New York University is doubling its financial support of the continued preservation and enhancement of Washington Square Park, providing $6 million over the next four years for New Yorkers and tourists who walk through the park’s historic arch to enjoy a clean, safe, and vibrant outdoor space.
The pledge comes after the University and the Washington Square Park Conservancy have worked more closely together in recent years on several initiatives and public programming focused on safety and quality of life, increased community events, and ongoing park maintenance.
“It’s a space that NYU students, faculty, families, and visitors all gather, and it’s a really fantastic, dynamic public space,” said Arlene Peralta, the assistant vice president of community engagement at NYU who also serves on the board of directors of the Washington Square Park Conservancy. “We’re just thrilled that we can continue that partnership, both with the Parks Department and the Conservancy, and work with them as stewards of this gift, which was really a reflection of a decision that we made a few years ago that would allow greater flexibility in the allocation of our funding.”
For more than two decades, NYU, which has considered Washington Square Park its unofficial campus quad because so many of its buildings surround the greenspace, has contributed to the park’s maintenance, operations, and renovations. In 2025, NYU helped expand the Conservancy’s Park Open Studio program for local artists to lead free art workshops for the public, as well as funding volunteer days for members of the University’s community to keep the park clean.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce the substantial increase of our annual gift to the Conservancy that oversees Washington Square Park, which is so central to the life of NYU’s community,” said NYU President Linda G. Mills. “Washington Square Park is a public space where our employees and students gather and connect, and where our faculty members and their families play and build community. Everyone here in the Village and who comes here to visit deserves a vibrant, thriving, and safe Washington Square Park, and we are proud to be the Conservancy’s partners in this work.”
The University’s continued support of the historic park will support Washington Square Park Conservancy’s mission in partnership with NYC Parks to continue to provide critical funding and resources to maintain a thriving, welcoming green space in the heart of Greenwich Village.
NYU says its commitment over the next four years will go toward a number of resources that support its upkeep, such as funding for the Parks Department staff, including maintenance and operations, horticulture and its enforcement team, and efforts such as potentially expanding the number of lawns that are restored throughout the seasons.
Conservancy members welcomed the news.
“That park is so well loved and well used that they can always use more resources,” said Will Morrison, the executive director of the Washington Square Park Conservancy and NYC Parks Administrator for Washington Square Park. “One of the true virtues of this gift is that NYU is trusting the Conservancy and the Parks Department as our partner to assess what the needs are in a given year, and point the funds where they’re needed most.”
