thousand acres of protected habitat across multiple sanctuaries in southern Wisconsin, offers educational programs for youth and adults, runs community science initiatives such as kestrel nest box monitoring, and engages in policy advocacy for bird-friendly practices.

Product overview

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon) is a nonprofit bird conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on habitat protection, environmental education, and community engagement. The core offerings include youth and adult education programs (Signature Field Trips, Youth Education, Adult Education Courses), community science initiatives (Kestrel Nesting Monitoring, Bird Collision Corps), conservation internships, sanctuary access, and advocacy campaigns. The organization manages multiple sanctuary properties and publishes weekly content through Friday Feathered Features. Membership provides community connection while supporting all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signature Field Trips Expert-guided outdoor excursions including birding walks, warbler walks, bat walks, monarch tagging, and nature journaling events at various Wisconsin natural areas, for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers.
• Youth Education Programs Nature-based education connecting children to outdoors through school partnerships, summer camps, family field trips, and Conservation Academy with Operation Fresh Start.
• Adult Education Courses Classes including Birding 101, Birding by Ear training, and A Birder's Dozen for beginners, combining classroom and field-based learning.
• Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring & Banding Program Citizen science initiative where volunteers monitor American Kestrel nest boxes and band chicks for migration and nesting research, priced at $25 adults and $10 children (10+).
• Summer Ecological Restoration Internship Paid internship program placing students at sanctuary lands to learn landscape restoration techniques, with internships at Faville Grove and Goose Pond sanctuaries.
• Sanctuary Access & Land Management Access to protected lands including Fair Meadows (374 acres), Faville Grove, Goose Pond, Hillside Prairie, and Otsego Marsh sanctuaries with managed habitats for grassland, wetland, and woodland birds.
• Membership Program Annual membership supporting conservation work with benefits including newsletter access, event priority registration, and connection to local birding community.
• Community Science Programs Initiatives including Bird Collision Corps volunteer monitoring, bird surveys, and bat monitoring partnerships with Wisconsin DNR.

Quantifiable outcome

• Protected several thousand acres of critical bird habitat
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Audubon SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoWBA is a local chapter of the National Audubon Society, operating throughout southern Wisconsin. This affiliation provides access to national resources, research, and brand recognition while allowing local autonomy in programming and conservation priorities.
• Operation Fresh StartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with youth development organization for Conservation Academy program, helping disconnected youth learn about conservation career opportunities through hands-on experience with SoWBA educators.
• BIPOC Birding Club of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting Swift Week events with BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin and Feminist Bird Club Madison Chapter, promoting inclusive birding experiences in southern Wisconsin.
• Feminist Bird Club - Madison ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting Swift Week events promoting inclusive birding experiences in southern Wisconsin.
• The Prairie EnthusiastsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint field trips and conservation work including management of Smith-Reiner Drumlin Prairie and Pleasant Valley Conservancy.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration on wildlife management, prescribed burns, and habitat restoration projects across sanctuaries.
• Friends of Lapham PeakminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSoWBA partner Samantha Humes delivers window collision education programs at Lapham Peak Park through this host organization.
• Southern Wisconsin Butterfly AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint field trips including butterflies and wildflowers events at Pleasant Valley Conservancy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, focused on land and water conservation; comparable in that it manages significant landholdings, runs conservation programs, and operates a membership/donor-driven model, but at much greater scale and broader biodiversity scope.
• National Audubon Society: National parent organization of which SoWBA is a local chapter; operates the broader Audubon network across all 50 states with significantly larger scale, brand reach, and policy infrastructure in the same bird conservation domain.
• Ducks Unlimited: Major habitat conservation nonprofit with a strong waterfowl and wetland focus, operating sanctuaries and a chapter-based model that mirrors SoWBA's structure; comparable in conservation mission, sanctuary management, and membership-driven funding.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Premier bird research and citizen science institution operating eBird and related programs; comparable as a leading bird-focused organization running education, community science, and research — though operating at a much larger institutional scale.

Regional players

• International Crane Foundation: Wisconsin-headquartered global conservation nonprofit focused on crane and grassland habitat protection; Liz Pelton (SoWBA's Membership & Development Associate) previously worked here, indicating direct overlap in talent, geography, and mission.

Direct peers

• Groundswell Conservancy: Wisconsin land conservancy protecting natural and working lands, sharing overlapping staff talent (Liz Pelton previously worked there) and a comparable community-based land trust model in southern Wisconsin.
• Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin: Wisconsin-based nonprofit funding conservation through grants, including SoWBA's Diversity in Conservation internship; directly comparable as a regional conservation funder and partner organization in Wisconsin.
• The Prairie Enthusiasts: Wisconsin-based prairie and grassland conservation nonprofit that conducts joint field trips with SoWBA and co-manages properties like Smith-Reiner Drumlin Prairie; directly comparable in regional conservation focus, volunteer-driven model, and Wisconsin geography.

Others

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: State government agency that partners with SoWBA on prescribed burns, wildlife management, and the Wisconsin Important Bird Areas program; comparable in mission focus but not a peer in business model since it is a public agency.

Emerging players

• BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin: Wisconsin-based community birding organization co-founded by SoWBA board secretary Jeff Galligan; directly comparable as a community-driven birding and outreach organization operating in the same Wisconsin geography with overlapping audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Madison Audubon Society