named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Dutch Kills Loop Restoration Initiative
Advances a vision to connect and restore 1.4 miles of public walkways, bridges, and parks along the Dutch Kills tributary in Long Island City to improve waterfront access and ecological function.
Kingsland Wildflowers
Operates a 25,000 sqft native pollinator garden on a green roof in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, serving as an educational site for urban conservation, green infrastructure, and climate resilience.
Last-Mile Coalition Advocacy
Participates in a citywide coalition advocating for zoning regulations to limit the expansion of last-mile delivery warehouses and reduce associated pollution and truck traffic in environmental justice communities.
Newtown Creek Educational Curriculum
Provides free, downloadable K–12 curriculum units on watershed ecology, water and soil quality, climate change adaptation, and local history for use in NYC schools.
Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center
Co-manages a waterfront environmental education center in Long Island City, offering school field trips and public programs on Newtown Creek’s ecology and history.
RAIN Coalition Rain Garden Maintenance
Manages 15 rain gardens in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Sunnyside, Queens through a coalition focused on green job training, stormwater management, and community stewardship in alignment with NYC DEP standards.
TIDALS Summer Research Fellowship
Paid summer internship for New Yorkers aged 18–25 to conduct hands-on research on shoreline restoration, water quality, and habitat mapping in the Newtown Creek watershed.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 3 activities
- Environmental education and curriculum developmentDevelops and delivers educational materials and curricula about Newtown Creek for schools, including downloadable units, worksheets, and expanded programming in Long Island City schools. Topics include native species, urban sewage infrastructure, soil contamination, and remediation.
- Guided educational tours of Newtown CreekConducts walking, biking, bus, and boat tours of Newtown Creek and its tributaries to increase public awareness of the waterway’s industrial history, environmental challenges, and restoration opportunities. Examples include the Dutch Kills Loop tour, “Creekside Cargo” walk, and fossil fuel history bicycle tour.
- School and public field programming at Queens LandingRuns educational programming and field trips for NYC school groups at the Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center, providing hands-on learning about the Newtown Creek ecosystem.
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Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 2 activities
- Community engagement and volunteer programsOffers ongoing individual volunteer opportunities focused on environmental conservation and community engagement related to Newtown Creek restoration and stewardship.
- Rain garden maintenance and managementManages 15 rain gardens in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and Sunnyside, Queens, with weekly maintenance in accordance with NYC DEP’s Rain Garden Maintenance Manual to support stormwater management and pollution reduction.
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Clean Energy Workforce Training 1 activity
- Brownfield redevelopment and green workforce developmentPlays a leadership role in brownfield redevelopment planning, creates programs to improve environmental performance of industrial businesses, and engages in workforce development initiatives to create local green jobs in the Newtown Creek area.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Ecological restoration of Newtown CreekImplements nature-based restoration projects to improve water quality and ecological conditions in Newtown Creek, including oyster and mussel habitat installations, floating wetland grasses, and shoreline habitat enhancement. Focuses on a 3.8-mile brackish waterway undergoing Superfund cleanup.
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Watershed Conservation & Stewardship 1 activity
- Environmental advocacy and pollution reportingAdvocates for mitigation and remediation of environmental hazards in the Newtown Creek watershed, reports ongoing pollution sources, prevents new pollution, and supports green infrastructure and habitat restoration investments. Documents major pollution issues, including over 1.2 billion gallons of annual combined sewer overflow and 17–30 million gallons of historic oil contamination from ExxonMobil.
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Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Environmental storytelling and artistic collaborationsProduces educational animations, illustrations, and StoryMaps in collaboration with artists and community partners to communicate the biodiversity, history, and restoration efforts of Newtown Creek to broader audiences.
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Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
- Weekly environmental monitoring and research surveysConducts ongoing field research including the first weekly summer survey of Dutch Kills Marsh, launched June 16, 2026, to monitor ecological conditions and support marine restoration efforts in the Newtown Creek watershed.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Interactive mapping and public access initiativesCreates and shares interactive digital maps, including a 2022 Google Map and a 2024 Creek Access Map, to reveal key features, access points, and stewardship sites along Newtown Creek. Also produced a comprehensive historical and infrastructural map in collaboration with a cartographer in 2015.
- TIDALS Research Fellowship ProgramRuns a 10-week, part-time summer research fellowship engaging participants in field research on Newtown Creek, including shoreline restoration assessments, identification of salt marsh creation sites, and study of intertidal habitats. Fellows complete hands-on site visits and a final research project with public presentation.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$659K
Contributions & grants$624K95%
Program service revenue$21K3%
Investment income$10K2%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$542K
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$478K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$682K
Cash$343K
Investments$0
Liabilities$12K
Net assets$670K
Liquid reserves7.6 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +20.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willis Elkins | Executive Director | 40 | $83K |
board members · 10
- Annel Hernandez — Vice Chairperson
- Gideon Davidson — Director
- Jan Mun — Director
- Jay Kaplan — Director
- Michael Dulong — Secretary
- Moe Magali — Director
- Natalie Vichnevsky — Chairperson
- Rafael Espinal — Director
- Ray Laszczych — Treasurer
- Tom Mituzas — Director
relationships · 63
Who they work with
- Assembly Member Emily Gallagher Government — Elected official who has provided funding for NCA.
- Assembly Member Maritza Davila Government — Government official supporting NCA through funding.
- Billion Oyster Project Partner
- Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso Government — Government official supporting NCA through funding.
- Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center Partner
- CUNY – Brooklyn College Partner
- CUNY – LaGuardia Community College Partner
- CUNY- Queens College Partner
- City Parks Foundation Funder — Provided funding for a bicycle tour through the NYC Green Fund.
- Con Edison Funder — Provides grant funding to support NCA's environmental initiatives.
- Consolidated Edison, Inc. Funder — Provides financial support for NCA's educational programming.
- Councilmember Bob Holden Government — Elected official who has provided funding for NCA.
- Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez Government — Elected official who has provided funding for NCA.
- Councilmember Julie Won Government — Elected official who has provided funding for NCA.
- Councilmember Lincoln Restler Government — Elected official who has provided funding for NCA.
- Department of Environmental Protection Government — Follows NYC DEP’s Rain Garden Maintenance Manual in managing rain gardens.
- Department of Parks and Recreation Government
- Dutch Kills Loop Partner — Partner in the proposed Dutch Kills Loop project to restore and connect public walkways, bridges, and park spaces along the Dutch Kills inlet in Long Island City, Queens.
- Earthjustice Partner
- Ed Jacobus Partner — Cartographer who collaborated with NCA to produce a comprehensive map of Newtown Creek in 2015
- El Puente Partner
- Forest for All NYC Partner
- Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park Partner
- Gowanus Canal Conservancy Partner
- Gowanus Canal Conservancy Partner — Co-developed and adapted environmental curriculum resources for use in urban ecology education.
- Green City Force Partner
- Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund Funder — Provides grant funding to support NCA's environmental initiatives.
- Greenpoint Library & Environmental Education Center Partner
- Guardians of Flushing Bay Partner
- HabitatMap Partner
+ 33 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-Based Ecological Restorationmethodology: community-based_restorationBy engaging the community in restoration activities and environmental education, the organization fosters stewardship and drives long-term ecological recovery of Newtown Creek, because local ownership increases public investment and sustainable outcomes.
- Integrated Green Infrastructure and Workforce Developmentmethodology: integrated_green_infrastructure_stewardshipBy linking green infrastructure maintenance with job training and community stewardship, the organization advances environmental and economic equity, because combining ecological goals with workforce development creates dual community benefits and sustains long-term project impact.
- Multi-Modal Public Engagement and Educationmethodology: public-engagement-through-educationBy using experiential, digital, and visual storytelling methods to educate the public, the organization increases understanding and engagement with Newtown Creek, because accessible and immersive formats make complex environmental issues relatable and actionable.
- Science-Informed Habitat Restorationmethodology: science-based_restoration_planningBy using scientific research and spatial analysis to guide restoration efforts, the organization ensures that interventions like salt marsh development are ecologically effective and targeted, because data-driven planning improves habitat functionality and biodiversity outcomes.