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SPARKYOUTH NYC INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133037380 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE I83Z · Crime & Legal-Related · Medium ($1M-$10M) · sparkyouthnyc.org
revenue
$1.8M
expenses
$2.0M
net assets
$1.3M
employees
3
volunteers
25
program ratio
87%
mission · from form 990

SEE PAGE 2, PART III, 1. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION.

profile · synthesized from sources

SparkYouth NYC supports and scales community-based youth development programs in New York City through multi-year unrestricted grants and capacity-building support. The organization identifies innovative, high-impact nonprofits serving underserved youth and strengthens their leadership, infrastructure, and sustainability. Over 30 years, it has backed more than 85 programs reaching over 3 million young people.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Cofactor Lab
Offers consulting and professional development in People, Practices, and Resources to strengthen organizational resilience of grantee organizations.
Corporate Engagement
Partners with corporations to provide funding, volunteer opportunities, and employee engagement while amplifying community impact.
Grantee Support Program
Provides three years of unrestricted funding, capacity-building support, leadership coaching, and networking opportunities to selected youth-serving nonprofits in NYC.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
    • Funds and supports youth development organizations in New York City
      Awards multi-year unrestricted grants and provides capacity-building support to a cohort of small, community-based nonprofit organizations focused on youth development in New York City. The grantmaking program includes a rigorous selection process every three years and has supported over 85 programs serving more than 3 million young people in the past 30 years.
  • Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
    • Hosts fundraising and community recognition events
      Organizes major events such as the 30th Anniversary Awards Gala to engage donors, partners, and advocates in support of youth development initiatives.
  • Youth Development Programs 1 activity
    • Operates direct-service youth programs in the South Bronx
      Uses lacrosse as a platform to deliver mentoring, academic support, and team-building experiences to underserved students in the South Bronx, aiming to improve educational outcomes and youth development.
  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
    • Organizes corporate engagement and volunteer programs
      Facilitates high-value volunteer opportunities for corporate employees, including structured corporate engagement days that bring young people to Manhattan for team-building and mentoring experiences.
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
    • Provides capacity-building support to youth-serving grantees
      Offers tailored non-financial resources, consulting, and professional development to grantee organizations, including 725 hours of such services delivered in 2024. Support includes leadership development, strategic guidance, and networking opportunities for community-based organizations at critical stages of growth.
  • Foster Youth Transition Support 1 activity
    • Supports youth transitioning out of foster care
      Provides household goods, counseling, education, and job training programs to support stable transitions into adulthood for youth aging out of foster care.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.84M
Contributions & grants$492K27%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$10K1%
Other revenue$1.34M
expenses
Total expenses$1.96M
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$509K
Grants paid out$1.07M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.34M
Cash$1.12M
Investments$0
Liabilities$3K
Net assets$1.33M
Liquid reserves6.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -1.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MARY SUZY MYERS JACKSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $217K
board members · 24
  • ADAM SCHWARTZ — DIRECTOR
  • ALLY HEYBURN — DIRECTOR
  • ANAR CHUDGAR — DIRECTOR
  • BAABA HALM — DIRECTOR
  • BETHANY — LOGAN ROPA
  • CIA BUCKLEY MARAKOVITS — DIRECTOR
  • EDWARD ADLER — VICE PRESIDENT
  • ERIC MULKOWSKY — DIRECTOR
  • EVIN FLOYD ROBINSON — DIRECTOR
  • GISELE CASTRO — DIRECTOR
  • GRETA GUGGENHEIM — V.P. & SECRETARY
  • JAMES NELSON — DIRECTOR
  • JOHN P MCCARTHY — DIRECTOR
  • KEVIN FAXON — DIRECTOR
  • KYLE BOLDEN — DIRECTOR
  • MARTIN BURGER — DIRECTOR
  • MATTHEW LAZAR — TREASURER
  • MICHAEL NASH — DIRECTOR
  • NEHA SANTIAGO — DIRECTOR
  • RHEA WONG — DIRECTOR
  • RICHARD KESSLER — DIRECTOR
  • ROBERT LAPIDUS — VICE PRESIDENT
  • SHIVA VISWANATHAN — DIRECTOR
  • SONNY KALSI — DIRECTOR
relationships · 12

Who they work with

  • Bronx Lacrosse Partner — Grantee organization providing youth programming supported by SparkYouth NYC.
  • Bronx Lacrosse Partner — Grantee organization using lacrosse to support youth development in the South Bronx.
  • City Living NY Partner — Receives funding from SparkYouth NYC to support services for youth aging out of foster care.
  • Cofactor Lab Partner — Collaborative initiative providing consulting and professional development to grantee organizations.
  • GTIS Partners Partner — Corporate partner offering employee volunteer opportunities through SparkYouth NYC.
  • Not specified Partner — Provides funding to small youth-serving organizations in New York City that demonstrate proven solutions and growth potential.
  • Paul Hastings Partner — Corporate partner engaging both employees and clients in volunteer activities with SparkYouth NYC.
  • Start Lighthouse Partner — Partner organization that participates in corporate engagement days organized by SparkYouth NYC.
  • advocates Partner — Individuals or groups promoting the mission and goals of SparkYouth NYC
  • donors Partner — Individuals or organizations providing financial support to SparkYouth NYC
  • grantees Partner — Organizations or individuals receiving funding or support from SparkYouth NYC
  • partners Partner — Collaborating organizations working with SparkYouth NYC to support young people
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.

  • Capacity-Building Partnership Model
    methodology: capacity_building
    By providing multi-year unrestricted funding, individualized support, and cohort-based networking, SPARKYOUTH NYC strengthens grantees' organizational effectiveness because sustained, trust-based investment in infrastructure and leadership produces more resilient and impactful youth-serving organizations.
  • Leadership and Ecosystem Pipeline Development
    methodology: leadership_pipeline_development
    By engaging sector professionals in pathways to board service and fostering a connected community of grantees, donors, and advocates, SPARKYOUTH NYC amplifies long-term impact because strengthening the broader youth development ecosystem creates compounding returns on investment.
  • Trust-Based, Non-Transactional Grantmaking
    methodology: trust-based_grantmaking
    By rigorously selecting high-potential youth programs and building deep, responsive partnerships grounded in listening and trust, SPARKYOUTH NYC amplifies impact because empowering grantees as experts in their communities leads to more effective and sustainable outcomes.