named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
NY UAS Test Site Support
Supports the FAA-designated New York Unmanned Aerial Systems Test Site at Griffiss International Airport as a hub for drone technology innovation
Regional Advocacy
Advances the interests of Central New York’s federal defense assets through engagement with local, state, and federal leaders
SkyDome Trusted Smart X Environment
Leads the SkyDome initiative to create a secure indoor/outdoor test environment for unmanned systems and emerging technologies
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Regional Economic Development Initiatives 1 activity
- Supporting job creation and business growth through defense-related innovationFacilitates regional economic development by supporting job creation and business growth linked to federal defense assets and emerging dual-use technologies such as AI and quantum computing in Central New York.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Advocacy for federal defense assets and regional economic growthLeads advocacy efforts in Washington and Albany to secure federal investment, shape policy, and expand regional economic opportunity by strengthening defense assets such as AFRL Rome, DFAS, EADS, and the FAA-designated New York UAS Test Site. Successfully secured over $100 million in additional investments and supported workforce protection and growth initiatives.
- Development and deployment of UAS Traffic Management and Air Domain Awareness systemsDeveloped and supported the deployment of a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and Air Domain Awareness system in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AX Enterprize, now used by the U.S. Air Force for operational assessment.
- Operation of UAS testing infrastructure and smart technology experimentation environmentsOperates and supports advanced testing facilities including SkyDome—an instrumented indoor/outdoor environment for UAS, IoT, and CPS technologies—and a 50-mile BVLOS UAS corridor from Rome to Syracuse at Griffiss International Airport. Leads the Skydome Trusted Smart X Experimentation Environment as part of NIST’s Smart Technology Lab Initiative.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$200K
Contributions & grants$200K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$70%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$170K
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$13K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$143K
Cash$109K
Investments$0
Liabilities$8K
Net assets$135K
Liquid reserves7.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +85.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY CAROL CHRUSCICKI | SECRETARY AND EXEC. DIRECTOR EMERITUS | 17 | $11K |
board members · 6
- CHERYL HARITATOS — CHAIRPERSON
- DR WILLIAM JEMISON — VICE CHAIRPERSON
- EVAN DEGENNARO — DIRECTOR
- HEATHER DUSSAULT — DIRECTOR
- MARK PFISTERER — TREASURER
- WAYNE WESTERVELT — DIRECTOR
relationships · 43
Who they work with
- AFGE-DFAS Partner — Union representing DFAS employees; collaborates with CNYDA on workforce-related advocacy.
- AFRL Partner — Collaborates with AFRL on the development and deployment of UAS Traffic Management and Air Domain Awareness systems.
- AFRL Partner — Collaborates with AFRL on the development of UTM and Air Domain Awareness systems
- AFRL Rome Government — Partner organization in advancing defense innovation, particularly in quantum computing and C4I technologies.
- AX Enterprize Government — Manager of the FAA-Designated New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport.
- AX Enterprize Partner — Collaborates on UAS and UTM technology development with AFRL and AX Enterprize in Central New York.
- AX Enterprize Partner — Collaborates with AX Enterprize on the development of UTM and Air Domain Awareness systems
- AX Enterprize Partner — Executive Director Emeritus and co-founder of AX Enterprize serves on the Board of Directors.
- AX Enterprize Partner — Partners with AX Enterprize to support SkyDome and UAS technology development in Central New York.
- Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate Government — Key regional asset supported through federal advocacy and development initiatives.
- Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate Partner — Adjacent collaboration partner supporting UAS research and development at the NYUASTS.
- Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate Partner — Collaborates with AFRL/RI to strengthen and expand defense-related assets in Central New York.
- Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, Rome (AFRL-RI) Partner — Primary defense partner; the Alliance supports AFRL Rome’s mission and works to expand its regional impact in Central New York.
- Albany Government — Engages with state leadership in Albany as part of regional advocacy efforts.
- BAE Systems Partner — Former Director of Rome Operations serves on the Board of Directors, contributing defense industry leadership.
- Clarkson University Partner — Represented on the Board of Directors through its Dean of Engineering, contributing expertise to regional defense and technology development.
- Congresswoman Elise Stefanik Government — Recognized for advocacy and support of defense innovation projects in Central New York.
- Defense Finance and Accounting Service Government — Key regional asset supported through federal advocacy and development initiatives.
- Defense Finance and Accounting Service Partner — Partner organization providing finance and accounting services to the Department of Defense, with a significant presence in Central New York.
- Defense Finance and Accounting Service Partner — Works with DFAS to support and expand federal defense infrastructure in the region.
- Eastern Air Defense Sector Government — Key regional asset supported through federal advocacy and development initiatives.
- Eastern Air Defense Sector Partner — Collaborates with EADS on air defense missions in Central New York
- Eastern Area Defense Sector Partner — Partners with EADS to enhance regional defense capabilities.
- FAA Government — Works with the FAA through the NY UAS Test Site designation to advance drone technology innovation.
- FAA Designated New York UAS Test Site Partner — Supports the development and expansion of the FAA-designated unmanned aerial systems test site in New York.
- Griffiss Institute Partner — Partnering to strengthen the regional defense industrial base through coordinated advocacy and joint programming.
- Griffiss Local Development Corporation Partner — Works alongside CNYDA to support key defense entities in the region.
- Lockheed Martin Partner — Represented on the Board of Directors through a staff systems engineer, providing defense industry expertise.
- Mohawk Valley EDGE Partner — Collaborates to support the resilience and growth of key defense entities in the region.
- NIST Partner — Participates in NIST’s Smart Technology Lab Initiative to establish Rome as a testbed for smart technologies.
+ 13 more
strategies · 2
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.
- Multi-Sector Collaboration to Advance Defense Innovation 10 orgsmethodology: public-private-academic_collaborationBy convening public, private, and academic stakeholders, the organization strengthens national defense missions and accelerates technological advancement because collective engagement fosters collaborative R&D, integrated testing environments, and alignment between military needs and regional innovation capacity.shared approach: Cross-Sector Innovation Convening →
- Leverage Federal Defense Assets for Regional Economic Growthmethodology: defense-economic-development-alignmentBy advocating for the retention, expansion, and strategic use of federal defense assets in Central New York, the organization drives regional economic development, high-tech innovation, and job creation because these assets anchor advanced manufacturing, attract R&D investment, and enable public-private-academic collaboration.