COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

Save the great south bay inc
Babylon, NY · EIN 462635637 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE Z99 · Unknown · Small ($100K-$1M) · savethegreatsouthbay.org
revenue
$630K
expenses
$425K
net assets
$427K
employees
4
volunteers
1,260
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

Save the Great South Bay is a local 501(c)3 non-profit that actively works to restore the bay, and with that, strengthen our South Shore communities

profile · synthesized from sources

Environmental nonprofit focused on restoring the Great South Bay through habitat restoration, pollution reduction, and community advocacy. The organization engages in oyster reef restoration, native plantings, and campaigns to replace failing septic systems that contribute to nitrogen pollution. Based in Babylon, NY, it serves the Long Island South Shore communities and ecosystems.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $7K
    NATIVE PLANTINGS
  2. #2 $6K
    ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION OF THE GREAT SOUTH BAY
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Great South Bay Oyster Project
Oyster reef restoration initiative involving community volunteers and Cornell Cooperative Extension to improve water quality and habitat
Guardians of the Water
Annual event series featuring Waterkeepers and experts to educate the public about Long Island waterways
Native Plantings
Habitat restoration through planting native vegetation to improve coastal resilience and water quality
Oyster Gardens
Community-based oyster gardening program engaging local volunteers in shellfish restoration efforts
Water Matters
Educational podcast series addressing water quality, nitrogen pollution, and conservation issues affecting Long Island
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Advocacy for science-based bay management and pollution reduction
      Conducts advocacy and education efforts to promote science-based, non-political management of the Great South Bay. Focuses on reducing nitrogen pollution through public support for replacing failing septic systems and cesspools with denitrification systems or sewering in targeted areas.
  • Marine and Coastal Education Programs 1 activity
    • Community events and public awareness campaigns
      Hosts public events such as "Guardians of the Water: Long Island’s Waterkeepers" and the Second Annual Oyster Ball in 2025 to raise awareness and funds for bay restoration. Appoints local Creek Defenders to advocate for specific waterways.
  • Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
    • Creek and watershed cleanup and stewardship
      Organizes local residents, schools, and civic groups through the Creek Defender Program to clean and protect creeks from Lindenhurst to Mastic. Activities include debris removal and invasive species monitoring across 50 creeks flowing into the Great South Bay.
  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
    • Native habitat and pollinator garden restoration
      Restores native vegetation and wildlife habitat through initiatives like the Bay Friendly Yards program, native plantings along Pattersquash Creek, and the revival of the Bayview Park Native Pollinator Garden. Includes stormwater management and pesticide-free landscaping practices.
  • Oyster and Shellfish Restoration 1 activity
    • Oyster and bivalve restoration in the Great South Bay
      Reintroduces oysters and ribbed mussels into the Great South Bay and its estuaries through the Great South Bay Oyster Project to improve water quality via natural filtration. Plans include planting 225,000 oysters in a single summer and maintaining oyster gardens through cleaning, monitoring, and submerging crates.
  • Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
    • Volunteer stewardship and community engagement
      Engages volunteers in monthly stewardship sessions at the Skip Gardner Native Forest and Butterfly Garden, community oyster gardening events, and staffing information tables at public events to promote awareness and hands-on restoration of the Great South Bay.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Youth and public environmental education
      Provides educational programming for youth through the Day in the Life Program and produces a web-streamed show on Long Island’s surface and groundwater issues. Also facilitates community conversation through a Facebook group with over 13,000 members.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$630K
Contributions & grants$516K82%
Program service revenue$1K0%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$112K
expenses
Total expenses$425K
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$233K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$496K
Cash$216K
Investments$0
Liabilities$68K
Net assets$427K
Liquid reserves6.1 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +68.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Robyn Silvestri Executive Director 40 $131K
board members · 11
  • Andrew Mirchel — Director
  • Bill Zeller — Director
  • Dr James Bertsch — Director
  • Karen Marvin — Director
  • Rae Paoletta — Director
  • Randy Weichbrodt — Director
  • Rhianna Quinn Roddy — Director
  • Todd J Shaw — President
  • Tom Kain — Director
  • Victoria Lefayt — Director
  • Wayne Horsley — Director
relationships · 31

Who they work with

  • Babylon Bayman Statue Committee Partner — Bill was a member, indicating involvement in local maritime heritage recognition.
  • Babylon Yacht Club Partner — Hosts volunteer oyster garden maintenance sessions on Mondays.
  • Bay Shore Yacht Club Partner — Hosts volunteer oyster garden maintenance sessions on Wednesdays.
  • Conklin House Museum Partner — Bill volunteered, indicating a partnership supporting local maritime history and education.
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension Partner — Collaborates with Save The Great South Bay on oyster gardening and habitat restoration initiatives.
  • Defend H2O Partner — Collaborates with Defend H2O on discussions about coastal changes and climate policy.
  • Desktop Alert Inc Partner — Provided an initial donation that enabled the launch of the Save The Great South Bay website.
  • Dr. Christopher Gobler Partner — Collaborates with Save The Great South Bay on scientific outreach and public education about bay health.
  • Great River Community Association Partner — Collaborates with community leadership from the Great River Community Association to support sewer advocacy efforts.
  • Heckscher State Park Partner — Hosts the Oyster Ball 2026 fundraising event.
  • Long Island Beach Access Committee Partner — Bill was a member, indicating collaboration on public access to coastal resources.
  • Long Island Pine Barrens Society Partner — Hosts a guest from the Long Island Pine Barrens Society to discuss forest protection and water quality.
  • Long Island Shellfish Dealers Association Partner — Bill served as President, indicating a leadership partnership focused on shellfish industry advocacy.
  • New York Islanders Partner — Partnered with Save The Great South Bay through the "Protect Our Shores" sustainability platform to support local waterway restoration.
  • New York Seafood Council Partner — Bill served as a board member, indicating a partnership to support seafood industry interests.
  • New York State Government — Funded both the Center For Clean Water Technology and the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP) to address regional nitrogen pollution.
  • Pew Charitable Trusts Partner — Bill served on the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Shellfish Restoration Committee, indicating collaboration with a national nonprofit on marine restoration.
  • Reclaim Our Water Partner — Partner organization providing information and resources on the Septic Improvement Program and I/A OWTS system replacements.
  • Saltaire Partner — Hosts volunteer oyster garden maintenance sessions on Sundays.
  • Save The Sound Partner — Engages with Save The Sound to discuss water quality in Long Island Sound.
  • Shellfish Restoration Committee Government — Bill served on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s committee, indicating a formal advisory role in state-led restoration efforts.
  • Smile Farms Partner — Lauren previously served as Development and Operations Coordinator at Smile Farms, indicating a professional affiliation.
  • Snapper Inn, Oakdale Partner — Hosts volunteer oyster garden maintenance sessions on Mondays.
  • Stony Brook’s Center For Clean Water Technology Partner — Collaborates on the development and improvement of onsite denitrification systems to address nitrogen pollution in groundwater.
  • Strong’s Marine Partner — Lauren previously served as Development Associate at Strong’s Marine, indicating a professional affiliation.
  • The Bridges Academy Partner — Lauren previously worked as an Art Teacher at The Bridges Academy, indicating a professional affiliation.
  • The Nature Conservancy Partner — Collaborates with The Nature Conservancy in supporting efforts to improve septic systems and protect water quality.
  • The North Shore Land Alliance Partner — Partners with The North Shore Land Alliance to discuss septic system upgrades and water quality.
  • Town of Brookhaven Partner — Collaborates on the Bayview Park Native Pollinator Garden project.
  • Unqua Corinthian Yacht Club Partner — Hosts volunteer oyster garden maintenance sessions every other Friday.
+ 1 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Led Stewardship and Advocacy
    methodology: community-led_stewardship
    By empowering local residents and trusted community leaders to lead restoration and advocacy efforts, we achieve more sustainable environmental outcomes, because community ownership increases civic engagement, credibility, and long-term stewardship of shared natural resources.
  • Oyster-Based Bioremediation
    methodology: oyster-based_bioremediation
    By restoring oyster populations, we improve water quality and reduce nitrogen pollution in the Great South Bay, because oysters act as natural filters that remove excess nutrients and rehabilitate degraded ecosystems.
  • Systemic Nitrogen Reduction via Infrastructure Advocacy
    methodology: nitrogen-reduction-through-wastewater-infrastructure
    By advocating for regulatory change and replacing cesspools with denitrifying systems or sewers, we reduce groundwater nitrogen pollution at scale, because technological and policy-level interventions are necessary to address diffuse pollution sources beyond individual behavior change.
  • Watershed-Scale Habitat Restoration
    methodology: riparian_buffer_restoration
    By restoring native vegetation through riparian buffers, bay-friendly landscaping, and living shorelines, we reduce pollutant runoff and enhance coastal resilience, because these natural systems intercept nitrogen and stormwater before they enter the bay and support self-sustaining ecosystems.