Woodlawn Conservancy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENHANCE WOODLAWN CEMETERY AS A NATURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL LANDMARK; TO CREATE A SUPERIOR VISITOR EXPERIENCE TO THE CEMETERY; AND TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING WOODLAWN FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 223
- Highest pay
- $363,400, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 53% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 24% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 76% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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, 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 (3)
- $1.3 million spent. THE WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY OBTAINS GRANT FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF WOODLAWN CEMETERY'S COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 6000 TREES AND SHRUBS. AS A LEVEL II ARBORETUM AND URBAN FOREST, GRANTS SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES, FORESTRY MAINTENANCE, REMOVAL OF HAZARDOUS AND DECLINING TREES, AND THE PLANTING OF LARGE CANOPY TREES. THE CONSERVANCY PRESENTS SPRING FLOWERING TREE TOURS, FALL FOLIAGE TOURS AND ARBOR DAY EVENTS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
- $781,908 spent. WOODLAWN'S SIGNATURE PROGRAM, BRIDGE TO CRAFTS CAREERS, SUCCESSFULLY TAUGHT THREE COHORTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 18-24 TO MAKE THEM JOB READY IN MASONRY PRESERVATION, LANDSCAPE RESTORATION. METALS CONSERVATION. FORTY YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SERVED BY THIS PROGRAM. COHORTS BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 2025 AND THE MASONRY INTERNS LEARNED HOW TO CLEAN AND POINT MAUSOLEUMS AS WELL AS BUILD SCAFFOLDING. FIFTEEN INTERNS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND ALL INTERNS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA-30, 10 HR. SITE SAFETY, JAHN MORTAR, MAN LIFT OPERATIONS AND BUILDING STATIONERY SCAFFOLDING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROGRAM, 2 INTERNS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEAR-LONG APPRENTICESHIP AT WOODLAWN, WORKING UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF WOODLAWN'S MASTER CRAFTSMEN. IN THE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION COHORT, 15 INTERNS LEARNED PRUNING AND THE USE OF HAND-TOOLS SUCH AS HAND SAWS AND STRING TRIMMERS. INTERNS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA-30, 10 HR. SITE SAFETY, MAN-LIFT OPERATIONS, FIRST AID/CPR AND FLAGGING. INTERNS FROM THIS COHORT HAVE GONE ON TO EMPLOYMENT WITH THE HIGH LINE, BATTERY PARK, THE DAVEY TREE COMPANY, CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY, VAN CORTLANDT PARK, AND WITH PRIVATE LANDSCAPERS. THEY RECEIVED CERTIFICATIONS OF OSHA-30, 10-HOUR SITE SAFETY, FIRST AID, AND FLAGGING.IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY HOSTED 10 STUDENTS FROM BRONX INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND BRONX LAB SCHOOL IN THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUMMER SCHOOL. THIS 6-WEEK PROGRAM INTRODUCED HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS, ALL RECENT IMMIGRANTS TO THE US, TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND LANDSCAPING THROUGH A CURRICULUM OF SKETCHING, MEASURING, PHOTOGRAPHING, RESEARCHING, MOSAIC MAKING AND VISITING HISTORIC SITES. THIS PROGRAM IS INTEGRAL TO THE RECRUITMENT OF INTERNS FOR THE BRIDGE TO CRAFTS CAREERS PROGRAM. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORT THE MISSION OF ENHANCING WOODLAWN AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
- $247,270 spent. THE WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY PRESENTS AN ON-GOING CALENDAR OF TOURS, CONCERTS, LECTURES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AS WELL AS PARTNERS WITH BRONX-BASED ARTS GROUPS THAT NEED PRESENTATION SPACE. PUBLIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE WOMEN'S HISTORY TOUR, BLACK HISTORY MONTH TOUR, JAZZ HERITAGE TOUR, ART AND ARCHITECTURE TOURS, AUTHOR TALKS ON RECENT BOOKS ABOUT NOTABLES BURIED AT WOODLAWN, ZOOM PRESENTATIONS AND JAZZ CONCERTS. THE CONSERVANCY ALSO PARTICIPATES IN NYC-WIDE EVENTS INCLUDING JANE'S WALK AND OPEN HOUSE NY. PROGRAM PARTNERS INCLUDE NY TRANSIT MUSEUM, NYC BIRD ALLIANCE, BRONX ARTS ENSEMBLE AND THE BARDEKOVA ENSEMBLE. THERE WERE ABOUT 70 PUBLIC EVENTS AND TOURS IN 2025 AND 50 PRIVATE TOURS FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULT EDUCATION GROUPS.ANOTHER SIGNATURE PROGRAM OF THE WOODLAWN CONSERVANCY IS THE PLACEMENT OF FLAGS ON THE GRAVES OF OVER 8600 VETERANS EACH YEAR AT MEMORIAL DAY. THIS COMMUNITY BASED EFFORT HONORS THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY. THE CONSERVANCY WELCOMES APPROXIMATELY 200 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 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 2000.
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.
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.