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NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE ARE
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY · EIN 461240940 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE C60 · Environment · Medium ($1M-$10M) · discoverniagara.org
revenue
$3.1M
expenses
$2.4M
net assets
$1.4M
employees
11
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

MISSION IS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC APPRECIATION FOR THE COMMUNITIES, SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND LANDSCAPES OF THE NIAGARA REGION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Niagara Falls National Heritage Area enhances public appreciation of the Niagara region's natural, historic, and cultural resources. It operates as a community-driven initiative that promotes heritage tourism, conservation, and education through partnerships with local organizations and government entities. The organization supports public art, historical interpretation, and recreational access to significant sites across the Niagara region in New York.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Archives Drive
Program encouraging residents to share family heirlooms, photographs, letters, and postcards to preserve local history and collective memory
Discover Niagara Shuttle
Seasonal hop-on, hop-off shuttle service visiting 18 destinations from Niagara Falls to Old Fort Niagara, offering accessible, free Wi-Fi-equipped transportation with bike racks and wheelchair lifts
Discover Niagara Tours
Guided tours on foot or via shuttle that connect visitors to the history and culture of the Niagara region, including stories of freedom seekers, women leaders, public art, and daredevils
Public Art Projects
Initiatives including asphalt art installations and mural programs that engage local artists and enhance community spaces, such as the Downtown Revitalization Initiative mural at Harry F. Abate Elementary School
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Local History Preservation and Education 2 activities
    • Community archives and historical collections
      Hosts community archives drives to collect historical personal items such as photo albums, letters, and postcards from residents, preserving local memory and personal histories tied to the Niagara region.
    • Interpretation and education on Underground Railroad history
      Highlights the role of the Niagara River and Gorge as a key crossing point for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. Documents and promotes the Niagara Frontier as a final destination for freedom seekers and interprets how their contributions shaped the development and contemporary identity of Niagara Falls.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Educational programming for students and schools
      Organizes educational visits for school children to Old Fort Niagara and offers year-round educational programs that connect local students to regional heritage. Completed a public mural project at Harry F. Abate Elementary School in collaboration with the Niagara Falls City School District.
  • Historic Preservation Support Grants 1 activity
    • Funding and grantmaking for local preservation and interpretation projects
      Funds local historical societies to enhance their interpretive programs and supports preservation, conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and educational projects through a small grant program and public-private partnerships. Also conducts grant distribution as part of collaborative history preservation activities.
  • Visitor Information and Trip Planning Services 1 activity
    • Operation of heritage tourism and visitor access programs
      Operates the seasonal Discover Niagara Shuttle (a hop-on, hop-off service visiting 18 destinations) and offers guided Discover Niagara Tours that connect visitors to the historical and cultural legacy of the region. Also supports local attractions and tourism through shuttle operations and promotional efforts highlighting natural landmarks and War of 1812 battlefields.
  • Indigenous and Diaspora Cultural Preservation 1 activity
    • Promotion of Indigenous cultural practices
      Promotes Ganonyok, a daily expression of gratitude that reinforces the Haudenosaunee's connection to the natural and spiritual world, as part of its cultural programming.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Public art and community beautification initiatives
      Undertakes public art projects including an asphalt art installation at a major intersection in Niagara Falls and has issued multiple Requests for Proposals for public art projects launching in 2025. These initiatives are conducted in partnership with the City of Niagara Falls and aim to enhance community spaces.
  • Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
    • Sponsoring academic and public conferences
      Sponsored the 2024 Peace and Justice Studies Association annual conference at Niagara University, bringing over 300 scholars to Monteagle Ridge, supporting public engagement with justice and heritage themes.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Historical interpretation of regional military and Indigenous history
      Provides educational programming and historical interpretation around pivotal events including the 1759 British siege of Fort Niagara, the War of 1812 (in which nearly half the battles occurred in the Niagara region), the American Revolution, and the French and Indian War. Interprets the strategic importance of the Niagara portage to Indigenous nations, European powers, and early settlers, and documents impacts on Haudenosaunee diplomacy and sovereignty.
    • Preservation and promotion of historic, natural, and cultural resources
      Preserves, protects, and promotes the historic, natural, and cultural resources across the Niagara region from Niagara Falls to Old Fort Niagara, including three National Historic Landmarks: the Adams Power Transformer House, Niagara Reservation, and the Colonial Niagara Historic District. The organization manages and interprets key sites such as the Niagara Gorge, with 440-million-year-old rock layers, and ensures public access to the 6.8-mile-long gorge and the Niagara River.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.08M
Contributions & grants$17K1%
Program service revenue$3.04M99%
Investment income$24K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2.36M
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$372K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$1.80M
Cash$439K
Investments$0
Liabilities$402K
Net assets$1.39M
Liquid reserves2.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +101.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SARA CAPEN EXECUTIVE DI 40 $92K
board members · 5
  • DR LILLIAN WILLIAMS — BOARD MEMBER
  • JOHN PERCY — BOARD MEMBER
  • MARGARET-ANN HANSON — BOARD MEMBER
  • THOMAS CHAMBERS — BOARD MEMBER
  • WILLIAM CARROL — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • Canada Government — Co-manages the Niagara Falls site with the United States, as the waterfalls lie on the international border.
  • City of Niagara Falls Partner — Collaborating on an asphalt art project at the intersection of Main Street, Portage Road, and Pierce Avenue.
  • City of Niagara Falls Partner — Partner in the asphalt art project at the intersection of Main Street, Portage Road, and Pierce Avenue.
  • Haudenosaunee Partner — Collaborates with Haudenosaunee communities to interpret their historical role as 'Keepers of the Western Door' and their diplomatic strategies during the French and Indian War.
  • Lewiston Digital Partner — Contact point for logo usage requests, indicating a partnership in managing branding outreach.
  • National Park Service Government — Receives technical, planning, and limited financial assistance from the National Park Service, which acts as a partner and advisor.
  • New York Power Authority Partner — Collaborates on heritage and tourism initiatives within the National Heritage Area.
  • New York State Parks Partner — Collaborates on heritage and tourism initiatives within the National Heritage Area.
  • Niagara Falls City School District Partner — Collaborated on the completion of the "Discover the Future: Explore the Past" mural at Harry F. Abate Elementary School.
  • Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Partner — Collaborating with NFNHA to celebrate Black History Month through a call for local artists to submit original artwork.
  • Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation Partner — Collaborates on heritage and tourism initiatives within the National Heritage Area.
  • Niagara University Partner — Collaborates on heritage and tourism initiatives within the National Heritage Area.
  • Niagara University Partner — Partnered with NFNHA to host and sponsor the 2024 Peace and Justice Studies Association annual conference.
  • Old Fort Niagara Partner — Includes Old Fort Niagara within the Colonial Niagara Historic District as part of the heritage area's preserved sites.
  • Old Fort Niagara Partner — Partner site where school children are brought for educational programming.
  • Seneca Nation Partner — Recognizes the Seneca as the Keepers of the Western Door and central to the heritage narrative of the Niagara region.
  • Tuscarora Nation Partner — Highlights the Tuscarora Nation's migration and continued presence in the Niagara region as part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
  • USA Niagara Partner — Economic development agency collaborating on heritage and tourism initiatives.
  • United States Congress Government — Congress designated the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in 2008 and approved its Management Plan in 2012.
  • United States Congress Government — Federally designated the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in 2008.
strategies · 5

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, Community-Driven Regional Planning
    methodology: collaborative regional planning
    By building multi-sector partnerships and relying on grassroots input, the organization ensures that conservation and development strategies reflect the region’s unique qualities because inclusive collaboration increases local ownership, fills implementation gaps, and aligns diverse stakeholders around shared goals.
  • Federally Designated Heritage Area Model
    methodology: federally_designated_heritage_area_model
    By leveraging the federally designated heritage area framework, the organization integrates historic, natural, and cultural resource promotion to advance conservation and public engagement because this designation enables coordinated regional stewardship and access to federal support and visibility.
  • Heritage Tourism as Economic Driver
    methodology: heritage-tourism-driven-economic-development
    By promoting heritage tourism that links natural landmarks like Niagara Falls with historical narratives such as the War of 1812 and Underground Railroad, the organization stimulates economic development because visitor engagement translates into sustained local investment and business growth.
  • Integrated Resource Stewardship for Regional Vitality
    methodology: integrated_resource_stewardship
    By advancing historic preservation, recreational access, and environmental recovery as interconnected efforts, the organization drives regional vitality because these elements collectively strengthen community identity, economic opportunity, and ecological resilience.
  • Storytelling for Social Equity and Public Engagement
    methodology: history-for-social-equity
    By using authentic storytelling—particularly around Underground Railroad freedom seekers and peaceful resistance—the organization fosters public awareness of historical and modern injustices to inspire action toward equity, because narrative creates emotional resonance and moral continuity across generations.