irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $119KMATERIALS CENTER - THE MATERIALS CENTER IS A PUBLIC COMMUNITY RESOURCE DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE CREATIVE REUSE OF MATERIALS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE DISCARDED. WE COLLECT A VARIETY OF "FOUND AND NATURAL MATERIALS, AND OFFER THEM TO EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Luigi Caiola Educational Stipend
Biennial $3,000 stipend awarded to undergraduate or graduate students demonstrating commitment to open-ended play, sustainability, and the arts.
Materials Center
Community resource offering found and natural materials for reuse in early childhood education to support creative, open-ended play and learning.
Materials Trailer
Mobile extension of the Materials Center that visits schools; provides guided tours and materials selection for classroom use, followed by in-class support from educators.
The Materialized Classroom
On-site program for schools in the tri-state area that helps teachers and children integrate open-ended materials into classrooms to promote creative thinking and collaboration.
Workshops & Videochats
Professional development events covering topics such as emergent curriculum, documentation, teacher role, and classroom environment, offered in-person and virtually.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Teacher Professional Development 2 activities
- Collaborating with schools to implement playful and equitable teaching practicesCollaborates with school communities to implement developmentally appropriate, playful, and equitable teaching practices, directly impacting over 225 classrooms where children engage with the organization’s work daily.
- Providing professional development workshops and learning events for educatorsOffers hands-on workshops, symposiums, videochats, and guided tours with reflective discussions for educators to support developmentally appropriate, playful, and equitable teaching practices. Since 2015, has hosted over 3,000 educators through these offerings.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Awarding student stipends to support open-ended play and the artsAwards a $3,000 stipend biennially to a student demonstrating commitment to open-ended play, sustainability, and the arts.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Conducting international study tours for educator professional developmentOrganized and conducted a study tour to Reggio Emilia, Italy in April 2026 for educators to observe educational spaces, schools, and teaching practices as part of professional learning opportunities.
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Museum-Based Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Delivering mobile materials trailer program to schools and community centersOffers free visits of a mobile materials trailer to New York City public schools and community centers for children ages 4 and up, including guided tours and selection of loose parts for classroom use, followed by support for classroom-based experimentation and collaborative play.
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Community Recycling & Reuse Education 1 activity
- Operating a community materials center for educators and familiesOperates a publicly accessible community resource center that collects, houses, and distributes found and natural materials for reuse by educators and families to encourage creativity, problem-solving, and open-ended art experiences. Since 2015, provided 3,000 pounds of materials to students and the public.
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School-Specific Educational Support 1 activity
- Sharing examples of children's work to illustrate emergent curriculumShares examples of children's work from partner schools to illustrate emergent curriculum practices and support educator learning.
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Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
- Supporting schools with equitable access to materials and programmingOffers need-based scholarships for the Materialized Classroom program to increase accessibility for schools, ensuring equitable participation in educational programming and materials use.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Hosting traveling educational exhibits for public engagementHosted "The Wonder of Learning Exhibit," a 7,000-square-foot traveling exhibit from Reggio Emilia, Italy, featuring children's project work, which engaged 11,000 teachers, administrators, parents, children, and city officials during its run in Brooklyn from January to May 2015.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$258K
Contributions & grants$107K42%
Program service revenue$150K58%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$60
expenses
Total expenses$307K
Program expenses58%
Admin / overhead35%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$220K
Grants paid out$3K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$328K
Cash$302K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$327K
Liquid reserves11.8 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -4.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEN CARVAJAL | SECRETARY/SR EDUCATIONAL D | 20 | $66K |
board members · 7
- DR PIRAYE YURTTAS BEIM — BOARD MEMBER
- JANE HEGELMAN FREEMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- JENNY HUNTER — BOARD MEMBER
- LAURA SEDLOCK — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBIN KOO — BOARD MEMBER
- SIPI BHANDARI — PRESIDENT
- TETYANA TISCH — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Beginnings Partner — Collaborates with Beginnings to share examples of children's work and emergent curriculum practices.
- EducatioNest Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- Loris Malaguzzi Center Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- Maestra Natura Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- New York City residents and businesses Partner — Source of donated materials for the Materials Center
- Nido Scuola Chroeia Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- Other schools with which we collaborate Partner — Partners with unspecified schools to exchange practices and examples of children's work.
- Remida Bologna Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- Remida Reggio Emilia Partner — Visited as part of a study tour to learn from Reggio Emilia educational practices.
- School Communities Partner — Collaborative partnerships with school communities to advance early childhood education practices.
- The Watermill Center Partner — Hosted a private tour of the Upside Down Zebra exhibit for educators organized by Teaching Beyond the Square.
- Williamsburg Northside School Partner — Hosted "The Wonder of Learning Exhibit" in collaboration with Teaching Beyond the Square in 2015.
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.
- Child-Directed, Inquiry-Based Learning through the Reggio Emilia Approachmethodology: reggio_emiliaBy positioning children as capable, self-directed learners and teachers as collaborative researchers, we foster deep engagement and problem-solving because learning emerges from children's curiosity, is co-constructed through observation and dialogue, and is expressed through diverse modes such as the "hundred languages." This approach integrates play, open-ended materials, and reflective practice to sustain a dynamic, creative process.
- Collaborative Partnerships to Scale Equitable, Play-Based Pedagogymethodology: collaborative_partnershipsBy collaborating with school communities, we advance equitable and developmentally appropriate teaching practices because shared ownership and localized adaptation ensure sustainability and fidelity to child-centered values.
- Creative Reuse of Materials to Advance Sustainability and Symbolic Learningmethodology: creative_reuse_educationBy providing educators and children with found and discarded materials, we promote environmental stewardship and rich symbolic development because repurposing materials fosters creativity, supports open-ended inquiry, and connects sustainability directly to learning processes.