About
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. Believing that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature and to the existence of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants, the Center works through science, law and creative media to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive.
Mission
The Center works to secure a future for all species on the brink of extinction. It combines biological research, legal expertise and the Endangered Species Act's citizen petition provision, using petitions, lawsuits, policy advocacy and media outreach to win protections for species and habitats.
What they do
The Center's programs include:
- Endangered species: protecting and recovering endangered species and their essential habitats.
- Climate Law Institute: safeguarding species and habitats by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
- Carnivore conservation: science-based advocacy to defend predators from exploitation and extinction.
- Oceans: conserving and recovering marine species and ocean ecosystems.
- Public lands: defending endangered species across U.S. public lands and protected areas.
- International: pursuing global biodiversity protection where U.S. law applies internationally.
- Environmental health: protecting biodiversity and human health from toxic substances.
- Energy justice: legal and grassroots campaigns for an equitable energy transition.
- Population and sustainability: raising awareness of how human population growth and consumption affect ecosystems.
- Urban wildlands: monitoring development projects that threaten species at the edges of urban sprawl.
History
The Center was founded in 1989 by Kieran Suckling, Peter Galvin and Todd Schulke, joined by Dr. Robin Silver, after Suckling and Galvin, surveying owls in New Mexico's Gila wilderness, found a rare Mexican spotted owl nest threatened by a timber sale. Early campaigns won protections for species such as the southwestern willow flycatcher and the Mexican spotted owl. From its Southwest roots, the Center's work expanded to all 11 western states, then across the country, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and international regions as remote as the poles, growing from a grassroots volunteer operation to a nonprofit with offices around the country and a full-time staff of dozens of environmental lawyers and scientists.
Scale and impact
The Center reports that 83 percent of its lawsuits result in favorable outcomes. It holds a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a top-rated designation from GreatNonprofits, and Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Financials
Per its ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer profile (fiscal year 2024), the Center reported total revenue of $45.7 million, total expenses of $34.6 million, and net assets of $54.9 million. Contributions made up 82.4% of revenue ($37.7 million).
Governance
The Center for Biological Diversity is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN 27-3943866), governed by a board of directors.