MEMBERSHIP FAQ

Q. Can I talk to a real person?
A. Yes. Our membership team is small, but we're here to help. Our office hours are typically Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Arizona time), and you can call anytime. If you reach our voicemail, don't worry — we'll return your call promptly.

Reach us by phone at (520) 623-5252 or toll-free at (866) 357-3349.

Fax us at (520) 623-9797.

Email our membership team at membership@biologicaldiversity.org.

Write to us at:
Center for Biological Diversity
Membership Department
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702-0710

Our tax ID number is ID 27-3943866.

If you experience difficulty making a donation online or purchasing an item from our Web store, please contact us right away.

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“I have supported the Center for quite awhile now — the reason is because these guys are effective — I can see my money working in lawsuits against the feds, etc. The Center considers all creatures great and small to be important — everybody cares about polar bears, but who cares about frogs? The Center cares, and wants to make sure everyone is aware of how humans are driving them to extinction. Kudos to Kierán for the quarterly briefings, and the way the staff makes donors feel cherished and special.” – Joan DaVanzo, Leadership Circle member

"The Center for Biological Diversity makes a long-term impact with its incredible sucess in winning court cases. Thanks to them, our fellow creatures have a voice.”
— Arlene, via GreatNonprofits.org

"They are pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the most effective conservation organization in the country"
— LA Weekly

"People should help animals because its the right thing, not because you're being rewarded."
—Kaylyn, age 10

“I think it's important to help Center for Biological Diversity because they know how to use the money wisely, they know how to save the animals with money, and they know what they are doing.”
— Austin Lee, fourth grade, Los Angeles

ABOUT THE CENTER

Q. What is the Center for Biological Diversity’s mission?
A. Read our mission statement.

Q. How long has the Center been around, and how did the organization get started?
A. The Center is the lead organization fighting for justice for endangered species and wild places. In the past three decades we’ve won federal legal protection for more than 740 species and more than half a billion acres of habitat — more than all other U.S. conservation organizations combined. We were the organization that forced the climate-denying Bush administration to finally recognize the reality of global climate change and its impact on vulnerable species like polar bears. Over the decades, the Center has won lawsuits resulting in the protection of millions of acres of public lands — including 1 million acres surrounding Grand Canyon National Park — from mining, logging, and off-road vehicle abuse. Read about how we got started and more Center history.

Q. How many supporters do you have now?
A. The Center has the support of more than 1.7 million members and online activists — and still counting. Together we have the clout to force the sea changes in policy needed to curb climate change, protect air and water, and secure a future for plants and animals hovering on the brink of extinction.

Q. Where does my donation go?
A. We’re proud of how we manage our funds. According to the LA Weekly, we’re “pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the most effective conservation organization in the country.” When you donate to the Center, you may not get a backpack, plush toy, or windbreaker, but you’ll get the satisfaction of being part of the best defense for endangered species and wild places.

Q. I don’t have money to donate. Can I volunteer my time?
A: We welcome your support as an activist. Check out our action center to learn how you can help with some of our most urgent campaigns to secure a brighter future for the wild. Most of our volunteer opportunities are in our main office in Tucson, Arizona, but we also sometimes have opportunities to get involved or attend events in other communities. Sign up for alerts to stay in touch.

Q. Does my online activism make a difference?
A. Yes, your voice is a crucial part of creating meaningful change. We find that in concert with litigation, education, science-based investigation, and creative media, online petitions and email comment campaigns can be powerful forces. Sometimes a barrage of public comments are just the thing to nudge a politician or bureaucrat in the right direction. And the more succinct and direct, the better. We construct our petitions to save species and habitat after intensive investigation and then harness them as one of several parallel and complementary prongs of attack. If you haven’t yet, head to our action center to help us save life on Earth and sign up for alerts to stay in the know.

Q. Does the Center share my personal information?
A. Read our privacy policies or contact our membership team to have a copy sent to you.

Q. Can I have the Center’s tax ID information?
A. Yes. Contact our membership team to request that a copy of our official 501c3 registration letter be sent to you via email, mail, or fax. Our tax ID number is ID 27-3943866.

Q. Can I view the Center’s state fundraising registration disclosures?
A. Yes. You can find our current state fundraising registration disclosures on our website.

ABOUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Q. How can I change my mailing address, email address, phone number, or other contact information?
A. Email your name and contact info with changes to our membership team at membership@biologicaldiversity.org or call us toll free at (866) 357-3349.

Q. When and how do I renew my membership?
A. Membership is good for the calendar year. We send out renewal notices by mail and email at the beginning of each year. You can renew by responding to your renewal notice, calling our membership team to make your gift by phone, or making your gift online via our secure server with a credit card or electronic check.

Q. How can I find out if my membership is current?
A. The best way to learn your membership status is to call our membership team toll free at (866) 357-3349. If you have a recent mailing from us, please keep it on hand for reference.

Q. How can I get less mail from you?
A. If you’d like to receive more or less membership mail, we’re happy to tailor our communications to your wishes. Call our office to talk to someone on our membership team. We can …

Switch your communications to be email only.
Limit your renewal notices.
Limit your additional appeals by mail.
Stop all solicitations and only send you our membership newsletter.
Stop all Center mail and/or email communications.

Q. How can I be added to or removed from the Center’s mailing or telephone list?
A. Please email our membership staff at membership@biologicaldiversity.org or give us a call toll free at (866) 357-3349. We’re happy to honor your communication preferences.

Q. What does it mean to be a member of the Center?
A. Being a Center member means you contribute regularly to support our work. Contributions are usually financial, but they may include other gifts and/or services.

DONATION QUESTIONS

Q. Can I make automatic monthly or quarterly donations?
A. Yes. You can start a recurring gift on our website or by calling our membership team at (866) 357-3349. By giving monthly, you’ll stand with thousands of others whose sustaining donations power the Center’s nonstop work to save wildlife, wild places and the planet. You can make a gift by credit card or electronic funds transfer.

Q. I currently give to the Center monthly. How can I make changes to this donation?
A. You can manage your recurring gift — including by changing a credit card number and suspending a payment — through the Center’s member portal.

Q. Can I use PayPal to make a donation?
Yes, all our donation forms offer PayPal as a payment method. Just click the PayPal button on the first page after you’ve selected your donation amount.

Q. How can I get the Center’s annual report, form 990, and audited financials?
A. You can view the Center’s digital annual report, our 2023 form 990, and our 2023 audited financial statements.

Q. Can I donate something other than cash?
A. Yes! We gratefully accept in-kind donations like office equipment or artwork when we can make the most of your gift. You can also donate your used car or other vehicle by giving to the Center through one of two organizations that can facilitate your donation: Vehicles for Charity or CARS.

Q. Is the Center part of the Combined Federal Campaign, and how can I make a gift that way?
A. Yes! The Center has been approved for participation in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) as a member of the Conservation and Preservation Charities of America federation. Our CFC code is 61427. To designate us for a gift through this program, look for our listing and agency number as a member of the CPCA federation. CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with almost 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year. Contact us with questions and to find your local campaign or go to the CFC’s Campaign Locator site.

Q. Can I make a gift of stock?
A. Yes! For the most up-to-date transfer instructions, contact Chief Development Officer Paula Simmonds at (646) 770-7206 or psimmonds@biologicaldiversity.org.

JOINING THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Q. What is the Center’s Leadership Circle, and how can I join?
A. The Center’s top member group is the Leadership Circle, comprising 4 percent of our membership and donating more than 70 percent of all membership gifts. Each member of this select group generously donates $1,000 or more annually. Find out more and join the Leadership Circle on our website. Or, to get more information or give your gift by phone or email, contact Chief Development Officer Paula Simmonds at (646) 770-7206 or psimmonds@biologicaldiversity.org.

LEAVING A LEGACY

Q. How can I make a planned or estate gift to the Center?
A. Making a planned gift is one way you can help ensure that the Center will be a significant voice for protecting endangered species and imperiled ecosystems far into the future. Our website gives information on the most common ways to make a planned gift, like through a bequest or retirement plan. You can ask specific questions by emailing us or calling Paula Simmonds, the Center’s chief development officer, at (646) 770-7206. Please remember: Always seek advice from your personal accountant or financial advisor as well.

Q. How can I contribute through a retirement account?
A. One of the simplest ways to contribute from a retirement account is to name the Center for Biological Diversity as a beneficiary of part or all of what remains in a retirement account when you no longer need it. You can give through an individual retirement account (IRA), Keogh plan, 401(k) plan, 403(b) plan, or any other qualified pension plan. The proceeds will be distributed outside probate, so they’re entirely free from federal estate tax.

Depending on your age, you may also be able to give a qualified charitable contribution from your IRA. Learn more.

Q. I’ve decided to leave a legacy to the Center. What do I do now?
A. If you make the choice to leave a legacy to the Center, thank you. Here’s the information you may need.

Legal description of the Center for Biological Diversity:
The Center for Biological Diversity, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Federal tax ID number: 27-3943866.
Address: P.O. Box 710, Tucson, AZ, 85702-0710

For more details on leaving a legacy to the Center, please contact the Center for Biological Diversity’s Chief Development Officer Paula Simmonds by calling (646) 770-7206, emailing owlsclub@biologicaldiversity.org, or writing to this address:

Center for Biological Diversity
Attn: Owls Club
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY FOR MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS AND VOLUNTEERS

The fight for justice has been at the core of the Center for Biological Diversity’s work for more than three decades. We believe the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. We welcome respectful civil discourse with our members.

The Center’s work embodies justice, equity, diversity, access and inclusion for all. There’s no place for discrimination, racism, hatred, harassment, misogyny or bigotry of any kind at the Center. Discriminatory, abusive behavior or content communicated to the Center or our staff will result in termination of membership and/or being unsubscribed from the Center’s communications.