Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
Bird research and conservation in the western lake Michigan region of the united states.
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory at a glance
In short: Lake Michigan Bird Observatory reported $5K in grants paid in 2024 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2024)
- $5,000 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- -91.1% vs 2023
- Total assets
- $328,338
- +152.2% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $557,024
- +116.0% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $4,233
- +2.2% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $370,238
- -16.1% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Lake Michigan Bird Observatory funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
7 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 7 grants of 7 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2021) to $56K (2023). In 2024 it reported $5K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UW Green Bay Cofrin Center for Diversity Green Bay, WI | Help fund habitat management | $8,000 |
| Mississippi Valley Conservancy LaCrosse, WI | F\Help fund habitat management, surveys and community outreach | $8,000 |
| Wild Rivers Conservancy of the St Croix and Namekagan Osceloa, WI | Help fund community outreach | $8,000 |
| Valley Stewardship Network Viroqua, WI | Help fund local outreach | $8,000 |
| Driftless Area Land Conservancy Dodgeville, WI | Fund outreach to private landowners | $8,000 |
| Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance Baraboo, WI | Fund surveys land management and outreach | $8,000 |
| Bayfield County Forestry Washburn, WI | Help fund habitat management | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $328,338 | $557,024 | $370,238 | $5,000 | Total only | $4,233 |
| 2023 | $130,210 | $257,823 | $441,083 | $56,000 | 7 | $4,142 |
| 2022 | $313,470 | $299,866 | $156,062 | — | — | $-5,664 |
| 2021 | $169,666 | $151,098 | $147,929 | $1,573 | Total only | $2,187 |
| 2020 | $182,808 | $149,288 | $157,896 | $2,080 | Total only | $2,593 |
| 2019 | $175,105 | $233,242 | $211,436 | — | — | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
Based on IRS filings
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory is a public charity, based in Port Washington, WI. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $328K in total assets. In 2024, it reported $5K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $4K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory is led by Susan Schmacher, CEO & Board since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 10 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Schmacher
CEO & Board
Vice Chairperson → CEO & Board Chair, 2022
CEO & Board Chair → CEO & Board, 2024
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Carl Schwartz
Past Chair
Board Member → Past Chair & Board Member, 2022
Past Chair & Board Member → Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jill Kunsmann
Corporate Se
Corporate Secretary & Board Member → Corporate Se, 2024
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Shawn Graff
Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Brittany Peters
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Nicholas Gall
Board Member
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Andrew Struck
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Dan Anhalt
Corporate Tr
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Jennifer Rothstein
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Laurel Cutright
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Jennifer Phillips Vanderberg PhD (2019–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Kate Redmond (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Robert Holzrichter (2019–2023) — Corporate Treasurer & Board Member
- Former: Gregg Petersen (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Nancy Hintz (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas Prestby (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Joanna Demas (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas Mlada (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Charles Hagner (2019–2021) — Chairman of the Board
- Former: William Volkert (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Glen Fredlund PhD (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Leakhene Au (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Shelly Culea (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Terrence Knudsen (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
How much does Lake Michigan Bird Observatory give each year?
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory reported $5K in grants paid in 2024 on its 2024 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2023 it gave $56K across 7 grants.
How large is Lake Michigan Bird Observatory?
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory reported $328K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $557K.
Where does Lake Michigan Bird Observatory operate?
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory has awarded grants in Wisconsin.
What is Lake Michigan Bird Observatory's EIN?
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-2924873. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Lake Michigan Bird Observatory's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory down — hundreds of funders to go?