Central Park Conservancy INC EIN 13-3022855

Central Park Conservancy INC

EIN  13-3022855 Public charity (501(c)(3)) New York, NY Founded 1980
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 7/6/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$100M+
What they do
Reconstructs public spaces and manages significant revenue streams for community projects.
Leadership
Ms Elizabeth W Smith · Ex-Officio (president/Ceo) · $1.2M
Money in and out
$172.9M revenue, $166.1M expenses
Bottom line
79% program efficiency

Reconstructs public spaces and manages significant revenue streams for community projects. For fiscal year 2025 it reported $172.9M in revenue, $166.1M in expenses, and $669.4M in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2025
Total revenue
$172.9M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$166.1M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$669.4M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $6.8M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.79 Management & general $0.15 Fundraising $0.06
Program efficiency
79%
of spending reaches programs▲ +3% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
42.7mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -1% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+4%
revenue over expenses, this year▼ -84% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2025 · Form 990
Revenue
$172.9M
FY2025▼ -14%
Expenses
$166.1M
FY2025▲ +10%
Total assets
$727.1M
FY2025▲ +7%
Total liabilities
$57.7M
FY2025▲ +4%
Total revenue
$172.9M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$166.1M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$669.4M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$6.8M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$727.1M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B79%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 355
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 454
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $131.9M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Design and construction in connection with the restoration of central park as america's foremost major urban public space. The conservancy has carried out a restoration management plan for the park, and managed the capital restoration of a number of significant landscapes and facilities.

$80.1Mprogram expense
02

As the official manager of central park, the conservancy is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and operation of the park. Activities include: landscape maintenance, playground maintenance, tree care, turf care, and preservation of historic monuments. The conservancy has set new standards in excellence in park care.

$44.1Mprogram expense
03

The conservancy public programs take advantage of the invaluable resources in central park providing education, recreation, and volunteer programs that serve the community. In addition, the conservancy provides services at the following six visitor centers in the park: the davis center, charles a.

$7.8Mprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CCentral Park Conservancy INC
EINHdr · item D13-3022855
Principal addressHdr · item CNew York, NY
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.centralparknyc.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1980
State of legal domicileHdr · item MNY
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFRecreation & Sports (N320)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJan 1980

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a55
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b54
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2Yes

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Ex-Officio (president/Ceo)
$1,211,800Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$746,635Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Park Operations
$544,054Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Comm. & Eng Through 7/5/24
$379,432Pt VII · Sec A
Senior VP for Capital Project
$356,100Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for People & Culture
$343,414Pt VII · Sec A
Senior VP for Philanthropy
$337,405Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff & VP of Str. Init.
$325,770Pt VII · Sec A

Ms Elizabeth W Smith’s $1.2M as Ex-Officio (president/Ceo) is at the 38th percentile of top reported officer pay among 21 $100M+ recreation & sports nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ms Elizabeth W Smith$1,211,800$885,583$1,138,875$703,227
Mr Stephen Spinelli$746,635$598,178$581,157$539,461
Ms Elizabeth W Smith$560,172$650,173
Mr Christopher Nolan$561,545$510,401
Mr Roger Mosier$544,054$474,701$422,230
Mr Stephen Spinelli$468,958$495,718
Mr Christopher Nolan$438,526$427,340
Ms Andrea Buteau$434,273$260,437$271,691

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$110.6M · 64%
Investment income$34.4M · 20%
Program service revenue$29.0M · 17%
Contributions & grants64%$110.6M
Investment income20%$34.4M
Program service revenue17%$29.0M
Total revenueLn 12$172.9M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.79 Management & general $0.15 Fundraising $0.06
Program services79%$131.9M
Management & general15%$24.8M
Fundraising6%$9.4M
Total functional expensesLn 25$166.1M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$68.1M
Total assetsLn 16$727.1M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$57.7M
Total net assetsLn 32$669.4M
Months of cash on handcomputed4.9

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2025 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $577.5M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $166.1M · Less non-cash grants $3.6M · Cash operating expenses/yr $162.4M
42.7 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $131.9M · Total expenses $166.1M
79%
Management & General
Management & general $24.8M · Total expenses $166.1M
15%
Fundraising
Fundraising $9.4M · Total expenses $166.1M
6%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $10.2M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $107.2M
$0.10 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $110.6M · Total revenue $172.9M
64%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $172.9M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $29.0M · Total revenue $172.9M
17%
Investment reliance
Investment income $34.4M · Total revenue $172.9M
+20%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $29.0M · Total expenses $166.1M
17%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $172.9M · Prior year $200.2M
-14%
Revenue CAGR
FY2019 $64.7M · FY2024 $172.9M
+22%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $669.4M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $172.9M · Expenses $166.1M
+4%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $727.1M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $669.4M · Total assets $727.1M
92%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $158.8M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $350.5M · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $727.1M
70%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Ms Elizabeth W Smith · Reported title EX-OFFICIO (PRESIDENT/CEO) · Highest reported compensation $1.2M · Total expenses $166.1M
1%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $55.0M · Total expenses $166.1M
33%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $253K · Gross raised $8.1M
3%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 79%
Overhead ratio 15%
Fundraising cost ratio 8%
Revenue growth -14%
Investment management fee ratio 1%
Legal fee ratio 0%
Accounting fee ratio 0%
Fundraising fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 31 funders →
Grants paid · 68 grants · $2.2M · 2019–2024
Nyc Department of Parks & RecreationFY2024$91,638
The Public TheaterNY · FY2024$49,570
City Parks Alliance INCDC · FY2024$25,000
New Yorkers for ParksNY · FY2024$20,000
Historic House Trust of New York CityDC · FY2024$5,181
Nyc Department of Parks & RecreationFY2023$93,893
The Public TheaterNY · FY2023$47,410
New Yorkers for ParksNY · FY2023$20,000
City Parks Alliance INCDC · FY2023$18,333
New York City Economic Development CorporationFY2022$250,000
Natural Areas Conservancy INCNY · FY2022$132,000
See all 68 grants →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2025 (Latest)$172.9M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2024$200.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$148.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$147.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$172.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$64.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2025IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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