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FRIENDS OF MORNINGSIDE PARK INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133155238 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE N32 · Recreation & Sports · Micro (<$100K) · morningsidepark.org
revenue
$61K
expenses
$111K
net assets
$154K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

IMPROVEMENT AND PROTECTION OF MS PARK

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of Morningside Park Inc is a volunteer-led nonprofit founded in 1981 to restore and protect Morningside Park, a historic 30-acre park in Manhattan. The organization advocates for capital improvements, ecological restoration, and accessibility enhancements in partnership with NYC Parks. It supports community engagement through volunteer programs, educational workshops, and public events.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Morningside Explorers
Educational workshop series for children ages 4–6 and their caregivers, offering interactive nature-based activities in the park focused on birds, insects, plants, and environmental exploration
Morningside Park Master Plan
Comprehensive restoration roadmap commissioned by Friends in 2001 and guided by community input, shaping decades of capital projects including playgrounds, staircases, and the restored waterfall
Upper Park Initiative
Restoration effort focused on the upper level of Morningside Park, including the Park Plateau at 116th Street, to improve ecological health, accessibility, and public space through planning, stewardship, and capital improvements
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 4 activities
    • Advocacy for Morningside Park maintenance and improvement
      Advocates for the ongoing maintenance, restoration, and enhancement of Morningside Park, including supporting the reestablishment of park amenities such as the café concession and promoting long-term planning for park revitalization.
    • Development and commissioning of park master plans and assessments
      Commissioned multiple comprehensive planning documents to guide the restoration and long-term management of Morningside Park, including the 1985 Conceptual Master Plan, the 2000/2001 Master Plan, and the 2021 Forestry and Vegetation Assessment, Tree Inventory, and Maintenance Manual for the park’s upper level.
    • Implementation of capital improvements in Morningside Park
      Supported the realization of major park restoration projects including the reconstruction of the pond and waterfall, restoration of historic stairways, rebuilding of ballfields, installation of new playgrounds and picnic areas, improved accessibility, and the $500,000 project to open Morningside Café with ADA-accessible restrooms and revitalized overlook.
    • Operation of the Upper Park Initiative
      Implements the Upper Park Initiative to clear sightlines, manage vegetation, and deliver capital improvements and programming to the upper level of Morningside Park, informed by the 2021 Forestry and Vegetation Assessment and ongoing stewardship efforts.
  • Local Food Market Operation 1 activity
    • Operation of a year-round farmers market in Morningside Park
      Operates a year-round farmers market located at the corner of 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue inside Morningside Park, established in June 2005 to serve Harlem, Manhattan Valley, and Morningside Heights.
  • Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
    • Operation of the Harlem Youth Gardeners program
      Runs the Harlem Youth Gardeners program, engaging 24 teens per session in gardening, park maintenance, and environmental education across four historic Harlem parks, including Morningside, Jackie Robinson, and Marcus Garvey Parks.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Organization of public programs and community events in Morningside Park
      Organizes a wide range of ongoing public programs including arts and cultural festivals, farmers markets, film screenings, public art displays, musical and theatrical performances, sports tournaments, community picnics, holiday events, and a winter celebration centered around lighting the tallest living tree in a NYC park.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Provision of environmental education workshops for children
      Offers interactive outdoor workshops for children ages 4–6 and their caregivers focused on nature and environmental exploration in Morningside Park.
  • Community Wellness Movement Classes 1 activity
    • Publication of park visitor resources
      Provides downloadable resources for park visitors, including a Green Gym Exercise Guide to encourage physical activity in Morningside Park.
  • Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
    • Volunteer stewardship and park maintenance
      Organizes volunteer stewardship activities including litter removal, invasive vegetation control, and clearing overgrowth around the Park Plateau to restore historic sightlines and maintain landscaped paths with native plants and trees.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Operation of a dog run in Morningside Park
      Operates a dog run near 114th Street in Morningside Park that serves as a gathering place for dogs and residents from Central and West Harlem, Morningside Heights, and Manhattanville.
    • Support for park use through special event permitting guidance
      Provides information and guidance to groups seeking special event permits for gatherings of more than 20 people in Morningside Park.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$61K
Contributions & grants$61K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$130%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$111K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$25K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$154K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$154K
6 years on record · 2018–2024 · YoY revenue -56.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 9
  • ANNIE LOO — DIRECTOR
  • BRIGHAM KEEHNER — DIRECTOR
  • CAROLINE GEIGER — DIRECTOR
  • DAN SELTZER — DIRECTOR
  • JANNIE GREEN — DIRECTOR
  • JENNIFER CARAGIULO — DIRECTOR
  • RICHARD MILLER — DIRECTOR
  • SATRINA BOYCE — DIRECTOR
  • TRAVIS OWEN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Barnard College Partner — Sponsors the 2024 Morningside Explorers workshops and provides administrative support through its STEAM program.
  • Columbia University Partner — Collaborated on the restoration of the park's waterfall and pond systems.
  • Crabman Mike Partner — Welcomed and supported the local business as the new concessionaire for the Morningside Cafe kiosk.
  • Department of Transportation Government — Refers light outage reports to the DOT for resolution.
  • Down to Earth Farmers Market Partner — Hosts a weekly outdoor market in Morningside Park where local farmers and food makers sell goods.
  • Down to Earth Markets Partner — Partner organization that manages the Morningside Park Farmers Market on behalf of Friends of Morningside Park.
  • Manhattan Community Board 9 Government — Facilitated introductions for the Morningside Cafe concessionaire applying for a license to sell alcohol.
  • Morningside Park Dog Run Partner — Volunteer-run dog run facility operating within Morningside Park.
  • NYC 311 Government — Directs community members to report park issues such as rat sightings, light outages, and poison ivy through the city's 311 system.
  • NYC Department of Parks and Recreation Government — Collaborates on permitting for special events in Morningside Park.
  • NYC Parks Government — Collaborated with NYC Parks on the reissuance and implementation of a concession RFP for Morningside Park.
  • NYC Parks Partner — Collaborates on park restoration, capital improvements, and implementation of the master plan.
  • NYC Parks Partner — Collaborates on the Upper Park Initiative, including planning, ecological assessment, and stewardship activities.
  • New York City Government — Operates within the public park system of New York City, following city norms for off-leash dog runs.
  • New York City Department of Parks Government — Collaborates with the organization to promote responsible use of Morningside Park and implement capital improvements.
  • Quennell Rothschild & Partners Partner — Commissioned to prepare the 2001 Morningside Park Master Plan.
  • West Harlem Development Corporation Funder — Provided a grant to support the Spring 2023 Harlem Youth Gardeners program.
  • neighborhood Partner — Collaborates with the local neighborhood to host the Winter Celebration event.
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-Centered Programming and Space Design
    methodology: community_centered_programming
    By designing inclusive public events and restoring historic landscapes with community input, the organization strengthens neighborhood cohesion and social connection because shared, meaningful spaces and traditions foster belonging and intergenerational engagement.
  • Community-Driven Stewardship Model
    methodology: community-driven_stewardship
    By engaging volunteers and local residents in park restoration and maintenance, the organization produces sustained ecological and social improvements in Morningside Park because community ownership increases accountability, long-term commitment, and contextual design fidelity aligned with Olmsted and Vaux’s principles.
  • Public-Private Partnership Leverage
    methodology: public-private_partnership
    By combining private fundraising with public advocacy and city partnerships, the organization achieves capital improvements and long-term park protection because pooling public and private resources overcomes funding gaps and strengthens political will for sustained investment.
  • Youth Engagement Through Paid Environmental Stewardship
    methodology: youth_employment_with_education
    By employing youth in hands-on park maintenance paired with environmental education, the organization fosters long-term civic engagement and leadership because paid, experiential learning increases personal investment and builds skills that connect environmental health to community well-being.