irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $74KThe Kensington Project includes co-producing cultural performances and art-making workshops, and convenings in Kensington, Brooklyn; facilitating the Kensington Cultural Council; and serving as programming partner for the Avenue C Plaza.
- #2 $47KCultural Organizing for Community Change and Citywide Forum to Reimagine New York City were two day-long cultural convenings that took place in Gowanus, Brooklyn, Hunts Point, Bronx, and online, featuring creative workshops, art making, performances, and neighborhood tours.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Kensington Cares Food Tour & Exhibit
Self-guided walking tour and exhibit highlighting local businesses and mutual aid groups in Kensington, Brooklyn.
Narrative Power Project
Collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that integrates arts and culture with public health initiatives.
Peer Learning Exchanges
Hosts workshops and dialogues on topics including cultural organizing, racial equity, climate justice, and mutual aid to strengthen cross-community networks.
Reimagining New York City
Citywide initiative featuring visioning sessions, artist commissions, and cultural convenings in neighborhoods like Gowanus and Hunts Point to incorporate community creativity into urban planning.
The Kensington Project
Co-produces cultural performances, art-making workshops, and convenings in Kensington, Brooklyn; supports the Kensington Cultural Council and programming at Avenue C Plaza.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 2 activities
- Implementing neighborhood-based arts and culture programsDesigns and delivers direct-service arts programming in public housing and underserved neighborhoods—including Kensington and Gowanus, Brooklyn—to address trauma, violence, isolation, and community recovery. Includes performances, art-making workshops, installations, and cultural events co-produced with residents and local groups.
- Organizing public tours and community storytelling projectsCreates self-guided walking tours, interactive performances, and public dialogues that highlight local businesses, mutual aid efforts, environmental justice, and neighborhood change. Projects center community narratives and partner with cultural institutions and resident groups.
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Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Advocacy for cultural district policyDevelops and shares policy recommendations, testifies at hearings, and engages in community visioning to advocate for arts and culture as tools for healing, transformation, and equity in New York City. Amplifies local voices and represents a citywide constituency on naturally occurring cultural district issues.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Building community cultural capacity through peer learningOrganizes peer learning exchanges, workshops, and training programs that connect artists, organizers, cultural workers, and institutions to strengthen community-led initiatives. Activities include skill-building in cultural organizing, planning, rezoning, immigrant support, and climate justice.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosting citywide cultural convenings and forumsHosts annual and recurring citywide forums, dialogues, and convenings—such as the Cultural Organizing for Community Change workshop—that bring together artists, activists, policymakers, and cultural workers to exchange ideas, resources, and strategies for equitable community development.
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Community Health Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Integrating arts and culture into public health initiativesPartners with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other agencies to use arts and culture as a strategy for addressing public health challenges, including violence prevention and mental health, through initiatives like the Narrative Power Project.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Providing strategic advising and technical assistanceOffers contracting, advising, and consulting services to organizations, foundations, government agencies, and cultural institutions to strengthen their community engagement and programming related to arts, culture, and public health.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Supporting civic engagement and democratic participationEngages in outreach and organizing to support undercounted communities’ participation in civic processes, including the U.S. Census, and facilitates dialogues on storytelling, care, resistance, and resiliency during crises.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conducting participatory research on cultural ecosystemsConducts ongoing participatory action research in NYC neighborhoods to understand how cultural networks strengthen communities, advance social justice, and reshape power dynamics. Produces reports such as Creative Transformations, annotated bibliographies, and policy recommendations based on community input.
- Facilitating cultural hub development and network mappingDevelops the Community Culture Network Map in partnership with Greater than the Sum to visualize cultural assets, connections, and collaborations across New York City, supporting cross-sector coordination and ecosystem strengthening.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$184K
Contributions & grants$169K92%
Program service revenue$15K8%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$237K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$122K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$230K
Cash$171K
Investments$0
Liabilities$6K
Net assets$216K
Liquid reserves8.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -35.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caron Atlas | Member | 20 | $54K |
| Hatuey Ramos Fermin | Member | 3 | $900 |
| Tamara Greenfield | Chair | 1 | $700 |
| Claudie Mabry | Member | 1 | $450 |
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- A Blade of Grass Partner — Co-hosted a peer learning exchange on creative collaborations with city government.
- Art.Coop Partner — Co-sponsored an event on arts, culture, and solidarity economies.
- Artichoke Dance Company Partner — Collaborated with NOCD-NY on an interactive performance and walking tour about neighborhood change in Gowanus.
- Arts & Democracy Partner — Co-convened the event "Activating the Cultural Power of a Movement" with NOCD-NY on October 9, 2020.
- Arts & Democracy Partner — Co-presented a peer learning exchange on narrative power and civic vision.
- Arts & Democracy Partner — Co-sponsors and co-presents the annual Cultural Organizing for Community Change event with NOCD-NY.
- Center for Court Innovation Partner — Collaborated to conduct listening sessions with MAP engagement coordinators on integrating arts and culture into neighborhood safety plans.
- Citizens Committee for New York City Partner — Co-organized the "Sprouting Communities" event with NOCD-NY and Friends of the High Line.
- Downtown Art Partner — Hosted a gathering to explore immigration rights with cultural organizations.
- El Museo del Barrio Partner — Co-organized the El Barrio Today Arts Cluster walking tour with NOCD-NY and Municipal Art Society.
- El Puente Partner — Collaborates with El Puente, as evidenced by shared documentation of youth activities in Los Sures (Southside of Williamsburg).
- El Puente Partner — Participated in a comprehensive tour of Los Sures (Southside of Williamsburg) organized by NOCD-NY.
- El Puente Partner — Participated in participatory action research and peer learning cohort as part of the Cultivating Neighborhood Networks project.
- FABnyc Partner — Collaborated on the ArtUp mural project displayed on an East 4th Street construction container.
- FABnyc Partner — Engaged in the peer learning cohort and participatory action research through the Cultivating Neighborhood Networks project.
- Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc) Partner — Partnered on a peer learning exchange focused on immigration.
- Friends of the High Line Partner — Co-organized the "Sprouting Communities" event with NOCD-NY and Citizens Committee for New York City.
- Friends of the High Line Partner — Partner organization for public activities and tours
- Gowanus Residents Association Partner — Partnered to support reactivation of the Gowanus Community Center.
- Greater than the Sum Partner — Collaborates with NOCD-NY to develop the Community Culture Network Map
- Greater than the Sum Partner — Partnered to develop a dynamic Community Culture Network Map to visualize community culture and cross-sector collaboration in New York City.
- Hester Street Partner — Collaborates on neighborhood advocacy efforts, as indicated by shared photo credit.
- Municipal Art Society Partner — Co-organized walking tours including El Barrio Today Arts Cluster and Fort Greene with NOCD-NY.
- Municipal Art Society Partner — Partner organization for public activities and tours
- Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) Partner — Partnered with NOCD-NY on the Chinatown Walking Tour: Culture and Change.
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Partner — Collaborates on the Narrative Power Project to connect arts and culture with public health.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Partner — Collaborates on integrating arts and culture into public health initiatives.
- No Longer Empty Partner — Co-hosted a webinar on immigrant dignity and cultural organizing.
- PS1 Partner — Partner organization for public activities and tours
- THE POINT Partner — Partners with THE POINT, as indicated by inclusion of their Fish Parade & Arts Festival in organizational materials.
+ 6 more
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-Led Cultural Organizingmethodology: community-driven-advocacyBy centering resident voices and fostering peer learning through convenings, storytelling, and cultural practice, the organization builds collective power and civic engagement, because authentic community leadership increases trust, participation, and sustainable advocacy.
- Culture as Community Interventionmethodology: culture-as-interventionBy using arts and culture to engage communities, the organization produces healing from trauma, reduced isolation, and stronger social connections, because cultural expression fosters emotional resilience and belonging—particularly in public housing and underserved neighborhoods.
- Grassroots Cultural Ecosystem Developmentmethodology: grassroots_cultural_developmentBy identifying and supporting naturally occurring cultural districts (NOCDs), the organization enables community-led revitalization and resilience, because organic clusters of cultural activity rooted in local knowledge sustain equity, self-determination, and long-term neighborhood transformation.
- Participatory Community Knowledge Buildingmethodology: participatory_action_researchBy employing participatory action research and mapping, the organization strengthens cultural ecosystems and informs policy, because co-created knowledge ensures community expertise shapes planning, advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration.