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GREENSPRINGS NATURAL CEMETARY ASSOCIATION
Newfield, NY · EIN 201285487 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Y50 · Mutual & Membership Benefit · Small ($100K-$1M) · naturalburial.org
revenue
$231K
expenses
$190K
net assets
$860K
employees
8
volunteers
7
program ratio
0%
mission · from form 990

To encourage and provide natural burial options

profile · synthesized from sources

Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve is a nonprofit natural burial ground and nature preserve located in Newfield, New York. The organization provides burial services that align with ecological principles, allowing for natural decomposition without embalming, vaults, or non-biodegradable materials. In addition to burial services, Greensprings stewards 130 acres of meadowland and woodland, maintaining habitat for native species and offering spaces for reflection and remembrance.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Cremains Burial and Scattering
Offers 7.5’x7.5’ sites for cremated remains and designated areas for scattering ashes, subject to state law and Greensprings’ regulations
Remembrance Grove
A dedicated space for bereaved parents to grieve pregnancy or child loss, featuring a memorial cairn and natural setting within the preserve
Sequential Burial
Graves are dug sequentially in the West Meadow, allowing memorial trees to be planted on each grave; site selection occurs at time of need
Standard Full Body Burial
Provides natural burial in a 15’x15’ site with grave opening, placement, and closing services; allows for native plantings and flat field stones as markers
Wind Phone
An unconnected telephone installed for visitors to speak to deceased loved ones, inspired by the original in Japan and situated in a contemplative natural setting
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Cemetery and Cremation Services 2 activities
    • Burial rights sales and administrative services
      Provides deed ownership for natural burial plots through online or check payment, with perpetual care, record-keeping, and permanent maintenance included. Charges fees for grave marker installation and maintenance, scattering of cremains, and pet cremains interment, all governed by specific size, material, and procedural guidelines.
    • Operating a natural cemetery preserve for sustainable burials
      Operates a 130-acre natural cemetery preserve in Newfield, NY, within an 8,000-acre protected forest, providing burial options that prohibit embalming fluids, concrete vaults, and ornate gravestones, while supporting ecological conservation. Offers full-body and cremation burial sites with natural grave markers and requires compliance with state regulations and coordination through a NY-licensed funeral director.
  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
    • Ecological land management and habitat conservation
      Manages and enhances native ecosystems across the 130-acre cemetery preserve by planting native species, removing invasive plants, maintaining pollinator habitats, and supporting grassland bird populations through mowing practices and installation of bluebird and kestrel nesting boxes. Implements land stewardship to sustain open meadows for species such as Meadowlarks, Northern Harriers, and Bobolinks.
  • Cemetery Operations and Public Access 1 activity
    • Public access, visitation, and site services
      Maintains hiking trails and designated spaces of solace—including the Wind Phone, Remembrance Grove, Reflection Pond, and memorial cairn—for public visitation and emotional support. Offers year-round tours, site selection, GPS coordinates for burial locations, and staff-assisted site location services with advance notice.
  • Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
    • Volunteer program and community engagement events
      Runs a volunteer program with roles in burial crews, gardening, trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and equipment upkeep. Hosts bi-annual Death Cafes, an annual Appreciation Party for volunteers, and stewardship events such as Fall Planting Days and Caring for Your Cemetery Day.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$231K
Contributions & grants$11K5%
Program service revenue$200K87%
Investment income$20K8%
Other revenue$30
expenses
Total expenses$190K
Program expenses0%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$110K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$886K
Cash$55K
Investments$519K
Liabilities$26K
Net assets$860K
Liquid reserves36.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -3.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Michelle Menter Cemetery Executive Director 20 $32K
Joanne James Bookkeeper 7 $6K
board members · 9
  • Alan Collmer — Secretary
  • Gregg Miller — Trustee
  • Judy Saul — Treasurer
  • Larry Hirschberger — Vice President
  • Lee Ginenthal — Trustee
  • Leslie Connors — Trustee
  • Leslie Strebel — President
  • Patti Jacobson — Trustee
  • Snowie Lajoie — Trustee
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • Alan Collmer Partner — Board member and Secretary
  • Beth Rounds Partner — Local stonecutter recommended for grave marker services.
  • Dryden Monument Company Partner — Local stonecutter recommended for grave marker services.
  • Eric Shatt Partner — Land Steward
  • Funeral Consumers Alliance Partner — Collaborates by referring families to funeral directors who respect natural burial wishes.
  • Gregg Miller Partner — Board member and Vice President
  • Jala Bayo Partner — Board member
  • Jennifer Johnson Partner — Burial Coordinator
  • Joanne James Partner — Bookkeeper
  • Judith Ross-Bernstein Partner — Board member and Employee & Volunteer Support Committee Chair
  • Judy Saul Partner — Board member and Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
  • Lee Ginenthal Partner — Board member and Stewardship Committee Chair
  • Leslie Connors Partner — Board member
  • Marcie Finlay Partner — Board member
  • Martha Armstrong Partner — Burial Coordinator
  • Martha Gioumousis Partner — Burial Coordinator
  • Michelle Menter Partner — Executive Director
  • New York State Government — Follows NYS laws permitting cremains scattering only in designated areas and regulating burial practices.
  • Noelia Springston Partner — Operations Manager and Burial Coordinator
  • Patti Jacobson Partner — Board member and President & Marketing Committee Chair
  • Reflection Pond Partner — Supports the Reflection Pond as a site of solace within the cemetery preserve.
  • Remembrance Grove Partner — Maintains the Remembrance Grove as a dedicated space for reflection and remembrance.
  • Sustaining Member Program Network — Membership program supporting land stewardship and natural burial mission through donations and participation.
  • Toni Jinkins Partner — Burial Coordinator
  • Wind Phone Partner — Hosts the Wind Phone as a place of solace for visitors and mourners.
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.

  • Community-Integrated Grief Support through Participation
    methodology: community-engaged_stewardship
    By engaging families and volunteers in burial practices and ecological restoration—such as planting native species on mounds or participating in stewardship—the organization fosters emotional healing, because active participation connects grief to meaningful ecological renewal.
  • Ecological Stewardship Funded by Burial Fees and Donations
    methodology: ecological_stewardship
    By directing burial fees and donor support toward ecological land management, the organization sustains native habitats and pollinator ecosystems, because consistent funding enables long-term stewardship of a 130-acre nature preserve.
  • Natural Burial as Ecological Integration
    methodology: natural_burial
    By offering natural burial using biodegradable materials and unaltered field stones within a conserved landscape, the organization enables individuals to return to the earth in alignment with ecological cycles, because this integration supports long-term habitat restoration and sustainable land use.