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NICHOLAS CENTER LTD
PORT WASHINGTON, NY · EIN 452022370 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE T30 · Philanthropy & Grantmaking · Medium ($1M-$10M) · tncnewyork.org
revenue
$6.2M
expenses
$6.2M
net assets
$3.0M
employees
112
volunteers
22
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

TO CREATE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ALLOW AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS TO LEARN, LIVE, AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Nicholas Center supports autistic adults in learning life skills, improving social and communication abilities, and gaining vocational training and employment. Based in New York, it operates person-centered programs across Long Island and Westchester, using the community as a "university without walls" to foster inclusion and meaningful work opportunities through internships, job coaching, and social enterprises.

named programs · 9 · from sources

What they call their work

Employment Training Program (ETP)
Offers paid internships and job coaching to develop work readiness and support transition to permanent employment in community businesses.
Home & Community Services
Offers Community Habilitation services focusing on independence in daily living, personal care, travel, and life safety through goal-oriented activities in home and community settings.
Learning & Social Development
Programs designed to improve social and communication abilities through peer interaction and community engagement activities.
Pathways to Employment
Combines discovery assessments with community work internships and a work-readiness curriculum covering resume building, communication, and problem-solving.
School District Programs
Partnerships with school districts to support transition-age youth into adult services and employment.
Supported Employment Program (SEMP)
Provides job coaching, internship placements, and permanent job support for autistic adults, including discovery activities to assess skills and interests for successful job matching.
TNC Chocolate Lab
Social enterprise providing vocational training and employment in chocolate production, part of TNC's micro-business initiatives.
TNC Pantry Programs
Participants source, pack, and deliver essential non-food items such as soap, diapers, and meat to food pantries serving approximately 5,000 individuals in need.
TNC Podcast
"Agents of Humanity" podcast co-hosted by autistic adults, promoting self-expression and public awareness.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Day Habilitation Services 2 activities
    • Community Habilitation Services
      Provides individualized support to autistic adults in developing personal, social, and daily living skills—including travel training, health and wellness, personal care, and life safety—to promote independence and community inclusion.
    • Life Skills and Community Engagement Programs
      Operates comprehensive programs focused on developing life skills, social and communication abilities, vocational training, and community engagement for autistic adults, delivered through year-round programming at two New York locations, including expanded services in Westchester.
  • Supported Employment for Developmental Disabilities 2 activities
    • Supported Employment Program for Autistic Adults
      Provides on-the-job support, job coaching, internships, and pathways to permanent job placement for autistic adults through its Supported Employment Program (SEMP), including partnerships with community businesses and support for micro-business creation and sustainability.
    • Vocational Training and Work Readiness Programs
      Offers structured vocational training through skills assessment, work readiness curriculum, paid internships, and community-based volunteering to prepare autistic individuals for employment; includes on-site work at Vocational Skills Centers and job exploration through TNC Volunteer Groups.
  • Art Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
    • Artistic and Creative Engagement Initiatives
      Supports creative expression and community visibility for autistic adults through organizing art shows in partnership with The Art Guild of Port Washington and producing a podcast, "Agents of Humanity," co-hosted by autistic individuals.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Community News Publications
      Produces and distributes community newsletters—'Nicholas Center News,' 'Port Washington Navigator,' and 'Westchester Navigator'—to share news, events, and updates with participants and the broader community.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Food and Essential Supplies Distribution Program
      Procures, organizes, and delivers donated essential items and monthly supplies—including food, hygiene products, and household goods—to approximately 3,500–5,000 food-insecure individuals and families through partner pantries in Long Island and Westchester.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.15M
Contributions & grants$1.11M18%
Program service revenue$4.93M80%
Investment income$70K1%
Other revenue$40K
expenses
Total expenses$6.20M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$4.73M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.56M
Cash$2.41M
Investments$68K
Liabilities$3.58M
Net assets$2.99M
Liquid reserves4.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +10.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 9
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
NICOLE FERRARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $264K
LAURA WOOTTON DIRECTOR OF HR 40 $225K
JEREMY SCALCHUNES PROGRAM DIRECTOR WC 40 $172K
BROOKE S MELLETT PROGRAM DIRECTOR WC 40 $148K
MIA DIBRA DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 40 $142K
LEE ANNE VETRONE-TIMOTHY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR 40 $118K
BROOKE MASONE OPWDD COMPLIANCE OFFICER 40 $106K
STELLA SPANAKOS MEMBER 40 $90K
DOUGLAS BASSIN CONTROLLER 25 $87K
board members · 6
  • AMY BEYER — VICE PRESIDENT
  • DALE A COFFIN — SECRETARY
  • DOMINICK FORTUGNO — MEMBER
  • JOHN BOWMAN — TREASURER
  • MARC CARTER — PRESIDENT
  • ROBERT VALLI — MEMBER
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • Grady Health System Partner — Collaborates with The Nicholas Center on health-related initiatives for individuals with autism.
  • Spectrum Designs Foundation Partner — Social enterprise partner providing vocational training and employment opportunities for autistic individuals.
  • Steve Edelson Partner — Partners with The Nicholas Center to employ program participants at Smusht.
  • TNC Chocolate Lab Partner — Social enterprise business created by The Nicholas Center to provide vocational opportunities.
  • The Art Guild of Port Washington Partner — Collaborates with The Nicholas Center to organize art shows for autistic adults.
  • The Nicholas Center Partner — Implements vocational skills and training programs for Autistic adults.
  • local businesses Partner — Community partners that provide real-world experience for participants while receiving support from them.
  • local businesses Partner — Host TNC participants for on-site vocational training and community engagement.
  • local nonprofits Partner — Collaborate with TNC to advance their missions through participant service and support.
  • local organizations Partner — Community partners that engage with participants to provide experiential learning and receive mutual support.
  • partner pantries Partner — Partner organizations that receive supplies distributed by The Nicholas Center participants.
strategies · 4

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.

  • Community-as-Classroom Learning Model
    methodology: community_as_university
    By using the community as a learning environment, we enable real-world skill development because immersive practice in everyday settings strengthens independence, social integration, and vocational readiness more effectively than classroom-only instruction.
  • Individualized, Person-Centered Employment and Life Skills Integration
    methodology: person_centered_planning
    By using person-centered planning and individualized assessment of skills and interests, we create tailored pathways to employment and independence for Autistic adults because matching roles to personal strengths increases engagement, success, and community inclusion.
  • Neuro-Inclusive Supported Employment with On-the-Job Accommodations
    methodology: neuro_inclusive_workplace_accommodations
    By combining supported employment with neuro-inclusive workplace accommodations such as visual aids and structured task transitions, we improve job retention and performance for Autistic adults because environmental adaptations reduce sensory and cognitive barriers to workplace success.
  • Vocational Integration Through Community Service
    methodology: vocational_integration
    By integrating vocational training with community service—such as sourcing and delivering food supplies—we build job skills and civic engagement simultaneously because meaningful, purpose-driven work increases motivation and reinforces real-world competencies.