irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $291KHOME OWNERSHIP COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COUNSELING, EDUCATION, MORTGAGE PROCESSING, PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS.
- #2 $355KCOSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT AWARENESS.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Financial Coaching
One-on-one coaching to develop personalized financial plans, set savings goals, address credit issues, and prepare for homeownership or other financial objectives.
Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
Free counseling service that works with homeowners and lenders to explore options for staying in their homes when facing financial difficulties.
Home Buyer Education
Housing counseling agency offers an 8-hour HUD-approved class covering budgeting, credit, working with realtors, loan shopping, and home maintenance, required for down payment assistance programs.
Homebuyer Dream Program
Down payment and closing cost assistance program for first-time homebuyers in New York State, offered in partnership with local financial institutions through the Federal Home Loan Bank.
Lead Safe Utica
HIP-funded program providing grants averaging $51,500 per unit to eliminate lead hazards in homes built before 1978 for homeowners, landlords, and tenants in Utica.
Utica Senior Home Rehabilitation Program
Grant program for homeowners age 62+ in Utica to fund essential home repairs including roofs, siding, windows, doors, foundations, and lead paint hazards.
Vacant Rental Program
State-funded grant program providing up to $375,000 to rehabilitate vacant rental units in 1-5 unit buildings in Oneida County, with affordability restrictions for low- and moderate-income tenants.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Home Repair Assistance for Low-Income Households 4 activities
- Grant funding for senior homeowners' essential home repairsProvides free grant funding to eligible senior homeowners in select Utica neighborhoods for essential home repairs, including roofs, siding, windows, doors, porches, gutters, foundations, interior deficiencies, and lead paint hazard remediation.
- Home rehabilitation and neighborhood revitalization investmentInvests approximately $2.5 million annually in home rehabilitation projects in Oneida and Madison Counties, contributing to broader efforts that have cumulatively invested over $200 million in housing and neighborhood revitalization.
- Home repair and rehabilitation assistanceProvides home repair and rehabilitation assistance for interior and exterior needs, including through grant-funded programs; services are contingent on available funding and support both owner-occupied and rental properties.
- Lead hazard reduction in residential housingOperates the Lead Safe Utica program to reduce lead hazards in privately owned housing by addressing lead in paint, dust, and soil; provides an average of $51,500 in grant funding per enrolled home or unit, including through the NYS Leading in Lead program for multifamily properties.
-
-
First-Time Homebuyer Support Services 2 activities
- Foreclosure prevention and homeownership counselingProvides foreclosure prevention counseling by working with homeowners and lenders to explore options to remain in their homes; also delivers Homeownership Counseling, including a 4-hour financial education class and a 1-hour financial coaching session, for home equity loan applicants.
- Homebuyer education, down payment, and closing cost assistanceOffers HUD-approved homebuyer education classes, financial planning support, and down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers, including through partnerships with local financial institutions and targeted programs in the City of Rome.
-
-
Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Community development technical assistance and capacity buildingProvides community development expertise to community members, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations in the Mohawk Valley region; has provided technical assistance to support the formation of resident-led coalitions and connect communities with resources and training opportunities.
-
-
Financial Coaching and Credit Counseling 1 activity
- Financial coaching with personalized action plans and credit reportingProvides one-on-one financial coaching with customized action plans and budgets to help individuals increase savings, pay off debt, save for a car, or pay off student loans; offers both single-session and multi-session packages, including a 4-hour package allowing up to 7 sessions within 12 months, and includes tri-merge credit reports as part of coaching services.
-
-
Financial Literacy Education Programs 1 activity
- Financial education classes (in-person and online)Offers nationally accredited in-person and online financial education classes on financial fitness and home maintenance, including through a digital platform.
-
-
Law Enforcement-Community Relations Programs 1 activity
- Neighborhood crime reporting systemOperates a reporting form that allows residents to report illegal activity in their neighborhoods, with the option to do so anonymously.
-
-
Affordable Home Construction & Rehabilitation 1 activity
- Rehabilitation funding for vacant rental unitsAdministers the Vacant Rental Program, providing funding to rehabilitate up to five vacant rental units to make them rent-ready and increase the supply of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income renters in Oneida County; includes property inspections to determine scope of health and safety repairs, code compliance, and structural improvements.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$3.45M
Contributions & grants$3.32M96%
Program service revenue$40K1%
Investment income$83K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$3.38M
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$992K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.44M
Cash$4.01M
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.61M
Net assets$3.83M
Liquid reserves14.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -16.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIELLE SMITH | CEO | 40 | $134K |
| DEBORAH DORSINO | CFO | 40 | $110K |
board members · 9
- DEBORAH HAIRSTON — PRESIDENT
- ELLIE LUKER ESQ — TREASURER
- KELLY WALTERS — BOARD MEMBER
- LUCRETIA HUNT — BOARD MEMBER
- MARY GRIFFEN — VICE PRESIDE
- MORRIS PEARSON — BOARD MEMBER
- NICOLE DORSEY — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT RICE — SECRETARY
- TOBRA VESCIO — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- City of Rome Government — Administers a joint down payment and closing cost assistance program for first-time homebuyers in the city.
- Contracts Management Team Partner — Internal team responsible for managing contractor applications and project contracts.
- Empire Justice Center Partner — Partner organization working collaboratively on housing justice and legal advocacy issues.
- Federal Home Loan Bank Partner — Partnership to deliver the Homebuyer Dream Program, a down payment and closing cost assistance initiative.
- Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce Network — Member of the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce.
- HomeOwnershipCenter Partner — Collaborates with municipalities and nonprofits to support community development and resource acquisition.
- Housing Trust Fund Corporation Government — Administers the Vacant Rental Program in partnership with the Office of Community Renewal
- Madison County Government — Receives investment through home rehabilitation projects funded by the organization.
- Mohawk Valley Association of REALTORS® Partner — Collaborates with the Mohawk Valley Association of REALTORS® on homeownership initiatives.
- NYS Coalition for Excellence in Homeownership Education Network — Member of the NYS Coalition for Excellence in Homeownership Education (CXHE).
- NYS Housing & Community Renewal Government — Recognized by NYS Housing & Community Renewal as a Neighborhood Preservation Company.
- National NeighborWorks Association Network — Member of the National NeighborWorks Association.
- NeighborWorks Network — Chartered NeighborWorks® Organization, part of a national network focused on affordable housing and community revitalization.
- NeighborWorks Alliance of New York State Network — Member of the NeighborWorks Alliance of New York State.
- NeighborWorks America Network — Member organization affiliated with NeighborWorks America, receiving certification and recognition.
- NeighborWorks America Partner — Collaborated to provide technical assistance for the formation of the Association of Block Coalitions
- NeighborWorks Network Network — Member of the NeighborWorks Network with certified Financial Educators delivering nationally accredited programming.
- Neighborhood Prevention Coalition of New York State Network — Member of the Neighborhood Prevention Coalition of New York State.
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal Government — Funds and oversees the Vacant Rental Program at the state level
- New York State Leading in Lead Government — Provides additional funding for multifamily properties through the Lead Safe Utica program.
- Office of Community Renewal Government — Co-administers the Vacant Rental Program with the Housing Trust Fund Corporation
- Oneida County Government — Receives funding and collaborates on rehabilitation projects through programs like the Vacant Rental Program.
- Rome Area Chamber of Commerce Network — Member of the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Government — Primary funder of the Lead Safe Utica program through HUD grants.
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development Government — Approved by HUD as a housing counseling agency.
- eHomeAmerica Partner — Hosts online financial education classes through the eHomeAmerica platform.
- local financial institutions Partner — Collaborates with local banks and financial organizations to deliver down payment assistance and connect homebuyers with loan products.
strategies · 5
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 Capacity Building through Partnerships and Organizingmethodology: community_led_capacity_buildingBy supporting resident-led coalitions and providing technical assistance and expertise to local partners, the organization strengthens neighborhood resilience because collective action and institutional collaboration amplify community-driven change.
- Housing Revitalization through Homeownership and Rehabilitationmethodology: community_revitalization_through_homeownershipBy combining homeownership support, rehabilitation, and long-term affordability covenants, the organization promotes neighborhood stability because it believes that empowered homeowners and reinvested housing stock are foundational to sustainable community growth.
- Long-Term Financial and Homeownership Support Modelmethodology: long-term_homeowner_support_modelBy providing comprehensive homebuyer education, personalized financial coaching, and post-purchase support, the organization increases the likelihood of sustainable homeownership because ongoing guidance reduces financial stress and builds individual capacity to manage homeownership responsibilities.
- Resident-Led Governance for Community Empowermentmethodology: resident-led_governanceBy ensuring over half of the Board of Directors are resident leaders, the organization embeds community voice in decision-making because it believes authentic resident leadership strengthens trust, accountability, and long-term neighborhood revitalization.
- Targeted Environmental Health Interventionsmethodology: environmental_remediation_for_lead_poisoning_preventionBy remediating lead hazards in homes of vulnerable populations, the organization prevents childhood lead poisoning because removing environmental risks directly reduces exposure and supports healthy development in high-risk groups.