named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Legal Action and Accountability Initiative
Organized legal challenges and public scrutiny of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, including filing lawsuits and contesting city compliance with court orders
Resiliency News
Curated information hub on climate change, flood protection, and environmental justice issues, providing educational resources and news from around the world
Save East River Park Campaign
Grassroots organizing and public advocacy to halt the demolition of East River Park and promote environmentally sound alternatives to the city's resiliency plan
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 4 activities
- Advocacy against the East Side Coastal Resiliency projectOrganizes community opposition to the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, a $2 billion flood control and park redevelopment initiative on Manhattan's Lower East Side, through public campaigns, rallies, marches, press conferences, and community mobilization efforts. The organization criticizes the project for destroying over 1,200 mature trees, razing absorbent parkland, excluding environmental and public health experts from planning, and disregarding community-informed alternatives.
- Campaign to prevent artificial turf installation in NYC parksLeads a citywide campaign advocating against the installation of artificial turf in public parks, promoting natural green spaces as healthier and more sustainable alternatives.
- Petition and supporter mobilizationCollected over 16,000 petition signatures opposing the destruction of East River Park and built a mailing list of over 2,400 supporters to sustain advocacy and outreach efforts.
- Reopening and stewardship of redeveloped park sectionsFacilitated the reopening of the southern section of East River Park (approximately 40% of total area) featuring new barbeque areas, basketball courts, ballfields, green spaces, and around 600 newly planted trees. Also managed the closure of the northern section to allow ongoing construction under the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
-
-
Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Advocacy for urban greening and environmental protectionAdvocates for increased greening, aggressive street tree planting and maintenance, and construction oversight to protect air and water quality in the Lower East Side, emphasizing long-term ecological and public health benefits.
-
-
Community Environmental Monitoring and Research 1 activity
- Direct monitoring and documentation of park conditionsConducts on-site environmental monitoring during heat advisories by measuring temperature conditions in and around East River Park to assess the impact of redevelopment on urban heat and public health.
-
-
Uncategorized 3 activities
- Community engagement and public education on environmental justiceProduces and disseminates educational materials, including a slideshow on the historical and cultural value of East River Park, a one-page report on the demolished amphitheater, and video documentation of community testimonies. The organization also participates in public podcasts, art exhibits, and coalition efforts such as the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side to amplify environmental justice concerns.
- Fundraising to support legal and advocacy effortsRaised over $70,000 from more than 600 donors to fund litigation and advocacy activities related to the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, including legal representation and public outreach campaigns.
- Legal advocacy for transparency and accountability in park redevelopmentFiles lawsuits and Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests to obtain critical project documents, including the unredacted Value Engineering Study used to justify changes to the East Side Coastal Resiliency project. These legal actions have resulted in court-ordered releases of redacted reports, revealed viable project alternatives, and secured temporary restraining orders and appellate stays halting demolition.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$2K
Contributions & grants$885%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$2K95%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$2K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$61K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$61K
5 years on record · 2021–2025 · YoY revenue +108.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 2
- Fannie Ip — Director
- Jonathan Lefkowitz — Director
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Advocates for Justice Partner — Legal counsel representing East River Park Action in the appellate case
- Advocates for Justice Partner — Nonprofit legal firm providing pro bono representation in the alienation lawsuit.
- Art Loisaida Foundation Partner — Co-organized an online exhibit highlighting threats to East River Park.
- City of New York Government — Engaged in legal opposition against the city over the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project and its impact on East River Park.
- Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side Coalition — Member organization collaborating on advocacy for zoning reform and worker rights to prevent gentrification and improve neighborhood conditions.
- Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side Coalition — Member organization participating in joint advocacy efforts.
- Community Board 3 Coalition — Collaborated with East River Park ACTION in supporting the restoration of historic park buildings.
- Community Board 3 Coalition — Engages with Community Board 3 in presentations and updates regarding East River Park and the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
- Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Government — Receives updates and participates in planning discussions with the Department of Design and Construction regarding the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
- Earth Celebrations Partner — Partnered on a dance and procession for climate solutions in East River Park.
- GOLES Partner — Collaborated on the “Save East River Park Dance” with youth from NYCHA housing.
- Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) Partner — Collaborated with GOLES in supporting community-led planning efforts for the East River waterfront, including the People’s Plan.
- LES Breathe Partner — Collaborated with LES Breathe to conduct temperature measurements in East River Park during heat advisories.
- Lower East Side Ecology Center Partner — Partnered with East River Park ACTION in advocating for the preservation of park features, including the compost yard.
- NYC Department of Design and Construction Government — Submitted a FOIL request to obtain documents related to the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
- National Lawyers Guild NYC Chapter Partner — Partnered with the National Lawyers Guild NYC Chapter, which issued a public statement condemning the city's violation of court orders and supporting community resistance to the park's destruction.
- New York City Government — Engages in advocacy and public criticism regarding the city's East Side Coastal Resiliency project and park reconstruction decisions.
- Rebuild by Design Network — Engaged with the Rebuild by Design process to advocate for community-informed coastal resiliency solutions following Hurricane Sandy.
- Rebuild by Design Partner — Critically engaged with Rebuild by Design's endorsement of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
- Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Partner — Honored East River Park Action at a public event, recognizing their activism.
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.
- Art and Narrative in Advocacymethodology: art-based advocacyBy using community-based art and storytelling, we amplify marginalized voices and mobilize public opposition to destructive development because emotional and cultural narratives generate deeper public engagement than technical arguments alone.
- Community-Driven Climate Resilience Planningmethodology: community-driven_resilienceBy centering community-led planning and participatory decision-making in climate resiliency efforts, we achieve more equitable, sustainable, and effective outcomes because local knowledge and priorities lead to better-designed, socially just infrastructure.
- Green Infrastructure as Climate Resiliencemethodology: green-infrastructureBy advocating for ecologically integrated green infrastructure instead of engineered, vehicle-centric flood control, we protect biodiversity and enhance community health because natural systems absorb storm impacts while preserving public green space for long-term resilience.
- Legal and Institutional Accountability for Public Landmethodology: legal_and_public_accountabilityBy invoking legal frameworks like the public trust doctrine and demanding transparency and binding oversight, we ensure that public parkland is preserved and restored because institutional accountability prevents land alienation and enforces community rights.
- Science and Testimony-Based Advocacy for Environmental Justicemethodology: science-based advocacyBy combining citizen science, technical critique, and community testimony, we challenge environmentally harmful projects and produce more accountable, ecologically sound planning because data and lived experience together strengthen advocacy and expose flaws in official narratives.