irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $149KIOLA - Serves to increase access to justice for individuals and families living in poverty and to improve the justice system through acessing free community dispute resolution services.
- #2 $318KSpecial Education Mediation Program - Provides training for mediators and resolution services to placement of children with special needs.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
ACCES-VR Mediation Program
Offers neutral, voluntary mediation for disagreements between vocational rehabilitation applicants (age 18+) and ACCES-VR personnel about services.
Community Mediation Service Corps (CMSC)
Federally funded AmeriCorps program that trains and deploys members to provide dispute resolution services in schools, youth programs, and family custody visitation settings.
Early Intervention Mediation
Provides mediation for families of infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) with developmental disabilities and state officials regarding Individualized Family Service Plans under IDEA Part C.
New York State Agricultural Mediation Program
Assists agricultural producers and creditors in resolving disputes with the USDA to reduce costs associated with appeals, litigation, and bankruptcy.
Special Education Mediation Program
Provides training for mediators and free mediation services to resolve disputes between families and school districts regarding educational plans for children with special needs (ages 3–21).
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Conflict Mediation & Resolution Services 4 activities
- Administer mediation and arbitration programs across New York StateManages dispute resolution services in all 62 counties of New York State, providing mediation and arbitration to reduce or eliminate court involvement. These services include conflict coaching, restorative circles, large-group facilitation, and community forums through trained Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs).
- Deliver professional development and training for mediatorsProvides comprehensive training programs including Basic Mediation Training, advanced skills workshops, continuing education, and professional development for mediators and legal professionals. Also promotes public awareness of dispute resolution services and supports training initiatives.
- Operate statewide special education mediation programHas administered New York State’s special education mediation program since 1990, offering free mediation services to help parents and schools reach agreements on individualized education plans for students aged 3 to 21. Services are grounded in a commitment to dispute resolution and include information and access support.
- Promote quality dispute resolution services in communitiesWorks to promote and develop high-quality dispute resolution services across communities in New York State, supporting systemic access and effectiveness of local conflict resolution mechanisms.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Administer grant funding for civil legal services and CDRC operationsFunds nonprofit civil legal services providers through a grantmaking program awarding $70 million over two years to expand legal aid for low-income New Yorkers. Also subgrants funds to Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) to support mediator recruitment, training, and community outreach.
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Language Access Services 1 activity
- Support access to dispute resolution services for low-income and limited-English residentsIncreases access to justice for low-income individuals by facilitating free community dispute resolution services and funding LanguageLine services to ensure language access during mediation sessions.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Deliver specialized mediation services for state agency disputesProvides mediation services for disputes between ACCES-VR applicants and personnel since 1999, including scheduling sessions within 21 days via local CDRCs and district offices. Also offers mediation for adults aged 18+ with vocational rehabilitation counselors and for families of children birth to age 3 regarding Early Intervention services under IDEA Part C.
- Enhance operational efficiency of dispute resolution reportingDeveloped and implemented the Online Contract Reporting System (OCRS), which reduced administrative processing time by over 90% and improved data accuracy for contract reporting within the dispute resolution system.
- Provide consumer arbitration and refund guidance under lemon lawsOffers arbitration services that may result in partial or full waiver of wear and tear charges in lease disputes, and reimburses consumers up to $120 in filing fees when they win. Provides detailed guidance on calculating refunds under New York’s lemon laws for new cars, used cars, motorcycles, and farm equipment leased vehicles, including allocation between lessee and leasing company.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.27M
Contributions & grants$1.12M88%
Program service revenue$157K12%
Investment income$3270%
Other revenue$332
expenses
Total expenses$1.25M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$604K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$466K
Cash$59K
Investments$0
Liabilities$295K
Net assets$171K
Liquid reserves0.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +34.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theresa Hobbs | Executive Director | 38 | $132K |
board members · 13
- Alison Ritchie — Director
- Denise Ellison — Director
- Gina Tinker-Williams — Director
- Gregg Scheiner — Director
- John Harrison — Director
- Jonathan Murray — President
- Kim Reisch — Director
- Love Odih Kumuyi — Director
- Mary Murray — Treasurer
- Niki Rowe — Director
- Shira May — Vice President
- Will Sawma — Director
- Wilma Jozwiak — Secretary
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- ACCES-VR Partner — Collaborates with ACCES-VR to mediate disputes between vocational rehabilitation clients and counselors.
- Board of Trustees of the IOLA Fund Government — Grants are made by the Board of Trustees of the IOLA Fund to civil legal services providers, with NYSDRA receiving and subgranting funds.
- Community Dispute Resolution Center Partner — Local centers that coordinate with ACCES-VR and NYSDRA to deliver mediation services.
- Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) Partner — Partners with CDRCs to deliver dispute resolution services and train new practitioners through the Community Mediation Service Corps.
- Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) Partner — Partnership with CDRCs across all 62 counties of New York State to deliver conflict resolution services.
- Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) Partner — Receives subgrants from NYSDRA to support mediator recruitment, training, and community outreach efforts.
- Department of Health Early Intervention Officials Partner — Partners with Department of Health Early Intervention Officials to mediate service agreements for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities.
- Disability Rights New York Partner — Partner organization providing client assistance and advocacy resources related to ACCES-VR services.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Government — Operates mediation services in accordance with federal Part C of IDEA regulations.
- Leasing Company Partner — Collaborates with leasing companies to allocate manufacturer refunds between consumers and financiers under the farm equipment lemon law.
- New York State Government — Administers Lemon Law arbitration programs in accordance with New York State regulations.
- New York State Commission on National and Community Service Funder — Federal Americorps funding administered through this commission supports the Community Mediation Service Corps program.
- New York State Department of Education Office of Special Education Government — Co-developed and oversees the Special Education Dispute Resolution Center (SEDRC) in partnership with NYSDRA.
- Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation Government — Contracting agency that refers disputes and collaborates with NYSDRA to provide mediation services for vocational rehabilitation applicants.
- Susan Guthrie Partner — Keynote speaker for Day 1 of the 2026 Annual Conference.
- community dispute resolution centers (CDRCs) Network — Member network through which NYSDRA delivers mediation and arbitration services across New York State.
- leasing company Partner — Coordinates refund distribution between consumer and leasing company in motorcycle lemon law cases.
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 Through Professional Development and Partnershipsmethodology: professional_standards_and_capacity_buildingBy training practitioners and strengthening community dispute resolution centers through education, standards, and partnerships, the organization expands systemic capacity for effective conflict response because skilled local mediators and integrated services improve accessibility and quality of dispute resolution across New York State.
- Community-Based Access Modelmethodology: community-based_dispute_resolution_networkBy deploying a network of localized dispute resolution centers, the organization makes services accessible across diverse communities because proximity and cultural responsiveness increase utilization and trust in mediation as an alternative to litigation.
- Participant-Centered Mediationmethodology: participant-centered_practiceBy centering the voices and interests of individuals in dispute resolution, the organization increases access to justice and engagement in the process because empowering parties leads to more equitable, sustainable, and self-determined outcomes.