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Building Skills NY
New York, NY · EIN 455146915 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B30 · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · buildingskillsny.org
revenue
$1.5M
expenses
$1.5M
net assets
$550K
employees
9
volunteers
16
program ratio
81%
mission · from form 990

Training and related assistance to unemployed and underemployed persons from New York State.

profile · synthesized from sources

Building Skills NY is a nonprofit workforce development organization that prepares unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers for careers in construction. The organization connects job seekers with training and employment opportunities through partnerships with contractors and community organizations. It operates citywide, focusing on creating pathways to stable, well-paying jobs in the building trades.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Construction Career Accelerator (CCA)
Free advanced skills training program in electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and HVAC using NCCER curriculum; launched in 2021 and has graduated 400 residents
Job Placement and Retention
Places job seekers into construction roles and provides ongoing support to ensure long-term employment; has placed over 2,000 workers since 2016
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Workforce Readiness Training 3 activities
    • Partners with organizations to connect job seekers to training and employment
      Connects construction job seekers with training, support, and employment opportunities through partnerships with training providers, community-based organizations, and employers across New York City.
    • Places unemployed and underemployed workers into construction jobs
      Recruits, trains, and places unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers into full-time, well-paying construction jobs, with over 2,500 job placements achieved since 2018 and demonstrated outcomes including over 20% average wage growth and 80% job retention after one year.
    • Provides OSHA-30 safety training to construction workers
      Delivers OSHA-30 safety training to construction job seekers and employees in New York, serving over 100 individuals through partnerships with Public Housing Communities, Inc. and other organizations.
  • Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
    • Issues industry-recognized certifications to job seekers
      Equips participants with industry-recognized credentials including NCCER and OSHA certifications, issuing over 100 certifications through the Construction Career Accelerator program and supporting dozens of job seekers in earning credentials through partner organizations.
  • Union-Affiliated Trade Apprenticeship & Training 1 activity
    • Operates Construction Career Accelerator training program
      Provides no-cost advanced skills training in construction trades through the Construction Career Accelerator program, which has graduated 400 NYC residents and equipped participants with industry-recognized credentials such as NCCER Core and Electrical Level 1 certifications.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.53M
Contributions & grants$1.40M92%
Program service revenue$125K8%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.52M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$1.09M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$642K
Cash$488K
Investments$0
Liabilities$92K
Net assets$550K
Liquid reserves3.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +2.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
David Meade Executive Director 40 $305K
Tatanisia Lumley Director of Training & Operations 40 $150K
Rose Fathers Director of Business Services 40 $143K
board members · 16
  • Aaron Koffman — Director
  • Alex Arker — Director
  • Andre Banks — Director
  • Angela Pinsky — Director
  • Brandon Baron — Director
  • Debra Kenyon — Director
  • George Poulon — Director
  • Jacqui Williams — Director
  • Jennifer Mitchell — Director
  • Jim Whelan — Board Chair
  • Marlee Busching-Truscott — Director
  • Mary Serafy — Treasurer
  • Matt Gross — Secretary
  • Rick Gropper — Director
  • Ronald Moelis — Vice Chair
  • Sheila Lopez — Director
relationships · 23

Who they work with

  • Ace Industries Partner — Employer where Building Skills NY participant secured a supervisory carpentry role.
  • Apex Building Group Partner — Recognized as an employer partner for leadership in local hiring through Building Skills NY's program.
  • Bletsas Plumbing & Heating Partner — Recognized as an employer partner for leadership in local hiring through Building Skills NY's program.
  • Bronx Community College Partner — Partner in the Strengthening Community Colleges initiative supported by the US Department of Labor.
  • Bronx Pro Partner — Local contractor that employs Building Skills NY program graduates in skilled laborer roles.
  • Commonpoint Partner — Partnered to deliver recruitment and training services for the Construction Career Accelerator program.
  • Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation Partner — Collaborates with Building Skills NY to help job seekers earn industry-recognized credentials and secure full-time construction jobs.
  • Fifth Avenue Builders Partner — Recognized as an employer partner for leadership in local hiring through Building Skills NY's program.
  • LaGuardia Community College Partner — Partner in the Strengthening Community Colleges initiative supported by the US Department of Labor.
  • National Center for Construction Education and Research Partner — Provides nationally recognized curriculum used in the Construction Career Accelerator program.
  • National Sawdust Partner — Hosted the Building Skills NY annual fundraiser on October 8 in Williamsburg.
  • New York City College of Technology Partner — Partner in the Strengthening Community Colleges initiative supported by the US Department of Labor.
  • Not specified Partner — Partners with entities to connect workers to construction jobs and training, though specific organizations are not named on this page.
  • Premier Construction Partner — Employer partner that hired a BSNY training program graduate into a full-time role.
  • Public Housing Communities, Inc. Partner — Collaborates with Building Skills NY to deliver OSHA-30 safety training and job placement assistance to residents of NYC public housing.
  • Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation Partner — Collaborative relationship evidenced by shared staff history and joint workforce development initiatives.
  • The Arker Companies Partner — Collaborates with Building Skills NY to hire local residents for construction projects, including the Fountain Seaview Development in Brooklyn.
  • US Department of Labor Government — Supports the Strengthening Community Colleges initiative in which BSNY participates.
  • community-based organizations Partner — Partners with community-based organizations to connect job seekers with training and support services.
  • employers Partner — Works with employers across New York City to place job seekers into construction roles and provide workforce training.
  • partners and stakeholders Partner — Network of partners and stakeholders who supported job placements in 2019
  • schools Partner — Identifies candidates for construction careers through partnerships with schools that prepare individuals for industry employment.
  • training providers Partner — Collaborates with training providers to deliver skills instruction for construction job seekers.
strategies · 5

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.

  • Barrier Reduction and Equitable Access Model
    methodology: equitable access to skilled trades training
    By removing financial and systemic barriers to entry, we increase participation and success in skilled trades among low-income and underserved New Yorkers because access to no-cost training and support services enables equitable pathways into construction careers.
  • Performance-Based, Phased Training Pipeline
    methodology: performance-based_training_pipeline
    By using a phased, performance-driven training model that starts with fundamentals and progresses to specialized skills, we produce job-ready candidates because the structure builds competence incrementally and selects for motivation and work ethic.
  • Post-Placement Retention and Holistic Support
    methodology: holistic_workforce_development
    By providing ongoing support after job placement—including financial literacy and career navigation—we improve long-term employment retention because sustained engagement addresses the non-training barriers that often lead to dropout or job loss.
  • Sectoral Training with Employer Partnerships
    methodology: workforce-development-through-sectoral-training
    By providing advanced skills training in the construction sector and aligning directly with employer needs, we produce long-term career advancement for underserved workers because training is grounded in real job opportunities and industry demand.
  • Workforce Intermediary with Local Hiring Focus
    methodology: local_hiring_partnerships
    By acting as a bridge between underserved job seekers and construction employers—using community partnerships and local hiring agreements—we create inclusive workforce pipelines because proximity and trust increase participation and community reinvestment.