New York Landmarks Conservancy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CONSERVANCY PRESERVES AND REVITALIZES NEW YORK'S ARCHITECTURE. BY DOING SO, IT CONTRIBUTES TO NEW YORK'S ECONOMY, TOURISM AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
- Income
- $5.4 million
- Spending
- $4.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 42.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 78
- Highest pay
- $340,580, president
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: 96 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 42.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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.
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 28 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 (8)
- $1.4 million spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S SACRED SITES PROGRAM -HELPS CONGREGATIONS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK MAINTAIN, REPAIR, AND RESTORE THEIR HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITH REFERRALS, GRANTS, WORKSHOPS, AND PUBLICATIONS. SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 1986, THE PROGRAM HAS GIVEN 1,695 GRANTS TO OVER 867 CONGREGATIONS. IT IS ONE OF THE ONLY STATEWIDE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION RESPONDING TO THE PRESERVATION NEEDS OF HISTORIC RELIGIOUS PROPERTIES.
- $645,229 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM -THE CONSERVANCY'S ADVOCACY PROTECTS AND CELEBRATES THE BUILDINGS, STREETSCAPES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DEFINE NEW YORK. WE SUPPORT LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS, SPEAK OUT ON PROPOSALS THAT AFFECT LANDMARKED BUILDINGS AND ENGAGE IN CAMPAIGNS TO IMPROVE THE REGULATIONS AND PROCESSES THAT GOVERN HOW OUR CITY GROWS AND EVOLVES.
- $503,494 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S NEW YORK CITY HISTORIC PROPERTIES FUND -ESTABLISHED IN 1982, THE NEW YORK CITY HISTORIC PROPERTIES FUND IS THE CONSERVANCY'S MAIN FINANCING VEHICLE FOR RESTORATION WORK THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY. WITH ALMOST $10 MILLION IN ASSETS, IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE FUND HAS MADE OVER $33 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS.
- $254,245 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S EMERGENCY PRESERVATION GRANTS PROGRAM LARGELY FUNDED BY THE NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST, PROVIDES FUNDING TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE REPAIR NEEDS AND/OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO REMEDY DANGEROUS EXTERIOR CONDITIONS (FALLING MASONRY, SPOT WATER LEAKAGE, ETC.) AND/OR DETERIORATED INTERIOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF BUILDINGS. MOST GRANTS RANGE BETWEEN $10,000 AND $20,000 AND ARE ACCOMPANIED BY PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FROM CONSERVANCY STAFF. 2024 MARKS A MILESTONE ACCOMPLISHMENT SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION WITH OVER $1,000,000 IN PROJECT FUNDING TO ASSIST NONPROFITS WITH UNANTICIPATED REPAIRS TO THEIR HISTORIC BUILDINGS. .
- $223,693 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S TECHNICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES COUNTLESS HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE ADVICE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUILDING OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. FROM SITE VISITS TO REFERRALS, WE OFFER PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ADDRESS A WIDE VARIETY OF QUESTIONS AND ISSUES. WE ALSO HELP OWNERS NAVIGATE THE CITY'S LANDMARKS REGULATORY PROCESS.
- $95,348 spent. THE NONPROFIT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (NTAG) PROGRAM, GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE ALTMAN AND HEARST FOUNDATIONS, SEEKS TO EMPOWER NONPROFIT PROPERTY OWNERS BY SUPPORTING THEM WITH THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN AND RESTORE THEIR BUILDINGS. NTAG PROVIDES GRANTS OF UP TO $30,000 TO ENHANCE THE CHARACTER OF LANDMARKED AND NON-LANDMARKED BUT ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS. ALL NTAG GRANTS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES OF CONSERVANCY STAFF, CONSULTING ARCHITECTS, AND ENGINEERS. MANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OWN AND/OR ARE STEWARDS OF HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. SINCE 1986, THE PROGRAM HAS INVESTED OVER $1.7 MILLION INTO 82 BUILDINGS IN LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY. THE NTAG PROGRAM CREATES AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN PRESERVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NEW YORK CITY AND GIVES THE CONSERVANCY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THE SCOPE AND RANGE OF ITS WORK.
- $84,948 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S ENDANGERED BUILDING FUND WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1984 TO SAFEGUARD SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF DESTRUCTION. WHEN LANDMARKS ARE ENDANGERED, THE CONSERVANCY IS THERE TO HELP WITH FINANCIAL, EITHER GRANTS OR LOANS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
- $60,980 spent. THE CONSERVANCY'S PRESERVATION EASEMENTS FUND HOLDS A TOTAL OF 46 PRESERVATION EASEMENTS. AN EASEMENT IS A VOLUNTARY LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN A PROPERTY OWNER AND A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT RESTRICTS FUTURE CHANGES TO THE PROPERTY AND REQUIRES CYCLICAL INSPECTIONS BY THE NONPROFIT. THE EASEMENT STAYS WITH THE PROPERTY EVEN IF SOLD; THIS ASSURES THAT THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES ARE WELL MAINTAINED. PROPERTY OWNERS WHO GIVE EASEMENTS RECEIVED A ONE-TIME FEDERAL TAX. ALL THE PROPERTIES ARE LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1972.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.