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Friends of Downtown Parks NYC Inc

New York, NY · EIN 461974668 · Form 990EZ · FY2022 · NTEE C30 · Environment · Micro (<$100K) · greenbelow14.org
revenue
$773
expenses
$8K
net assets
$28K
employees
mission · from form 990

TO IMPROVE PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, AND OPEN SPACE IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN BELOW 14TH STREET

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of Downtown Parks NYC Inc, operating as Green Below 14, improves parks, playgrounds, and open spaces in Manhattan below 14th Street. The organization supports community-led park groups through fiscal sponsorship, programming, and advocacy. It focuses on enhancing underfunded public spaces in a densely populated urban area with below-average park access.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Artside Program
Partnership with Children’s Museum of Art and NYC Parks to install temporary community art projects in downtown Manhattan parks and playgrounds
Greener & Cleaner Program
Supplementary maintenance program in partnership with the Horticultural Society of New York and Association of Community Engagement to improve cleanliness and landscaping in select parks
Playground STEM Program
Outdoor learning initiative incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math through playful workshops with partners like Imagination Playground and City Growers
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 4 activities
    • Funds and supports community outreach and organizational capacity for park improvement groups
      Secures grants and private donations to strengthen community-based park organizations, including Capacity Fund grants from Partnerships for Parks and Citizens Committee for Better Neighborhoods, to expand outreach, planning, and sustainability of local park initiatives.
    • Improves and advocates for parks, playgrounds, and open spaces in downtown Manhattan below 14th Street
      Organizes community-driven improvements and long-term advocacy for parks, playgrounds, and open spaces in Manhattan below 14th Street, including capital renovations, maintenance, and public funding initiatives. Supports specific sites such as Vesuvio Playground, DeSalvio Playground, J.J. Walker Playground, and Elizabeth Street Garden.
    • Leads preservation and community engagement efforts for specific public spaces
      Organizes community input, visioning events, and stakeholder collaboration for park renovations and preservation, including leadership roles in Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden and the Superblocks City-Owned Land Stakeholder Task Force for Mercer Playground.
    • Participates in semi-annual park maintenance events
      Engages in regular park stewardship through participation in “It’s My Park Day” events, contributing to cleaning and improvement efforts across downtown Manhattan parks.
  • Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
    • Hosts community art installations and informal STEM workshops in parks
      Creates temporary public art projects in collaboration with artists and hosts outdoor STEM workshops for all ages through partnerships with educational organizations to enhance community engagement in parks.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$773
Contributions & grants$773100%
Program service revenue
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$8K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$28K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$28K
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +47.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

Who runs it

board members · 2
  • Catherine Juracich — Board Member
  • Jeannine Kiely — Board member
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • Association of Community Engagement Partner — Co-implements the Greener & Cleaner Program to support park maintenance.
  • Bowery Babes Partner — Collaborates with Friends of DeSalvio Playground on advocacy efforts for playground renovation.
  • Brooklyn Robot Factory Partner — Conducts informal STEM workshops for all ages as part of the Playground STEM Program.
  • Children’s Museum of Art Partner — Collaborates on community art projects for temporary installation in parks and playgrounds.
  • Citizens Committee for Better Neighborhoods Partner — Received Capacity Fund grant from Citizens Committee for Better Neighborhoods to expand outreach and organizational capacity.
  • City Growers Partner — Collaborates on the Playground STEM Program to provide outdoor educational experiences.
  • City Parks Foundation Partner — Participates in “It’s My Park Day” events supported by City Parks Foundation.
  • Green Below 14 Government — Provides fiscal sponsorship to Friends of DeSalvio Playground as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
  • Green Below 14 Government — Receives fiscal sponsorship from Green Below 14.
  • Green Below 14 Network — Member of Green Below 14, a nonprofit organization improving public parks in lower Manhattan.
  • Green Below 14 Network — Member organization within Green Below 14's network of groups improving public spaces in lower Manhattan.
  • Green Below 14 Network — Member park of Green Below 14, a nonprofit focused on improving public parks below 14th Street in Manhattan.
  • Horticultural Society of New York Partner — Co-implements the Greener & Cleaner Program to provide supplementary maintenance in select parks.
  • Hudson River Parks Partner — Leadership role in Hudson River Parks’ Playground Committee to support park improvements.
  • Imagination Playground Partner — Supports the Playground STEM Program by providing resources for playful outdoor learning.
  • Launch STEM Partner — Conducts informal STEM workshops in parks for all ages as part of the Playground STEM Program.
  • Manhattan Community Board 2 Government — Board members serve on Manhattan Community Board 2 and its Parks & Waterfront Committee, contributing to local public space planning.
  • NYC Parks Partner — Partners on the Artside Program to install community art in downtown Manhattan parks.
  • New York City Parks Department Government — Works with the NYC Parks Department to secure funding and advance renovation plans for local playgrounds.
  • Partnerships for Parks Partner — Collaborates with Partnerships for Parks to secure Capacity Fund grants and participate in joint events such as 'It’s My Park Day'.
  • Partnerships for Parks Partner — Participates in “It’s My Park Day” events supported by Partnerships for Parks.
  • Science Sarah Partner — Leads informal STEM workshops in parks for all ages through the Playground STEM Program.
  • Silly Sally’s Bubbleology Partner — Provides informal STEM-related workshops in parks for all ages.
  • The Battery Partner — Partners on the Playground STEM Program to support playful learning in parks.
  • Uni Project Partner — Participates in the Playground STEM Program to offer informal outdoor learning opportunities.
strategies · 2

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-Driven Park Improvement
    methodology: community_engaged_advocacy
    By engaging local stakeholders and organizing community-led advocacy, the organization drives park renovations and improvements because collective input and civic participation lead to more responsive, sustainable, and equitable outcomes in urban green space development.
  • Play-Based STEM Learning Integration
    methodology: play_based_stem_education
    By embedding STEM concepts into open-ended, creative play environments, the organization supports children’s social, emotional, and intellectual development because experiential and sensory engagement makes learning accessible and developmentally effective.