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Friends of the High Line
Friends of the High Line reported $18.4 million in revenue and $22.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $69.94 went to program services, $14.24 to management and general costs and $15.82 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 60.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $664,089 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 27 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 2% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $23MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $18MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 69.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 15.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.32 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 60.7% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 12.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $664,089 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.92% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 27 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 63.3 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 35 of 37 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHigh Line operations:in 2024, fhl operated and maintained the park with a continuing focus on providing a world-class experience for all those who visit. The park, running from gansevoort street to west 34th street, and east to the moynihan train hall via the public space at brookfield properties' manhattan west development. Visitor counts reached 6.18 million, which is on par with 2023's total of 6.12 million visitors. A year-round operations staff consisting of management, park operations supervisors, visitor service associates, environmental service technicians, maintenance technicians…
Programming, art, & education:in 2024, High Line art exhibited the work of over 40 artists in the park, including, but not limited to, 5 sculpture commissions, 6 video exhibitions (including 1 original video commission), 2 performance commissions, 1 mural, 5 billboards, an exhibition of 12 plinth maquettes, and the presentation of the fourth monumental High Line plinth commission. In addition, High Line art unveiled its second book, published by monacelli/phaidon. The team presented 8 public programs over the year, and also presented the second "art off line" commission in collaboration with…
High Line planning, construction and capital repairs:in 2024, friends of the High Line advanced several critical capital initiatives focused on improving access, safety, and the overall visitor experience. This included major progress on active construction projects, new project planning, and completion of smaller capital improvements across the High Line.construction on the 18th street plaza was substantially completed, with the new street-level plazafeaturing a staircase to the High Line, seating, a large planting bed, and a prominent art billboardscheduled to open in july 2025. (continued…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $648,772 | $0 | $15,317 | $664,089 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $394,248 | $0 | $22,295 | $416,543 |
| CHIEF CURATOR/DIR OF HIGH LINE ART Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $252,093 | $0 | $22,295 | $274,388 |
| GEN. COUNSEL/ASST SEC (THRU 11/24) Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $252,718 | $0 | $14,840 | $267,558 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $254,048 | $0 | $5,000 | $259,048 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $218,226 | $0 | $15,799 | $234,025 |
| CHIEF PROG/ENG OFFICER (THRU 10/24) Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $222,265 | $0 | $5,000 | $227,265 |
| SR DIR OF PLANNING/DESIGN/CONSTR Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $184,815 | $0 | $15,920 | $200,735 |
27 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Friends of the High Line (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.2M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b37 · 35 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5217
- Volunteers Part I, line 6159
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FIELD OPERATIONS Construction design & consulting | $546,930 |
| ALPINE CONSTRUCTION & LANDSCAPING CORP Construction design & consulting | $373,689 |
| BITEFOOD LTD Catering for major events | $314,225 |
| ASPIRIS It management | $242,264 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 19 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
78 private foundations reported grants to Friends of the High Line totaling $7.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Friends of the High Line's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Friends of the High Line, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Friends of the High Line spent in 2024, $69.94 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Atlanta Educational Telecommunications CollabAtlanta, GA · revenue $18M · programs 64.0% · FY2025
- Settlement Music School of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $18M · programs 88.8% · FY2025
- Nevada Museum of ArtReno, NV · revenue $18M · programs 65.1% · 2024
- National Cowboy and Western Heritage MuseumOklahoma City, OK · revenue $19M · programs 66.4% · 2025
- Film at Lincoln CenterNew York, NY · revenue $18M · programs 85.5% · 2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Friends of the High Line's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Friends of the High Line reported that 69.9% of its $22.7 million in expenses went to program services, 14.2% to management and general and 15.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Friends of the High Line pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Friends of the High Line reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $664,089, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Friends of the High Line get its money?
Of $18.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 60.7% came from contributions and grants (including 1.7% from government grants) and 12.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Friends of the High Line a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 31-1734086 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513009349302056 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433139349303643 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342979349301714 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203189349311195 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123149349305362 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002819349300010 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 31-1734086: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.