named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Hudson River Fund
Supports scientific research by scholars and students on the Hudson River and estuary ecosystem.
NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP)
Federally supported program that convenes partners to develop and implement a consensus-driven Action Agenda for protecting and restoring the estuary, based on science and community input.
Small Grants Program
Funds local public access, education, and stewardship activities in communities around the estuary.
Sturgeon Net Conservation Benefit (SNCB) Program
Research initiative in collaboration with NYSDEC to study sturgeon habitat use and migration to inform conservation measures and reduce vessel strikes.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership – Bronx/Harlem and Lower Passaic Rivers
Supports community-led revitalization efforts by improving coordination among federal agencies and local organizations to reconnect urban residents with their waterways.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 2 activities
- Conducts scientific research on the Hudson River ecosystem and estuarySupports and conducts transdisciplinary research to study factors affecting Hudson River fisheries, habitats, water quality, and climate change impacts, with emphasis on policy and resource management relevance. Produces comprehensive reports such as the State of the Estuary Report and maintains a database of peer-reviewed research.
- Operates environmental monitoring systems for the Hudson RiverRuns the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS), which provides real-time water quality data from multiple monitoring sites, tracking parameters such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and temperature to inform research and management decisions.
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Watershed Conservation & Stewardship 2 activities
- Leads advocacy and strategic planning for the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary ProgramAssumed management of the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program in 2014 and leads development of strategic frameworks such as the 2025–2035 Action Agenda, which includes 19 objectives and 41 collective actions to improve estuarine health, resilience, and public access.
- Promotes public education and community engagement on watershed issuesOrganizes events such as City of Water Day and the Edward A. Ames Seminar Series, facilitates community-based meetings, and engages the public through media appearances and outreach to increase understanding of water pollution, green infrastructure, and conservation psychology.
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Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
- Funds scientific and community-based environmental projectsAdministers multiple grant programs including the Hudson River Fund, Small Grants Program, and NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program funds to support research, restoration, citizen science, and stewardship initiatives. Also manages a local funding program addressing turbidity impacts in the Lower Esopus Stream.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.04M
Contributions & grants$1.90M93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$56K3%
Other revenue$87K
expenses
Total expenses$4.50M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$2.03M
Grants paid out$445K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$49.34M
Cash$10.88M
Investments$36.58M
Liabilities$3.94M
Net assets$45.41M
Liquid reserves126.6 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -4.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JONATHAN KRAMER | PRESIDENT | 35 | $296K |
| ROBERT PIRANI | NJ/NY HEP DIRECTOR | 35 | $230K |
| JAMES LODGE | PROJECT/GRANT COORDINATOR | 35 | $220K |
| CARL MARCHESE | CONTROLLER | 35 | $182K |
| HELENA ANDREYKO | GRANTS MANAGER | 35 | $162K |
board members · 13
- ANITA NAGER — DIRECTOR
- CHARLES HAMILTON — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTOPHER J DAGGETT — DIRECTOR
- ELIZABETH BLAIR — DIRECTOR
- ELIZABETH LOWE — SECRETARY
- ERNEST J TOLLERSON III — DIRECTOR
- GENE E LIKENS PHD — DIRECTOR
- KATHLEEN C WEATHERS — DIRECTOR
- MARGARETTA A DOWNEY — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT ELLIOTT — CHAIR
- S MACKINTOSH PULSIFER — TREASURER
- SOLOMON B WATSON IV — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM MATUSZESKI — DIRECTOR
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Association of National Estuary Programs Network — Member organization of which HEP is a partner, connecting it to other National Estuary Programs established under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.
- CUNY TV Partner — Collaborates on public education about water pollution through the Sustainability Matters program.
- Hudson River Estuary Management Program Partner — Co-publisher of the 2025 State of the Estuary Report, contributing to the assessment of estuarine health.
- Inside Climate News Partner — Provides expert insights on green infrastructure and climate resilience through media features.
- NY-NJ HEP Partner — Collaborates on or references reports from the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program.
- NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Network — Collaborates with the Foundation on multiple grant programs including habitat restoration, community resilience, and citizen science initiatives.
- NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Network — Core participant in the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program, co-developing the Action Agenda and State of the Estuary Report.
- NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Partner — Collaborates on the production of the State of the Estuary Report and environmental monitoring initiatives.
- NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program Partner — Co-presents the Edward A. Ames Seminar Series with HRF on scientific issues related to the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary.
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Government — Policy Committee member agency that helps guide HEP’s goals and priorities.
- New York City Government — Partner in the Lower Esopus Stream Management Plan under Order on Consent No: D007-0001-11.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Policy Committee member agency that helps guide HEP’s goals and priorities.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Partner — Collaborates with the Foundation on the Sturgeon Net Conservation Benefit Program and the Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship Program.
- New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program Partner — Partnered with HEP for 30 years and assumed overall management responsibility in 2014.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Government — Core federal partner that established the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program and provides core funding through the Clean Water Act.
- United States Army Corps of Engineers Government — Policy Committee member agency (New York District) involved in guiding HEP’s strategic direction.
- WBUR Partner — Engages in public dialogue on conservation psychology through the Endless Thread podcast.
- academic Partner — Partners with academic institutions to study and enhance habitats and ecological conditions in the Hudson River watershed.
- government Partner — Collaborates with government agencies on habitat restoration, water quality, public access, and climate change initiatives.
- non-profit Partner — Works with non-profit organizations on habitat improvement, public access, and community stewardship programs.
- park agencies Partner — Collaborates with park agencies to increase public access to local waterways.
- stewardship organizations Partner — Partners with stewardship organizations to support public access and community engagement in river management.
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.
- Collaborative Science and Stakeholder Conveningmethodology: stakeholder_convening_with_scienceBy convening diverse stakeholders across disciplines and jurisdictions to co-develop solutions using shared science, the organization fosters consensus-driven management of the estuary, because inclusive, transdisciplinary collaboration increases legitimacy, buy-in, and implementation success.
- Nature-Based Green Infrastructure for Resiliencemethodology: nature-based_solutionsBy supporting nature-based green infrastructure projects, the organization enhances environmental resilience and equity, because natural systems provide co-benefits including improved water quality, habitat restoration, climate adaptation, and public access.
- Science and Engagement as Dual Pathwaysmethodology: science_and_engagementBy integrating scientific research with public and stakeholder engagement, the organization inspires and informs environmental action, because evidence-based understanding combined with community ownership leads to more effective and sustained stewardship.
- Watershed-Scale Social-Ecological Systems Approachmethodology: social-ecological_systems_researchBy applying a watershed-scale, social-ecological systems framework that integrates natural and social sciences, the organization improves decision-making for estuarine health, because sustainable solutions require understanding both ecological dynamics and human behavior across jurisdictional boundaries.