named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
City of Water Day
Annual regional event series engaging the public in waterfront stewardship through hands-on programming and community events
Climate Informed Communities
Community organizing program that brings climate preparedness resources and planning processes to vulnerable urban neighborhoods
Estuary Explorers
Hands-on climate and waterfront education program for K–12 students, including teacher training and curriculum integration
Maritime Activation Plan
Planning initiative analyzing and proposing strategies to balance social, economic, and environmental uses of urban waterways
Rise to Resilience Coalition
Regional coalition advocating for comprehensive climate resilience policy, flood disclosure, and nature-based solutions
Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG)
Third-party verification program promoting resilient, equitable, and ecologically sound waterfront design; includes professional training and project certification
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Urban Resilience Planning & Advocacy 3 activities
- Advances community-led waterfront resilience planningCollaborates with community groups and city agencies on resilience projects such as Coney Island Creek, conducting public workshops, issuing RFPs, and developing goals, strategies, and implementation roadmaps through inclusive planning processes.
- Conducts climate resilience research and publishes adaptation studiesLeads and publishes research on climate resilience, including studies for Flushing Meadows Corona Park, feasibility assessments for Staten Island’s northeast shore, and development of the WEDG rating system to guide resilient waterfront design.
- Provides technical expertise for waterfront planning and designOffers multidisciplinary technical support—including urban planning, maritime expertise, and environmental science—to stakeholders developing resilient waterfront projects and achieving WEDG verification.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Builds community resilience planning capacity through WEDG trainingOffers professional training and credentialing through the WEDG Professionals Course, delivering in-person and self-paced programs that equip practitioners with tools for resilient waterfront design and planning.
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Marine and Coastal Education Programs 1 activity
- Engages youth in estuarine education through Estuary ExplorersDelivers multi-week environmental education programs to over 1,500 students annually across all five NYC boroughs, with over half reporting first-time access to local waterfronts.
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Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
- Grants sustainability projects through Estuary Explorers programOffers sustainability grants for the 2026–2027 cycle through the Estuary Explorers program to support community-based environmental initiatives.
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Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 1 activity
- Implements maritime activation plans for urban waterfrontsDevelops and implements maritime activation plans for sites including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Governors Island, and Fordham Landing on the Harlem River, integrating environmental restoration, public access, education, and job creation over six- to nine-month planning cycles.
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Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Leads climate resilience advocacy through Rise to Resilience CoalitionOrganizes annual advocacy events, develops policy recommendations, and campaigns for climate resilience legislation at state and federal levels, including successful passage of flood risk disclosure laws in New York and New Jersey.
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Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
- Organizes community stewardship and public engagement eventsHosts annual City of Water Day events engaging over 10,000 participants, conducts coastal cleanups removing thousands of pounds of trash, and runs monthly Community Office Hours to collaborate with residents on climate resilience planning.
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Climate Change Public Awareness & Advocacy 1 activity
- Publishes educational and technical resources for climate resilienceProduces and distributes handbooks, guides, and fact sheets such as the Climate Resilience Literacy Handbook, Common Sense Guide to Working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Climate Hazard Resource Guide to support public engagement and professional practice.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Develops and verifies resilient waterfront projects using WEDGGrants WEDG verification to waterfront redevelopment projects such as South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Illinois Beach State Park, promoting resilient, ecologically sound design through performance-based certification.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.82M
Contributions & grants$1.62M89%
Program service revenue$164K9%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$36K
expenses
Total expenses$2.95M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$1.54M
Grants paid out$11K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.06M
Cash$582K
Investments$74K
Liabilities$577K
Net assets$1.48M
Liquid reserves2.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -47.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CORTNEY WORRALL | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 40 | $241K |
| DAVID EZER | DIRECTOR OF EVENTS | 40 | $123K |
| JOSEPH SUTKOWI | CHIEF WATERFRONT DESIGN OFFICER | 40 | $110K |
| FURHANA HUSANI | DIR. OF PROGRAMS AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES | 40 | $110K |
board members · 17
- CHRISTOPHER O WARD — DIRECTOR
- CHUCK NICE — DIRECTOR
- COLONEL RET JOHN R BOULE II — VICE CHAIR
- DIANNE DILLON-RIDGLEY — DIRECTOR
- HILLARY LANE — DIRECTOR
- JULIE PULLEN — DIRECTOR
- KATHY ROBB — CHAIR
- KENT L BARWICK — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW S WASHINGTON — SECRETARY
- MAUREEN MARTIN — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL STAMATIS — DIRECTOR
- PAMELA PETTYJOHN — DIRECTOR
- PETER EBRIGHT — DIRECTOR
- PIPPA BRASHEAR — DIRECTOR
- REAR ADMIRAL RET RICK LARRABEE — TREASURER
- ROBERT W BALDER — DIRECTOR
- TEDDY MUHLFELDER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 42
Who they work with
- Castle Hill YMCA Partner — Collaborated with Waterfront Alliance to engage campers in Estuary Explorers programming focused on climate change and community resiliency
- City of Miami Government — Adopted WEDG as a required consideration for stormwater and flood mitigation projects.
- Columbia Climate School Partner — Provided technical support for the development of the Climate Resilience Literacy Handbook.
- Coney Island Beautification Project Partner — Collaborates on community engagement and resilience planning for Coney Island Creek
- Coney Island Beautification Project Partner — Collaborating with Waterfront Alliance to develop goals and strategies for waterfront improvements along Coney Island Creek.
- Cornell University Partner — Contributes community resilience planning work that informs the Coney Island Creek project
- Curtis & Rogers Design Studio Partner — Works with Curtis & Rogers Design Studio in implementing WEDG Version 3.0 for waterfront protection.
- Decker Design, Inc Partner — Design partner for Waterfront Alliance's website and materials
- Decker Design, Inc Partner — Design partner for Waterfront Alliance's website.
- Decker Design, Inc Partner — Design partner for the Waterfront Alliance website.
- ECOncrete Partner — Collaborates with ECOncrete in using WEDG guidance to support sustainable waterfront development.
- Earth Justice Partner — Member of the Extreme Heat Coalition advocating for heat adaptation legislation.
- Embassy of the Netherlands Partner — Works with the Embassy of the Netherlands through involvement of its Special Envoy for International Water Affairs in supporting WEDG.
- MANYFOLD Partner — Development partner responsible for coding the Waterfront Alliance website.
- Mayor Adams Government — President and CEO appointed to the New York City Sustainability Advisory Board.
- Mississippi River Basin Network — Engages organizations and professionals in the Mississippi River Basin through targeted WEDG education and outreach initiatives.
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection Partner — Partner agency receiving design and implementation recommendations for Coney Island Creek improvements
- NYC Economic Development Corporation Government — Led the 2016 Coney Island Creek Resiliency Study that informs current project planning
- NYC Office of Emergency Management Government — Presented "Know Your Rights" climate preparedness training and resources at the Community Preparedness Symposium.
- NYC Parks Partner — Collaborated on the release of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Resiliency Study and development of flood mitigation designs.
- NYC Parks Partner — Partner agency receiving design and implementation recommendations for Coney Island Creek improvements
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Funder — Provides funding for the Coney Island Creek Resilience Project
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Funder — Funded a climate hazards study of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY.
- New York Climate Exchange Partner — Selected as an early partner and leadership advisor on Governor's Island.
- New York Harbor School Partner — Hosted the first high school cohort to complete the WEDG Professionals Course, preparing students for careers in climate-resilient design.
- New York League of Conservation Voters Partner — Co-hosted a New York City Council “Teach-In” to advance shared climate resilience goals.
- Oceantic Network Partner — Partnered to co-host the 2026 IPF: Energy at Sea Conference in New York City.
- Rise to Resilience Coalition Coalition — Co-organizes annual Advocacy Day and resilience initiatives with the coalition.
- Rise to Resilience Coalition Coalition — Collaborates with the Rise to Resilience Coalition to advance systemic climate resilience through advocacy and community engagement.
- Rise to Resilience Coalition Coalition — Member of the Rise to Resilience Coalition, collaborating on regional climate resilience initiatives.
+ 12 more
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.
- Community-Led Co-Design for Equitable Resiliencemethodology: community_co_designBy centering frontline communities in the design and planning of waterfront spaces, we produce more equitable and effective climate resilience outcomes, because local leadership ensures solutions address real needs and build on existing community knowledge.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration to Bridge Expertisemethodology: cross-sector_collaborationBy designing tools that serve both community organizers and technical professionals, we improve waterfront planning outcomes because bridging community and design expertise leads to more informed, implementable, and locally grounded solutions.
- Experiential STEM Education for Climate Awarenessmethodology: stem_experiential_learningBy combining hands-on field labs with classroom learning, we increase youth understanding of climate resilience because experiential, place-based STEM education deepens engagement and connects abstract science to local environmental challenges.
- Integrated Resilience Frameworkmethodology: resilience_ecology_access_frameworkBy applying a unified framework centered on resilience, ecology, and public access, we produce high-performing waterfront spaces because this integration ensures climate adaptation, ecological restoration, and equity are advanced simultaneously and systematically.
- Performance-Based Standards for Resilient Designmethodology: resilient design certificationBy using a performance-based rating and certification system, we drive adoption of resilient, ecologically sound, and accessible waterfront development because measurable standards create accountability and incentivize best practices across public and private projects.