irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $8.16MDOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT (DVP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2003 AS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE DISCONNECT AMONGST LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS EMERGING AS ONE OF THE FIRST PROVIDERS TO CHAMPION ALL SURVIVOR VOICES REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR OTHERWISE. DVP HAS GROWN FROM 1 STAFF MEMBER IN ONE BOROUGH TO 23 FULL TIME STAFF AND A TEAM OF INTERNS, PRO BONO ATTORNEYS, AND VOLUNTEERS, CITYWIDE.WE MEET THE FULL NEEDS OF SURVIVORS THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL AND ADVOCACY SERVICES. DVP IS UNIQUE IN ITS APPROACH THAT VALUES AND RECOGNIZES THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF ALL INDIVIDUALS. OUR WORK IS HOLISTIC, BASED IN CLIENT SELF-DETERMINATION, STRENGTHS-BASED, AND COLLABORATIVE.SERVICES ARE TRAUMA-INFORMED, ALLOWING STAFF TO DEVELOP WORKING ALLIANCES WITH CLIENTS WHILE THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE MET. FOSTERING SKILL BUILDING TO BETTER NAVIGATE AND OVERCOME BARRIERS, STAFF PRIORITIZE SERVICES IN WAYS THAT REFLECT CLIENT PREFERENCES WHILE ALSO ENSURING SAFETY. CURRENTLY, OUR SERVICES INCLUDES LEGAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY, OUTREACH & TRAINING.
- #2 $2.52MTHE MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO DISRUPT AND DISMANTLE THE CYCLE OF HOSPITALIZATION, HOMELESSNESS, AND INCARCERATION THAT TRAPS LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. WE INTERVENE AT ALL PARTS OF THIS CYCLE: WE WORK TO SECURE FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL BENEFITS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS; WE HELP INDIVIDUALS OBTAIN HOUSING; WE PROVIDE PEER ADVOCACY TO EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS; WE ENSURE PROPER DISCHARGE PLANNING OCCURS PRIOR TO RELEASE FROM JAILS AND HOSPITALS; AND WE PROVIDE SOCIAL WORK SUPPORT TO CLIENTS. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM INCLUDES ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ADVOCATES, PEERS SPECIALISTS, AND ORGANIZERS WHO WORK TO ADDRESS OUR CLIENTS' PROBLEMS HOLISTICALLY.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Domestic Violence Project (DVP)
Provides comprehensive legal assistance, advocacy, outreach, and trauma-informed support to survivors of intimate partner violence across all five boroughs of New York City.
Freedom Agenda
Organizes individuals and communities impacted by incarceration to advocate for decarceration and transformation of the criminal legal system.
Mental Health Project
Offers interdisciplinary legal, social work, and peer advocacy services to low-income New Yorkers with serious mental health concerns to prevent homelessness, hospitalization, and incarceration.
Sex Workers Project
Delivers free legal services, policy advocacy, and community education for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with a focus on immigrant clients and human rights protection.
Street Vendor Project
A membership-based initiative providing legal assistance, rights education, and small business support to nearly 2,000 street vendors in New York City.
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.)
Challenges discriminatory surveillance practices and educates communities about digital rights and privacy protections.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 2 activities
- Freedom Agenda for decarceration and criminal legal system reformLeads the Freedom Agenda, a member-led initiative organizing communities impacted by incarceration to advance decarceration and transform the criminal legal system.
- Incubation of social justice initiatives and organizationsIncubated the Corrections Accountability Project, which evolved into Worth Rises, and supported Albert Fox Cahn through the UJC Social Justice Accelerator, who founded the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project.
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Domestic Violence Survivor Support Services 2 activities
- Legal and advocacy services for domestic abuse victims across NYCProvided legal and advocacy support, closing approximately 2,100 cases for victims of domestic abuse throughout New York City.
- Legal and advocacy services for survivors of intimate partner violenceProvided legal representation and advocacy in 2,145 closed cases benefiting 5,353 survivors of intimate partner violence, including securing free medical exams certified by USCIS-approved civil surgeons for survivors applying for lawful permanent resident status.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 2 activities
- Legal and advocacy services for sex workers and trafficking survivorsProvided free legal services, rights education, research, and policy advocacy to sex workers and trafficking survivors, closing 130 cases benefiting 177 individuals and serving a highly marginalized population.
- Legal and economic support for street vendorsProvides legal assistance, rights education, and small business support to nearly 2,000 street vendor members in New York City through the Street Vendor Project, a membership-based advocacy initiative.
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Immigration Legal Services 1 activity
- Legal education and training for immigrant and marginalized communitiesProvides free immigration legal services and conducts legal education workshops and trainings for sex workers, service providers, and community organizations.
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Supportive and Emergency Housing Services 1 activity
- Legal, social work, and peer advocacy services for low-income individuals with mental health concernsProvides holistic legal, social work, and peer advocacy services to low-income New Yorkers with serious mental health conditions to prevent homelessness, hospitalization, and incarceration.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Strategic litigation for labor rights violationsFiled a lawsuit in Queens Supreme Court on behalf of home health aides alleging labor law violations and fraudulent property transfers by an employer to avoid liability.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$40.38M
Contributions & grants$38.87M96%
Program service revenue$1.02M3%
Investment income$504K1%
Other revenue$-11K
expenses
Total expenses$36.30M
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$14.87M
Grants paid out$232K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$35.32M
Cash$9.47M
Investments$7.34M
Liabilities$4.60M
Net assets$30.72M
Liquid reserves5.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +17.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOUGLAS H LASDON | EXEC DIRECTOR | 40 | $346K |
| MADELINE GARCIA BIGELOW | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $210K |
| KRISTIN JAMBERDINO | COO/GENERAL COUNSEL | 40 | $202K |
| ANN BIDDLE | LITIGATION SUPERVISOR | 40 | $195K |
| IDLIR KALEMI | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $194K |
| GRETCHEN K NEALON | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $193K |
| MARIKA DIAS | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $186K |
| BROOKE RICHIE-BABBAGE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $60K |
board members · 17
- ANDREEA STAN — DIRECTOR
- ARNOLD B PEINADO III — SECRETARY
- CHARLENE JONES — DIRECTOR
- DAVID SINGLETON — DIRECTOR
- EDWARD TURAN — DIRECTOR
- FRED MWANGAGUHUNGA — DIRECTOR
- HELEN HERSHKOFF — DIRECTOR
- JOAN CHAN — DIRECTOR
- JOEL FRANK — TREASURER
- JOELLEN VALENTINE — DIRECTOR
- JOHNNY PEREZ — DIRECTOR
- JOSHUA THOMPSON — DIRECTOR
- JYOTIN HAMID — CHAIRMAN
- KENYATTA CHEESE — DIRECTOR
- MARC FALCONE — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL BARASCH — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL COYNE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 7
Who they work with
- Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, PLLC Partner — Co-counsel with the Creditor Justice Project on a lawsuit involving labor law violations and fraudulent transfers by a home health care employer.
- Hostos Partner — Collaborates to provide advancement and employment opportunities for survivors of intimate partner violence.
- Local student run medical clinic Partner — Collaborates to obtain free medical exams certified by USCIS-approved civil surgeons for survivors applying for lawful permanent resident status.
- National Center for Law and Economic Justice Partner — Co-counsel with the Creditor Justice Project on a lawsuit involving labor law violations and fraudulent transfers by a home health care employer.
- National Religious Campaign Against Torture Partner — Johnny Perez, a UJC Board Member and Mental Health Project alumnus, is Director of NRCAT’s U.S. Prisons Program.
- Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Network — Albert Fox Cahn, a graduate of the UJC Social Justice Accelerator, is founder of S.T.O.P.
- Worth Rises Network — Worth Rises originated as the Corrections Accountability Project at UJC.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Human Rights-Based Decriminalization Strategymethodology: human-rights_based_approachBy advocating for the full decriminalization of sex work as a human rights imperative, we protect the safety and dignity of individuals in the sex trade because legal protection reduces state violence, enables access to services, and supports autonomy regardless of entry pathway (choice, circumstance, or coercion).
- Member-Led Organizing for Systemic Changemethodology: member-led_organizingBy centering people directly impacted by incarceration in organizing efforts, we produce more legitimate and effective decarceration strategies because lived experience drives authentic, community-owned solutions that challenge systemic inequities more effectively than top-down reforms.
- Trauma-Informed, Holistic Advocacy Modelmethodology: trauma-informed_careBy providing trauma-informed legal and advocacy services grounded in client self-determination and strengths-based practice, we produce more effective support for survivors of intimate partner violence because it centers their agency and addresses interconnected needs in a way that reduces re-traumatization and increases engagement.