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SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY INC
RHINEBECK, NY · EIN 113793286 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE C60 · Environment · Small ($100K-$1M) · sustainhv.org
revenue
$301K
expenses
$310K
net assets
$32K
employees
9
volunteers
1,200
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY'S MISSION IS TO SPEED UP, SCALE UP, JAZZ UP, AND LEVERAGE PROGRESS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, CREATING COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Sustainable Hudson Valley is a nonprofit organization based in Rhinebeck, NY, focused on accelerating climate action through education, community engagement, and resilience initiatives. It produces the Clean Power Guide, coordinates Climate Solutions Week, and supports community-led planning for climate resilience. The organization also manages the Repair Cafe of the Hudson Valley and Catskills, promoting circular economy practices by helping communities repair and reuse items.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $79K
    EDUCATION. SHV'S EDUCATION PROGRAM HELPS DECISION MAKERS AND INFLUENCERS TO UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND THE ABUNDANCE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE CONTINUED THE ANNUAL PUBLICATION CLEAN POWER GUIDE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHRONOGRAM MEDIA DISTRIBUTING 10,000 PRINT COPIES AND REACHING OVER 75,000 ONLINE.WE LED THE FOURTH ANNUAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WEEK WITH 60 EVENTS AND AN EXPANDED REGIONAL MEDIA PRESENCE. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER SPEAKER TRAINING. WE ALSO ENTERED INTO THREE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONTRACTS WITH ULSTER COUNTY ONE EACH ON GREEN BUSINESS, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION AND MATERIALS RE-USE.
  2. #2 $42K
    REPAIR CAFE OF THE HUDSON VALLEY AND CATSKILLS. CONTINUE COORDINATING THE REPAIR CAFE OF THE HUDSON VALLEY AND CATSKILLS, A GRASSROOTS PROGRAM IN WHICH PEOPLE HELP EACH OTHER TO FIX BROKEN ITEMS KEEPING WASTE OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND PRESERVING IMPORTANT SKILLS. A HIGHLY SKILLED HALF -TIME COORDINATOR HELPS THE VOLUNTEERS WITH SCHEDULING, PUBLICITY, RECRUITMENT OF REPAIR EXPERTS AND OVERALL COORDINATION AND HAS SUPPORTED THE CREATION OF NEW REPAIR CAFES IN 2024. IN 2024 OVER 6,000 ITEMS WERE KEPT FROM THE LANDFILL AND 168 REPAIR EVENTS WERE HELD IN 68 COMMUNITIES.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Circular Economy Summit
Annual summit focused on advancing circular economy practices in the Hudson Valley, including reuse, recycling, and sustainable materials management, in collaboration with Ulster County.
Clean Power Guide
Annual publication and expo that educates the public on renewable energy options, electrification, and energy savings, distributed in print and online in partnership with Chronogram Media.
Climate Solutions Week
Annual regional event series featuring workshops, summits, and peer-to-peer learning forums to advance climate action and collaboration among community leaders, officials, and advocates.
Repair Cafe of the Hudson Valley and Catskills
Grassroots program supporting community repair events to reduce landfill waste and preserve repair skills, coordinated by a part-time staff member with volunteer support.
Resilient Communities Initiative
Supports communities in redesigning public spaces for climate resilience through citizen-led planning and implementation assistance using the Resilient Places guide.
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • Community Recycling & Reuse Education 2 activities
    • Conduct refrigerant recycling drives
      Organizes refrigerant appliance recycling drives to prevent the release of potent greenhouse gases, including a program in Ulster County that collected over 400 units from residents.
    • Support Repair Cafés and community repair events
      Organizes and supports Repair Cafés across 68–72 communities in the Hudson Valley, where volunteers repair household items to extend product lifespans and reduce waste. In 2024, these events prevented over 6,000 items from entering landfills.
  • Local Clean Energy Adoption & Education 2 activities
    • Deliver the "Yes in My Backyard" solar energy education program
      Implements a two-year educational initiative on solar energy, battery storage, electrical grids, and utility bills to increase community understanding and adoption of renewable energy technologies.
    • Provide technical assistance for municipal climate action planning
      Supports municipalities in developing climate action plans, including creating the first 100% Renewable Energy Action Plan for Marbletown and developing a model refrigerant management program for the City of Kingston that can be replicated by other local governments.
  • Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 2 activities
    • Facilitate community-led climate resilience initiatives
      Supports community-led projects such as Resilience Hubs, Repair Cafés, and peer-to-peer communication networks. Also organizes book discussion groups and planning webinars based on “Prepared Neighborhoods” to strengthen local emergency preparedness and self-reliance.
    • Run Project RESTORE leadership academy
      Operates Project RESTORE, a leadership development program in partnership with Rotary, focused on building community capacity for resilient environmental strategies and climate action.
  • Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Advocate for resilient community policies and funding
      Engages in advocacy to promote policies and secure additional funding programs that support climate resilience, sustainable development, and community-led climate action in the Hudson Valley.
  • Solar Energy Access in Underserved Communities 1 activity
    • Conduct workshops and group purchase programs for clean energy adoption
      Hosts community workshops, provides group purchase discounts, and supports DIY projects to accelerate adoption of rooftop solar, home battery storage, heat pumps, and electric vehicles. These efforts are implemented through EnergyCorps intern programs and include events like the Clean Power Guide Expo.
  • Toxic Chemicals and Plastics Reform 1 activity
    • Develop and implement circular economy initiatives
      Collaborates with Ulster County and other partners to develop a Circular Economy Strategic Plan, supports reuse-based industries for building materials and textiles, and convenes the annual Circular Economy Summit. Also conducted research and published a feasibility study for the Reuse Innovation Center.
  • Energy Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
    • Facilitate community engagement on Climate Act funding priorities
      Conducts community conversations to identify local priorities for the use of financial resources made available through the New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
  • Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 1 activity
    • Organize Climate Solutions Week and regional summits
      Organizes the annual Climate Solutions Week featuring over 60 events and expanded media coverage, along with regional summits and the Climate Solutions Summit to promote peer-to-peer learning and community engagement on climate action.
  • Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
    • Publish research and impact reports on climate initiatives
      Produces and publishes annual Impact Reports (2022–2025), the UGREEN Year One Report, and other research publications such as the 100% Renewable Energy Action Plan and reports on community resilience to inform stakeholders and document program outcomes.
  • Clean Energy Workforce Training 1 activity
    • Run employment and mentoring program in clean energy trades
      Operates an employment and mentoring program in partnership with IBEW to train individuals in clean energy technologies and prepare them for careers in the clean energy sector.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Implement biochar demonstration projects for carbon removal
      Establishes biochar demonstration plots on nine farms and promotes its use in urban land management to support carbon dioxide removal and soil health.
    • Provide educational resources on climate solutions
      Distributes educational materials such as the Clean Power Guide, fact sheets, curricula, and expert speakers to inform communities about clean energy adoption, climate policy, and sustainability strategies. The 2024 Clean Power Guide reached over 75,000 people online and included print distribution of 10,000 copies in partnership with Chronogram Media.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$301K
Contributions & grants$279K93%
Program service revenue$22K7%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$310K
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$275K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$32K
Cash$32K
Investments$0
Liabilities$200
Net assets$32K
Liquid reserves1.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +21.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MELISSA EVERETT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $70K
board members · 7
  • DAVID DELL — CHAIRMAN
  • LUCILLE JOHNSON — SECRETARY
  • MARY ANN CUNNINGHAM PHD — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHAEL GREENHOUSE — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHAEL SHERIDAN PHD — TREASURER
  • OLGA K ANDERSON — BOARD MEMBER
  • VICTOR-PIERRE MELENDEZ — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 48

Who they work with

  • All We Can Save Project Partner — References All We Can Save Project as a platform for emotional intelligence and community learning circles on climate action.
  • Art of Hosting Partner — Collaborates with or references Art of Hosting as a resource for facilitating inclusive group dialogue and collective problem-solving.
  • Candid Government — Recognized by Candid with a Gold Seal of Transparency.
  • Central Hudson Partner — Co-hosted electric vehicle summit to promote electric transportation adoption.
  • Central Hudson Partner — Works with utility planners on grid integration and clean energy project planning.
  • Charity Navigator Government — Rated by Charity Navigator with a Three-Star Rating.
  • Chronogram Media Partner — Partnered to publish and distribute the annual Clean Power Guide in print and online.
  • Circularly PBC Partner — Partners on circular economy development and programming.
  • City of Kingston Sustainability Coordinator Partner — Collaborates on refrigerant management and clean energy initiatives.
  • Clean Energy Hub Partner — Partners on clean energy education and adoption programs.
  • Climate Interactive Partner — References Climate Interactive as a resource for systems thinking tools and simulation games to support climate action planning.
  • Climate Smart Kingston Partner — Provided support for the Ulster County Coolest Recycling Drive.
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension Partner — Partners on community resilience and preparedness initiatives.
  • Dutchess County BOCES Center for Sustainability and Climate Education Partner — Works with the Center for Sustainability and Climate Education, engaging its planning committee members in climate education initiatives.
  • Forest Defense Partner — Jessica Dupont is a board member of this volunteer-run organization focused on hunting culture and food access.
  • Garrison Institute Partner — References the Garrison Institute's curated resources on psychological and social guidance for climate leadership.
  • Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy Partner — Collaborates on community resilience and local preparedness efforts.
  • Highlands Together We Decide Partner — Partners on community-led resilience programming.
  • Hudson Technologies Partner — Provided in-kind support and safely extracted and recycled refrigerants during the recycling drive.
  • IBEW Partner — Collaborates on an innovative employment and mentoring program in clean energy trades.
  • Land Art Generator Partner — References Land Art Generator as a resource for public co-design of clean energy infrastructure integrating art and environmental justice.
  • Marbletown ECC Partner — Collaborates with Marbletown ECC, as evidenced by leadership involvement and shared climate action goals.
  • Mid-Hudson Energy Transition Partner — Collaborates on regional energy transition efforts.
  • Municipal Solar Partners Partner — Collaborates on municipal solar initiatives.
  • NY-Carbon Partner — Partners on carbon dioxide removal and carbon-negative materials initiatives.
  • NYSERDA Government — Approved Clean Energy Internship Program partner, enabling paid internships for students.
  • NYSERDA Government — Provided three-year funding award to support the Solarize model in the Hudson Valley.
  • New Paltz ReUse and Recycling Center Partner — Provided in-kind support and served as primary drop-off location for the refrigerant recycling drive.
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Government — Hired a Climate Justice Fellow under NYSERDA's funding program.
  • New Yorkers for Clean Power Partner — Provided support for the Ulster County Coolest Recycling Drive.
+ 18 more
strategies · 5

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 Energy Planning
    methodology: community-led_energy_planning
    By integrating community input early in site selection and planning, we align clean energy projects with local values and priorities, increasing local ownership and long-term project success because community-driven design fosters trust and reduces resistance.
  • Group Purchase Aggregation to Lower Adoption Barriers
    methodology: group_purchase_aggregation
    By organizing group purchasing programs for renewable energy, we reduce cost barriers and increase adoption rates because collective buying power lowers prices and leverages peer influence to normalize clean energy choices.
  • Peer-Driven Behavior Change in Climate Action
    methodology: community-based social marketing
    By using peer-to-peer support and community-based social marketing, we remove psychological and social barriers to sustainable behaviors because trusted relationships are more effective than information alone in driving lasting behavior change.
  • Systems Change Through Collaborative Leverage
    methodology: systems_change
    By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, we identify high-leverage interventions that drive large-scale change in energy and resilience systems because small, well-placed actions can shift entire systems when supported by aligned networks and shared incentives.
  • Trauma-Informed, Justice-Centered Climate Action
    methodology: trauma-informed climate justice
    By applying a trauma-informed and justice-centered lens to climate solutions, we address systemic inequities and historical oppression because effective climate action must first recognize and repair power imbalances to build authentic community resilience.