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VALE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
SCHENECTADY, NY · EIN 141143410 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · valecemetery.org
revenue
$1.4M
expenses
$966K
net assets
$3.3M
employees
12
volunteers
3
program ratio
0%
mission · from form 990

TO MAINTAIN THE VALE CEMETERY FOR BURIALS AND CREMATIONS

profile · synthesized from sources

Vale Cemetery Association maintains Vale Cemetery in Schenectady, NY, providing burial and cremation services while preserving its historical and cultural significance. The organization operates a crematorium serving the Capital Region and beyond, and leads preservation efforts for historic sections including the African American Ancestral Burial Ground. It also hosts educational tours, community events, and collaborates with local organizations to promote public engagement.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

African American Ancestral Burial Ground Preservation
Restoration and community programming for the historic burial ground, including annual Juneteenth celebrations and educational reenactments
Civil War Memorial Program
Maintains and interprets the gravesites of 94 Civil War-associated individuals, including generals, soldiers, and Medal of Honor recipients
Historic Tours and Educational Programs
Offers guided tours such as the 1857 Tour and Giants of Industry Tour, gravestone cleaning classes, and nature walks
Vale Crematorium Services
Provides cremation services for over six dozen funeral homes in the Capital Region and NYC metropolitan area, including witnessed cremations and delivery of cremains
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Cemetery Preservation and Maintenance Funding 3 activities
    • Conduct gravestone preservation education and training
      Offers gravestone cleaning classes and maintenance workshops in collaboration with Schenectady County and the Schenectady County Historical Society (SCCCS) to promote cemetery preservation skills and stewardship.
    • Fund cemetery renewal and restoration projects
      Raises funds through grants and donations to finance capital improvements, including building restorations, grounds maintenance, memorial repairs, and infrastructure upgrades at Vale Cemetery.
    • Restore and preserve historic structures and landscape features
      Undertook restoration of the 1899 caretaker’s house (now used as office and genealogy space), paved roads, installed brick pillars and wrought iron fencing, implemented video surveillance, placed informational kiosks, conducted a historic landscape study, expanded the crematory, and funded a comprehensive 2024 tree survey identifying trees needing treatment or removal. Planted over 1,000 trees during initial development.
  • Cemetery and Cremation Services 2 activities
    • Develop and manage specialized burial sections
      Established and maintains dedicated areas including the African American Ancestral Burial Ground (restored through volunteer labor, historical research, and community engagement), The Dell at Vale (a green burial section for natural final resting places), and a pet internment program allowing companion animals to be buried alongside humans.
    • Maintain and operate Vale Cemetery for burials and cremations
      Operates a 62-acre 19th-century Rural Cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Places, providing burial lots, full-service cremation (including four retorts serving over seventy funeral homes), witnessed cremations, family participation in religious services, and interment of cremated remains in plots or the Urn Garden. Maintains burial sites for over 33,000 individuals across 100 acres.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Host annual Juneteenth commemoration and related events
      Hosts an annual Juneteenth celebration at the African American Ancestral Burial Ground featuring songs, dance, oratory, and a reenactment of Moses Viney’s escape from slavery, supported by historical research into his journey to emancipation.
  • Historical Cemetery and Museum Ghost Tours 1 activity
    • Host guided historical tours and public educational programs
      Organizes and hosts guided historical tours such as the 1857 Tour focusing on rural cemetery design and industrial leaders like those from General Electric, along with nature walks, history faires, and tree planting ceremonies. Charges $10 per person with free admission for children under 12 and members.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Publish cemetery newsletters and historical resources
      Produces and distributes a biannual newsletter titled *The Voice of The Vale* (formerly *The Voice of Vale Cemetery*) containing board updates, event announcements, and historical articles. Also publishes a 40-page PDF booklet on Civil War soldiers buried at the site and maintains an online Civil War database with downloadable Excel records.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Facilitate repatriation and ceremonial interment of historical remains
      Facilitated the respectful burial of ancestral remains, including a victim of the 1690 Schenectady Massacre, through coordinated ceremonial events involving community stakeholders and historical research.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.42M
Contributions & grants$19K1%
Program service revenue$1.30M92%
Investment income$100K7%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$966K
Program expenses0%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$433K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.36M
Cash$484K
Investments$2.21M
Liabilities$62K
Net assets$3.30M
Liquid reserves33.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +16.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
CLARK ADAMS KEY EMPLOYEE 40 $131K
board members · 8
  • CARLA HERNAS — TRUSTEE
  • DANIEL BRADT — SECRETARY
  • ELENA ALVEREZ — TRUSTEE
  • JILL BOGDANWICZ-WILSON — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN GEARING — VICE PRESIDE
  • MARION JACKSON — TREASURER
  • THOMAS CIANCETTA — PRESIDENT
  • WILLIAM SUDDUTH — TRUSTEE
relationships · 32

Who they work with

  • City of Schenectady Partner — Participated in the founding of Vale Cemetery through the Common Council's selection of the site and authorization of development.
  • Community Fathers, Inc Partner — Partnered on the Male Achievers Program and the renaming and development of the African American Burial Ground.
  • Davey Tree Service Partner — Conducted a comprehensive tree survey for the cemetery in 2024.
  • First Reformed Church Partner — Participated in the founding of Vale Cemetery and established burial plots for its members.
  • Frank Taormina Partner — Assisted in compiling and researching the 40-page PDF booklet on Civil War soldiers interred at Vale Cemetery.
  • Hamilton Hill Arts Center Partner — Collaborated with Vale Cemetery on community engagement initiatives.
  • Mark T. Bodnar Partner — Compiled and researched the 40-page PDF booklet on Civil War soldiers interred at Vale Cemetery.
  • McEvoy House Partner — Facility made available for families to gather before cremation services when requested in advance.
  • Old Fort Johnson Partner — Collaborates with Old Fort Johnson for tour leadership, as Scott Haefner from the organization leads the Giants of Industry tour.
  • Roots & Wisdom Partner — Engaged with Vale Cemetery on community programs and events.
  • Ryan Conklin Partner — Assisted in compiling and researching the 40-page PDF booklet on Civil War soldiers interred at Vale Cemetery.
  • SCCC Partner — Co-hosts educational programs such as the Gravestone Cleaning Class with Schenectady County Community College (SCCC).
  • SCCCS Partner — Co-hosts educational gravestone cleaning classes with Vale Cemetery.
  • Schenectady County Partner — Collaborates on hosting educational events such as the Gravestone Cleaning Class.
  • Schenectady County Community College Partner — Co-hosts a gravestone cleaning class at Vale Cemetery.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on educational programming such as gravestone cleaning classes.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on public events, including participation in the Festival of Trees.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on public history events, including participation in the Festival of Trees.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Participated in joint events such as the Festival of Trees.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Participates in joint events such as the Festival of Trees hosted by the Schenectady County Historical Society.
  • Schenectady County Historical Society Partner — Participates in the SCHS Festival of Trees hosted by the Schenectady County Historical Society.
  • Schenectady Heritage Foundation Partner — Longstanding collaboration on historic preservation, with Dr. McEvoy serving as a board member.
  • Union College Partner — Collaborated on historical research and student internships related to Vale Cemetery.
  • Union College Partner — Collaborated with Union College to receive and inter the remains of a Schenectady Massacre victim previously held in their archives.
  • Union College Partner — Coordinated the transfer and interment of a Schenectady Massacre victim's remains held in its archives.
  • Union College Partner — Participated in the founding of Vale Cemetery; Dr. Eliphalet Nott donated the first entrance, and the college established burial plots for its members.
  • Union College Partner — Partnered to facilitate the interment of a Schenectady Massacre victim previously held in Union College's archival department.
  • Union College Partner — Transferred the remains of a Schenectady Massacre victim to Vale Cemetery for interment.
  • Vale Cemetery Association Partner — Receives funds from VCPI for renewal and restoration of buildings, grounds, and memorials; collaborates on historic building survey planning.
  • Vale Cemetery Preservation, Inc. Network — Parent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages Vale Cemetery.
+ 2 more
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-Driven Preservation Model
    methodology: community_driven_preservation
    By engaging volunteers, local knowledge, and grassroots organizing in preservation work, the organization strengthens community ownership and ensures culturally significant burial sites are restored in a way that reflects community values and history.
  • Cultural Commemoration Through Performance
    methodology: cultural_commemoration
    By using cultural performances and historical reenactments, the organization educates the public and honors African-American heritage because embodied, ritualized storytelling creates emotional resonance and deepens historical understanding beyond passive learning.
  • Experiential Public Education for Stewardship
    methodology: experiential_education
    By offering hands-on educational programming in gravestone cleaning and preservation, the organization fosters public stewardship of the cemetery because direct participation increases personal investment in long-term conservation.
  • Park-Like Design as Civic Engagement Strategy
    methodology: park_like_cemetery_design
    By designing the cemetery as a park-like space with natural landscapes and pastoral vistas, the organization encourages public visitation and community use because aesthetically inviting environments promote respite, recreation, and informal engagement with history.