Palisades Nature Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
226000986
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Alpine, NJ, USA
Phone
2017681360
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Wildlife Sanctuary, Refuge

Reported finances

Revenue
$118,977
Expenses
$129,189
Assets
$625,678
Liabilities
$5,500

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHRIS CONNOLLY (PRESIDENT)
  • MIKE GALLO (1ST VICE PRESIDENT)
  • FANG-CHIN CHIANG (2ND VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • CHRIS CONNOLLY (PRESIDENT)
  • MIKE GALLO (1ST VICE PRESIDENT)
  • FANG-CHIN CHIANG (2ND VICE PRESIDENT)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To promote and sponsor, with the cooperation of the palisades interstate park commission, a sanctuary on the top of the cliffs in the New Jersey section of the palisades interstate park known as greenbrook sanctuary. The association's mission is to arouse and foster a wide public appreciation of the scenic and historical background of the natural terrain. The association also encourages the study of the flora, fauna, and geologic formations of the area.

What it reported doing in 2025

To promote and operate a sanctuary on the top of the cliffs in the New Jersey section of the palisades interstate park known as greenbrook sanctuary, and foster wider public appreciation and study of the terrain.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 62% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 45
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.5%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 82%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.84; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -1.6% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.5% of revenue deployed · 82% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $106K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 20/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.