Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for instructions and the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
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Total |
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Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
![]() |
(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | ||||||
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf .... | ||||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | ||||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | ||||||
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f) .. | ||||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | ||||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
![]() |
(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | ||||||
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | ||||||
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | ||||||
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal
year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | 4,506,989 | 13,744,380 | 12,748,494 | 15,484,596 | 24,344,968 | 70,829,427 |
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | 19,014,421 | 18,719,785 | 19,401,044 | 22,628,284 | 32,222,003 | 111,985,537 |
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | 153,442 | 253,105 | 229,877 | 595,432 | 686,837 | 1,918,693 |
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | 23,674,852 | 32,717,270 | 32,379,415 | 38,708,312 | 57,253,808 | 184,733,657 |
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | 388,845 | 146,561 | 307,154 | 40,225 | 13,334,868 | 14,217,653 |
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | 0 | |||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | 388,845 | 146,561 | 307,154 | 40,225 | 13,334,868 | 14,217,653 |
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | 170,516,004 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
![]() |
(a) 2020 | (b) 2021 | (c) 2022 | (d) 2023 | (e) 2024 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | 23,674,852 | 32,717,270 | 32,379,415 | 38,708,312 | 57,253,808 | 184,733,657 |
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | 59,430 | 46,743 | 18,247 | 94,291 | 83,072 | 301,783 |
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | 59,430 | 46,743 | 18,247 | 94,291 | 83,072 | 301,783 |
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included on line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | 1,191,932 | 2,235,934 | 3,280,022 | 6,707,888 | ||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | 23,734,282 | 32,764,013 | 33,589,594 | 41,038,537 | 60,616,902 | 191,743,328 |
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 0.015 of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by 0.035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | 1 | |
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
2 | |
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | 3 | |
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | 4 | |
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required - provide details in Part VI) | 5 | |
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | 6 | |
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | 7 | |
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
8 | |
| 9 Distributable amount for 2024 from Section C, line 6 | 9 | |
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | 10 | |
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2024 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Distributable amount for 2024 from Section C, line 6 | ||||
|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2024 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI).
See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2024: | ||||
| a From 2019....... | ||||
| b From 2020....... | ||||
| c From 2021....... | ||||
| d From 2022....... | ||||
| e From 2023....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2024 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2019 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from line 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2024 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2024 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from line 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2024, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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6
Remaining underdistributions for 2024. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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7 Excess distributions carryover to 2025. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2020..... | ||||
| b Excess from 2021..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2022..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2023..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2024..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
| Software Version: |
| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| FORM 990, PART I, LINE 1, DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION MISSION: | Audubon Nature Institute operates a family of museums and parks dedicated to nature on behalf of the City of New Orleans. Facilities include Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Audubon Insectarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Audubon Park, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Audubon Wilderness Park and Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center. There are eight basic tenets of Audubon Nature Institute's mission statement that guide decisions at all facilities. The tenets are as follows: Provide a guest experience of outstanding quality, exhibit diversity of wildlife, preserve native Louisiana habitats, educate our diverse audience about the natural world, enhance the care and survival of wildlife through research and conservation, provide opportunities for recreation in natural settings, operate a financially self-sufficient collection of museums and parks, and weave quality entertainment through the guest experience. |
| Form 990, Part III, Line 4a | Audubon Aquarium welcomes two endangered African penguin chicks. Chicks Calypso and Gouda joined the rest of the Aquarium's colony and added to the population of these critically endangered birds. Native to the southern coast of Africa, they are the most endangered penguin species, threatened by oil spills, overfishing, and habitat loss. Audubon was busy in 2024 preparing for initial construction on Riverfront for All, a visioinary project that will forever change the Mississippi Riverfront in downtown New Orleans, creating uninterrupted pedestrian and bicycle access across 2.25 miles of contiguous riverfront. Audubon Zoo received a Certificate of Accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Zoo was examined by the nation's leading experts and determined to meet the world's most exacting standards for animal welfare, husbandry, veterinary care, safety, staffing, conservation, education, and more. The Zoo has been accredited by the AZA for 48 consecutive years. Audubon Louisiana Nature Center was the kickoff location for the annual Party for the Planet presented by Entergy series of events desgined to connect people with nature. Guests took advantage of the spring weather to stroll boardwalks and experience the newly reopened Planetarium with its variety of programming. The newly formed Conservation Committee is coordinating conservation grants and encouraging participation across Audubon. In 2024, Audubon funded 16 new staff conservation projects across four continents, including work with native prairie seeds, Jamaican iguana, and coral surveying. Audubon also participates in a variety of AZA SAFE (Savings Animals from Extinction) programs for species in our collection, including African penguin, Asian elephant, ocelot, orangutan, North American songbird, Perdido Key beach mouse, sea turtle, and whooping crane. USA Today readers voted for their favorite North American AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums-facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors. The Aquarium ranked #2 and the Zoo ranked #7 among 20 nominees. Woldenberg Riverfront Park was nominated in the USA Today Reader's Choice voting for the first time and came in #2 most popular riverwalk in the country. Audubon Aquarium Rescue (formerly Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network) serves as Louisiana's primary marine mammal and sea turtle stranding responder and the only permitted marine mammal and sea turtle rehabilitation facility in the state. AAR responded to 54 strandings and took in 16 cold-stunned sea turtles flown to New Orleans for extended rehabilitation after they were found off the coast of Massachusetts. AAR also released 1 Kemp's ridley sea turtle. AAR also conducted stranding surveys in the stranding hotspots of Grand Isle and southwest Louisiana. Coupled with public reporting, these surveys are important in gathering data to determine the most accurate picture of strandings in Louisiana. Audubon's Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries continued to support the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry in demonstrating and improving their sustainability. GULF assisted the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery for all five Gulf states and federal waters in achieving Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification. This is the first shrimp fishery certified to the RFM Standard which includes criteria including fisheries management, stock assessment activities, and serious impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem. Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center continued successful recovery efforts, including working with partners to add five whooping cranes to White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area as part of an ongoing effort to protect this endangered species from extinction. Six Mississippi Sandhill Crane chicks hatched at the westbank facility were successfully relocated to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in Gauthier, Mississippi. Audubon Learning & Engagement held Audubon Aquarium's first summer camp since its 1990 opening for campers ages 7-10. Each week, campers learned about undersea and native Louisiana ecosystems and animals and participated in STEM activities and crafts. Audubon's Youth Volunteer Program had more than 75 volunteers through two programs: Counselor-in-Training (CIT) and Conservation Krewe. CITs assisted with camps and the Nature at Night series. Conservation Krewe assisted with guest interpretation across Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, and Audubon Insectarium. Several Krewe volunteers also participated in advanced placement roles, working directly with Zoo animal staff. This was the second year of Audubon's Wild Encounters, behind-the-scenes experiences at Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, and Audubon Insectarium. Nearly 2,300 guests enjoyed Wild Encounters at Audubon including Penguin Party, Maya Snorkel, Butterfly First Flight, Orangutan Family Fun, Sea Lion Splash, Jammin' with Jaguar, Aldabra Tortoise, and Black Bear Bonanza. Guests were able to meet animal staff, learn about animals and participate in animal feedings or enrichment activities. Audubon continued its Community Connect access initiative in 2024, which involves three components. Orleans Parish Appreciation Days offer free admission for Orleans Parish residents on a rotating schedule; the Audubon SNAP Program provides free admission for SNAP benefit recipients and their families; and the Audubon Museum Culture Pass allows Orleans Parish Public Library cardholders to check out admission passes. In 2024, Community Connect made it possible for more than 97,000 community members to visit Audubon attractions. Through the Taylor Scholars Awards Program, more than 240,000 high-achieving students in grades 6 through 12 statewide received free Audubon admission passes as part of the ongoing initiative established by the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation to reward Louisiana students' hard work. Scales & Ales, the evening fundraising event for Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium premiered an exciting and unique Aquarium exhibit called Deep Dive into the Gulf, an immersive exploration of life in the twilight and midnight zones of the Gulf of Mexico and the mesophotic and deep benthic coral communities that live there. The exhibit was made possible through a grant from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation with funding to restore natural resources injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill from the DWH Open Ocean Trustees. Audubon's social media initiatives continue to grow, adding fans, friends, and followers daily. At year end, Audubon's social media network included 780,460 followers and more than 100 million impressions on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 2 | Chris Bardell and Caryn Rodgers-Batiste have a business relationship. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 6 | The members of the Audubon Nature Institute consists of the following classes: individual, student, senior citizen, family, individual plus one, family plus one, bronze patron, and honorary member. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7a | The members of the Audubon Nature Institute consist of the following classes: individual, student, senior citizen, family, individual plus one, family plus one, bronze patron, and honorary member. The members elect the governing body. Each membership, except honorary members, is entitled to one vote on any matter submitted to a vote of the membership. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b | The 990 is reviewed by the VP of Finance and the Executive VP/Chief Administrative Officer. The return is also reviewed by the tax department of a public accounting firm. Once the return has been reviewed by the accounting firm, it is provided to the board of directors for review, with the exception of the donors' names and addresses on Schedule B, and then the return is filed with the IRS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c | Audubon Nature Institute has a conflict of interest policy that has procedures in place to handle disclosing conflicts, determining whether a conflict exists, addressing the conflict, and violations of the policy. Annual statements are signed regarding the policy and periodic reviews are conducted to ensure the policy is being followed. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 | The compensation of contracted Executive Staff shall be approved by the Executive and Compensation Committees. The Compensation Committee, consisting of the ANI Board Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Immediate Past Chairman and Treasurer, shall meet every three (3) years or prior to contract expiration, whichever is shorter. The Compensation Committee shall be provided with the following for their review: 1.Compensation analysis from comparable zoos, aquariums, museums, and other national attractions. 2.Independent salary and benefit studies of other similar entities including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, IRS Form 990s of similar organizations or documented phone calls with similar organizations. 3.Six (6) year history of the Personal Service Agreement, outlining raises, length of term and any notable changes. 4.Most recent Compensation Survey conducted by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) that compares the salaries of the Officers with that of similarly qualified individuals, in comparable positions at similar organizations, with a comparable number of facilities, annual visitation, staffing and operating budgets. This information shall be compiled by Staff and overseen by the Chairman, who shall act independently without undue influence from the contracted Officers. The Compensation Committee shall make and approve a resolution to set the base salary and benefits. The resolution of the Compensation Committee shall then be presented to the ANI Executive Committee for final approval. The Executive Committee is authorized by the ANI Board to enter into the Personal Services Contract with the Officers. The ANI Board, as executed by the Chairman, shall enter into a written Personal Services Agreement (or amended Agreement) with the Officers. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 18 | Audubon Nature Institute's Form 990 is available on the organization's website. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 | Audubon Nature Institute makes it governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public upon request. |
| Form 990 Part XII Line 2C | The organization did not change its audit oversight process or selection process. |
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