irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $613KCOMMUNITY ENERGY ASSISTS HOMEOWNERS WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY/WEATHERIZATION, CLEAN HEATING AND COOLING, ROOFTOP AND COMMERCIAL SOLAR. TO HELP NEW YORKERS ACCESS AND NAVIGATE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY NYSERDA CREATED CLEAN ENERGY HUBS. PUSH IS THE WESTERN NEW YORK CLEAN ENERGY HUB SERVING FIVE COUNTIES. PUSH ALSO PARTICIPATES IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS - BUFFALO EAST HOMEOWNER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (BEHIP) IS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOME REPAIRS TO LOW-INCOME HOMEOWNERS ON BUFFALO EAST SIDE, 16 PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED. WARM AND DRY IS A PROGRAM AIMED AT HELPING LOW-MODERATE-INCOME HOMEOWNERS ADDRESS HOME REPAIR NEEDS THAT ENSURE A WARM AND DRY LIVING ENVIRONMENT, 5 HOUSES WERE COMPLETED. 405 ENGAGEMENTS LEADING TO A REFERRAL.
- #2 $593KCOMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND YOUTH CENTERPUSH ORGANIZES RESIDENTS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AN ACTION PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. PUSH STRIVES TO BUILD A DEMOCRATIC, ACTION-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION CAPABLE OF ADDRESSING THE LACK OF LIVING WAGE JOBS AND POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS THAT MAY EXIST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. PUSH HOLDS LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND PLANNING MEETINGS. LEADERS ALSO PLAN PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE REALM OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND TO EMBED THE PUSH MODEL AND OBJECTIVES IN LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THE PUSH BUFFALO COMMUNITY HUB SERVES AS A DROP-IN COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE PUBLIC, SERVING INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES. THERE ARE A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN FROM COMPUTERS, HOMEWORK HELP, GAMES, MUSIC, EVENTS, AND PROGRAMMING.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
BUFFALO EAST HOMEOWNER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (BEHIP)
Grant program providing financial assistance for home repairs to low-income homeowners on Buffalo’s East Side; completed 16 projects
Community Energy
Assists homeowners with energy efficiency, weatherization, clean heating and cooling, and solar installation; operates as the Western New York Clean Energy Hub for NYSERDA across five counties
Community Organizing and Youth Center
Organizes residents to improve neighborhoods through leadership trainings, planning meetings, and public campaigns; operates the Grant Street Neighborhood Center and PUSH Buffalo Community Hub as drop-in centers offering homework help, computers, games, music, and events for youth and residents
Mutual Aid / COVID-19 Response
Provided food, groceries, rental assistance, PPE, and supplies to community members during the pandemic
Rental Property Management
Redevelops abandoned homes for occupancy by low-income residents to reduce housing abandonment in Buffalo
WARM AND DRY
Helps low-to-moderate-income homeowners address critical home repair needs to ensure a warm and dry living environment; completed 5 houses
activities · 12 groups
What they do
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Low-Income Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades 3 activities
- Facilitating community engagement and program referralsFacilitated 405 community engagements that resulted in referrals to clean energy or housing assistance programs.
- Offering free energy audits for residential homesOffers no-cost energy surveys to one-to-four family homes through the Residential Energy Audit Program to support energy conservation and efficiency improvements in Buffalo’s housing stock.
- Transitioning households from gas to induction stovesHelps residents of affordable housing on Buffalo's West Side transition from gas stoves to induction stoves as part of clean energy and indoor air quality improvement efforts.
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Housing Policy Advocacy & Tenant Organizing 1 activity
- Advocating for housing policy and tenant protectionsUses data from the induction stove pilot program to inform policy advocacy efforts in Albany and advocates for the adoption of a Tenants Bill of Rights in Buffalo, NY, focused on housing stability and tenant protections. Conducts public campaigns for corporate accountability and policy change through resident-organized action plans.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Building community organizing and leadership capacityOffers training programs to build organizing and advocacy skills for community members and develops neighborhood leaders to gain community control over development and neighborhood planning. Conducts weekly leadership trainings and planning meetings to organize residents in developing action plans for neighborhood improvement.
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Community Environmental Monitoring and Research 1 activity
- Conducting indoor air quality researchMeasures indoor air quality three times over one-week intervals using the Home Health Box to monitor particulates, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide in participants’ kitchens as part of the induction stove pilot program.
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Home Repair Assistance for Low-Income Households 1 activity
- Delivering home repair and weatherization servicesCompleted 16 home repair projects for low-income homeowners through the Buffalo East Homeowner Improvement Program (BEHIP) and provided repairs for 5 low- to moderate-income homeowners through the Warm and Dry program to ensure safe, warm, and dry living conditions. Also conducts housing weatherization as part of green infrastructure development.
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Community-Based Educational Programming 1 activity
- Offering free public classesOffers free classes to the public as part of community education and engagement programming.
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Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
- Operating community hubs with public access and programmingOperates the Grant Street Neighborhood Center and the Push Buffalo Community Hub as drop-in centers offering computer access, homework help, games, music, and community events for individuals of all ages. The community hub is located in a formerly closed library building preserved through community advocacy and has been staffed full-time since 2009 to maintain access and expand programming.
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Affordable Housing Development and Management 1 activity
- Providing affordable housing opportunitiesOffers multiple affordable housing opportunities through available rental units and constructs green affordable housing as part of community development initiatives on Buffalo’s West Side and within the Green Development Zone.
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Clean Energy Workforce Training 1 activity
- Providing clean energy training and workforce developmentProvides training for residents in clean energy and sustainability careers, including hands-on installation of clean heat, solar, renewable energy, and energy efficiency upgrades. Operates a social enterprise model through the Community Hiring Hall to train and place entry-level workers in construction and sustainability fields, with over 224 former trainees placed in jobs across Western New York.
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Distribution of PPE and Crisis Supplies 1 activity
- Providing mutual aid during emergenciesProvided mutual aid including food, groceries, rental assistance, supplies, and PPE to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affordable Home Construction & Rehabilitation 1 activity
- Reclaiming and redeveloping abandoned homes for low-income residentsReclaims vacant houses from neglectful public and private owners and redevelops them for occupancy by low-income residents to reduce housing abandonment. This includes redeveloping abandoned homes for low-income occupancy as part of efforts to combat housing blight in Buffalo.
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Tenant Legal Advocacy & Support Services 1 activity
- Supporting tenant rights and housing justiceProvides information to tenants about their rights and available resources, mediates between landlords, tenants, and city inspectors, documents landlord neglect, serves as a witness in small claims court using photographic evidence, and acts as a court liaison connecting tenants with defense lawyers in Landlord Tenant Court.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.32M
Contributions & grants$5.25M99%
Program service revenue$70K1%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$5.38M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$1.92M
Grants paid out$2.03M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.59M
Cash$2.16M
Investments$227K
Liabilities$5.23M
Net assets$-640K
Liquid reserves5.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +15.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAWN WELLS-CLYBURN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $88K |
board members · 5
- CARL NIGHTENGALE — DIRECTOR
- JIM ANDERSON — BOARD CHAIR
- MOLLY SIEVENPIPER — SECRETARY
- RAMONE ALEXANDER — TREASURER
- SHIRLEY SARMIENTO — TREASURER
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- Aaron Bartley Partner — Co-founder of PUSH Buffalo
- Center for Elder Law and Justice Partner — Refers tenants to Center for Elder Law and Justice for legal assistance.
- Center for Resolution and Justice Partner — Refers tenants to Center for Resolution and Justice for tenant/landlord mediation services.
- City of Buffalo Government — Engages with the City of Buffalo to advocate for tenant rights policies and structural reforms.
- Climate Imperative Funder — Funding provider for the induction stove pilot program.
- David Rivera Government — City Council Member who supported reopening the building as a non-profit incubator and hired full-time staff for the hub.
- Dawn Wells-Clyburn Partner — Executive Director of PUSH Buffalo
- Eric Walker Partner — Co-founder of PUSH Buffalo
- Home, Inc. Partner — Refers tenants to Home, Inc. for assistance with housing discrimination.
- Kresge Foundation Funder — Funding provider for the induction stove pilot program.
- Legal Aid Bureau Partner — Refers tenants to Legal Aid Bureau for legal assistance.
- M&T Bank Partner — Sponsor of the Building Blocks Breakfast event
- Massachusetts Avenue Project Partner — Co-occupied the building as a non-profit incubator and collaborated to maintain and expand community programming.
- Movement Leadership Institute and Community Hub Partner — Co-hosts events and programs including financial literacy, life skills, and recreational activities at 271 Grant Street.
- NY Renews Coalition — Member of the statewide NY Renews climate justice coalition that helped pass the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
- NYSERDA Government — Funds the WNY Clean Energy Hub's programs and initiatives
- NYSERDA Government — Serves as the Western New York Clean Energy Hub under a program established by NYSERDA.
- Neighborhood Legal Services Partner — Refers tenants to Neighborhood Legal Services for legal assistance and collaborates by sharing their housing guide.
- PUSH Green Partner — Collaborates on events and clean energy outreach initiatives
- Partnership for the Public Good Partner — Collaborated on a report about the Green Development Zone as a model for community development.
- School 77 Partner — Hosts events and meetings for PUSH Buffalo at its location on Plymouth Avenue.
- Stahlka Agency Partner — Sponsor of the Building Blocks Breakfast event
- Volunteer Lawyers Project Partner — Refers tenants to Volunteer Lawyers Project for legal assistance.
- WE ACT for Environmental Justice Partner — Partnering with PUSH Buffalo on a pilot program to replace gas stoves with induction stoves.
- WNY Law Center Partner — Refers tenants to WNY Law Center for legal assistance.
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.
- Climate and Economic Justice Integrationmethodology: climate_justice_integrationBy aligning clean energy transitions, workforce development, and housing electrification with climate resiliency and racial equity, we advance a just transition because integrating health, economic opportunity, and environmental goals multiplies community co-benefits and increases program relevance and uptake.
- Community-Led Organizing for Systemic Changemethodology: community_led_organizingBy centering lived experience and community leadership in organizing and governance, we build collective power that drives sustainable advocacy and systemic change, because authentic community ownership increases trust, participation, and long-term impact.
- Housing Justice Through Community-Driven Development and Advocacymethodology: community_driven_developmentBy reclaiming abandoned properties and advancing policy reforms like the Homes Guarantee and right to counsel, we produce stable, equitable housing because combining direct redevelopment with systemic advocacy addresses both immediate needs and root structural causes of displacement.