There is still time to submit your project for funding as part of the 2025 Breeding Bird Blitz to be held June 6-16 and organized by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology.  March 1 is the deadline to submit projects and become a Conservation Partner.

This year projects of up to $10,000 will be considered.

Since the Breeding Bird Blitz began in 2021, the Society has partnered with nonprofit organizations across the state on bird conservation projects raising a total of $67,318 to support these projects. 

In 2025 there will be a change in how the Society determines our fundraising goal and how the funds are distributed to our Conservation Partners.

If 100% of the goal is reached, each CP will receive 100% of the agreed upon funding for each Conservation Partner. 

If the goal is not reached, each CP will receive a percentage of the agreed upon amount, to be determined by set funding guidelines of the PSO Conservation Committee.

In 2024, the Breeding Bird Blitz raised $22,290 for three Conservation Partner projects.

Conservation Partner Guidelines.

Click Here for the application and all the details.

Partner Expectations

We are excited to develop a strong and collaborative partnership with your organization. As your partner, the PSO Conservation Committee is committed to promoting your organization and its projects.

Here's what you can expect from us:

-- Promotion: We will highlight your organization and project on our website, publish articles in the PSO Pileated, in press releases to the public and other conservation-related nonprofits.

-- Fundraising: We will dedicate our efforts to meet or exceed the fundraising goal set for 2025 by enthusiastically recruiting teams to participate in the B4C and encouraging teams to actively seek donations.

In return, we ask our partner organizations to:

-- Form and register a team to participate in the B4C.

-- Make a sincere effort to raise a minimum of $500 in donations in support of the B4C.

-- Provide a report within a year of receipt of funding detailing how the funds were spent.  A summary of the reports will be published in the PSO newsletter.

With this partnership firmly in place we are confident that we can reach our shared goals.

PSO will fund:

-- Bird-safe Habitats – Direct habitat conservation, habitat management or enhancement, land protection, invasive species removal, and native plant species plantings.

-- Conservation Education – Adult or school age education programming related to bird conservation in Pennsylvania.

-- Conservation Monitoring and Science – Monitoring or research on Pennsylvania bird populations or species with an applied conservation focus.

-- Threat Mitigation – Efforts such as reducing bird building or window collisions, vehicle collisions, pesticide use, and impacts from outdoor cats. 

PSO will not fund:

-- Administrative costs.

-- Habitat enhancements that are part of a required habitat offset (such as wetland banks) connected to new construction/development.

Previous CP awardees cannot apply again for two years after their award presentation. e.g., organizations that were a CP in 2023 or 2024 should not apply to be a CP in 2025.

Application

Click Here for the application and all the details.

If you have any questions about the B4C or the application, please email the PSO Conservation Committee: blitz4conservation@gmail.com.

            Visit the 2025 Breeding Bird Blitz and Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology websites for more information.

[Posted: February 19, 2025]

2/24/2025