Alliance for Downtown New York Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE ALLIANCE IS TO PROVIDE SERVICE, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH AND INFORMATION TO ADVANCE LOWER MANHATTAN AS A GLOBAL MODEL OF A 21ST CENTURY CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT FOR BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. (CONT. SCH. O)
- Income
- $24.0 million
- Spending
- $23.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 11.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 79
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $762,253, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2540 of 40 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 June 30, 2025, 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)
- $5.3 million spent. SANITATION SERVICES: THROUGH THE SANITATION PROGRAM, THE ALLIANCE KEPT THE DISTRICT CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL, AND GRAFFITI-FREE THROUGH DAILY STREET SWEEPING, WASHING, STREETSCAPE MAINTENANCE, AND SNOW REMOVAL. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM SERVICED 376 PUBLIC TRASH AND RECYCLING RECEPTACLES YEAR-ROUND. ON 885 OCCASIONS, THE SANITATION TEAM POWER-WASHED SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS MANNAHATTA PARK, ALBANY PLAZA, COENTIES SLIP PARK, AND BOWLING GREEN PARK. THE SANITATION TEAM REMOVED 5,071 INSTANCES OF GRAFFITI AND STICKERS, INCLUDING PAINTING OVER STORE GATES, CONSTRUCTION SITE BOARDS, AND BUILDING DOORWAYS. DURING SPRING AND SUMMER, THEY PAINTED OVER 500 PIECES OF STREET FURNITURE, SUCH AS HYDRANTS, BOLLARDS, MAILBOXES, STREET POLES, AND THE BENCHES AT MANNAHATTA PARK. THE TEAM CLEANED, SANITIZED, EMPTIED, AND MAINTAINED ALL BIGBELLY TRASH AND RECYCLING UNITS, REMOVING TRASH FROM STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. IN COORDINATION WITH THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION (DSNY), 270 INSTANCES OF ILLEGAL DUMPING WERE REMOVED, INCLUDING LARGE ITEMS LIKE REFRIGERATORS, FURNITURE, AIR CONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, AND MORE. IN FY25, WE USED A NIGHT CREW TO ADDRESS THE DISTRICT'S 24-HOUR SANITATION NEEDS. THIS TEAM SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED THE CLEANLINESS AND APPEARANCE OF HIGH-TRAFFIC LOCATIONS, SUCH AS 75 WALL ST, GREENWICH ST, RECTOR ST, FULTON ST, AND BROADWAY. TO FURTHER IMPROVE STREET CLEANLINESS, SIX CITIBIN LOCATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED, ALLOWING TRASH TO GO DIRECTLY FROM BIGBELLY UNITS TO CITIBINS, THEN TO DSNY COLLECTION. THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING 107,518 TRASH AND RECYCLED BAGS OFF THE STREETS IN FY25. IN TOTAL, THE SANITATION TEAM COLLECTED 1,082 TONS OF TRASH AND 352 TONS OF RECYCLABLES.
- $5.2 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND PROMOTION: THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE CONTINUED TO WORK AS A MEGAPHONE FOR ALL THAT HAPPENED IN LOWER MANHATTAN, SHARING WITH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM ONGOING EVENTS TO ART INSTALLATIONS TO THE BEST OUTDOOR DINING SPOTS. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, BLOG, NEWSLETTERS AND OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. THE ALLIANCE'S SOCIAL MEDIA REACH CONTINUES TO GROW WITH OVER 150,000 FOLLOWERS ALL TOLD TO BE FOUND ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, LINKEDIN AND OTHER PLATFORMS. THE ALLIANCE ALSO PUBLISHES THE "SHOP DINE GUIDE," OUR HOMEGROWN COMPILATION OF THE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, AND AMENITIES HERE IN LOWER MANHATTAN WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO CLOSE TO 50,000 READERS. THE DINE AROUND DOWNTOWN ANNUAL COMMUNITY FOOD FESTIVAL RETURNS EACH SPRING FOR MORE THAN 10,000 DINERS AND THE ALLIANCE LAUNCHED A NEW FOOD FESTIVAL FOR THE FALL "LUNCH BOX" FEATURING ONLY RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN THE LAST YEAR OFFERING A $10 BOXED LUNCH FOR DINERS TO SAMPLE. THE "LM LIVE" BROUGHT TOGETHER THE LOWER MANHATTAN COMMUNITY AROUND EVENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S TALENT, INNOVATION, HISTORY AND CULTURE. LM LIVE EVENTS STRIVED TO CREATE IN-PERSON CONNECTIONS IN A DIGITAL WORLD. OUR POPULAR NY ON FILM SERIES FEATURING LOWER MANHATTAN RELATED FILMS WITH MEANINGFUL POST SCREENING CONVERSATIONS SOLD OUT REGULARLY. ADDITIONALLY, LM LIVE CONVENED A SERIES OF PROFESSIONAL AND CULTURAL CONVERSATION PANELS THAT DREW AUDIENCES INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING FROM JOURNALISM TO ORGANIZED CRIME. IN COLLABORATION WITH CONFERENCE ORGANIZER WANDERFUL, WE HELD THE 2025 WITS TRAVEL CREATOR SUMMIT IN LOWER MANHATTAN IN MAY OF 2025. THE EVENT BROUGHT 600 TOURISM PROFESSIONALS, ENTREPRENEURS AND INFLUENCERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE DOWNTOWN TO PUBLICIZE AND EXTOLL THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF LOWER MANHATTAN AS A DESTINATION. IN BUILDING THE CONFERENCE, WE PARTNERED WITH DOZENS OF LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SHOW OFF THEIR INSTITUTIONS OR BUSINESSES. THE ROI, BOTH IN TERMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM MAINTAINS FREE WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS IN SEVERAL PUBLIC SPACES ALL ALONG WATER STREET, FRONT STREET, THE HUDSON RIVER, MUCH OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER CAMPUS AND THE EAST RIVER ESPLANADE SOUTH OF FULTON STREET AND MANY OTHER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT LOWER MANHATTAN.
- $4.5 million spent. PUBLIC SAFETY: THE ALLIANCE PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM PROVIDED SAFETY AND SECURITY TO LOWER MANHATTAN BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. UNIFORMED GUARDS WORKED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT (NYPD) AND OTHER CITY AGENCIES TO ADDRESS QUALITY-OF-LIFE CONDITIONS IN THE AREA. IN FY25, THE PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM RECORDED 260,909 INTERACTIONS WITH BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS. THROUGH A JOINT EFFORT WITH MULTIPLE CITY AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE NYPD, DSNY'S VENDOR ENFORCEMENT UNIT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND WORKER PROTECTION, THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM ADDRESSED 7,450 VENDOR COMPLAINTS, FOCUSING ON ILLEGAL VENDOR LOCATIONS IN HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS LIKE THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR AND BATTERY PARK. THESE JOINT OPERATIONS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS COURT SUMMONSES, ARRESTS, AND ONGOING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. THE ALLIANCE'S PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM ALSO COLLABORATED WITH THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS SERVICES AND THE BOWERY RESIDENTS' COMMITTEE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM TO CONDUCT JOINT OPERATIONS AT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN THE DISTRICT, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS SUCH AS PETER MINUIT PARK. IN FY25, THEY IDENTIFIED 4,683 INCIDENTS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS NEEDING ASSISTANCE, ULTIMATELY PLACING 210 INDIVIDUALS IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. IN ADDITION, WE CONTINUED OUR SAFE SCHOOL CORRIDOR INITIATIVE. PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS WERE ASSIGNED TO MONITOR STUDENT TRAVEL TO AND FROM SCHOOL, OVERSEEING SCHOOL DISMISSAL AND LUNCHTIME ACTIVITIES WITH FOOT POSTS AND MOBILE PATROLS TO ENSURE STUDENT SAFETY IN THE DISTRICT.
- $6.3 million spent. BUS SERVICE: PROVIDING FREE CIRCULATOR BUS SERVICE TO THE LOWER MANHATTAN AND BATTERY PARK CITY COMMUNITIES.GRANTS AND ALLOCATIONS: $-0- EXPENSES: $2,111,771 REVENUE: $852,550OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES: PUBLIC SPACE BEAUTIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENTS, INCLUDING PARKS AND PLAZAS; INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF STREET FURNITURE AND FIXTURES, AND HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES TO SUPPLEMENT WORK OF THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS SERVICES.GRANTS AND ALLOCATIONS: $-0- EXPENSES: $2,727,787 REVENUE: $-0-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THROUGH RESEARCH OF MARKETS AND USER GROUPS, ADVOCACY AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, SEEKS TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO THE DISTRICT. GRANTS AND ALLOCATIONS: $-0- EXPENSES: $1,481,366 REVENUE: $-0-
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 June 2025.
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 1995.
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 November 4, 2026.
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