irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $45KFree weekend play at The Yard: In 2024, The Yard (Governors Island) was open to all children on weekends between April and November. More than 7,000 children played on NYC's only adventure playground, for free, supported by our trained playworkers.
- #2 $8KCommunity Play Education: We advocate for more and better play opportunities for children around NYC by providing play pop-ups in public spaces, in-school play opportunities, field trips to The Yard, and professional development for adults who support our city's youth through play.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Play Education
Pop-up play events, in-school workshops, and professional development for educators to promote self-directed play in NYC communities
Family Play Workshops
Workshops for one adult and one child to learn about playwork philosophy and engage in child-led play at The Yard
Preview Hours
Quiet, staffed hours at The Yard for families, especially those with children with disabilities or neurodivergent children, to explore before public opening
Summer Camp
Week-long outdoor camp providing 35+ hours of unstructured play on Governors Island for children
Weekend Open Play
Free weekend access to The Yard adventure playground on Governors Island for children, supported by trained playworkers
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 2 activities
- Operating The Yard adventure playground on Governors IslandOperates The Yard, NYC's only adventure playground on Governors Island, open weekends from April to November, offering free public access to self-directed play using loose parts, tools, and natural materials for children ages 5 to 19. The program is staffed by trained playworkers who support risk-benefit assessment and unstructured play, with capacity limited to approximately 45 children at a time.
- Providing field trips, private events, and Preview HoursOffers field trip access to The Yard for schools and groups, 2-hour private supervised sessions for birthday parties and events, and Preview Hours for families—especially those with neurodivergent or disabled children—to explore the playground before public opening.
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Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
- Conducting pop-up and community-based play programmingFacilitates adventure play pop-up events in public spaces, neighborhood parks, block parties, and community centers across NYC, as well as in-school play activities and off-site programming, reaching diverse communities through partnerships with local organizations.
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Delivering professional development and playwork trainingProvides professional development workshops, annual playwork training, and school programming for educators, caregivers, and DOE partners to integrate playwork principles into educational settings. Also offers a Playworker-In-Training program for youth aged 13+ and Family Play Workshops to teach caregivers about child-led play.
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Summer Day Camp Programs 1 activity
- Running summer and mini camp programsOperates summer day camp programs on Governors Island, including two-week sessions with over 35 hours of outdoor, unstructured play, serving up to 250 children annually across 11 weekly sessions. Also offers mini camps on school holidays for children ages 6–12+, with staffing ratios of at least 1 playworker per 6 children and options for scholarships, sliding scale fees, and after-care programming.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$482K
Contributions & grants$126K26%
Program service revenue$345K71%
Investment income$5K1%
Other revenue$7K
expenses
Total expenses$380K
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead25%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$289K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$414K
Cash$382K
Investments$0
Liabilities$24K
Net assets$390K
Liquid reserves12.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +38.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoni Kallai | Interim ED | 40 | $82K |
board members · 9
- Abigail Kerlin — Trustee
- Adam Bamba Tanaka — Trustee
- Adam Brenneman — Trustee
- Emily Alli — Secretary
- Eric Fish — Treasurer
- Reilly Bergin-Wilson — Vice Chair
- Sarah Keefe — Trustee
- Yen Ha — Board Chair
- Zoe Fortin — trustee
relationships · 46
Who they work with
- Adventure Playground (Berkeley, Ca.) Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Adventure Playground at the Parish School Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Bank Street College Partner — Collaborates with play:groundNYC on play-based initiatives.
- Bank Street Graduate College of Education Partner — Collaborates on learning about playwork and bringing play into schools.
- Brooklyn Children’s Museum Partner — Partner in play-based programming and activities.
- Brooklyn Prospect Charter School Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
- Churchill Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
- City Parks Foundation Partner — Collaborates on community play initiatives.
- EVCS Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
- Eric Fish Partner — Chair of the Board of Directors of play:groundNYC.
- Eve Mosher Partner — Co-Founder and member of the Advisory Board of play:groundNYC.
- Freerange Playground Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Governors Island Partner — Collaborates with Governors Island food vendors for event refreshments and operates on Governors Island.
- Governors Island Partner — Hosts The Yard adventure playground and supports free weekend play, summer camp, and field trip programs.
- Governors Island Partner — Hosts The Yard on its premises, providing space for play:groundNYC's adventure playground.
- Governors Island Partner — Hosts camp programs and allows campers to explore its spaces and offerings.
- Huntington Central Park - Adventure Playground Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Irvine Adventure Playground at University Park Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Ithaca Children’s Garden Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Koop Adventure Playground Champaign Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- Material for the Arts Partner — Special materials donor providing resources for The Yard.
- Mercer Island Adventure Playground Partner — Part of a network of adventure playgrounds across the country referenced by play:groundNYC.
- NY City Department of Health Government — Required to follow DOH guidelines for immunizations, health forms, and staff training in order to operate camp.
- NYC Dept of Parks and Recreation Government — Supports play:groundNYC’s operations and access to public spaces.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provides public funds for programming in partnership with the City Council.
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Engages educators in professional development on playwork and integrating play into schools.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides funding that makes play:groundNYC's programming possible.
- PS 03 Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
- PS 234 Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
- PS 261 Partner — School whose students participate in the Adventure Play Club.
+ 16 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.
- Age-Mixed Peer Learning in Playmethodology: age_mixingBy intentionally mixing children of different ages in play settings, the organization supports developmental learning through peer modeling, mentorship, and social scaffolding because cross-age interaction fosters empathy, communication, and leadership skills more effectively than age-segregated programming.
- Child-Led, Self-Directed Play with Playworker Supportmethodology: playworkBy providing open, unstructured environments where children fully control play materials and space design, supported by non-directive trained playworkers, the organization fosters autonomy, creativity, and developmental growth because child agency in play is believed to drive social, emotional, and cognitive development.
- Inclusive Access Through Environmental Adaptationmethodology: inclusive_access_designBy modifying the play environment—such as offering quieter Preview Hours—the organization supports neurodivergent children and those with disabilities to engage fully in play because sensory-sensitive adaptations reduce barriers and enable equitable access to self-directed play experiences.
- Risk-Rich Play Environment with Safety Through Non-Interventionmethodology: risk_positive_playBy offering access to real tools, loose parts, and physically challenging activities in a supervised but non-directive setting, the organization enables children to engage in emotional, physical, and social risk-taking because managed risk is essential for building resilience, judgment, and confidence, while trained playworkers assess and mitigate hazards without disrupting autonomy.