named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Aquarium Tours
Behind-the-scenes tours showcasing life support systems, animal holding areas, and daily care routines for aquatic animals.
Field Trips
Educational programs for school and daycare groups designed to engage children in learning about aquatic life and ecosystems.
Lead the Feed: Clownfish & Coral
Program where visitors help feed clownfish and coral reef species and learn about coral propagation techniques.
Lead the Feed: Sharks & Rays
Behind-the-scenes experience where participants assist in feeding and training sessions with sharks and stingrays.
Penguin Encounter
Interactive experience allowing visitors to meet penguins up close and learn about their care and conservation.
Summer Camps
Weeklong educational camps for children focused on marine biology, animal care, and environmental stewardship.
Trainer for a Day
Immersive program where participants spend a day with aquarium trainers, assisting in animal care and feeding sessions with sea lions, seals, and penguins.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 5 activities
- Delivering career-focused trainer shadowing programsOffers a full-day "Trainer for a Day" program that allows participants to shadow aquarium staff, learn about marine animal care careers, assist in preparing fish diets, and engage in medical care and enrichment activities for marine mammals and birds. Participants receive commemorative items including a t-shirt, snacks, and photos.
- Hosting penguin and seal encounter programsOffers up-close educational encounters with Humboldt penguins and rescued seals, including keeper-led interactions in the Penguin Coast exhibit and programs that share individual rescue histories. The Penguin Encounter program includes biosecurity protocols such as sanitizing foot baths and prohibits physical contact. Exclusive animal encounters also include observation of grey seal feedings and time with penguins.
- Offering sea lion interaction and photo experiencesProvides visitor programs involving California sea lions, including observation of training sessions, exclusive photo opportunities, and private encounters such as the Sea Lion Snapshot experience, which includes an educational tour. One-on-one photo sessions are available as part of paid packages.
- Providing interactive behind-the-scenes tours and animal care experiencesOffers a range of behind-the-scenes tours and hands-on experiences that provide access to non-public areas, including animal holding spaces, life support systems, and diet preparation. Tours include educational components on animal nutrition, enrichment, and care practices for species such as sharks, stingrays, penguins, seals, sea lions, and turtles. Specific programs include 30-minute scheduled tours available Tuesday through Sunday at 9:15am for $10 per person.
- Running immersive educational camps for youthOperates single-day, multi-day, and weeklong educational camps focused on aquatic species and ecosystems, offered during the school year and summer. Summer camps integrate indoor aquarium learning with outdoor exploration in the adjacent State Park to teach about the aquatic world.
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Marine and Coastal Education Programs 2 activities
- Facilitating visitor participation in animal feeding and training sessionsProvides structured opportunities for visitors to observe and assist in feeding and training sessions with marine animals, including sharks, stingrays, clownfish, coral reef species, and a resident softshell turtle named Sadie. Programs such as "Lead the Feed: Sharks & Rays" occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 10:45am, while other experiences allow direct engagement in reef feeding or turtle enrichment activities like painting.
- Operating public aquarium for marine science educationOperates a public aquarium in Niagara, NY to educate the general public in marine sciences, featuring exhibits on sharks, seahorses, penguins, poison dart frogs, and Great Lakes ecosystems. Includes immersive displays such as the Great Lakes 360 exhibit with 16 permanent installations focused on regional aquatic environments.
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Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
- Allocating admission revenue to conservation initiativesDirects a percentage of admission revenue to support the Aquarium's Conservation Fund, which contributes to broader environmental protection efforts.
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Membership Program Administration 1 activity
- Hosting annual member events and digital membership servicesHosts an exclusive annual member event each March and provides digital membership cards through the PassPlay app to reduce plastic waste and enhance member convenience.
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Equitable Access Admission Programs 1 activity
- Providing accessible admission programsOffers reduced-cost and free admission options to increase accessibility, including $3 admission via EBT card through Museums for All (up to four people), free entry for active military and veterans with ID, discounted group rates for parties of 10+, and free monthly visits for Arts Access Pass holders with one guest.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Selling gift certificates for visitor experiencesOffers gift certificates for aquarium experiences that can be purchased in any amount, allowing recipients to redeem them for admissions, tours, or special programs.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$7.61M
Contributions & grants$3.65M48%
Program service revenue$3.32M44%
Investment income$60K1%
Other revenue$573K
expenses
Total expenses$5.12M
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$2.62M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$17.55M
Cash$600K
Investments$1.85M
Liabilities$3.75M
Net assets$13.80M
Liquid reserves5.8 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +96.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY SIDDALL | PRESIDENT/CEO (THRU JAN. 2024) | 40 | $212K |
| TRACIE SCHAFER | CHIEF FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER | 40 | $109K |
| CHAD FIFER | PRESIDENT/CEO (EFF JUNE 2024) | 40 | $52K |
board members · 14
- CARLY OWCZARCZAK — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTINE LORENZ — CHAIR
- ERIC HEPKINS — TRUSTEE
- KAREN HEALY CASE — TRUSTEE
- KELLY REITNOUR — SECRETARY
- KIMBERLEE DUNLOP — TRUSTEE
- LAURA CIANFLONE — TRUSTEE
- LAURA JACOBS — TRUSTEE
- LUKE WOEPPEL — TREASURER
- MELISSA MORINELLO — TRUSTEE
- ROLANDA WARD — TRUSTEE
- SCOTT ERNST — SECOND VICE CHAIR
- SEAN RAHILL — TRUSTEE
- THOMAS HUEBSCH — VICE CHAIR
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- AZA Network — Participates in reciprocal admission benefits with other AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums
- Aquarium of Niagara Network — Niagara Aquarium Foundation operates programs at the Aquarium of Niagara.
- Aquarium of Niagara Partner — Hosts the Trainer for a Day program and provides access to animal care activities and facilities.
- Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens Partner — Offers 10% off membership to Aquarium members
- Buffalo Zoo Partner — Offers $5 off membership to Aquarium members
- Cultural Alliance of Niagara Network — Provides benefits to Aquarium members through member organizations
- Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum Partner — Offers 50% off admission to Aquarium members
- Immotion Partner — Partners with Immotion to offer virtual reality experiences to aquarium visitors.
- M&T Bank Partner — Sponsors the Shark and Ray Bay exhibit at the Aquarium of Niagara.
- Museums for All Partner — Partners with Museums for All to offer discounted admission to EBT cardholders.
- Niagara Falls City School District Partner — Collaborates with the aquarium on educational field trips and customized learning experiences for students.
- PassPlay Partner — Provides digital membership and loyalty program platform for Aquarium members
- Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve Partner — Offers 10% off membership to Aquarium members
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.
- Animal Welfare as Educational Foundationmethodology: animal_welfare-centered_operationsBy centering operations on animal health, enrichment, and specialized care, the aquarium models ethical stewardship and uses visible welfare practices—like coral fragging, diet preparation, and voluntary training—as educational tools, because demonstrating high standards of care builds public trust and teaches responsible animal management.
- Immersive Experiential Educationmethodology: immersive_experiential_learningBy providing behind-the-scenes access, hands-on animal care activities, and direct interaction with marine life, the aquarium fosters deeper visitor engagement and authentic understanding of aquatic conservation, because experiential learning creates emotional and cognitive connections that passive observation cannot.
- Member Engagement for Conservation Supportmethodology: member-engagement_for_conservationBy offering unlimited admission and member benefits, the aquarium fosters ongoing personal connections with animals and the institution, which increases long-term engagement and financial support for conservation, because sustained access deepens attachment and loyalty.
- Revenue-Funded Conservation Initiativesmethodology: revenue-allocation_for_conservationBy allocating a portion of admission revenue to the Aquarium's Conservation Fund, the organization directly links public visitation to field conservation efforts, because tying visitor spending to real-world impact creates a self-sustaining cycle of education and action.
- Story-Based Emotional Engagementmethodology: story-based_educationBy sharing individual rescue narratives of animals, the aquarium creates emotional resonance with visitors, increasing educational impact and conservation awareness because personal stories make abstract issues tangible and memorable.