irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $47KFINE ARTS BOOSTER GROUP - SUPPORT OF THE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS THROUGHOUT THE ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUDING CREATIVE WRITING, DANCE, DRAMA, MUSIC, AND VISUAL ARTS.
- #2 $10KSTEM ADVOVATES IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH, INCLUDING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING AND ROBOTICS. STEM ADVOCATES SUPPORT COMES PRIMARILY THROUGH DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Fine Arts Booster Group
Supports fine and performing arts in the ICSD through mini-grants, event production, instrument repair coordination, and community-school connections.
IthacaSTEM Advocates
Volunteer-run organization fostering student engagement in STEM through fundraising, event support, and collaboration among local STEM groups.
Kids Discover the Trails
Program that brings pre-K through grade 5 students to visit sites on the Discovery Trail, including museums and the public library.
Red & Gold Grants
One-time awards of up to $750 to Ithaca City School District teachers and staff for projects that strengthen and enrich the curriculum.
Student Leadership Grants
Grants of up to $500 for 9th–12th grade ICSD students to lead projects with local community impact and develop leadership skills.
Teacher Grants
Grants of up to $1,750 for ICSD teachers to implement innovative educational projects in collaboration with community partners.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Teacher & Classroom Innovation Grants 4 activities
- Funds curriculum-enriching projects for teachers and staffProvides one-time grants of up to $750 to Ithaca City School District teachers and staff for projects that strengthen and enrich curriculum, including innovative educational ideas and hands-on learning experiences.
- Funds innovative student learning projects with community partnersProvides grants of up to $1,750 to Ithaca City School District teachers for student learning and engagement projects developed in collaboration with a community partner.
- Operates Teacher Grants programOperates a Teacher Grants program that funds innovative educational projects led by individual teachers in collaboration with community partners, which cannot be funded through public tax dollars.
- Provides grants and fiscal sponsorship for educational initiativesProvides grants and fiscal sponsorship to support innovative curriculum ideas, authentic learning experiences, school-based programs, and community engagement projects in the Ithaca City School District.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 2 activities
- Implements Kids Discover the Trail programOrganizes field trips for pre-kindergarten through grade 5 students to visit sites on the Discovery Trail, including seven museums and the public library, ensuring experiential learning access for all elementary students in the district.
- Operates outdoor gear program for student participation in outdoor educationRuns an outdoor gear program to promote student access to and participation in outdoor education and activities, including fiscal sponsorship for the Boynton 6th Grade Camping Trip and past support for the Ithaca Elementary Outdoor Gear Project.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Administers grants and awards program for students and educatorsProvides grants, scholarships, and special awards to students and educators, including the Phyllis B. Brodhead Library Media Technology Grant, Imaan Grewal Memorial Scholarship, Dan Wood Scholar-Athlete Award, and other named awards recognizing academic, artistic, athletic, and leadership achievements.
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Civic Engagement and Voter Mobilization 1 activity
- Co-hosts and broadcasts School Board Candidate ForumsCo-hosts public School Board Candidate Forums to inform voters about candidate priorities and visions, and makes live streams and recordings available via IPEI's YouTube channel.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Distributes free books and hosts public engagement eventsDistributes free copies of books by notable authors such as Dr. Eve L. Ewing to students and the public, and hosts public conversation events featuring prominent speakers.
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Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
- Hosts fundraising events for teachers and studentsHosts annual fundraising events including a disc golf tournament, an Adult Team Spelling Bee, and a karaoke night, with proceeds supporting grants for local teachers and students.
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Hands-On STEM Education Programs 1 activity
- Implements STEM Advocates programRuns the STEM Advocates program to promote student knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math, including computer programming and robotics.
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Public School Support Fundraising 1 activity
- Provides fiscal sponsorship and operational support to educational groupsProvides fiscal sponsorship and operational support to organizations including the Fine Arts Booster Group, IthacaSTEM Advocates, Friends of LACS, and specific school-based programs to expand educational opportunities.
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Donor-Advised Fund Grantmaking 1 activity
- Supports educational initiatives through donor-advised fundsSupports programs such as Kids Discover the Trail through donor-advised funds, including one established in memory of Ian Alberta.
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Supports fine and performing arts programs in public schoolsProvides direct support for fine and performing arts programs across the Ithaca City School District, including creative writing, dance, drama, music, and visual arts.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Administers annual grant cycles with measurable funding levelsAwards between $11,000 and $12,000 per grant cycle during the 2025–2026 school year, building on a history of providing over $1.6 million in grants and awards between 1996 and 2016.
- Funds student leadership and community impact projectsProvides grants of up to $500 to 9th–12th grade students in the Ithaca City School District for community impact projects that develop leadership skills.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$348K
Contributions & grants$260K75%
Program service revenue$10K3%
Investment income$71K20%
Other revenue$8K
expenses
Total expenses$302K
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$102K
Grants paid out$133K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.39M
Cash$370K
Investments$1.01M
Liabilities$8K
Net assets$1.38M
Liquid reserves55.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +11.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indi McCasey | Executive Director | 40 | $67K |
board members · 17
- Andrea Volckmar — Board Member
- Chris W Savino — Board Member
- Courtney Reinhart — Board Member
- Esther L Racoosin — Board Member
- Kate Supron — Secretary
- Kathy Duell — Board Member
- Kelly Cobb — Treasurer
- Linda Duttweiler — Board Member
- Margery Brodhead — President
- Marley Thompson — Board Member
- Mike Thompson — Board Member
- Millicent Clarke-Maynard — Board Member
- Moira Lang — Vice President
- Ross Tate — Board Member
- Samantha Elebiary — Board Member
- Sari Stifelman — Board Member
- Walaa Maharem-Horan — Board Member
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- Autumn Leaves Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- Buffalo Street Books Partner — Collaborated with Buffalo Street Books to distribute free books and host a community event.
- Buffalo Street Books Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- Cat's Pajamas Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- DiscIthaca Partner — Collaborates with IPEI to host the Spooker disc golf fundraiser event.
- Discovery Trail Partner — Partner organization providing experiential learning sites for Ithaca elementary students through the KDT! program.
- Family of Ling Zhang Partner — Established an award recognizing "unsung heroes" in the community
- Family of Raymond and Joan Loehr Partner — Started a fund to support the Innovative Science Teaching Award and Environmental Science Scholarship
- Fine Arts Booster Group Partner — Fiscally sponsored by IPEI since 2001 to support arts education in Ithaca City School District.
- Franco's Pizzeria Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- Friends and family of Yan Wang ’05 Partner — Established the Yan Wang Memorial Scholarship Fund to support STEM education and the Code Red Robotics Team
- Friends of Lehman Alternative Community School Partner — Fiscally sponsored by IPEI to support the mission of educating global citizens at LACS.
- Gimme Coffee Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- Ithaca City School District Government — Primary beneficiary and partner for educational funding and programming initiatives.
- Ithaca City School District Government — Primary educational partner and recipient of grant funding for teachers, staff, and students.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Collaborated with ICSD schools LACS and IHS to distribute free books to students.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Collaborates with IPEI to provide all elementary students access to Discovery Trail learning experiences.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Collaborates with IPEI to support students and teachers through community engagement and resources.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Primary partner for delivering education programs and services to students and teachers.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Primary partner in supporting public education through grants and collaborative initiatives.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Primary partner organization for grant distribution and educational programming.
- Ithaca High School Class of 1964 Partner — Established the Dan Wood Scholar-Athlete Awards for academic and athletic excellence
- Ithaca High School Class of 1968 Partner — Created a fund to honor students acting in the 'spirit of social change' and sponsors a Red & Gold grant
- Ithaca High School Class of 2001 Partner — Partnered to establish a fund supporting the Kids Discover the Trails in Ithaca program
- Ithaca PTA Council Partner — Co-hosted a School Board Candidate Forum focused on caregiver questions.
- Ithaca PTA Council Partner — Co-hosted a School Board Candidate Forum with IPEI, led by the Ithaca PTA Council with questions from ICSD caregivers.
- IthacaSTEM Advocates Partner — Fiscally sponsored by IPEI since 2013 to expand STEM education opportunities in the Ithaca City School District.
- Liquid State Partner — Venue that hosted a karaoke fundraising event benefiting IPEI.
- Liquid State Brewing Company Partner — Host venue for IPEI's annual Adult Team Spelling Bee.
- Moosewood Partner — Donor of door prizes for the 2026 Adult Team Spelling Bee.
+ 6 more
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.
- Civic Engagement Through Structured Dialoguemethodology: civic_engagement_through_dialogueBy co-hosting candidate forums and public conversations on education equity, we increase voter engagement and awareness, because structured dialogue around school board elections and systemic inequities fosters informed civic participation.
- Community-Partnered Educational Innovationmethodology: community-partnered_educationBy funding teacher-led projects that require collaboration with community partners, we produce more engaging and authentic learning experiences, because partnerships integrate real-world context and resources into education that public funding alone cannot support.
- Experiential Learning Integrationmethodology: experiential_learningBy connecting classroom learning to field-based exploration at cultural and scientific institutions, we produce deeper student engagement and understanding, because real-world experiences make abstract concepts tangible and memorable.
- Youth-Led Community Impactmethodology: youth_led_community_projectsBy empowering high school students to design and lead community projects, we develop leadership and civic responsibility, because experiential leadership roles build agency and connect learning to community outcomes.