New York City Audubon Society

The New York Audubon Society, founded in 1979, became the national Audubon's largest chapter with a city-wide membership of more than ten thousand members. Prior to 1993 NYCAS' services were provided entirely by volunteers working in a committee structure, with the board composed primarily of committee chairmen. The nature of the organization transformed as it grew in size and complexity from a focus on bird conservation to broader environmental advocacy. In 1993 the board undertook a dramatic change and hired an executive director, primarily for fundraising purposes. The case discusses fund accounting and nonprofit accounting practices, as well as the NYCAS' experiences dealing with organizational growth, investment management, grant acquisition and use, fundraising, nonprofit status, and financial disclosure.