irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $102KEDUCATION: THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING FOR 9 YOUNG ADULTS FROM OUR PARTNER COMMUNITIES, COVERING COSTS SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, ENROLLMENT FEES, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, A MODEST FOOD STIPEND, THESIS EXPENSES, AND GRADUATION FEES. IN ADDITION TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT, THE PROGRAM TRACKS SCHOLARS' ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND INVOLVES THEM IN CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH BTC VOLUNTEER GROUPS. THROUGH THESE INTERACTIONS, SCHOLARS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BECOME AGENTS OF CHANGE, PROMOTE COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND SERVE AS ROLE MODELS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES IN BRIDGES' PARTNER COMMUNITIES. WHILE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES OFFER TUITION-FREE EDUCATION, STUDENTS FROM REMOTE AREAS FACE HIGH TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO REACH CAMPUSES IN SAN JUAN. MANY CANNOT AFFORD THE FREQUENT TRAVEL, AND THOSE WHO DO ENROLL OFTEN LIMIT THEIR COURSES TO ATTEND ONLY ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, EXTENDING THE TIME NEEDED TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREES AND COMPOUNDING BARRIERS TO THEIR EDUCATION AND FUTURE SUCCESS. THE BRIDGES TO COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SEEKS TO ALLEVIATE THESE FINANCIAL BURDENS, EMPOWERING MOTIVATED STUDENTS TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AND IMPROVE THEIR EARNING POTENTIAL, FAMILY WELL-BEING, AND PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
- #2 $40KHEALTH: BRIDGES TO COMMUITY'S HEALTH PROGRAM STRIVES TO REMOVE THE OBSTACLES THAT IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES FACE AS THEY TRY TO ACHIEVE A BETTER FUTURE. WITH A FOCUS ON PREVENTATIVE CARE AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR PROJECTS RANGE FROM EDUCATION WORKSHOPS TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF HEALTH CENTERS. WE IMPROVE FAMILY LIVING STANDARDS, REDUCING DISEASE AND CHILD MORTALITY. WE DESIGN AND BUILD HYGIENIC BATHROOMS TO IMPROVE SANITATION AND PROMOTE AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION PROJECTS TO DIVERSIFY DIETE AND REDUCE ILLNESSES.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Health Program
Implements preventative health initiatives including construction and repair of health centers, installation of hygienic latrines and high-efficiency stoves, public health screenings, and education workshops to reduce disease and child mortality in rural communities.
Housing Program
Builds earthquake- and storm-resistant concrete homes for low-income families in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, with support for securing land titles to ensure long-term ownership and stability.
Scholarship Program
Provides financial support for higher education to young adults from partner communities, covering transportation, enrollment fees, supplies, food stipends, and graduation costs; includes academic monitoring and cultural exchange with volunteer groups to foster leadership and community service.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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School Infrastructure Development 1 activity
- Building community infrastructureConstructs essential community infrastructure including elementary schools and other facilities in partnership with rural communities in the Dominican Republic.
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Disaster-Resilient Home Reconstruction 1 activity
- Constructing and repairing safe, durable homesBuilds and repairs sturdy, earthquake- and fire-resistant concrete-and-cinderblock homes in rural communities in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, improving household safety and stability. Activities include pouring cement floors, installing metal frames, doors, and windows, and completing previously built homes by adding bathrooms.
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Clean Cooking Solutions Implementation 1 activity
- Improving sanitation and public health infrastructureDesigns and builds hygienic latrines and bathrooms, installs high-efficiency indoor stoves, and conducts public health screenings in underserved rural communities to improve sanitation, reduce illness, and support environmental protection.
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Volunteer Mobilization for Community Improvement 1 activity
- Organizing immersive volunteer service tripsOrganizes week-long volunteer trips in rural communities in the Dominican Republic, including structured daily construction work, community activities, and cultural engagement. Provides logistics such as transportation, lodging, meals, and insurance for participants.
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Individual Child Education Sponsorship 1 activity
- Providing scholarships and wraparound support for higher educationProvides full scholarships and comprehensive support—including career counseling, academic monitoring, tutoring, and mentorship—to students from rural communities in the Dominican Republic to pursue higher education and achieve timely graduation and employment.
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Smallholder Agricultural Development 1 activity
- Supporting agricultural entrepreneurship and food securitySupports agricultural entrepreneurship by enabling graduates to launch hydroponic farming businesses and promotes agricultural projects that diversify diets and improve community nutrition.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$548K
Contributions & grants$553K101%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$-10K-2%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$492K
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$188K
Grants paid out$10K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$432K
Cash$385K
Investments$0
Liabilities$67K
Net assets$365K
Liquid reserves9.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -0.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAULA MULHAIR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $64K |
board members · 15
- ANTONIO IGUINA — DIRECTOR
- DAVID ARCHIBALD — DIRECTOR
- GARY KRIS — DIRECTOR
- JAMES ALLEN — TREASURER
- JIM AGNELLO — CO-CHAIR OF BOARD
- JULIO BATISTA — DIRECTOR
- KATHLEEN DIBIASI — DIRECTOR
- KELLY WARDLE — DIRECTOR
- KYLE KIRCHHOFF — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL LAHN — CO-CHAIR OF BOARD
- MIRANDA JENNINGS — DIRECTOR
- NANCY DOON — DIRECTOR
- NANETTE BOURNE — SECRETARY
- NORA TAHBAZ — DIRECTOR
- VICTOR RIVERA — DIRECTOR
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- Dominican Republic communities Partner — Local communities in the Dominican Republic co-lead and implement development projects with Bridges to Community.
- Gajo Largo Partner — Community partner in the Dominican Republic collaborating with Bridges to Community on home construction, school building, infrastructure repairs, and economic development initiatives.
- Instituto Superior de Agricultura Partner — Partner institution providing agricultural education scholarships to individuals supported by Bridges to Community.
- La Guama Partner — Community partner in the Dominican Republic with which Bridges to Community has co-built homes, a school, bathrooms, and implemented scholarships, small business loans, and agricultural support.
- San Juan Partner — Partner community where students face transportation barriers to higher education
- San Juan Province community Partner — Hosts program participants and collaborates on community tours and service activities.
- San Juan province Partner — Partner community where scholarship recipients are supported
- Yaque San Juan de la Maguana community leaders Partner — Collaborates with local leaders in rural communities to implement development projects.
- community leaders Partner — Collaborates with community leaders to organize projects and coordinate construction efforts in the Dominican Republic.
- local leaders Partner — Collaborates with local leaders in the Dominican Republic to implement programs in housing, health, education, and economic development.
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.
- Community-Led Development Modelmethodology: community-led developmentBy partnering with communities to identify and lead their own development priorities, we produce sustainable change because local ownership ensures relevance, long-term engagement, and systemic impact.
- Education Access with Wraparound Supportmethodology: wraparound-support-scholarshipsBy providing full scholarships combined with academic and career support, we enable students from rural areas to complete higher education and achieve economic mobility because financial aid alone is insufficient without sustained personal and structural guidance.
- Integrated Systems Approach to Health and Housingmethodology: integrated community programmingBy addressing interconnected structural barriers—such as unsafe housing, lack of sanitation, and limited health infrastructure—we improve well-being because material dignity and preventative health interventions enable individuals to access education, economic opportunity, and long-term stability.