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TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION INC
ITHACA, NY · EIN 160910547 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B22Z · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · tcaction.org
revenue
$9.6M
expenses
$10.1M
net assets
$9.0M
employees
147
volunteers
203
program ratio
89%
mission · from form 990

TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION, INC. (TCACTION) IS LOCATED IN UPSTATE NEW YORK'S FINGER LAKES REGION. TCACTION HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 55 YEARS, IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT FAMILIES IN THEIR GOALS TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

Tompkins Community Action, Inc. (TCAction) is a nonprofit Community Action Agency serving Tompkins County, New York. For over 55 years, it has implemented programs to support low-income individuals and families in achieving self-sufficiency. The organization operates integrated services in housing, early childhood education, and food security, with a focus on Head Start, supportive housing, and emergency food assistance.

named programs · 9 · from sources

What they call their work

Early Head Start
Comprehensive early childhood program for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women, offering home- and center-based options with developmental support and family services.
Family Literacy
Program providing monthly books and literacy activities to enrolled families to promote reading and learning at home.
Food Pantry Program
Emergency food distribution service providing monthly food boxes to food-insecure individuals and families.
Head Start
Center-based preschool program promoting school readiness for income-eligible children, including health, nutrition, and family engagement services.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
Rental assistance program providing federal Section 8 vouchers to income-eligible households in Tompkins County.
Making Moves Housing Stability Program
Rental assistance and stability services to prevent eviction and promote long-term housing security.
Primary School Family Support
Support for families with children in kindergarten through second grade, including home visits, school engagement, and resource referrals.
Supportive Housing Programs
Permanent housing with supportive services for vulnerable populations, including women, youth (18–25), and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, using a Housing First approach.
Victory Garden Project
Annual community gardening initiative to increase access to fresh produce and alleviate food insecurity.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Address food insecurity through emergency food distribution and garden programs
      Operates an emergency food pantry program that distributes over 400 food boxes monthly to low-income individuals. Also runs an annual victory garden project to support food access.
  • Section 8 Housing Voucher Administration 1 activity
    • Administer housing assistance programs for low-income and homeless populations
      Administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, providing rental subsidies to income-eligible households. Manages 1,145 housing vouchers and 95 units of supportive housing. Operates permanent supportive housing programs including Magnolia House for women, Amici House for youth, Ithaca Arthaus for young adults (ages 18–25), and Asteri Ithaca for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, often in partnership with Vecino Group.
  • Low-Income Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades 1 activity
    • Deliver weatherization and energy assistance to low-income households
      Provides weatherization assistance services to improve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs for low-income households in Tompkins County.
  • Comprehensive Community Service Hubs 1 activity
    • Implement integrated family services promoting self-sufficiency
      Operates a comprehensive system of 21 programs serving over 5,000 low-income individuals annually, including educational programming, supportive services, referrals, and socialization opportunities. Programs focus on child development, family engagement, and helping families achieve self-sufficiency through individualized support and community connections.
  • Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
    • Operate Head Start, Early Head Start, and family support programs for children and families
      Provides center-based and home-based early childhood education, developmental assessments, healthy meals, and family engagement services through Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Offers year-round enrollment for income-eligible families and supports school readiness through individualized planning, parent-teacher collaboration, and literacy events. The program has operated continuously since 1966 and serves hundreds of children annually.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$9.62M
Contributions & grants$9.02M94%
Program service revenue$480K5%
Investment income$1090%
Other revenue$122K
expenses
Total expenses$10.06M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$5.87M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$10.86M
Cash$255K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.89M
Net assets$8.97M
Liquid reserves0.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +13.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DANIELLE HARRINGTON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $172K
CAROLYN E BERMAN CFO 40 $127K
board members · 9
  • DANIEL LICHTER — DIRECTOR
  • GARY EVANS — DIRECTOR
  • JODY SCRIBER — PRESIDENT
  • JUSTIN ST JULIANA — TREASURER
  • KATE LAUX — SECRETARY
  • KAYLA MATOS — DIRECTOR
  • KEVIN KELLY — DIRECTOR
  • RICK ALVORD — VICE PRESIDENT
  • SAMANTHA STEVENSON — DIRECTOR
relationships · 36

Who they work with

  • BOCES Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Catholic Charities of Tioga/Tompkins Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • Cornell Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Cornell University Horticulture Department Partner — Community partner in food insecurity programs
  • Early Intervention Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Facebook Partner — Follows and shares information on Facebook
  • Family and Children’s Services Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Finger Lakes Community Health Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Food Bank of the Southern Tier Partner — Community partner in food insecurity programs
  • Food Distribution Network Partner — Community partner in food insecurity programs
  • Friendship Donation Network Partner — Community partner in food insecurity programs
  • Head Start Partner — Collaborates with Head Start through the Head Start Policy Council to include constituents in decision-making.
  • Human Service Coalition of Tompkins County Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • Ithaca City School District Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Ithaca College Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Learning Web Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • Legal Assistance of Western New York Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • Lion’s Club Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Local libraries Partner — Collaborates with local libraries to promote literacy through librarian visits and book access.
  • Longview Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Nourish Tompkins Partner — Community partner in food insecurity programs
  • Office of Head Start Government — Federal funder supporting the program through Grant Number 02CH010963
  • REACH Medical Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • Racker Partner — Collaboration to offer Early Head Start classroom options at the Wilkins Road location in Ithaca.
  • Racker Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • SUNY Cortland Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • Saint John’s Community Services Partner — Community partner supporting housing programs.
  • School officials in Tompkins County Partner — Collaborates with school officials to support parent-teacher conferences and provide mediation on behalf of children.
  • Sciencenter Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
  • TC3 Partner — Community partner in Family Services programming
+ 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.

  • Community-Based Food Security
    methodology: community-based food production
    By combining emergency food distribution with community-based food production (e.g., victory gardens), the organization addresses immediate hunger while building local capacity and resilience, because sustainable food security requires both short-term relief and long-term community ownership.
  • Community-Governed Decision-Making
    methodology: inclusive_governance
    By including low-income community members in governance through a tri-partite board and Policy Council, the organization ensures programs are responsive to community needs, because inclusive decision-making leads to more equitable, effective, and trusted services.
  • Family-Centered Empowerment Model
    methodology: family-centered early childhood development
    By integrating parent engagement, individualized planning, and comprehensive support services, the organization fosters child development and family self-sufficiency, because involving families as active partners increases program effectiveness and sustainable outcomes.
  • Housing First Model
    methodology: Housing First
    By providing permanent housing without preconditions, the organization creates a stable foundation that supports recovery, engagement in services, and long-term stability, because housing security is a prerequisite for addressing other challenges like health and employment.