irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $178KFacilitated multiple trainings for educational and community leadership.
- #2 $151KPiloted practitioner programs to train and coach community members in restorative practice circles and restorative justice conferences.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Restorative Conferencing
Facilitates voluntary conferences for individuals and communities affected by harm, using structured dialogue to repair relationships and develop accountability agreements.
Restorative Justice in Courts
Pilot program with Erie County Family Court and Probation to divert juvenile cases through restorative conferencing, reducing reliance on incarceration and promoting healing for victims and offenders.
Restorative Practices Training
Offers tiered trainings for community organizations, schools, and businesses on facilitating circles, managing conflict, and implementing restorative practices, including specialized workshops on race, SEL integration, and IEP meetings.
Thursday Practice Series
Weekly community practice circles including values circles, relationship-building circles, virtual circles, and role-playing of restorative conferences for skill development.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Restorative Justice and Peer Mediation Programs 3 activities
- Facilitate restorative circles and conferences for individuals and communities affected by harmConducts restorative circles and conferences using circle formats—both in person and via Zoom—for youth, families, schools, and community members affected by harm. Includes pre-conference interviews, facilitation of formal conferences to address incidents of harm, and post-conference follow-up to support accountability, healing, and agreement fulfillment.
- Implement restorative practices in schools and youth justice settingsSupports restorative culture change in 12 schools and the Erie County Youth Secure Center through tiered circle practices for prevention, problem-solving, and reintegration of suspended or expelled students. Collaborates with Erie County Family Court, Probation, and Child & Family Services on a Restorative Practices Pilot Program and has implemented a 3-part conferencing series with the District Attorney’s Office to divert juvenile cases.
- Train and coach community members in restorative practices through stipend-based programsPiloted a program to train and coach 22 community members in restorative practice circles and restorative justice conferencing through stipend-based participation, building local capacity for restorative facilitation.
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Conflict Mediation & Resolution Services 1 activity
- Provide restorative practices training for communities, schools, and organizationsOffers foundational and advanced trainings in restorative practices, including 7.5-hour sessions on Tier 1 (community-building circles) and Tiers 2 & 3 (conflict resolution and formal conferencing), using interactive methods such as role plays, discussions, and community-building games. Also delivers a nine-workshop series to support long-term implementation planning.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Host ongoing community-building and skill development circlesCo-facilitates monthly in-person and virtual community circles focused on values, relationship-building, and processing current events, as well as monthly role-playing sessions to build facilitation skills. Also offers ongoing opportunities such as circle writing workshops and educator support circles.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$893K
Contributions & grants$689K77%
Program service revenue$204K23%
Investment income$1030%
Other revenue$79
expenses
Total expenses$958K
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$537K
Grants paid out$263K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$428K
Cash$367K
Investments$0
Liabilities$422K
Net assets$5K
Liquid reserves4.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +9.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dina Thomson | Executive Director | 40 | $86K |
board members · 7
- Amy Vossen Vukelic — President
- Cheney Brokington — Board member
- Diane Elze — Board member
- Kathryn Franco — Board member
- Kim Diana Connolly — Board member
- Luis Tosado II — Board member
- Ruth Lloyd — Board member
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Buffalo City Court Partner — Working to build a presence in Buffalo City Court to expand restorative justice implementation.
- Buffalo Family Court Partner — Working to build a presence in Buffalo Family Court to expand restorative justice implementation.
- Buffalo Public Schools Partner — Working to build a presence in Buffalo Public Schools to expand restorative justice implementation.
- Child & Family Services' Center for Resolution and Justice Partner — Administers the Restorative Practices Pilot Program in collaboration with Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition.
- Erie County District Attorney's Office Partner — Collaborated on a 3-part restorative justice conferencing series for diversion of juvenile cases.
- Erie County Family Court Partner — Collaborates with Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition on the Restorative Practices Pilot Program.
- Erie County Probation Partner — Partners with Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition in administering the Restorative Practices Pilot Program.
- Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition Inc Network — Coalition that promotes social and racial justice through restorative practices in Erie County.
- Wix.com Network — Website platform used to create and host the organization's website
- Zoom Partner — Uses Zoom as a platform for conducting remote restorative conferences
- businesses Partner — Provides Restorative Practices training to businesses.
- colleges Partner — Offers Restorative Practices training programs for colleges.
- community organizations Partner — Provides Restorative Practices trainings for community organizations.
- local groups & organizations Partner — Engages in circle practice with local groups and organizations to strengthen community relationships.
- schools Partner — Delivers Restorative Practices workshops and trainings to schools.
strategies · 2
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.
- Restorative Practices to Repair Harm and Build Communitymethodology: restorative_practicesBy using restorative practices such as circles and conferences, we repair harm and rebuild relationships, because structured, inclusive dialogue fosters accountability, healing, and stronger community bonds.
- Shift from Punitive to Restorative Responses Through Training and Capacity Buildingmethodology: restorative_practices_trainingBy training individuals, schools, and institutions in restorative practices, we shift systemic responses from punishment to repair, because equipping practitioners with skills and support enables sustainable adoption of restorative justice in communities and institutions.