irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $219KMARKET CITIES:THE MARKET CITIES PROGRAM STRENGTHENS THE REGIONAL SYSTEMS BEHIND THE MARKET STALLS, CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING A DIVERSE SET OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH RESEARCH, SPECIALIZED TRAINING, AND A NETWORK OF PEERS. IN 2024, THE TEAM WORKED ON PROJECTS WITH GROWNYC GREENMARKET AND OMAHA, NE, AND THE MARKET CITIES NETWORK, A FORUM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER MARKET LEADERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, CELEBRATED ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY, GROWING BY 46% TO INCLUDE 50 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE. 26 BIWEEKLY BAZAAR NEWSLETTERS WERE PUBLISHED AND 43 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE HOW TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL MARKETS TRAINING.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
12th International Public Markets Conference
Biennial global conference convening market leaders to share best practices, research, and strategies for strengthening public markets
Community Placemaking Grants
Provides funding and technical support to local organizations to co-create inclusive public spaces with community input; launched in 2021
Market Cities Program
Strengthens public market systems globally through research, training, peer networking, and technical assistance; includes the Market Cities Network and biweekly Bazaar newsletter
Placemaking Funders Forum
Initiative to connect and empower grantmakers to increase investment in public space projects
State of Public Space Survey
Research initiative assessing the condition and needs of public spaces worldwide, engaging over 700 professionals across 52 countries
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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SDG Advancement & Global Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocating for community-centered public space policiesPromotes inclusion of participatory placemaking principles in global policy frameworks, such as advocacy for the UN-Habitat New Urban Agenda adopted by the United Nations in 2016.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Awarding community placemaking grantsFunds community-driven public space improvements through grant programs including $60,000 grants to two Northeastern U.S. grantees for indoor pop-up civic spaces and $100,000 Community Placemaking Grants in Arkansas; committed $420,000 in placemaking grants in 2025.
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Nonprofit Sector Research & Data Analysis 1 activity
- Conducting research and publishing placemaking knowledge resourcesProduces research reports such as “Places in the Making” and “How to Turn a Place Around,” conducts public space surveys, publishes annual impact reports, and disseminates findings through articles, handbooks, and newsletters for global practitioners.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Delivering online placemaking training programsOffers structured online courses such as "Placemaking: Making it Happen" and a three-week training program teaching placemaking principles, with AICP credits and pay-what-you-can scholarships; trained over 1,000 professionals in 2025 and more than 10,000 individuals since inception.
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Business Improvement District Management 1 activity
- Developing public space program and management plansCreates comprehensive program plans for public spaces including activities, amenities, and events across seasons; provides feasibility assessments, tenant mix strategies, and multi-year operating plans for public markets.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosting international placemaking and public markets conferencesOrganizes major international gatherings including Placemaking Week and the International Public Markets Conference, convening thousands of professionals since inception; hosted the 5th International Placemaking Week in Detroit with 642 attendees from 177 cities and 12 countries.
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Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives 1 activity
- Implementing community-led public space transformation projectsFacilitates public space improvement initiatives in partnership with local communities, including 16 projects in 2025 and long-term work in disaster-affected areas such as Republic Square in Austin and Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Operating a biweekly public space and public markets newsletterProduces two biweekly newsletters—one focused on public spaces broadly and one specifically on public markets and the Market Cities Program—featuring news, resources, and opportunities for practitioners.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
- Producing community-driven vision reports for public spacesDevelops vision reports based on community engagement that include public space programs, design precedents, and action priorities to guide placemaking efforts.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Providing technical assistance for public space and market developmentDelivers expert guidance to communities and organizations globally, providing over 3,300 hours of support in 2025 and assisting specific sites such as Upper Harbor Terminal in Minneapolis and markets in Lexington, Hamilton, and Portland.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Supporting grantee capacity through leadership developmentEnhances grantee effectiveness by offering access to Project for Public Spaces trainings, conferences, and peer learning opportunities as part of social impact and grant initiatives.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.87M
Contributions & grants$2.05M71%
Program service revenue$797K28%
Investment income$8K0%
Other revenue$17K
expenses
Total expenses$2.70M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$1.37M
Grants paid out$740K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.89M
Cash$1.66M
Investments$0
Liabilities$668K
Net assets$1.23M
Liquid reserves7.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +73.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KELLY VEREL | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $160K |
| NATHAN STORRING | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $124K |
| ELENA MADISON | DIRECTOR OF PROJECTS | 40 | $104K |
board members · 13
- BRIDGET MARQUIS — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID BURNEY — BOARD CHAIR
- DAVID KOREN — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID PARK — BOARD MEMBER
- ELLEN ABRAHAM — TREASURER
- JENNIFER VICKERS LEFT 1224 — BOARD CHAIR
- JOHN LOW-BEER — BOARD MEMBER
- JON ZADRODZKY LEFT 424 — BOARD CHAIR
- JULIA KRAGER — BOARD MEMBER
- LISA KNIP — BOARD MEMBER
- REENA AGARWAL — BOARD MEMBER
- RICARDO BYRD — SECRETARY
- TODD PALMER — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 29
Who they work with
- American Planning Association Partner — Provides AICP CM credits to attendees of PPS training programs.
- Anthology Film Archives Partner — Partnered to host a sold-out screening of William H. Whyte’s documentary and panel discussion on the future of public space.
- Bayer Partner — Collaborated on the Clarity Parks Project to improve parks in communities impacted by natural disasters.
- CloroxPro Partner — Partnered to create a mobile programming space for the Fulton County Library System in Atlanta, Georgia.
- CultureHouse Partner — Collaborates with Project for Public Spaces to deliver technical assistance and co-design the Community Placemaking Grants initiative.
- Downtown Detroit Partnership Partner — Co-hosted the 5th International Placemaking Week in Detroit.
- Ford Foundation Partner — Supported an initiative to help public markets networks improve financial sustainability and broaden impact
- GAF Partner — Continued partnership to create a learning center library expansion in Shafter, California.
- GrowNYC Greenmarket Partner — Collaborated on Market Cities program projects in 2024.
- Market Cities Network Network — Hosts and supports the Market Cities Network, a global forum for market leaders.
- Market Cities Network Network — Leads the Market Cities Network, an international forum connecting market operators, NGOs, funders, and researchers to strengthen community resilience through markets.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Partner — Collaborated on research examining placemaking projects, resulting in the report "Places in the Making."
- Milwaukee Public Market Partner — Co-hosted the 12th International Public Markets Conference in 2025.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Collaborated with Project for Public Spaces on social impact partnerships
- Placemaking Funders Forum Network — Hosts the Placemaking Funders Forum, a network of foundations, corporate social responsibility programs, and public-sector funders advancing community-driven public space outcomes.
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for the Community Placemaking Grants: Civic Spaces initiative.
- Southwest Airlines Partner — Partnered with Project for Public Spaces on social impact initiatives
- The Municipal Art Society of New York Partner — Co-partnered with Project for Public Spaces and Anthology Film Archives to honor William H. Whyte’s legacy through a public event.
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation Partner — Supported an initiative to help public markets networks improve financial sustainability and broaden impact
- Wallace Reader’s Digest Funds Funder — Provided support for the launch of the Urban Parks Institute in 1996
- Walton Family Foundation Funder — Provides funding for the Community Placemaking Grants initiative in Northwest Arkansas.
- Walton Family Foundation Partner — Three-year partner supporting community placemaking grants in Northwest Arkansas.
- William Davidson Foundation Funder — Partnered with Project for Public Spaces on social impact initiatives
- architects Partner — Partners with architects in the design and transformation of public spaces.
- artists Partner — Collaborates with artists in the design and transformation of public spaces.
- designers Partner — Works with designers to infuse community creativity into public space projects.
- local landscape architects Partner — Collaborates with local landscape architects in the design and transformation of public spaces.
- makers Partner — Engages makers in public space design and implementation projects.
- social service organizations Partner — Builds partnerships with social service organizations for public space management and programming.
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.
- Capacity Building Through Placemakingmethodology: capacity_building_through_placemakingBy combining short-term space activation with leadership development and institutional support, we produce lasting civic engagement because empowering local organizations to manage public spaces builds enduring community stewardship and systemic resilience.
- Community-Driven Placemakingmethodology: community-driven_placemakingBy placing local community members at the center of planning, design, and stewardship of public spaces, we produce more equitable, sustainable, and socially cohesive outcomes because resident ownership fosters deeper engagement, long-term care, and culturally relevant improvements that expert-led models often miss.
- Lighter-Quicker-Cheaper Interventionsmethodology: lighter_quicker_cheaperBy using low-cost, rapid tactical urbanism methods to test and refine public space designs, we produce iterative, user-informed improvements because temporary experiments reduce risk, accelerate learning, and generate community buy-in before permanent investments are made.
- Systems-Building for Public Marketsmethodology: systems_buildingBy connecting stakeholders through research, training, and peer networks, we strengthen regional public market ecosystems because coordinated systems improve access to healthy food, enhance economic opportunity, and foster social cohesion at scale.