irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $663KWATER QUALITY PROTECTION: WE WORK TO PROTECT THE PHYSICAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND CHEMICAL INTEGRITY OF OUR CREEKS, STREAMS, RIVERS, AND LAKES TO SAFEGUARD CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND CONSERVE HEALTHY, VIBRANT ECOSYSTEMS. WE DO THIS THROUGH MONITORING OF OUR WATERWAYS, CLEANING UP HISTORICAL POLLUTION, PRESERVING IMPORTANT UNDEVELOPED LANDS, AND ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY IN STEWARDSHIP OF THEIR WATER.
- #2 $476KWATERWAY ACCESS: WE ESTABLISH AND RESTORE NATURAL AND RECREATIONAL CONNECTIONS TO OUR REGION'S WATERWAYS, TRANSFORMING OUR WATER-BASED ECONOMY. OUR EFFORTS ENHANCE COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC SPACES AND PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO OUR SHARED WATERS WHILE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL PEOPLE TO INTERACT AND RECONNECT WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
City of Buffalo Coastal Resiliency Study
Assesses flood risks along the Lake Erie coastline and lower Buffalo River and Scajaquada Creek to inform climate adaptation planning.
Cleanups
Organizes annual Spring Sweep and year-round Solo Sweeps to remove litter, collect pollution data, and raise awareness in the watershed.
Eastern Lake Erie Coastal Resiliency Modeling and Study
Expands coastal modeling to the entire New York State Lake Erie shoreline to assess flood risk and infrastructure vulnerability.
Headwaters Initiative
Preserves undeveloped headwater forests and wetlands that filter drinking water flowing into Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and Lake Ontario.
Living Shorelines Initiative
Restores degraded shoreline areas to natural, resilient conditions using nature-based solutions to enhance habitat and water quality throughout the Niagara River watershed.
RestoreCorps
Community restoration program focused on stabilizing shorelines, reducing runoff, and restoring native habitats.
Riverwatch
Citizen science water quality monitoring program that engages volunteers as stewards and early detectors of pollution.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Watershed Conservation & Stewardship 2 activities
- Advocacy for Great Lakes and waterfront protectionAdvocates with municipalities, partners, and elected officials to protect the health of New York State's Great Lakes and shoreline ecosystems, contributing to milestones such as the Ramsar Wetland of International Importance designation for the Niagara River in 2019.
- Protection of headwater forests and wetlandsWorks to preserve undeveloped headwater forests and wetlands that naturally filter drinking water entering Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and Lake Ontario, safeguarding the physical, biological, and chemical integrity of regional waterways.
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Community Environmental Monitoring and Research 2 activities
- Citizen science and volunteer monitoring programsOperates Riverwatch and other volunteer-driven initiatives that engage citizens in monitoring water quality, identifying pollution sources, reporting illegal discharges, and collecting data to support advocacy and restoration efforts across the region.
- Pollution reporting and response systemOperates a public reporting system for pollution and water quality issues, enabling community members to report incidents for official follow-up and intervention.
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Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
- Community cleanup events and litter removal campaignsOrganizes seasonal and year-round cleanup events such as Spring Sweep and Solo Sweep to remove litter from the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed, while also collecting environmental data to inform policy and advocacy.
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Lake Stewardship Education & Outreach 1 activity
- Environmental education and outreach resourcesProvides educational materials such as booklets, maps, guides, and reports to raise awareness about ecosystem restoration and water protection in Western New York.
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Outdoor Recreation Access Promotion 1 activity
- Public access and recreational connection developmentEstablishes and restores public and recreational connections to regional waterways to enhance community spaces, promote equitable access, and increase public interaction with natural water environments in the Buffalo-Niagara region.
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Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 1 activity
- Securing public investments for waterfront revitalizationSecured and implemented over $150 million in public and local investments supporting waterfront restoration, economic revitalization, and ecological recovery in Western New York.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Volunteer leadership and ambassador trainingTrains and deploys Volunteer Ambassadors to expand outreach, represent the organization, and inspire broader community engagement in water protection and restoration activities.
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Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
- Watershed research and water quality monitoringConducts scientific research and monitoring through initiatives like Healthy Niagara, literature reviews on Lake Erie water quality, offshore boat sampling, and multi-phased hydrodynamic flood modeling to assess risks and inform regional water management strategies.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Waterway restoration and shoreline rehabilitationImplements projects to restore degraded shorelines, including Living Shoreline and RestoreCorps programs, using innovative methods to improve water quality, stabilize habitats, enhance native species resilience, and reduce runoff in the Niagara River watershed and surrounding areas.
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
- Youth and adult environmental education programsOffers internships and immersive environmental education programs for youth and adults to build knowledge of Great Lakes ecosystems, stewardship practices, and local water issues, fostering a new generation of water guardians in Western New York.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Coastal resiliency and flood risk assessment studiesConducts technical studies including the City of Buffalo Coastal Resiliency Study and shoreline visual assessments to evaluate flood risks along the Lake Erie coastline and guide municipal planning and infrastructure protection efforts.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.72M
Contributions & grants$3.56M96%
Program service revenue$68K2%
Investment income$86K2%
Other revenue$13K
expenses
Total expenses$3.65M
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead28%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$2.15M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$13.10M
Cash$8.13M
Investments$2K
Liabilities$11.23M
Net assets$1.87M
Liquid reserves26.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -70.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JILL JEDLICKA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $254K |
| KERRIE GALLO | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $153K |
| KELLY MAYER | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $145K |
board members · 15
- ALYCE NOTARO — TREASURER
- BARRY BOYER — BOARD EMERITUS
- BRIAN SMITH — DIRECTOR
- CHANEL T MCCARTHY ESQ — CHAIRPERSON
- DAWN CODY — DIRECTOR
- DENNIS HORRIGAN — DIRECTOR
- EMMANUEL FRIMPONG BOAMAH — DIRECTOR
- ERIN KOMOROWSKI — DIRECTOR
- KIRSTEN SHELLY — DIRECTOR
- LAUREN SUTTELL — DIRECTOR
- LYNDA SCHNEEKLOTH — BOARD EMERITUS
- MARY ANN ROGERS — SECRETARY
- MEGAN TOOHEY — DIRECTOR
- RICK GALAS — DIRECTOR
- THOMAS DESANTIS — BOARD EMERITUS
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- City of Buffalo Partner — Collaborates on the City of Buffalo Coastal Resiliency Study to assess flood risks and identify priority areas for resilience projects.
- Dani Priebe Partner — Contact person for corporate partnerships at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.
- Emily Burch Partner — Contact person for volunteer programs, likely staff or key coordinator
- Friends of the Buffalo River Partner — Original name of the organization before becoming Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.
- Google Calendar Partner — Provides calendar integration for event distribution via Google Calendar.
- Great Lakes Drainage Basin Network — Member of the larger Great Lakes Drainage Basin network.
- Great Lakes Protection Fund Government — Represents New York State on the board of the Great Lakes Protection Fund.
- James Bender Partner — Contact person for planned giving at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.
- Niagara River Watershed Partner — Geographic focus area for shoreline restoration and water quality protection efforts.
- Outlook 365 Partner — Provides calendar integration for event distribution via Outlook 365.
- Outlook Live Partner — Provides calendar integration for event distribution via Outlook Live.
- Ramsar Convention Government — Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper's advocacy supported the designation of the Niagara River as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.
- The Ripple Effect Network — Network of water advocates, nature lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts engaged in clean water protection.
- elected officials Partner — Works with public officials to advance policies for Great Lakes and shoreline ecosystem protection
- municipalities Partner — Collaborates with local government entities on freshwater protection initiatives
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.
- Advocacy-Driven Conservation and Policy Changemethodology: advocacy-based conservationBy leveraging advocacy and collaborative partnerships with municipalities, elected officials, and cross-sector allies, the organization advances freshwater protection and climate-resilient water policy because systemic change requires institutional buy-in and policy reform.
- Blue Economy Revitalization through Water Accessmethodology: rust-to-blue-economic-transformationBy transforming post-industrial "rust" regions into "blue" economies via waterway restoration and public access, the organization stimulates economic growth because reconnecting communities to water fosters engagement, tourism, and sustainable development.
- Education-Integrated Community Stewardshipmethodology: education-integrated volunteeringBy integrating environmental education into volunteer and citizen science programs, the organization fosters long-term stewardship behaviors because informed participants are more likely to adopt and advocate for pollution prevention and ecological restoration.
- Nature-Based Solutions for Resiliencemethodology: nature-based solutionsBy using natural processes such as living shorelines and watershed-based management, the organization enhances climate resilience and ecosystem function because these approaches provide sustainable, adaptive, and ecologically regenerative outcomes.
- Protect, Restore, Connect, Inspire Frameworkmethodology: protect-restore-connect-inspireBy implementing a four-part strategy—protecting waterways, restoring ecosystems, connecting communities to water, and inspiring stewardship—the organization drives ecological and community revitalization because each pillar reinforces public engagement and long-term environmental sustainability.