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MINDS MATTER OF NYC INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 320191502 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE O50 · Youth Development · Medium ($1M-$10M) · mindsmatternyc.org
revenue
$2.6M
expenses
$2.7M
net assets
$2.8M
employees
17
volunteers
463
program ratio
76%
mission · from form 990

MINDS MATTER NYC CONNECTS DRIVEN AND DETERMINED STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH THE PEOPLE, PREPARATION, AND POSSIBILITIES TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE, CREATE THEIR FUTURE, AND CHANGE THE WORLD.

profile · synthesized from sources

Minds Matter NYC is a youth development nonprofit that supports low-income, driven students through a comprehensive 7-year program from high school into college and career. The organization provides mentorship, academic guidance, SAT preparation, and career development support to close the educational opportunity gap. Founded in 1991 and based in New York City, it connects students to college access and long-term success through a volunteer-powered model.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $640K
    COLLEGE PROGRAM:INCLUDES ALL COLLEGE PROGRAM EXPENSES. THIS INCLUDES BI-ANNUAL STIPENDS FOR ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS AND RESTRICTED DONATION SCHOLARSHIPS. THIS CATEGORY ALSO INCLUDES THE COST OF WINTER REUNION, WHERE MINDS MATTER NYC COLLEGE STUDENTS RECONNECT WITH THEIR COLLEGE COACHES FOR A DAY OF COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND CAREER INCUBATOR, A DAY-LONG CAREER CONFERENCE FEATURING PANELS AND WORKSHOPS ACROSS DIVERSE INDUSTRIES. ASSOCIATED STAFF SALARIES AND RELATED EXPENSES ARE INCLUDED AS WELL.
  2. #2 $539K
    OTHER:INCLUDES ALL VOLUNTEER RELATED EXPENSES (E.G., RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, BACKGROUND CHECKS, EVENTS) AND MINDS MATTER NYC MEMBERSHIP DUES. ASSOCIATED STAFF SALARIES AND RELATED EXPENSES ARE ALSO INCLUDED.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Academic Leadership and Development Academy (ALDA)
Program offering skill-building sessions such as elevator pitch training and career readiness with corporate volunteers
Career Incubator
Day-long career conference featuring panels, workshops, and networking with industry professionals to prepare students for post-college careers
College Program
7-year program providing mentorship, academic support, SAT prep, and college application guidance to low-income students, continuing through college with career support and stipends
Media Fellows Program with NBCUniversal
Partnership program offering high school juniors immersive experience in media and entertainment industries, including mentorship and case study presentations
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 2 activities
    • Associate Board engagement
      Engages young professionals in fundraising, advocacy, and volunteer support through the Associate Board, a capacity-building initiative to expand program reach and community involvement.
    • Volunteer recruitment and management
      Conducts volunteer recruitment, training, and background checks, and organizes volunteer-related events as part of program operations. Spent $539,315 on volunteer-related activities in the most recent fiscal year.
  • College Access and Success Support 1 activity
    • 7-year college and career readiness program
      Operates a comprehensive 7-year program that provides low-income students with academic support, individualized mentorship, and career guidance from high school through college and into early professional careers, at no cost. The program achieves 100% college acceptance into four-year institutions for all participants, with over 75% graduating within six years.
  • College Preparatory Secondary Education 1 activity
    • Academic and leadership development programs
      Offers structured academic support including weekly writing and critical thinking assignments for high school juniors and seniors, and runs the Academic Leadership and Development Academy (ALDA) to build elevator pitches and career readiness skills.
  • Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
    • Career Incubator program
      Hosts an annual Career Incubator, a day-long career conference featuring panels and workshops across diverse industries, providing college students with career roadmaps and networking opportunities with industry leaders.
  • Youth One-on-One Mentoring 1 activity
    • College and career mentorship
      Provides long-term, individualized mentorship to students throughout high school and the first two years of college, including structured career mentoring through six one-hour conversations over three months, and ongoing support into early professional roles.
  • Multi-Institution Scholarship Funding 1 activity
    • College success and financial support
      Provides bi-annual stipends and restricted donation scholarships to college students, including $250,000 annually in scholarship funding from Marshall Wace. Spent $419,375 on grants to support college students in the most recent fiscal year.
  • Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
    • Corporate internship and career partnership programs
      Operates internship and career development programs in partnership with corporations including NBCUniversal (Media Fellows), ING, and Permira (Permira Summer Scholars), providing high school and college students with hands-on experience, professional networking, and pathways to full-time employment.
  • Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
    • Impact Leaders program
      Launched in 2024, the Impact Leaders program recognizes dedicated supporters and provides them with direct engagement opportunities with students, programs, and mission to deepen long-term support.
  • Nonprofit Internship Programs 1 activity
    • Research internship program
      Provides access to research internships at Columbia University for students through the Science Matters Research Internship program.
  • Structured Student Enrollment Process 1 activity
    • Student application and selection process
      Conducts an annual admissions cycle for high school freshmen, accepting applications in February and March, conducting in-person interviews in May, and releasing admission decisions in June. Selects approximately 100 students per year based on drive and academic potential, excluding applicants from certain NYC specialized high schools.
  • Organized Member Social Events 1 activity
    • Winter Reunion and community building
      Hosts an annual Winter Reunion event to foster community building among students, college coaches, and program staff.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.60M
Contributions & grants$2.51M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$89K3%
Other revenue$5
expenses
Total expenses$2.68M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$1.34M
Grants paid out$419K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.96M
Cash$1.08M
Investments$1.25M
Liabilities$154K
Net assets$2.81M
Liquid reserves10.4 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +14.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
COSETTE GUTIERREZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $227K
RACHEL GELLER DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTEERS 40 $148K
L'TOYA JONES DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS 40 $130K
board members · 22
  • ABDUL ZAMERLI — DIRECTOR (THROUGH 11/24)
  • ADAM DAVIES — DIRECTOR
  • CHAERI TORNAY — DIRECTOR
  • CRISTINA CIGNOLI — DIRECTOR (BEGAN 11/24)
  • DIANA LEE — TREASURER
  • JAMAAL MCDELL — DIRECTOR
  • JEFF BURMAN — DIRECTOR (BEGAN 6/25)
  • JON CHU — DIRECTOR (BEGAN 6/25)
  • JONATHAN WILLIAMS — DIRECTOR (THROUGH 7/24)
  • JUSTIN HERRIDGE — DIRECTOR
  • KELI HUANG — DIRECTOR
  • LEEANNE SU — SECRETARY (THROUGH 9/24)
  • MAGGIE BRUNN — DIRECTOR (THROUGH 11/24)
  • MANSI KOTHARI — DIRECTOR
  • MARIBEL LEDEZMA-WILLIAMS — DIRECTOR
  • MARK SHPIZNER — CO-CHAIR
  • MINHAJ PATEL — DIRECTOR (THROUGH 9/24)
  • PETE BECKER — DIRECTOR (BEGAN 1/25)
  • SANJEEV PARLIKAR — SECRETARY
  • SARAH TANNER — CO-CHAIR
  • STEPHANIE TEICHER — DIRECTOR
  • STEPHEN PANG — DIRECTOR
relationships · 61

Who they work with

  • Accenture Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • AllianceBernstein Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • American Express Foundation Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Apax Partners, L.P. Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Ascienzo Family Foundation Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Bank of America Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Barsukov Foundation Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • BlackRock Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • CVC Capital Partners Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Capital Group Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Charles Hayden Foundation Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $50,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Chevron Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Citadel Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Columbia University Government — Board member Veronica Aguilar Hornig holds a leadership role in special programs and engineering admissions at Columbia University, indicating an institutional connection.
  • Columbia University Partner — Hosts the Science Matters Research Internship for Minds Matter NYC students.
  • Comcast Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Con Edison Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $10,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Corporate Partners Partner — Collaborates with corporate partners to provide students with access to internships and full-time employment opportunities through the Propel career readiness initiative.
  • Corporate Partners Partner — Corporate partners support the organization's mission to provide college and career readiness for low-income students.
  • Corporate Sponsor Partner — Organizations that sponsor the Career Coach program and enable employee participation as Career Coaches.
  • Dent Neurosciences Research Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Fried Frank LLP Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $25,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • General Atlantic Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Globalaw Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $5,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Google Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Grills Family Foundation Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $1,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • ING Americas Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $50,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
  • ING Americas Partner — Collaborates to prepare students for competitive internships, providing hands-on experience, professional networking, and pathways to full-time roles.
  • JPMorgan Chase Funder — Funded Minds Matter NYC at the $25,000+ level during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
+ 31 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.

  • Comprehensive College and Career Support Model
    methodology: comprehensive_college_support
    By combining financial stipends, one-on-one coaching, and structured skill-building workshops during college, the organization promotes academic and personal resilience because students receive holistic support tailored to the challenges of college persistence and career entry.
  • Double-Mentor, Peer-Community Support System
    methodology: peer_community_and_dual_mentorship
    By pairing each student with two mentors and integrating them into a peer cohort, the organization fosters a network of belonging that enhances engagement and retention because multiple supportive relationships buffer isolation and reinforce accountability.
  • Long-Term Mentorship Model
    methodology: long_term_mentorship_model
    By providing sustained, structured mentorship starting in high school and continuing through college, the organization increases college persistence and career success because consistent emotional, academic, and social support builds resilience and belonging over time.
  • Structured, Volunteer-Powered Programming
    methodology: structured_volunteer_programming
    By delivering a standardized curriculum through trained volunteers who do not create their own lesson plans, the organization ensures consistent, high-quality academic and personal development programming because structure reduces variability and increases scalability without sacrificing fidelity.