Membership & Donation FAQ

All Birds Connect Seattle members receive these benefits for everyone in their household:

• Discounts on adult classes, summer Nature Camp, and kit rentals
• A 20% discount on all books and seed at our Nature Shop
• Priority registration for field trips led by knowledgeable leaders
• A subscription to our quarterly newsletter, Earthcare Northwest
• Access to our extensive on-site lending library
• Knowledge that your dues and donations allow Birds Connect Seattle to advocate and organize for cities where people and birds thrive through innovative education, science, and conservation programs in your community

When talking about membership, we get questions about the relationship between Birds Connect Seattle, National Audubon Society, Audubon Washington, the Seward Park Audubon Center, and other local chapters. We’d like to take this opportunity to shed some light on those relationships:

Does the National Audubon Society provide financial support to Birds Connect Seattle?
Yes, but not on a per-member basis. In 2001, National Audubon eliminated the “dues share” system of support for chapters, where a percentage of National Audubon dues were given to chapters based on the number of National members living in our service area. Since that time, National Audubon has moved to a “baseline funding” system. This system uses a set formula (50% of the dues share received by each chapter in 2001), not tied to the current number of members or dues collected. For Birds Connect Seattle, this support amounts to about $11,000 a year, or approximately 1% of our annual budget.

I’m a member of the National Audubon Society. Does that make me a member of Birds Connect Seattle?
No. Birds Connect Seattle is an independent 501(c)(3) organization, with entirely separate finances and governance from National Audubon Society, its state arm, Audubon Washington, and local center at Seward Park. Due in large part to the changes in the dues share system outlined above, Birds Connect Seattle has been unable to offer complete reciprocity to National members for many years. However, as a courtesy to likeminded supporters of birds and nature in our area, we offer member pricing to National Audubon and other chapter members on bird seed and books in The Nature Shop. However, discounts on classes and Nature Camp, priority field trip registration, and subscriptions to Earthcare Northwest are privileges reserved exclusively for Birds Connect Seattle members.

Does Birds Connect Seattle share my information with National Audubon and other chapters?
No. Birds Connect Seattle values the privacy of our members and does not share our mailing lists or member contact information with National Audubon—or anyone else for that matter.

Bottom line: Birds Connect Seattle, National Audubon, and other local chapters all have important, valuable roles to play in creating a healthy environment in balance with nature, where birds can flourish. Membership in each organization serves a unique purpose in the fulfillment of that vision, but your local dues stay here in Seattle to ensure local action for local species.

Absolutely. The security and confidentiality of your information is our highest priority. We use industry-standard SSL (secure socket layer) technology to protect your information and provide a safe and secure environment for online donations. We will not sell, trade or share your personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations, and we will only share personal information if you have given us specific permission to do so.

If you prefer to make your gift with a check, rather than online, you can do so by mailing to: Birds Connect Seattle, Attn: Development, 8050 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

When you make your donation online, you will receive a receipt by email to the email address you provided on the form. Please be sure to keep a copy of your receipt for tax purposes. If you select a recurring donation, you will be sent an individual receipt each month when your donation is processed. For gifts by mail, you will receive a printed paper receipt in the mail following receipt and processing of your gift. 

We will let you know. We provide our members with email notifications, as well as mailed letter notifications when your membership is up for renewal, or has recently expired. Responding to either of these with a donation of $49 or more will automatically renew your membership.

If you are a Frequent Flyer, a monthly sustaining donor, you will not receive renewal notifications, as your membership is always current thanks to your monthly gift.

If you receive a membership renewal notice you believe is in error, please let us know. Often times if a new email address is used, or a variation in the name is used, your membership renewal may not have been matched correctly to you. Please contact Ella Denman at ellad@birdsconnectsea.org and she would be happy to fix this.