irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0N/A
- #2 $0N/A
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
716 Celebrates: Stars, Stripes & Signers
Annual patriotic festival celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with live entertainment, historical reenactments, educational exhibits, and fireworks on the Buffalo waterfront.
Blue Nose Winter Tours
Seasonal guided tours offered on weekends during winter months, featuring access to the USS Little Rock and museum building with video screenings.
Curator Tour
Behind-the-scenes tour offering in-depth access to collections and restricted areas on the USS Little Rock, focusing on artifact preservation and conservation challenges.
Group and School Tours
Specialized tours for groups of 12 or more, available in guided or self-guided formats, designed for educational and organizational visits.
Guided Tour
Docent-led tours of the naval vessels that provide historical context and insights into life aboard ship, followed by optional independent exploration.
Self-Guided Tour
Allows visitors full access to the museum and decommissioned naval vessels, including USS The Sullivans, USS Little Rock, and USS Croaker, to explore exhibits and artifacts at their own pace.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Historic Vessel and Equipment Preservation 3 activities
- Deliver educational programming on military history and patriotismProvides educational tours, youth programs, and school group visits focused on U.S. military history, the defense of democracy, and the sacrifices of veterans. Offers guided and behind-the-scenes curator tours, overnight youth encampments, and hands-on learning experiences aboard historic vessels, supported by trained docent and ambassador volunteers.
- Operate a public naval and military museum parkOperates the Buffalo Naval & Military Park, the largest inland naval park in the United States, featuring four decommissioned naval vessels—USS Little Rock, USS The Sullivans, USS Croaker, and PTF-17—along with exhibits, artifacts, a Monuments Garden, and a Hangar Building with educational programming. The museum provides self-guided and docent-led tours, maintains historic ships and grounds, and preserves nationally significant military assets, including the last surviving Cleveland-class cruiser and a National Register-listed submarine.
- Preserve and restore historic naval vessels and artifactsConducts ongoing preservation, maintenance, and restoration of historic naval vessels—including the USS Little Rock, USS The Sullivans, USS Croaker, and PTF-17—and their associated artifacts. Restoration work includes painting, cleaning, renovation, archival organization, and research, carried out by staff and volunteers, with material support from corporate donors for specific projects like the PTF-17 patrol boat restoration.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Host public events and patriotic celebrationsOrganizes and hosts major public events including a signature summer celebration with live entertainment, historical storytelling, and family activities; a full-day patriotic festival for America’s 250th Anniversary; and a large waterfront fireworks spectacle. Also supports corporate and group team-building service days and special event operations with volunteer assistance.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Produce and present civic education mediaProduced and unveiled the short film “What Does it Mean to be an American?” to promote unity, shared values, and patriotism among diverse audiences as part of its public educational mission.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.16M
Contributions & grants$910K42%
Program service revenue$933K43%
Investment income$5K0%
Other revenue$308K
expenses
Total expenses$1.79M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$1.02M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.93M
Cash$466K
Investments$139K
Liabilities$691K
Net assets$2.24M
Liquid reserves4.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -9.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL MARZELLO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $110K |
board members · 15
- ADAM POOLE — CHAIRMAN/ TREASURER
- ANDREW RABB — DIRECTOR
- CASIMIRO RODRIGUEZ — DIRECTOR
- DAVID ZYGAJ — DIRECTOR
- DONNA MALLIA — SECRETARY
- DOUG STEVENS — VICE CHAIRMAN
- JAMES TYRPAK — DIRECTOR
- JOHN RADENS — DIRECTOR
- KANASHA BLUE — DIRECTOR
- LAMONT WILLIAMS — DIRECTOR
- MAURICE NAYLON — DIRECTOR
- NICHOLAS DEMARCO — DIRECTOR
- REBECCA MCCORMICK-BOYLE — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT PECORARO — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM BARDEN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Best of Buffalo Tours Partner — Provides humorous two-hour double decker bus tours of Buffalo that depart from the Buffalo Naval Park.
- Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency Partner — Collaborated on the acquisition of naval vessels and supported the opening of the Park to the public.
- Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park Partner — Beneficiary and co-branded partner in the Ship N' Shore event.
- Constant Contact Partner — Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.
- Empire State Development Corporation Partner — Partnered to facilitate the Park's relocation and expansion in 2008.
- Erie County’s America 250 initiative Partner — Collaborated on the 716 Celebrates event as part of regional commemoration efforts.
- Home Depot Partner — Provided material support for the restoration of the PTF-17 Boat.
- Linde Partner — Provided material support for the restoration of the PTF-17 Boat.
- New York State America 250 Commission Partner — Provided support and leadership for the 716 Celebrates event honoring America's 250th Anniversary.
- Northrop Grumman Partner — Provided material support for the restoration of the PTF-17 Boat.
- PTF-17 Partner — Nasty-class fast patrol boat used in Vietnam, preserved as a historical exhibit.
- Skylighters Partner — Produced the waterfront fireworks spectacular for the 716 Celebrates event.
- USS Croaker Partner — Gato-class submarine listed on the National Register of Historic Places, maintained as a museum exhibit.
- USS Little Rock Partner — Decommissioned Cleveland-class light cruiser preserved and displayed as a central exhibit.
- USS The Sullivans Partner — Fletcher-class destroyer preserved and displayed, honoring the Sullivan brothers.
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.
- Experiential Learning Through Docent and Behind-the-Scenes Engagementmethodology: experiential_educationBy combining docent-led tours with behind-the-scenes access to preservation work, the organization enhances public understanding and appreciation of naval heritage because personal storytelling and exposure to conservation challenges make historical stewardship relatable and meaningful.
- Immersive Exhibit-Based Educationmethodology: exhibit-based educationBy situating education aboard authentic decommissioned naval vessels, the organization produces deeper public understanding of military history and service because physical immersion in historical settings fosters emotional connection, contextual learning, and tangible engagement with the past.