Randall's Island Park Alliance Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
133787630
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2128601899
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$11,562,590
Expenses
$12,213,219
Assets
$14,796,750
Liabilities
$966,287

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

42 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DEBORAH MAHER (PRESIDENT)
  • KAREN COHEN (PRESIDENT EMERITA & FOUNDER)

Highest reported compensation

  • DEBORAH MAHER (PRESIDENT): $379,792 total reported compensation
  • LOUIS VAZQUEZ (DIRECTOR OF ICAHN STADIUM): $175,400 total reported compensation
  • ANNE WILSON (CHIEF OF PLANNING): $173,768 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The randall's island park alliance, inc. (ripa) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works with the city of New York and local communities to provide an innovative and exciting destination through a wide range of sports venues, cultural events and environmental exploration. As the dedicated steward of randall's island park, the alliance sustains, maintains, develops and programs the park to support the wellbeing of all new yorkers.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ripa maintained and improved 330 acres of nyc public parkland on randall's island, with a focus on the operation and upkeep of over 60 athletic fields - one of the most heavily used sports field complexes in New York city. Ripa also maintained and programmed icahn stadium for track and field events, including the upkeep of a new, professional soccer pitch. Fields were kept in high quality playable condition through year-round turf management, irrigation repairs, and renovations. Ripa maintained park infrastructure including restrooms, recreational spaces, and equipment. Ripa also stewarded pathways, gardens, and green spaces. The natural areas team planted over 200 trees, restored meadows, and removed shoreline debris. At the urban farm, a new greenhouse expanded its growing capacity, contributing to a 4,700 pound harvest, much of which was donated to local communities and used for educational purposes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 98
  • Sustainability: 31
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 88.3%; rating input score 88
  • Program expense ratio: 83.8%; rating input score 84
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 97%; rating input score 97; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -5.6%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.21; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.7%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.3% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 88.3% of revenue deployed · 83.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 32 of 33 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $10.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $380K · 42 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 43/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.