irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $316KLUCA SCHOLARS / COLLEGE SUCCESS THE LUCA SCHOLARS COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM ENSURES THAT SCHOLARS NOT ONLY ENROLL IN COLLEGE BUT PERSIST, GRADUATE, AND LAUNCH MEANINGFUL CAREERS. ONCE ENROLLED, STUDENTS RECEIVE INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING, PEER MENTORING, AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO NAVIGATE ACADEMIC, FINANCIAL, AND SOCIAL TRANSITIONS DURING THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS. PARENTS ARE ENGAGED THROUGH BILINGUAL "FIRST GEN PADRES" WORKSHOPS THAT HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN COLLEGE.LUCA'S HOLISTIC, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE MODEL HAS PRODUCED EXCEPTIONAL OUTCOMES: OVER 90% OF LUCA SCHOLARS HAVE GRADUATED OR REMAIN ON TRACK TO GRADUATE WITHIN SIX YEARS, COMPARED TO A NATIONAL AVERAGE OF LESS THAN 50% FOR FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS. NEARLY HALF ATTEND "MOST SELECTIVE OR "VERY SELECTIVE" FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS
- #2 $232KLUCA SCHOLARS / CAREER READINESS THE LUCA SCHOLARS CAREER READINESS & INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PREPARES COLLEGE JUNIORS AND SENIORS TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE WITH CONFIDENCE AND PURPOSE. THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, MENTORING, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS, SCHOLARS BUILD THE SKILLS AND NETWORKS NECESSARY FOR EARLY CAREER SUCCESS. SIGNATURE EVENTS SUCH AS "CAREER EXPLORATION DAYS," INTERNSHIP PLACEMENTS, AND "CAREER WORKSHOPS" CONNECT SCHOLARS DIRECTLY WITH EMPLOYERS IN INDUSTRIES INCLUDING STEM, BUSINESS, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSIONS AND FAFSA BOOTCAMPS LUCA EXTENDS ITS IMPACT BEYOND ENROLLED SCHOLARS BY SERVING THE BROADER WESTCHESTER COUNTY COMMUNITY THROUGH CULTURALLY RELEVANT, BILINGUAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND OUTREACH. PROGRAMS SUCH AS "PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE," "APPLYING TO COLLEGE", "PAYING FOR COLLEGE, AND FAFSA BOOTCAMPS EQUIP FAMILIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO BEGIN THE COLLEGE JOURNEY.SINCE ITS FOUNDING, LUCA HAS REACHED MORE THAN 9,121 STUDENTS AND PARENTS ACROSS EIGHT WESTCHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, HELPING FAMILIES GAIN CRITICAL ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Information Sessions and FAFSA Bootcamps
Delivers bilingual, culturally relevant workshops on college applications, financial aid, and FAFSA completion to students and families across Westchester County school districts.
First-Gen Forward (FGF)
Offers career readiness training including resume writing, interviewing, networking, and professional etiquette with support from corporate volunteers.
LUCA Scholars / Career Readiness & Internship Program
Prepares college juniors and seniors for the workforce through professional development workshops, mentoring, internship placements, and employer connections in STEM, business, and public service.
LUCA Scholars / College Success
Provides individualized coaching, peer mentoring, and ongoing support to first-generation students during their first two years of college to ensure retention and graduation.
activities · 1 group
What they do
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College Access and Success Support 4 activities
- Advancing economic mobility through college completion and career advancementSupports long-term economic advancement for first-generation students and their families by increasing college graduation rates and facilitating career development, contributing to improved individual and community outcomes.
- Delivering community information sessions on college accessConducts outreach events and informational sessions for students and parents across Westchester County high schools, reaching thousands of participants over the past decade to increase awareness of college opportunities and preparation pathways.
- Ongoing academic and post-college support for ScholarsProvides sustained support to students during and after college to promote degree completion and long-term success, with over 90% of LUCA scholars graduating or remaining on track within six years—significantly above the national average for first-generation students.
- Providing free college access and enrollment support to first-generation and underrepresented studentsOffers comprehensive college access and enrollment support services at no cost to first-generation and underrepresented students in Westchester County, NY, including guidance through applications, financial aid, and matriculation processes.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.30M
Contributions & grants$1.31M101%
Program service revenue$40K3%
Investment income$16K1%
Other revenue$-73K
expenses
Total expenses$1.43M
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$870K
Grants paid out$15K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.37M
Cash$787K
Investments$0
Liabilities$58K
Net assets$1.31M
Liquid reserves6.6 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -20.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHIRLEY A BUONTEMPO | FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $156K |
board members · 16
- ALDO POLAK — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTINE LOUVET — CHAIRPERSON
- CLARA ROMAN — DIRECTOR
- DALIA HERNANDEZ VALDES — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN SCHWARTZ — DIRECTOR
- LISA M BELL — TREASURER
- MARK ELLMAN — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW J SEARLES — DIRECTOR THRU 7/20/2024
- MIGUEL M MENDEZ — DIRECTOR
- PATRICIA BOGOYA-BRAVO — DIRECTOR
- RAFAEL PALOMINO — DIRECTOR
- RAFAEL PEREZ — DIRECTOR
- RODRIGO TRELLES ZABALA — DIRECTOR
- SCOTT SILVERSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- SHAWN EDWARDS — SECRETARY
- TAMARA VASQUEZ — VICE CHAIRPERSON
relationships · 1
Who they work with
- Corporate Volunteers Partner — Corporate volunteers partner with LUCA to deliver career readiness workshops, mentor scholars, and support internship placements.
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.
- Corporate Volunteer Partnerships for Career Readinessmethodology: career readiness through corporate volunteer partnershipsBy connecting college students with corporate volunteers through mentoring and professional development, the organization builds career readiness, because real-world networks and skill-building increase workforce entry success for underrepresented students.
- Equitable Pathways Through Holistic Supportmethodology: holistic, culturally responsive modelBy combining individualized coaching, peer mentoring, and family engagement in a culturally responsive framework, the organization increases college success for first-generation Latino students, because addressing academic, financial, social, and familial barriers together creates more durable outcomes.
- Long-Term Mentoring Modelmethodology: mentoring-to-and-through-collegeBy providing sustained, individualized mentoring relationships, the organization supports Latino and first-generation students through college, because continuous guidance fosters academic persistence, personal growth, and community impact.