Audubon Grants Fuel 68 Conservation Projects Across the US & Territories
The National Audubon Society has awarded a total of $428,800 in grants to 68 campus and community chapters across 28 states, Guam and the District of Columbia, supporting a diverse range of conservation projects. The funding, distributed through Audubon in Action and Collaborative Grants, aims to advance the goals outlined in the organization’s five-year strategic plan, known as Flight Plan.
Competition for the grants was particularly strong this year, with 76 applications requesting nearly $850,000 – more than triple the available funds. Audubon prioritized projects that demonstrated clear pathways to success in advancing Flight Plan milestones related to Habitat Conservation, Policy, Community Building, and Climate Action. According to Audubon, 68% of the funded projects will support Community Building, 24% will focus on Habitat Conservation, 6% on Climate Action, and 2% on Policy initiatives.
Several projects highlight the breadth of the funded initiatives. The Maricopa Bird Alliance in Phoenix, Arizona, will focus on reviving an urban ecosystem through community events and native plantings. Northern Arizona Audubon Society will expand its Motus wildlife tracking program, engaging students from Mexico, Arizona, and Canada in cross-border conservation awareness. The Golden Gate Bird Alliance in Berkeley, California, will launch a Birding for Everyone Fellowship, aimed at developing the next generation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color conservation leaders in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences.
Other notable projects include the San Diego Bird Alliance’s “Sharing Our Shores: Mission Bay” program, which will combine habitat restoration with environmental education for third and fourth-grade students, and the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society’s monitoring of breeding bird populations following habitat restoration near Mono Lake, California. The Hawai’i Audubon Society received funding for its Hawaiʻi Bird Crisis Fund, designed to provide emergency support to partner organizations facing disruptions in federal funding.
In Nevada, Red Rock Audubon Society received both a Silver State Wings Conservation Fund Grant and a George Whittell Nevada Environmental Grant Award. The Silver State Wings grant, totaling $2,545, will fund bird-collision deterrent film for the Mt. Charleston Visitor Center and purchase binoculars for school field trips. The George Whittell grant, worth $9,000, will expand the “Campuses Take Flight” program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Nevada State University; and College of Southern Nevada.
The grants also support initiatives focused on specific species. The Plumas Audubon Society will continue monitoring and advocating for Western and Clark’s grebes at several California lakes, while the South Shore Audubon Society in New York will track Black Skimmers to understand their nesting success and habitat use. The Camden County Audubon Society in Georgia will install fishing line recycling bins to protect local birds from entanglement.
Several university-led projects received funding, including initiatives at Claflin University in South Carolina, College of Marin in California, and Xavier University of Louisiana. These projects emphasize community engagement, habitat restoration, and the development of student leadership in conservation. The Detroit Bird Alliance will host “The Great Detroit Bird Off,” a community science initiative to identify the city’s parks with the greatest bird species diversity.
Audubon officials have indicated they will share more detailed information about the funded projects in the coming weeks, and plan to provide opportunities for chapters to share their work directly. The next Audubon in Action grant cycle is expected to open in 2027.