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BROOKLYN LEVEL UP INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 851148315 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · bklvlup.org
revenue
$554K
expenses
$416K
net assets
$276K
employees
0
program ratio
50%
mission · from form 990

A community development corporation strengthening the relationships, sharing knowledge, and clearing obstacles, so that long-time residents of Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Flatlands can drive economic development and build community wealth.

profile · synthesized from sources

BROOKLYN LEVEL UP INC is a community development organization based in Brooklyn, NY, focused on empowering long-time residents of Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Flatlands to drive local economic development and environmental justice. The organization runs youth internships, community land trust initiatives, and civic engagement programs that combine data, technology, storytelling, and policy advocacy to build community wealth and resilience.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $47K
    The Flats Community Land Trust CLT is dedicated to preserving and building affordable housing, establishing vibrant commercial and communal spaces, and advocating alongside residents and businesses for equitable land use.
  2. #2 $43K
    BKLVLUP Cultivate is committed to environmental justice, empowering community membersespecially youthto engage with the green economy while addressing critical issues related to soil health, air quality, and extreme heat. Through its citizen scientist corps, the initiative trains residents to identify environmental challenges, map their impact, navigate government programs, and drive community-led solutions. Its flagship project includes a paid youth-led soil testing program, interactive data collection workshops, and community-driven mapping projects, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to advocate for a healthier, more resilient future.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Cultivate
Youth-led environmental justice program that trains community members, especially youth, in soil testing, air quality monitoring, and green economy careers through citizen science and intergenerational collaboration.
EcoPower Internship
Paid 9-week summer internship for Brooklyn high school and college students focusing on environmental data, tech, storytelling, and civic engagement through four tracks: Environmental & Data, Tech & AI, Story & Media, and Community & Civic.
Map the Culture
Digital storytelling and mapping platform where residents share memories, recipes, videos, and hopes for their neighborhoods, combining cultural heritage with data for community planning.
Rain Activated
Climate resilience project using art and data to raise awareness about flooding, featuring rain-activated murals and a toolkit to help residents prepare for and respond to storm events.
The Collective
Wellness-based incubator for local entrepreneurs and startups that provides peer learning, professional mentorship, and networking to support community-rooted economic development.
The Flats Community Land Trust (CLT)
Initiative to preserve and create affordable housing, commercial spaces, and cultural gathering areas through community ownership to prevent displacement in Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Flatlands.
The People's Money
Participatory budgeting initiative in partnership with NYCCEC’s TRIE program, enabling East Flatbush residents to decide how to allocate part of the city’s budget.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Community Environmental Monitoring and Research 1 activity
    • Conduct community-led environmental data collection and monitoring
      Leads community-based environmental research including testing of over 250 soil samples, deploying air-quality and stormwater sensors in Flatbush, and collecting data on contamination patterns and extreme heat. Translates scientific findings into accessible formats for public use.
  • Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
    • Document and preserve community culture and oral histories
      Produces multimedia content and conducts oral history interviews with long-term residents, collecting over 200 stories, recipes, interviews, and histories from Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Flatlands to inform planning, environmental justice, and land stewardship using lived experience.
  • Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
    • Facilitate participatory budgeting and civic engagement
      Operates The People's Money initiative to facilitate participatory budgeting in East Flatbush, empowering residents to decide how to allocate portions of New York City’s budget. Engages interns and community members in civic campaigns around transit equity and local budget advocacy.
  • Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
    • Fund local solutions through grant acquisition
      Secures external grant funding to scale community-driven programs, having raised over $500,000 from organizations including the New York Women’s Foundation, New York Community Trust, North Star Fund, Brooklyn Org, and Rainproof NYC.
  • Affordable Housing Development and Management 1 activity
    • Preserve and develop affordable housing and community land
      Establishes and preserves affordable housing, commercial spaces, and communal areas through the Flats Community Land Trust, while advocating for equitable land use in Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Flatlands. Provided outreach and direct assistance to over 1,200 property owners to prevent displacement and support long-term community ownership.
  • Small Business Technical Assistance 1 activity
    • Support local entrepreneurship and small business development
      Runs The Collective, a wellness and accountability-based incubator program that has supported over 100 entrepreneurs to strengthen local businesses and build community-rooted economic power in East Flatbush, Flatbush, and Flatlands.
  • Youth Workforce Development in Food & Environment 1 activity
    • Train youth in environmental justice through citizen science programs
      Operates the Cultivate EcoPower Internship, a paid program that trains and mentors over 50 youth in soil testing, air quality monitoring, climate storytelling, digital equity, and environmental advocacy. Interns engage in data collection and present findings at community events.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$554K
Contributions & grants$552K100%
Program service revenue$2K0%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$416K
Program expenses50%
Admin / overhead50%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$297K
Cash$266K
Investments$0
Liabilities$21K
Net assets$276K
Liquid reserves7.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +32.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 16
  • ALLYSON MARTINEZ — Executive Dir.
  • ANTWAN RUCKER — Director
  • CHASEN HOLLANCID — Director
  • CHRISTOPHER KUIST — Trustee
  • DALE DAWES — Director
  • GARY MCGAHA — Trustee
  • HAIMY ASSEFA — Director
  • JEREMIAH OJO — Director
  • JOAN ERSKINE — Director
  • MATTHEW SHORE — Director
  • MAY NGUYEN — Trustee
  • NOELLIA SURPRIS — Director
  • RACHEL GOODFRIEND — Director
  • SADE REID — Secretary
  • SIMON BETSALEL — Director
  • STEPHON HINDS — President
relationships · 9

Who they work with

  • Allyson Martinez, Esq. Government — Executive Director and designated Civil Rights Coordinator for Brooklyn Level Up
  • BKLVLUP Network — Main organization running the EcoPower internship program
  • Brooklyn Org Funder — Grant funder supporting BKLVLUP's local solutions
  • Google Partner — Uses Google Forms as a platform for collecting partner feedback.
  • NYCCEC Partner — BROOKLYN LEVEL UP INC serves as NYCCEC's TRIE partner in East Flatbush, facilitating participatory budgeting through The People's Money initiative.
  • New York Community Trust Funder — Grant funder supporting BKLVLUP's local solutions
  • New York Women’s Foundation Funder — Grant funder supporting BKLVLUP's local solutions
  • North Star Fund Funder — Grant funder supporting BKLVLUP's local solutions
  • Rainproof NYC Funder — Grant funder supporting BKLVLUP's local solutions
strategies · 4

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.

  • Collective Power Building
    methodology: collective_power
    By fostering collective power through strategic partnerships and place-based initiatives, the organization strengthens community empowerment and organizational growth because shared agency and localized programming increase impact and sustainability.
  • Inclusive Community Foundation
    methodology: inclusive-community-building
    By treating diversity and inclusion as foundational, the organization creates stronger communities because belonging and representation are prerequisites for effective participation and equitable outcomes.
  • Participatory Environmental Justice
    methodology: community-led environmental justice
    By combining community science, participatory cultural mapping, and art-based education, the organization advances environmental justice because these methods make data accessible, center community voice, and transform environmental challenges into shared learning and action.
  • Youth-Led Community Empowerment
    methodology: community-led_development
    By training and empowering local youth to lead environmental, civic, and technological initiatives, the organization produces sustained community resilience and local decision-making power because it builds leadership from within and ensures long-term, culturally rooted change.