Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Buffalo Bayou Partnership reported $31.0 million in revenue and $21.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $94.22 went to program services, $3.73 to management and general costs and $2.05 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 72.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $253,106 (President). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 257% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 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 $31MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 94.2% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.7% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.1% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 72.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.5% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.5% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $253,106 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.18% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 60.7 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 40 of 40 | 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 expenseSee Schedule OBuffalo Bayou Park - A strong public-private partnership including the Kinder Foundation, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP), the City of Houston, and Harris County Flood Control District carried out an ambitious $58 million restoration project for the stretch of bayou from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street. The project involved flood management, eco-restoration, new hike and bike trails, and an array of park amenities. The park improvements were substantially completed in 2015, and BBP transferred ownership to the City. BBP maintains and operates the 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park with…
Buffalo Bayou East Sector Implementation - Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is developing green space and trails along the east sector of Buffalo Bayou - the area from approximately U.S. 59 east to the Port of Houston Turning Basin
Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern - BBP restored and repurposed this underground city water reservoir and opened it to the public in 2016. In addition to tours highlighting the history and architecture of this unique industrial site, BBP presents periodic art installations in the space
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $230,656 | $0 | $22,450 | $253,106 |
| Sr VP Capital Projects, Planning Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,753 | $0 | $10,845 | $191,598 |
| VP Development Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $148,679 | $0 | $17,517 | $166,196 |
| VP External Affairs Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,532 | $0 | $16,625 | $163,157 |
| VP Finance & Administration Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $128,384 | $0 | $16,781 | $145,165 |
| Buffalo Bayou Park Director Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $120,942 | $0 | $15,180 | $136,122 |
| Sr Project Manager Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $125,977 | $0 | $7,559 | $133,536 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buffalo Bayou Partnership (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $390K (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–1b40 · 40 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 2No
- 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 566
- Volunteers Part I, line 62,514
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Tellepsen Builders LP Construction | $6,921,565 |
| Millis Dev & Construction Construction | $3,370,757 |
| Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Design services | $2,143,099 |
| SWA Group Design services | $914,118 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 18 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
32 private foundations reported grants to Buffalo Bayou Partnership totaling $18M 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 Buffalo Bayou Partnership's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buffalo Bayou Partnership, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Buffalo Bayou Partnership spent in 2024, $94.22 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Water Environment FederationAlexandria, VA · revenue $31M · programs 74.4% · FY2025
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- National Network of Abortion FundsBeaverton, OR · revenue $32M · programs 65.6% · FY2025
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Questions people ask
How much of Buffalo Bayou Partnership's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Buffalo Bayou Partnership reported that 94.2% of its $21.5 million in expenses went to program services, 3.7% to management and general and 2.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Buffalo Bayou Partnership pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Buffalo Bayou Partnership reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $253,106, for the role of President (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Buffalo Bayou Partnership get its money?
Of $31.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 72.7% came from contributions and grants (including 1.5% from government grants) and 15.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Buffalo Bayou Partnership a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 76-0183954 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 202543219349311234 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413239349301961 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333189349310218 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203189349307510 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103169349311365 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023019349301507 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 76-0183954: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.