City Parks Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CITY PARKS FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO INVIGORATING AND TRANSFORMING PARKS INTO DYNAMIC, VIBRANT CENTERS OF URBAN LIFE THROUGH SPORTS, ARTS, COMMUNITY BUILDING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ALL NEW YORKERS. CPF'S PROGRAMS LOCATED IN MORE THAN 400 PARKS, RECREATION CENTERS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW YORK CITY REACH 300,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR. CPF'S ETHOS IS SIMPLE: THRIVING PARKS MEAN THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $27.2 million
- Spending
- $23.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 6.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 533
- Volunteers
- 33,283
- Highest pay
- $333,736, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2542 of 43 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $8.8 million spent. ARTS & CULTURE:CITYPARKS SHOWS PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN ACTIVATING THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION TO CREATE VIBRANT AND HEALTHY URBAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING IN PARKS FOR ALL NEW YORKERS. CITYPARKS SHOWS BRINGS HUNDREDS OF LIVE MUSIC, DANCE AND THEATER PERFORMANCES TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS. THE SUMMERSTAGE FESTIVAL TYPICALLY PRESENTS OVER 200 ARTISTS PRESENTING FREE PERFORMANCES AND BENEFIT CONCERTS EACH YEAR IN 15-18 PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, RANGING FROM INDIE, REGGAE, AFROBEAT, SOUL, MODERN DANCE, LATIN AND MUCH MORE. SUMMERSTAGE ANYWHERE PROVIDES ACCESS TO THESE PERFORMANCES TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE. THE SWEDISH COTTAGE MARIONETTE THEATRE, HOME TO ONE OF THE LAST PUBLIC MARIONETTE COMPANIES IN THE U.S., PRESENTS MODERN TAKES ON CLASSIC FAIRY TALES, AND THE TRAVELING PUPPETMOBILE PRESENTS FAMILY-FRIENDLY PUPPET SHOWS AND WORKSHOPS OUTDOORS AROUND THE CITY, FREE OF CHARGE.
- $3.5 million spent. FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS: AS FISCAL SPONSOR FOR A NUMBER OF NEW YORK CITY PARK GROUPS AND DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION (DPR) PROGRAMS, CPF HELPS IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE AND USE OF PARKS THROUGH DIRECT PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENTS, ENCOURAGEMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD VOLUNTEERS, AND INNOVATIONS IN DPR OPERATIONS.
- $3.0 million spent. NYC GREEN FUND:IN COLLABORATION WITH A CONSORTIUM OF LEADING PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS, CPF IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY GREEN FUND. THIS FUNDING IS DESIGNATED TO RESPOND TO THE MOST URGENT NEEDS FACING THE GRASSROOTS AND NON-PROFIT STEWARDSHIP ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NEW YORK CITY OPEN SPACES.
- $5.2 million spent. PARTNERSHIPS FOR PARKS:PARTNERSHIPS FOR PARKS (PFP), A JOINT PROGRAM WITH THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, PROMOTES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN PARKS BY BUILDING, LINKING AND STRENGTHENING A CITYWIDE CONSTITUENCY OF PARKS SUPPORTERS. EACH YEAR, PFP SUPPORTS AND EMPOWERS A GROWING NETWORK OF 600 COMMUNITY GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THEIR LOCAL PARKS AND IMPROVING THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THROUGH DIRECT ENGAGEMENT, INTENSIVE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND PRACTICAL TOOLKITS, CPF ENABLES CITIZENS TO PLAY AN ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE ROLE IN DECISIONS REGARDING THEIR LOCAL GREEN SPACES.EDUCATION PROGRAMS:CITYPARKS LEARN PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN ACTIVATING CPFS MISSION TO CREATE VIBRANT AND HEALTHY URBAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH DYNAMIC OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING FOR ALL NEW YORKERS. CPFS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS HELP STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THE FUN OF SCIENCE, WHILE LEARNING ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE NATURAL WORLD AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. CPF PROVIDES ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY.SPORTS:CITYPARKS PLAY HAS A CENTRAL ROLE IN ACTIVATING CPFS MISSION TO CREATE VIBRANT AND HEALTHY URBAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING IN PARKS FOR ALL NEW YORKERS. CPF SERVES KIDS AND SENIORS IN NEW YORK CITY'S NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS WITH FREE SPORTS PROGRAMS INCLUDING TENNIS,SOCCER, GOLF, TRACK AND FIELD, AND MULTI-SPORT INSTRUCTION, AND MORE. CPF HELPS RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK CITY STAY ACTIVE AND HEALTHY, DISCOVER NEW SPORTS, AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS.ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT PROJECTS:AS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF MITIGATION FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, CPF FUNDS ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS THE CREATION AND/OR IMPROVEMENT OF OPEN SPACE, WATERFRONT ACCESS, AND OTHER PROGRAMS ALONG NEWTON CREEK AND THE EAST RIVER.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1990.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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