irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.15MBX START DREAMYARD'S BX START PROVIDES A SPACE WHERE THE POWER OF DESIGN AND DIGITAL MEDIA CAN BE USED TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. BXSTART PROGRAMS RUN DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS, SATURDAYS AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. THE FOLLOWING ART PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE: JOURNALISM, DESIGN, MAKER, DIGITAL ARTS, AND FASHION.
- #2 $620KWORK-BASED LEARNING THROUGH OUR CREATIVE CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAM, DREAMYARD IS INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL AND POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS OF THE BRONX, NY WHO ARE PLACED IN PAID INTERNSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCES.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Art Center Programs (ACP)
Offers high-quality arts instruction, leadership development, and academic supports after school, on weekends, and during summer to over 400 middle and high school students at the DreamYard Art Center.
BX Start Gaming and Entrepreneurship Center
Second community center focused on digital media, game design, fashion, and entrepreneurship to promote economic opportunity and social justice for Bronx residents.
BX Youth Arts Council (ACTION)
Civic engagement program where youth explore local social issues through poetry, visual art, and theater.
Creative Career Pathways (CCP)
Provides mentorship, internships, college and career readiness training, and entrepreneurial classes connecting youth to creative careers; reinvests over $730,000 annually into summer internships and stipends.
DreamYard Preparatory High School (DYP)
Arts-integrated public high school emphasizing scholarship, artistry, and character, with rigorous curriculum that deepens understanding across subject areas.
In-School Programs
Provides 200 in-school art residencies across 40+ public schools in the Bronx, serving over 6,000 students annually through arts-integrated education.
International Poetry Exchange Program (IPEP)
Connects Bronx students with peers in Japan, South Korea, Philippines, and Australia through video conferencing and cultural exchange focused on poetry, identity, and global dialogue.
Professional Development (PD)
Network for educators, school administrators, and teaching artists across the Bronx to engage in skill-building activities in arts, education, and social justice pedagogy.
activities · 12 groups
What they do
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Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Arts and social justice programming for Bronx youthProvides arts-based programs in social justice, leadership development, digital literacy, and academic enrichment for middle and high school students in the Bronx through after-school, weekend, and summer offerings at its community art centers. Serves over 400 students annually at the DreamYard Art Center and supports pathways to higher education and creative careers.
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Arts-integrated academic programmingDelivers an arts-integrated high school curriculum emphasizing critical thinking and problem solving, including AP courses in English Literature, Spanish, and U.S. History, and arts majors in theater, dance, visual art, and music.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Bronx Community Relief EffortSupported the launch of the Bronx Community Relief Effort in 2020, which raised and distributed $15 million in emergency aid across the Bronx during the pandemic.
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Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
- Community art centersOperates two community art centers: the original DreamYard Art Center and BX Start, a second center opened in 2019 focused on creative careers in design and entrepreneurship. BX Start Gaming and Entrepreneurship Center, launched in 2023, serves as a digital career readiness hub.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
- Community organizing and family engagementOffers community organizing programs for caregivers and older community members focused on identifying local needs, building relationships, and collaborative problem-solving. Runs monthly BX Farm to Table events and bi-weekly parent advocacy groups through the COSI program.
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Youth Workforce Readiness Programs 1 activity
- Creative Career Pathways internshipsProvides paid internships and career training for Bronx youth ages 14–19 in creative fields including arts & culture, technology, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. Includes a six-week summer program co-led by teaching artists and CUNY mentors, resulting in digital portfolios and professional references. Reinvests over $730,000 annually in youth stipends and employment opportunities. The virtual model was adopted citywide by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development.
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Charter School Operations 1 activity
- DreamYard Preparatory High SchoolFounded and operates DreamYard Preparatory High School in partnership with New Visions and the Gates Foundation, established in 2006 as part of its educational programming.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Legacy Fellowship programOffers real work experience in arts administration or teaching artistry for Bronx-based college students and college-aged youth through the Legacy Fellowship program.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Professional development for programsDevelops an annual programmatic imperative through its Professional Development Department to guide all organizational programming and classes.
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Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- School-based artist residenciesPlaces professional artist-educators in over 200 annual in-school residencies across more than 45 public schools in the Bronx, delivering arts-integrated instruction to over 6,000 students each year. Collaborated with 125 NYC public schools since inception.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Youth arts programs by disciplineOffers discipline-specific youth programs in theater (Bronx Acting Ensemble), visual arts (Bronx Art Collective), dance (BX Dance Movement), music production (BeatYard), fashion design (Activated Fashion), game design, digital photography, media production, illustration, and poetry. Programs emphasize artistic skill-building, creative expression, and culminating projects or performances.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- International Poetry Exchange ProgramConnects Bronx students with peers in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines through poetry exchange activities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Launched in 2014 and has engaged over 500 students, culminating in an annual Spoken Word Poetry Slam Competition.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.01M
Contributions & grants$4.80M80%
Program service revenue$1.22M20%
Investment income$2280%
Other revenue$-13K
expenses
Total expenses$6.86M
Program expenses68%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$5.23M
Grants paid out$33K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.18M
Cash$884K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.76M
Net assets$2.43M
Liquid reserves1.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -12.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KANIKA SRINIVASAN | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $179K |
| JASON DUCHIN | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $172K |
| THOMAS LORD | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $163K |
| SAMANTHA PHILLIPS | DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE | 40 | $148K |
| MICHELLE A STONE-PENNYCOOKE | FORMER DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $128K |
| CYRIL A GREENE | DIRECTOR OF ARTS CENTER | 40 | $118K |
| MORIAH CARLSON | DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS & DESIGN PROGRAMS | 40 | $117K |
| ELLA COHEN | DIRECTOR OF LEGACY AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS | 40 | $113K |
board members · 17
- ABBY TURK — TREASURER
- ALISYN CAMEROTA — DIRECTOR
- ANDY BERNDT — DIRECTOR
- CHRIS HOWE — SECRETARY
- DAVON RUSSELL — VICE PRESIDENT
- ELIZABETH LAYLA SHAH-HOSSEINI — DIRECTOR
- ERICKSON BLAKNEY — DIRECTOR
- ETHAN HAWKE — DIRECTOR
- JAY JULIEN — DIRECTOR
- JOSEPH GALLO — DIRECTOR
- JULIE NORTH — DIRECTOR
- LORI OSCHER FRIEDMAN — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL BLAKE — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL SPRINGER — DIRECTOR
- PATRICIA PEREZ — PRESIDENT
- RENEE WATSON — DIRECTOR
- SAMANTHA MAGISTRO — DIRECTOR
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Annenberg Foundation Funder — Supported the construction of the DreamYard Community Center in 2009.
- Big Picture Learning Partner — Co-founded Here-to-Here (H2H) in 2017 to connect youth to employment opportunities.
- Bronx Partner — Works with Bronx youth, families, and schools through arts and social justice programming.
- Bronx Borough President Government — Collaborated to build the DreamYard Community Center in 2009.
- Bronx public schools Partner — Hosts year-long artist-educator residencies through the In School Programs initiative.
- Caroline Kennedy Partner — Co-founded the International Poetry Exchange Program with DreamYard during her tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
- City University of New York (CUNY) Partner — Co-leads DreamYard's six-week internship program with CUNY college mentors and awards CUNY-recognized digital portfolios to participants.
- Gates Foundation Partner — Partnered to open DreamYard Preparatory High School in 2006.
- James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation Funder — Co-founded Here-to-Here (H2H) in 2017 and supported the Bronx Community Relief Effort in 2020.
- MacArthur Foundation Funder — Supported the construction of the DreamYard Community Center in 2009.
- Major Gifts ($15,000+) Funder — Donors contributing $15,000 or more annually to support DreamYard's programs
- NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Partner — Collaborates with DreamYard to provide paid internship experiences for Bronx youth.
- NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Government — Selected DreamYard's virtual Creative Career Pathways internship program as the blueprint for citywide career readiness and youth development programs.
- New Visions Partner — Co-founded DreamYard Preparatory High School in 2006.
- Stephen Steigman Foundation Partner — Partnership supporting the Steigman Photo Club, including scholarship funding for middle school students.
- U.S. Department of State Partner — Co-founded and implemented the International Poetry Exchange Program with DreamYard.
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.
- Arts-Integrated Social Justice Educationmethodology: arts_and_social_justice_educationBy integrating arts education with social justice pedagogy, the organization fosters critical thinking, civic engagement, and collective transformation among youth, because aligning artistic expression with equity-focused learning deepens relevance and empowers marginalized voices.
- Community-Driven Program Co-Designmethodology: community_driven_programmingBy using student and community feedback to shape programming, the organization increases relevance and ownership, because participatory design ensures cultural responsiveness and strengthens collective agency in underserved communities.
- Youth Creative Career Pathway Modelmethodology: creative_career_pathwayBy combining after-school skill development in the arts with paid summer internships in local creative sectors, the organization builds economic opportunity and professional agency for youth, because experiential learning paired with real-world employment creates tangible pathways to creative careers.