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BACKYARD PLAYERS & FRIENDS INC

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY · EIN 472530931 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · bypandfriends.com
revenue
$705K
expenses
$660K
net assets
$331K
employees
8
program ratio
100%
mission · from form 990

WE PROVIDED ARTS-BASED EXPERIENCES(EG. ACTING, DANCING, SINGING) INCONFORMITY WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS MISSION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Backyard Players & Friends Inc is a New York-based nonprofit providing inclusive, arts-based programs for individuals aged 14 and older. Through theater, music, art, cooking, and fitness classes, the organization fosters creativity, self-expression, and community engagement. It also runs vocational and community service initiatives, including Love, Nana, which supports families in need while offering participants hands-on skills training.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Backyard Players Classes
Inclusive arts-based classes in theater, music, art, cooking, fitness, and yoga for individuals aged 14 and older, fostering creativity and community engagement.
Front Porch Market
Gift shop showcasing local artists and entrepreneurs, with proceeds supporting Backyard Players & Friends programs and community initiatives.
Love, Nana
Community service initiative that collects and distributes baby clothing bundles to families in need while providing skills training for participants.
School Programs
Partnership-based programs including Community Connections, Work-Based Learning, and Foundations for Work & Community, offering vocational readiness and real-world learning experiences.
Side Door Studios
Creative production space where participants design and produce custom apparel, signage, and promotional items sold at Front Porch Market.
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
    • Provide arts-based classes in theater, music, dance, and art
      Offers inclusive theater, music, dance, and art classes that integrate drama, song, improvisation, dance, and performance to build creative and social skills; includes full-scale theatrical productions, instruction in fundamental music concepts, songwriting, and art-making using printmaking, painting, drawing, and sculpture, taught by educators and professionals.
    • Provide arts-based experiences in acting, dancing, and singing
      Provides arts-based experiences including acting, dancing, and singing as part of its programming, as reported in IRS Form 990 filings.
  • Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
    • Deliver inclusive career exploration and workplace readiness programs in partnership with school districts
      Partners with school districts to deliver four hands-on programs that provide students with real-world experiences in career exploration, workplace readiness, and community engagement, including product development, business enterprise, retail, budgeting, cooking activities, and structured work experiences in food service, retail, trades, and recreation.
  • Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
    • Host Movie Bites events for critical thinking and self-expression
      Hosts Movie Bites events that combine film-related games, trivia, and discussions with instruction in writing movie reviews to develop participants' critical thinking, communication, and self-expression skills.
  • Event and Program Registration Management 1 activity
    • Implement refund policies for class registrations
      Offers full refunds for class cancellations before the start of classes and provides prorated refunds for cancellations after classes begin, charging $20 per class attended.
  • Community Wellness Movement Classes 1 activity
    • Offer fitness, wellness, and recreational classes
      Provides fitness and wellness classes including Zumba, yoga, and game design, as well as craft and recreational activities such as floral arrangement, soap making, candle making, puppetry, and t-shirt design, taught by local artists and professionals to support skill-building and community connection.
  • Diaper and Baby Supply Distribution 1 activity
    • Operate Love, Nana baby bundle program for families in need
      Collects gently used baby clothes, books, and accessories to create and donate baby bundles to hospitals, family support centers, schools, and social service agencies across Long Island, New York City, Westchester, and New Jersey; engages volunteers and students in washing, sorting, assembling, and fulfilling orders for these bundles.
  • Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
    • Operate Side Door Studios and Front Porch Market for creative production and retail
      Operates Side Door Studios as a creative production space that designs and produces custom apparel, signage, gifts, and promotional products, with all items sold through the Front Porch Market; also operates the Front Porch Market as a retail space that showcases the work of local artists and entrepreneurs and generates financial support for organizational programs.
  • Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
    • Operate multiple program facilities in Rockville Centre, NY
      Operates multiple facilities in Rockville Centre, NY, including The Backyard at 215 N. Long Beach Road, Front Porch Market at 213 N. Long Beach Road, Love, Nana at 210 N. Long Beach Road, and a facility at RVC Recreation Center, 111 N. Oceanside Road, to deliver its programs and services.
  • Culinary Workforce Training Programs 1 activity
    • Run culinary and cooking skills development programs
      Offers culinary programs that teach intermediate cooking and baking skills, kitchen safety, and food handling in a supportive environment, including hands-on cooking classes that build participant confidence and competence in food preparation.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Offer in-person and virtual class formats
      Offers classes in both in-person and virtual formats using Zoom video conferencing to increase accessibility and participation.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$705K
Contributions & grants$126K18%
Program service revenue$576K82%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$660K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$275K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$355K
Cash$144K
Investments$0
Liabilities$24K
Net assets$331K
Liquid reserves2.6 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +43.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 7
  • BETH SOLFERINO — BOARD MEMBER
  • BRYAN NESDILL — BOARD MEMBER
  • ELENA ODONNELL — BOARD MEMBER
  • ELLEN WHITE — DIRECTOR
  • MARIANNE NESDILL — BOARD MEMBER
  • MIKE DURNEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • RYAN DELANEY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 5

Who they work with

  • New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Primary funder supporting the operation of Backyard Players & Friends classes.
  • New York Yankees Partner — Honored Love, Nana during Hope Week, recognizing its community impact.
  • Zoom Partner — Uses Zoom as the platform for virtual class delivery.
  • school districts Partner — Collaborates with school districts to deliver vocational and community engagement programs for students.
  • school districts Partner — Partners with school districts to deliver inclusive programs focused on career exploration, workplace readiness, and community engagement.
strategies · 2

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.

  • Experiential Learning for Transferable Life Skills
    methodology: experiential_learning
    By engaging participants in real-world, collaborative projects such as preparing baby bundles and sharing culinary work, the organization builds confidence, independence, and transferable skills because hands-on experience in purposeful work strengthens competence and socialization.
  • Inclusive Arts-Based Community Engagement
    methodology: inclusive_arts-based_community_program
    By using arts-based programming in theater, music, and visual arts as a shared, collaborative practice, the organization fosters personal growth, social connection, and inclusion because creative expression in community settings builds trust, confidence, and belonging.