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FRIENDS OF OLMSTED-BEIL HOUSE INC
Staten Island, NY · EIN 832939497 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A80 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · olmstedbeilhouse.org
revenue
$36K
expenses
$64K
net assets
$31K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

The mission of the Friends of Olmsted-Beil House, Inc. (FOBH), is to protect, preserve, and present the 1685 farmhouse on Staten Island, NY, where pioneering landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted lived 1848-1855. The house sits in a New York City park, Olmsted-Beil House Park. FOBH also will develop and establish an educational, scientific and charitable center with programs and exhibitions reflecting, introducing, and building on the life and work of two of its most notable inhabitants.

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of Olmsted-Beil House Inc. (FOBH) is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and interpreting the 1685 farmhouse on Staten Island, NY, where landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted lived from 1847 to 1855. The organization promotes public awareness through educational programs, historic preservation advocacy, and community events. FOBH operates within Olmsted-Beil House Park, a New York City park, and collaborates with local and national partners to restore the site and expand its educational reach.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Engagement and Public Events
Hosts festivals, lectures, family programs, and commemorative events such as street co-naming ceremonies to raise public awareness of the site’s historical significance.
Discover Landscape Architecture Classroom Program
An in-classroom educational program for grades 3–5 that introduces students to Frederick Law Olmsted’s life, principles of landscape architecture, and historical context through slide presentations and hands-on park design activities.
Olmsted on Staten Island Discovery Map
An educational map highlighting key Staten Island locations associated with Frederick Law Olmsted’s life and work.
Olmsted-Beil House Preservation Initiative
A project to restore the historic Olmsted-Beil House through historic preservation planning, advocacy, and collaboration with architectural firms and public agencies.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
    • Create and distribute educational materials and exhibits
      Develops and publishes educational resources including a Discovery Map set with three illustrated watercolor maps of Staten Island circa 1850, Tosomock Farm, and current land use, a source guide, a children’s book, and curricula; creates on-site educational exhibits and programming related to Olmsted and the site’s history.
    • Develop and host public educational events and programming
      Organizes lectures, virtual tours, panel discussions, family festivals, and community events to educate the public about the historical significance of the Olmsted-Beil House and Frederick Law Olmsted’s work, including the Olmsted Fall Festival for Children (2023), FLO Fest (2022), virtual 360-degree tours, and anniversary commemorations co-hosted with Turnstile Tours.
  • Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 1 activity
    • Advocate for park expansion and historic recognition
      Advocated for and supported the acquisition of a 1.2-acre parcel adjacent to Olmsted-Beil House Park to expand green space and restore part of Olmsted’s original Tosomock Farm; initiated and co-hosted a public ceremony for the co-naming of Woods of Arden Road as “Frederick Law Olmsted Way” to honor Olmsted’s legacy.
  • Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Conduct historical research for educational content
      Researched and compiled historical information from Olmsted’s letters and historical maps to create the Frederick Law Olmsted on Staten Island Discovery Map and Source Guide.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Preserve and restore the Olmsted-Beil House historic site
      Protects, preserves, and presents the 1685 farmhouse on Staten Island where Frederick Law Olmsted lived from 1848 to 1855, maintaining its status as a New York City Landmark and listing on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places; collaborates with the NYC Landmarks Conservancy and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation to stabilize the structure and contracted with Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects to develop a historic preservation plan and schematic design.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Deliver educational programs on landscape architecture to elementary students
      Provides a 1.5-hour classroom program for Staten Island students in grades 3 to 5 that introduces landscape architecture through primary source analysis and Frederick Law Olmsted’s park design principles, including hands-on park design activities; reached approximately 1,400 students since 2022-2023.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$36K
Contributions & grants$34K95%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$2K5%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$64K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$31K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$31K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -45.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 11
  • Betsy Greene — Trustee
  • Carl Anderson — Trustee
  • Carlotta DeFillo — Trustee
  • Carol Obler — Trustee
  • Felicity Beil — Trustee
  • Jack Bolembach — Trustee
  • Jeffrey A Tandul — Trustee
  • Jenny Swadosh — Trustee
  • Maureen Stoddard Marlow — Trustee
  • Sean Ryan — Trustee
  • Tina Kaasmann-Dunn — Trustee
relationships · 22

Who they work with

  • Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects Partner — Contracted by FOBH to prepare a historic preservation plan and schematic design for the Olmsted-Beil House.
  • Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects Partner — Contracted to prepare an historic preservation plan and schematic design for the Olmsted-Beil House.
  • NYC Parks Government — Acquired land adjacent to the Olmsted-Beil House Park on behalf of the city, in collaboration with FOBH advocacy.
  • New York City Council Minority Leader Joseph C. Borelli Government — Co-hosted the street co-naming ceremony for “Frederick Law Olmsted Way” with FOBH.
  • New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Government — Acquired land for expansion of Olmsted-Beil House Park in partnership with FOBH advocacy.
  • New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Government — Owns the Olmsted-Beil House site and partners in its preservation.
  • New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Government — Works alongside FOBH in efforts to stabilize the Olmsted-Beil House and prevent further damage.
  • New York City Landmarks Conservancy Partner — Collaborates with FOBH on stabilization and preservation efforts for the Olmsted-Beil House.
  • New York State Senator Andrew Lanza Government — Organized state capital funding that enabled NYC Parks to purchase the 1.2-acre parcel for the park expansion.
  • Olmsted Network Network — FOBH is a member of the Olmsted Network and collaborates with its leadership and members on preservation and educational efforts.
  • Olmsted Network Network — FOBH is a member of the Olmsted Network, a collective dedicated to preserving Olmsted-related sites.
  • Olmsted Network Network — FOBH is a member of the Olmsted Network, which provides support for preservation and awareness efforts.
  • Olmsted Network Network — Member of the Olmsted Network.
  • Phillips 66 Funder — Provided support that made the Discover Landscape Architecture classroom program possible.
  • St. Alban’s Church Partner — Hosts the organization's public lecture and fundraising event.
  • The Bowery Boys Partner — Featured the Olmsted-Beil House in a podcast episode about Frederick Law Olmsted’s early career, highlighting the site as “a historic place of inspiration.”
  • The Staten Island Foundation Funder — Awarded a grant and administered a Diamond Matching Grant to support restoration and programming at the Olmsted-Beil House.
  • The Staten Island Foundation Funder — Awarded a grant to FOBH to fund the development of a historic preservation plan and schematic design for the Olmsted-Beil House.
  • The Staten Island Foundation Funder — Provides a "Diamond Matching Grant" that triples donations to Friends of Olmsted-Beil House up to $50,000.
  • Turnstile Tours Partner — Co-hosted a virtual panel discussion and a live virtual tour of Olmsted-Beil House Park.
  • Turnstile Tours Partner — Collaborated on co-hosting virtual events including a panel discussion and a live virtual tour of Olmsted-Beil House Park.
  • WNYC Radio Partner — Featured the Olmsted-Beil House Park in a Morning Edition segment titled “Good Things: Olmsted Farmhouse,” including an interview with FOBH board member Tina Kaasmann-Dunn.
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.

  • Community Engagement for Stewardship
    methodology: community-engagement
    By engaging local communities and leaders in preservation efforts, the organization strengthens public ownership and support for the Olmsted-Beil House, because inclusive stewardship builds sustained commitment to cultural heritage.
  • Historic Preservation as Public Education
    methodology: historic_preservation
    By preserving and presenting the Olmsted-Beil House through protection, scholarly research, and public programming, the organization advances public understanding of landscape architecture and cultural history, because embodied historical sites serve as educational anchors for community learning.
  • Place-Based Historical Education
    methodology: place-based_education
    By using local history, illustrated maps, and site-specific curricula to teach about Frederick Law Olmsted’s work and legacy, the organization fosters deeper public engagement with landscape architecture, because connecting education to tangible, local places increases relevance and retention.
  • Social Equity Framing in Design Education
    methodology: social-equity-in-design
    By teaching landscape architecture through the lens of social equity—contrasting exclusive historical parks with Olmsted’s inclusive vision—the organization promotes awareness of equitable public space access, because framing design history around justice issues deepens civic understanding and engagement.