named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Golden Harvest Festival & Enchanted Beaver Lake
Seasonal public events featuring family-friendly activities that celebrate nature and the fall season at Beaver Lake.
Photography Group
Volunteer-led group that contributes nature photography for promotional use and meets monthly to support the center’s visual documentation.
Virtual Programs
Online educational events on topics such as spring wildflowers, sustainability, and local ecosystems, offered during 2020–2021 and accessible remotely.
Volunteer Trail Guide Program
Trained volunteers lead educational walks and engage visitors, particularly children, in learning about local flora, fauna, and ecosystems; training includes workshops and field trips.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 2 activities
- Delivers educational and recreational programs at Beaver Lake Nature CenterHosts over 400 annual programs including in-person and virtual educational events on nature and sustainability topics, photography meetings, and seasonal field trips to foster public engagement with the natural world.
- Provides training for board members and volunteer trail guidesOffers introductory training for new board members on nonprofit governance and conducts free workshops and field trips for volunteer trail guides, including seasonal programming on maple sugaring and bog tours.
-
-
Organizational Governance & Leadership Development 1 activity
- Conducts board governance and organizational managementManages the organization’s affairs in compliance with bylaws and state regulations for nonprofit governance, ensuring legal and operational integrity.
-
-
Commemorative Brick and Memorial Installations 1 activity
- Offers donor recognition and fundraising opportunities at Beaver Lake Nature CenterProvides personalized engraved bricks in the Sensory Garden walkway as a way to honor individuals or organizations while raising funds for the Nature Center.
-
-
Museum Volunteer Engagement & Operations Support 1 activity
- Provides financial and volunteer support to enhance visitor experience at Beaver Lake Nature CenterOffers financial resources and mobilizes volunteers to improve facilities, programs, and overall visitor experience at Beaver Lake Nature Center. This includes supporting physical improvements, exhibits, and program delivery.
-
-
Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 1 activity
- Supports land acquisition and trail development at Beaver Lake Nature CenterFunds and facilitates land acquisition efforts and maintains over 9 miles of trails at Beaver Lake Nature Center, contributing to habitat preservation and public access to nature.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$823K
Contributions & grants$589K72%
Program service revenue$47K6%
Investment income$38K5%
Other revenue$148K
expenses
Total expenses$345K
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$168K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.57M
Cash$425K
Investments$420K
Liabilities$3K
Net assets$1.56M
Liquid reserves29.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +118.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 23
- ALLISON COREY — DIRECTOR
- ANTHONY VERTUCCI — DIRECTOR
- BRIAN KELLEY — DIRECTOR
- BRIAN MAY — DIRECTOR
- BURRILL WELLS — TREASURER
- CARLA WIEMERS — VICE PRESIDENT
- CAROL PHILLIPS — DIRECTOR
- CASSANDRA WHEELER — DIRECTOR
- CHARLENE FURBUSH — PRESIDENT
- DAN WIEMERS — DIRECTOR
- DAVID SMITHSON — DIRECTOR
- GEORGE TENNANT — DIRECTOR
- JANICE HAMMERLE — DIRECTOR
- JIM GOULET — SECRETARY
- JIM YOUNG — DIRECTOR
- KRISTI MICKAM — DIRECTOR
- LAURA KALENAK — DIRECTOR
- MARK PENHOLLOW — DIRECTOR
- PATRICIA MCCURDY — DIRECTOR
- ROBBY SWOPE — DIRECTOR
- SHAFFER DAY — DIRECTOR
- VICTOR JENKINS — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM PASTELLA — DIRECTOR
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Government — Collaborates by submitting photographs for promotional use in publications.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Government — Primary partner organization operating the Nature Center; Friends of Beaver Lake supports its programs and infrastructure.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Partner — Collaborates on the volunteer trail guide program, providing training and programming at the nature center.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Partner — Collaborates with Beaver Lake Nature Center to support its programs and operations through volunteer efforts.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Partner — Director of Beaver Lake Nature Center serves on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio member.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Partner — Primary partner organization; Friends group exists to support its programs and operations.
- Beaver Lake Nature Center Partner — Primary partner organization; Friends provide financial and volunteer support to enhance its programs and facilities.
- Erin Stebbins Partner — Head Naturalist who leads training for volunteer trail guides.
- Onondaga County Legislator Government — County legislator serves on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio member.
- Onondaga County Parks Government — County representative serves on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio member.
- Onondaga County Parks Government — Supports Beaver Lake Nature Center, which is operated by Onondaga County Parks.
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.
- Environmental Education Through Experiential Engagementmethodology: environmental-education-through-experiential-engagementBy providing hands-on recreational and educational opportunities, the organization fosters awareness and appreciation of the natural world, because direct experience cultivates deeper understanding and motivates long-term environmental stewardship.
- Inclusive Design for Universal Accessmethodology: inclusive-designBy designing sensory-focused, accessible garden spaces, the organization promotes engagement for visitors with mobility challenges, because inclusive physical design removes barriers and fosters equitable connection with nature.
- Membership-Driven Sustainability Modelmethodology: membership-model fundingBy funding land acquisition, programs, and infrastructure through membership dues, the organization ensures long-term sustainability and community ownership, because recurring member investment creates stable, mission-aligned financial support.
- Virtual Access for Expanded Reachmethodology: virtual_accessBy offering virtual nature programming, the organization increases accessibility for remote or mobility-limited audiences, because digital delivery removes geographic and physical barriers to environmental education.
- Volunteer-Led Environmental Mentorshipmethodology: volunteer-led environmental educationBy engaging nature-interested volunteers as trail guides who mentor children, the organization promotes environmental stewardship, because experiential learning combined with personal mentorship increases engagement and retention of ecological values.