irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0THE MISSION OF THE IPA FELLOWS RESIDENCY PROGRAM IS FOUR-FOLD: 1) SUPPORT ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS WORKING IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, 2) ENGAGE DESIGNERS TO EFFECT POLICY CHANGES, 3) CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESIGNERS TO BE ENGAGED IN SOLVING SPECIFIC URBAN ISSUES, AND 4) ENGAGE DESIGNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH DISCOURSE ON PRESSING ISSUES THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
IPA TEST KITCHEN
A food-focused event series exploring communal food experiences, experimental cooking, and sustainable farming through informal dinners and workshops
Independent Project Residency
An 11-week live-in residency at the Block House on Governors Island for emerging and mid-career practitioners in architecture, urbanism, and design to develop independent projects with public engagement and a culminating exhibition
Open [Block] House
Public events during the residency where visitors and guests can engage with Fellows, view project progress, and participate in dialogue around urban design and public space
The Story of the BQE
A documentary and public programming initiative examining how transportation infrastructure, particularly the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, has reinforced racial inequality and divided communities in New York City
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Architecture and Design Public Education Programs 2 activities
- Conduct community design workshops on reimagining the BQE corridorLeads participatory design workshops—such as Modeling Community Visions for a Future Without the BQE—in Brooklyn and Queens, where residents use physical models and kits of parts to envision alternative land uses, housing, green space, and urban farms in place of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
- Host public exhibitions, lectures, and events on design and urban issuesOrganizes public-facing events including summer residency exhibitions (e.g., LIVING LABORATORY), artist talks, film screenings, and informal series like the TEST KITCHEN Dinner Series to engage communities around art, architecture, and sustainable practices. Events are held at the Block House on Governors Island and other venues across New York City.
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Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
- Advocate for equitable urban planning through BQE removalOrganizes symposia and conducts advocacy campaigns since 2020 to highlight the institutional segregation, environmental injustice, and community exclusion caused by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, promoting community-led alternatives for the BQE corridor.
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Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
- Maintain oral history archive on BQE’s community impactCurates and maintains a web-based oral history archive featuring intergenerational audio interviews with Brooklyn and Queens residents about the personal and communal impacts of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, supporting ongoing research and public awareness.
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Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
- Operate a public library on Governors Island focused on urban topicsMaintains the only public library on Governors Island, offering publications and periodicals on art, architecture, and urban planning, accessible to the public as a resource for learning and engagement.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Produce and screen documentary and archival content on the BQEProduces and publicly screens "The Story of the BQE" documentary, which examines the historical, social, and environmental impacts of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway—including neighborhood demolition, displacement, and institutional segregation—using archival footage and community testimony. Screenings are held at multiple NYC venues and include Q&A sessions.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Fund organizations advancing urban research and public benefit design projectsProvides financial assistance to 501(c)(3) organizations that support urban research, design, and architectural initiatives for public benefit.
- Operate residency and fellowship programs in public architectureRuns the IPA Fellows Residency Program, Selected Topic Fellowship, and Independent Project Residency—eleven-week live-in programs at the Block House on Governors Island—for architects and designers to address urban inequities through public interest design, policy engagement, and community-driven research. Each residency concludes with a public exhibition and publication of fellows' work.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$293K
Contributions & grants$162K55%
Program service revenue$131K45%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$313K
Program expenses2%
Admin / overhead73%
Fundraising25%
Salaries & benefits$41K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$19K
Cash$12K
Investments$0
Liabilities$43K
Net assets$-24K
Liquid reserves0.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +40.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 12
- ANDY BERNHEIMER — SECRETARY &
- DEBORAH GANS — VP & DIRECTO
- FRED HARRIS — DIRECTOR
- JANET FINK — EXECUTIVE DI
- JEFF SHUMAKER — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN KIRSCHENFELD — PRESIDENT &
- NADINE MALEH — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT MARINO — TREASURER &
- STEPHEN SLAUGHTER — DIRECTOR
- STEVEN CRAINER — DIRECT/LEGAL
- TOM BISHOP — DIRECTOR
- TRACEY HUMMER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 48
Who they work with
- Beam Center Partner — Co-tenant and collaborating organization on Governors Island.
- Billion Oyster Project Partner — Co-tenant and collaborating organization on Governors Island.
- Boston Sasaki Associates Partner — Provided support for The Story of the BQE project.
- Bridge Street Sound Partner — Provided the sound system and DJ lineup for the annual Friends Party.
- Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Government — Focus of multi-year project examining the social, environmental, and urban planning impacts of the highway infrastructure.
- Earth Matter Partner — Co-tenant and collaborating organization on Governors Island.
- Film-Makers Cooperative Partner — Presented an archival film program at the Friends Party, curated by Zacarias Gonzalez.
- Film-Makers Cooperative Partner — Provided projected films for the 13th Annual Fête: Friends Party.
- Governors Island Government — Hosts IPA's programs at the historic Block House on Governors Island.
- Governors Island Government — Hosts Institute for Public Architecture programming and events on Governors Island, NY.
- Governors Island Government — Hosts residency exhibition and events at Building 9, Nolan Park on Governors Island.
- Governors Island Partner — Hosts the Independent Project Residency program at the Block House on Governors Island.
- Govisland.com Government — Official source for ferry schedules and visitor information for Governors Island, where IPA is based.
- Harbor School Partner — Co-tenant and collaborating organization on Governors Island.
- KVL Audio Visual Services Funder — Supported "The Story of the BQE" project.
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Partner — Co-tenant and collaborating organization on Governors Island.
- MIT DISASSEMBLIES Research and Design Lab Partner — Contributed to the design of the DJ booth and solar lighting rig through Xavi Aguirre and team.
- Municipal Art Society Enduring Culture Initiative Funder — Supported "The Story of the BQE" project.
- Municipal Art Society Enduring Culture Initiative Partner — Supported "The Story of the BQE" project.
- Municipal Art Society Enduring Culture Initiative Partner — Supported the Story of the BQE project through collaboration or funding.
- NYC Ferry Government — Provides ferry service from Brooklyn to Governors Island, where the Institute for Public Architecture is located.
- NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Partner — Co-produced "The Story of the BQE" documentary and oral history project.
- NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Partner — Co-produced The Story of the BQE documentary with IPA.
- NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Partner — Collaborated with IPA to produce "The Story of the BQE" documentary and oral history project.
- NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Partner — Collaborated with IPA to produce "The Story of the BQE" documentary.
- NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Partner — Collaborated with IPA to produce the documentary film _The Story of the BQE_.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provided financial support for "The Story of the BQE" project.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provided funding support for the Story of the BQE project.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Supported "The Story of the BQE" project.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Provided public funds for "The Story of the BQE" project in partnership with the City Council.
+ 18 more
strategies · 3
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.
- Design for Equity and Social Justice through Residencymethodology: design-for-equityBy integrating architectural design with community engagement, policy advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration in a residency model, the organization advances urban equity and addresses social, physical, and environmental injustices—because lived experience and professional practice together produce more just and inclusive visions for public infrastructure.
- Participatory Design as Community Empowermentmethodology: participatory_community_designBy using participatory methods such as physical modeling, workshops, oral history, and documentary film, the organization enables historically excluded communities to co-create alternatives to oppressive infrastructure—because direct involvement in design builds agency, surfaces marginalized knowledge, and transforms planning from expert-driven to community-led.
- Speculative and Immersive Futures Thinkingmethodology: speculative-designBy using long-term speculative projects, immersive residencies, and public activations, the organization reimagines urban infrastructure and public space—because envisioning alternative futures through experiential and interdisciplinary practice disrupts status-quo thinking and opens space for equitable urban transformation.