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BILLION OYSTER PROJECT INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 272918478 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B90 · Education · Large ($10M-$50M) · billionoysterproject.org
revenue
$12.9M
expenses
$8.9M
net assets
$9.0M
employees
54
volunteers
2,902
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

BILLION OYSTER PROJECT RESTORES OYSTER REEFS TO NEW YORK HARBOR THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION INITIATIVES

profile · synthesized from sources

Billion Oyster Project restores oyster reefs in New York Harbor through hands-on environmental restoration and public education initiatives. The organization engages students, teachers, and volunteers in reef construction, shell recycling, and water quality monitoring. It operates field stations, supports a maritime high school, and partners with restaurants and corporations to scale its urban estuary restoration work.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.58M
    BILLION OYSTER PROJECT FOSTERS STEWARDSHIP OF NEW YORK HARBOR'S URBAN ESTUARY THROUGH COMMUNITY-FOCUSED ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE (I) PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS TO CREATE MATERIALS FOR RESTORATION DURING PUBLIC AND CORPORATE DAYS OF SERVICE; (II) DEVELOPING PLACE-BASED LEARNING CENTERS (FIELD STATIONS) THAT PROVIDE WATERFRONT ACCESS AND OYSTER RESTORATION-RELATED ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES; (III) CONDUCTING COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH THAT IMPROVES UNDERSTANDING OF REEF DEVELOPMENT, PERFORMANCE, AND WATER QUALITY; AND (IV) IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK HARBOR BY ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT MATTER TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE AND OYSTERS.
  2. #2 $1.22M
    BILLION OYSTER PROJECT BUILDS A COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS WHO USE AND CONTRIBUTE TO BOP'S FIELD-BASED CURRICULUM TO ENRICH STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. EDUCATION PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE (I) PUBLISHING FREE, FIELD-BASED CURRICULA WRITTEN FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS THROUGH THE LENS OF OYSTER RESTORATION; (II) PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO WORK AND LEARN ALONGSIDE BOP STAFF; (III) SUPPORTING NEW YORK HARBOR SCHOOL AS A MODEL OF PROVIDING BIPOC AND/OR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WITH A PATHWAY TO POST- SECONDARY AND LIFE-LONG CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF A NETWORK OF HARBOR SCHOOLS; AND (IV) OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS, PARTICULARLY IN DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Science & Restoration
Engages volunteers in harbor-wide restoration efforts, reef monitoring, and water quality research during annual field season
Field Station Network
Develops waterfront learning centers across NYC that provide public access and engagement in oyster restoration and water quality monitoring
Harbor School Partnership
Supports Career and Technical Education programs at Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, including aquaculture, marine biology research, professional diving, and marine policy
STEM Education Program
Provides free, field-based STEM curricula for NYC public school teachers and students focused on oyster restoration and harbor ecology
Shell Recycling Program
Collects oyster, clam, and scallop shells from NYC restaurants and public drop-off sites to use as substrate for oyster reef restoration; has collected over 2.4 million pounds of shells
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Oyster and Shellfish Restoration 2 activities
    • Oyster reef restoration and habitat rehabilitation
      Restores oyster populations and marine habitat through the construction and maintenance of oyster reefs and nurseries, having deployed 17 reefs across New York Harbor and reintroduced over 150 million live oysters. The organization collects and recycles oyster shells—over 3 million pounds to date—as substrate for reef restoration at multiple sites in the harbor.
    • Research and development of scalable oyster restoration methods
      Tests and monitors various oyster reef restoration techniques to develop best practices for urban environments, publishes annual monitoring reports, and is creating a roadmap for large-scale restoration in New York Harbor. Research includes documenting successful habitat restoration in the lower Hudson River Estuary.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 2 activities
    • Professional development and curriculum development for educators
      Develops and distributes free, field-based science curricula on oyster restoration for public school teachers and offers professional development workshops to support STEM education in disadvantaged schools, enhancing capacity for environmental education across the city.
    • STEM education and student engagement in harbor restoration
      Engages K–12 students across New York City in hands-on STEM education focused on local waterways and oyster restoration, reaching over 40,000 students through partnerships with more than 100 public schools. Programs include field-based curricula and real-world science activities.
  • Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
    • Community volunteer engagement and restoration material fabrication
      Organizes public and corporate volunteer service days to clean shell substrate and fabricate reef balls at a shell pile on Governors Island, supporting reef construction and restoration efforts through community-based stewardship.
  • Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
    • Corporate and brand partnerships to fund restoration efforts
      Generates funding for oyster reef restoration through co-branded products, including a capsule clothing collection, limited-edition watches, and a specialty beer, with portions of proceeds—such as over $100,000 in the first month and ongoing sales percentages—supporting harbor restoration initiatives.
  • Career and Technical Education Programs 1 activity
    • Maritime career training and educational pathway support
      Provides real-world training in maritime skills and supports post-secondary and career pathways for BIPOC and low-income students through advisory roles in Career and Technical Education programs at the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School.
  • Marine and Coastal Education Programs 1 activity
    • Public outreach and science communication through exhibits and events
      Hosts educational exhibits at the New York Aquarium and Brooklyn Children's Museum to teach children about oysters and harbor ecology, and organizes shoreline celebrations and science events across all five boroughs during City of Water Day to engage the broader public.
  • Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
    • Water quality monitoring and environmental data collection
      Conducts seasonal and long-term water quality testing across the NY-NJ Estuary and Western Long Island Sound, collecting over 12,000 water samples from 139 sites since 2012 to assess pollution levels and restoration feasibility. Testing occurs annually over 20 weeks as part of harbor-wide science initiatives.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$12.86M
Contributions & grants$12.82M100%
Program service revenue$102K1%
Investment income$-7K-0%
Other revenue$-54K
expenses
Total expenses$8.89M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising14%
Salaries & benefits$5.00M
Grants paid out$97K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$9.41M
Cash$2.43M
Investments$4.71M
Liabilities$454K
Net assets$8.95M
Liquid reserves9.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +84.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
PETER MALINOWSKI PRESIDENT AND CEO 40 $241K
BRIAN REAGOR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOP. & COMM. 40 $173K
KATHLEEN MOSHER-SMITH SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS 40 $150K
MARIA VICTORIA MARONILLA DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPS 40 $141K
ROBINA TALIAFERROW DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC IMPACT 40 $120K
ANN FRAIOLI DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION 40 $103K
board members · 19
  • ALEX PINCUS — DIRECTOR
  • ALIK HINCKSON — TREASURER
  • ASHLEY BRADLEY — DIRECTOR
  • BEN LEVENTHAL — DIRECTOR
  • BRIAN OWENS — DIRECTOR
  • DANIELLE JOSEPH — DIRECTOR
  • DON GARBER — DIRECTOR
  • ELLIOT STEELMAN — DIRECTOR
  • EMIL WOODS — DIRECTOR
  • JORGE MADRAZO GONZALEZ — DIRECTOR
  • KABIR SINGH — DIRECTOR
  • L MERCEDES TECH — DIRECTOR
  • MADELINE WACHTEL — DIRECTOR
  • MATTHEW C WILSON — DIRECTOR
  • MICHAEL JACONI — VICE CHAIR
  • OLIVIA TOURNAY FLATTO PHD — DIRECTOR
  • ROBIN BRAMWELL-STEWART — VICE CHAIR
  • RONNY KRISHANA — CHAIR
  • THOMAS A KLIGERMAN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • Brooklyn Childrens Museum Partner — Features a hands-on exhibit teaching children about oysters’ ecological role in New York Harbor and how to identify them.
  • Compost Power Partner — Hosts public shell drop-off site at River Street Farm Collective in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
  • Corporate groups Partner — Offers Corporate Volunteer Days that include training, a tour of the project’s work, and lunch for teams participating in restoration activities.
  • Grizzle, R., Lodge, J., Mosher, K. Partner — Collaborated on research documenting successful initial restoration of oyster habitat in the lower Hudson River Estuary.
  • Mon Coeur Partner — Co-developed a kids' capsule clothing collection using recycled materials and marine litter, with 15% of proceeds supporting oyster reef restoration.
  • NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Partner — Partners on City of Water Day events to promote estuary science and shoreline engagement.
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Funder — Provides funding through the Long Island Sound Future Fund to support oyster reef restoration and data collection in the Western Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed.
  • National Science Foundation Funder — Funds the organization's work under Grant Numbers NSF EHR DRL 1440869/1759006/1839656 with Principal Investigator Lauren Birney.
  • New York Alliance of Shell Collectors Network — Member organization promoting collaboration among shell collecting groups in New York State and advocating for shell recycling efforts.
  • New York Aquarium Partner — Hosts the “Spineless” exhibit featuring live oysters and educational content about Billion Oyster Project’s work in the five boroughs.
  • New York City Water Trail Association Partner — Original organizer of the Community Water Quality Testing program, in collaboration with Billion Oyster Project.
  • New York Harbor School Partner — Supports the New York Harbor School as a model institution providing career pathways for BIPOC and low-income students through hands-on marine education and restoration work.
  • Oris Partner — Created a limited-edition Aquis New York Harbor dive watch in support of the organization, inspired by the harbor’s water color.
  • Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio Partner — Collaborated on the public art installation _Love Ever After_ in Times Square to highlight harbor restoration work.
  • Red Hook Farms Partner — Hosts public shell drop-off site in Red Hook, Brooklyn, as a project of Red Hook Initiative.
  • SUNY Maritime College Partner — Hosts a restored oyster reef site and likely serves as a field station partner for community and student engagement.
  • Sixpoint Brewing Partner — Launched a co-branded beer, Lil’ Shucker, with a portion of proceeds supporting Billion Oyster Project’s restoration efforts.
  • The Nature Conservancy Partner — Collaborates on research related to oyster reef restoration.
  • The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School Partner — Collaborates on student engagement and maritime career preparation through a public high school on Governors Island.
  • The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School Partner — Collaborates to support Career and Technical Education programs that engage students in oyster reef restoration.
  • The World Around Partner — Collaborated on the public art installation _Love Ever After_ in Times Square.
  • Times Square Arts Partner — Partnered on the public art installation _Love Ever After_ in Times Square.
  • Tombolo Partner — Collaborated on an oyster-themed capsule clothing collection, with 15% of ongoing sales supporting Billion Oyster Project's work.
  • Urban Assembly New York Harbor School Partner — Collaborates on Career and Technical Education programs that provide students with real-world maritime training.
  • Waterfront Alliance Partner — Collaborates on City of Water Day events across New York City's five boroughs.
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.

  • Adaptive, Data-Driven Restoration Management
    methodology: adaptive_restoration_management
    By using ongoing monitoring and environmental data to refine oyster reef techniques, we improve restoration success because adaptive management allows for responsive, science-based decision-making in complex urban estuaries.
  • Community-Engaged Oyster Restoration
    methodology: community-engaged_restoration
    By involving local communities and volunteers in hands-on oyster reef restoration, we improve ecological outcomes and build public stewardship of urban estuaries because local ownership increases long-term engagement and sustainability of restoration efforts.
  • Place-Based STEM Education Through Ecological Restoration
    methodology: place-based_stem_education
    By integrating oyster reef restoration into STEM education, we increase student engagement and scientific literacy because hands-on, local environmental problem-solving makes learning relevant and actionable.
  • Work-Based Learning in Maritime and Environmental Fields
    methodology: work-based_learning
    By integrating career and technical education with real-world oyster restoration work, we prepare students for maritime careers because experiential learning in authentic contexts builds technical skills and professional pathways.