irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $600KCommunity-Based Microloan Program for Low-Income Taxi Drivers In 2023,Dream Lighter launched a community-based microfinance program in New York City serving low-income taxi drivers. Approximately 400 participants collectively raised 400,000 to form a revolving loan fund, with an average contribution of 1,000 each. Through a transparent lottery Approximately 400 participants collectively raised 400,000 to form a revolving loan fund, with an average contribution of 1,000 each. Through a transparent lottery new loans each month. Borrowers repay 430 monthly at a 3 interest rate. These funds are recycled to ensure the funds continuous lending activity and sustainability. This approach ensures liquidity, transparency, and prudent stewardship of charitable assets, consistent with nonprofit community-development practices.
- #2 $187KEmpowerHer South Asian Women Advancement Program serves approximately 2,000 low-income South Asian immigrant women in New York City, many of skilled roles whom work in coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and gift shops. Over 50 are pressures. The organization employed in low- due to language barriers and limited access to training, often facing social and family discrimination with an average has conducted more than 40 educational and skills-based training sessions covering English as a Second Language ESL, skills development, job readiness, and financial literacy get attendance of 50 to 60 women per session. In addition, Dream Lighter has organized six large-scale outdoor conferences, each attended by approximately 500 women, Through these combined initiatives, The program provides ESL classes, basic computer and software training, providing access to education, resources, mentorship, and employment guidance in a supportive community setting. Training, skill development workshops, health and nutrition education, legal aid, and job placement support, contd SCH O
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Community-Based Microloan Program
Microfinance initiative for low-income taxi drivers in NYC, with 400 participants contributing to a $400,000 revolving loan fund offering small loans at 3% interest
Dream Lighter Climate and Community Resilience Initiative
Environmental advocacy program promoting clean energy, ecosystem preservation, and community resilience through training for students and community leaders
Dream Lighter Community Development
Serves over 2,000 South Asian taxi drivers and low-income immigrant families through financial literacy workshops, international summits, and discounted automotive services
EmpowerHer South Asian Women Advancement Program
Provides ESL classes, financial literacy, job readiness, and mentorship to approximately 2,000 low-income South Asian immigrant women in New York City
Women Empowerment Project - Nutrition Awareness
Provided nutrition food packages, PPE, and online seminars to 300 pregnant women and their families during the 2020 pandemic period
Women of Wonders (WoW)
Women's economic empowerment program providing skills training, leadership development, legal aid, and community support for low-income immigrant women in NYC, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and parts of Africa
activities · 17 groups
What they do
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Energy Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Advancing climate resilience and clean energy adoptionConducts research, expert panels, and training programs for students, young leaders, and community influencers to promote clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect ecosystems and fishing rights.
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Nuclear Disarmament Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Advocating for nuclear disarmament and climate actionWorks to eliminate nuclear weapons and address climate change through advocacy efforts aimed at creating a safer, more equitable world for children.
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Human Rights & Peace Education Curriculum 1 activity
- Conducting education and awareness campaigns on rights and social servicesRuns household visits and awareness campaigns to promote education for boys and girls, inform families about government schemes, and educate women and children on human rights, healthcare access, and legal protections.
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Financial Literacy Education Programs 1 activity
- Delivering financial literacy and immigrant integration workshopsProvides annual training to over 2,000 South Asian taxi drivers and immigrant families in NYC on financial literacy, credit management, budgeting, small business operations, and navigating the U.S. economic system.
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Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
- Delivering vaccines to low-income countriesDirectly delivers vaccines to poor countries where immunization access is most limited, focusing on improving health outcomes in underserved populations.
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Clean Water Infrastructure and Access 1 activity
- Expanding access to clean water and sanitationProvides clean water, freshwater delivery, and emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) relief to children and communities in remote or climate-affected areas.
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Charitable Grantmaking to Specific Causes 1 activity
- Funding charity projects globallyFunds more than 100 charity projects that have benefited over 100,000 people worldwide, supporting a range of humanitarian and development initiatives.
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Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
- Hosting community gatherings to strengthen immigrant networksConvenes five international summits annually at hotel venues and six outdoor assemblies in New York State Parks to foster social cohesion, civic engagement, and community building among immigrant populations.
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Women's Microenterprise and Livelihood Development 1 activity
- Implementing the Women of Wonders (WoW) economic empowerment programRuns the Women of Wonders program across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, parts of Africa, and New York to promote women's economic independence through entrepreneurial training, small business launch support, vocational skills in tailoring and literacy, leadership development, and self-defense instruction.
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Small Business and Nonprofit Lending 1 activity
- Operating a microloan program for low-income taxi drivers in NYCManages a $400,000 revolving loan fund for low-income taxi drivers in New York City, with 400 participants contributing $1,000 each and receiving monthly loans via lottery, recycling repayments to sustain lending.
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Girls' Education Access Initiatives 1 activity
- Operating schools and advancing girls' education in underserved regionsOperates primary and secondary schools in poverty-stricken areas, providing education, meals, and sanitary facilities to prevent girl dropout; develops school infrastructure and supplies teachers in rural areas to strengthen women’s education.
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Distribution of PPE and Crisis Supplies 1 activity
- Providing disaster and public health crisis responseDelivers emergency support during disasters and public health emergencies, including nutrition packages, protective equipment, and hygiene relief; provided aid to 300 pregnant women and families in NYC during the 2020 pandemic.
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Individual Child Education Sponsorship 1 activity
- Providing financial aid for children's educationOffers financial assistance to underprivileged children to cover educational expenses and ensure continued schooling.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 1 activity
- Providing legal counseling and rights advocacy for marginalized communitiesOffers legal counseling and guidance to impoverished and oppressed individuals in rural areas of developing countries, including support for accessing welfare, fighting employment abuses, and securing social rights; deploys volunteer teams to provide legal aid in remote regions.
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Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
- Running early childhood development programsOperates preschool programs that teach reading, writing, drawing, and sports to support cognitive and emotional development and build confidence in young children.
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Women Entrepreneurs Grant Programs 1 activity
- Supporting minority-owned small businesses during crisesAwards $500 grants to women-owned and minority-owned small businesses in New York City to help them survive the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, combining direct financial aid with digital platform support.
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Domestic Violence Survivor Support Services 1 activity
- Supporting survivors of abuse with shelter and trauma recovery servicesProvides shelter, food, medicine, and essential supplies to abused and traumatized individuals, particularly women and children, followed by legal and emotional support to aid recovery and secure rights.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$910K
Contributions & grants$408K45%
Program service revenue$170K19%
Investment income$244K27%
Other revenue$90K
expenses
Total expenses$876K
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$236K
Grants paid out$158K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.70M
Cash$102K
Investments$5.55M
Liabilities$1.89M
Net assets$3.80M
Liquid reserves77.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +22.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 12
- Debrota Mondal — President CEO
- Dilip Saha — Adviser
- Dr Shahera Banu — Dir Humanitarian Affairs
- Hosne ara Begum — Chairman
- Iqbal h Ansary — Director of marketing
- MD Abul Hayat — Dir Finance
- MD Asaduz Uz Zaman — Director of marketing
- Nowher Ahamed Choudhury — Trustee
- Professor anil kumar Saha PhD — Trustee
- Pronab Patra — Director of Press media
- Sharmin Akter — Director of Women Children
- Sonia Haque — Director of International Affairs
relationships · 14
Who they work with
- Africa Partner — Operates child well-being programs in African countries focusing on health, nutrition, and education.
- Bangladesh Partner — Provides healthcare, food, and shelter programs for children in Bangladesh.
- Government Government — Collaborates to educate women on access to government welfare schemes and legal rights.
- Government Partner — Collaborates with governments to expand access to education by providing infrastructural support and conducting joint awareness campaigns in underserved areas.
- Government Partner — Works closely with governments to extend legal aid and social services to oppressed populations in third world countries.
- India Partner — Implements childcare initiatives in India addressing malnutrition, child labor, and access to education.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Government — Cited as a scientific authority on climate change impacts, particularly regarding polar ice loss and sea level rise.
- Nepal Partner — Offers minimal healthcare arrangements and child welfare support in Nepal.
- Poor Countries Partner — Recipient of vaccine distribution efforts
- USA Partner — Conducts awareness campaigns on children's health insurance and mental health in the United States.
- churches Partner — Partners with churches to mobilize support for charitable programs.
- community leaders Partner — Collaborates with community leaders to support fundraising and charitable projects.
- corporate sponsors Partner — Works with corporate sponsors to fund and support charitable initiatives.
- local mechanics and body shops Partner — Provides discounted automotive maintenance and repair services to program participants
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.
- Collective Global Action for Systemic Changemethodology: collective global actionBy uniting people across borders to act collectively, we can address global challenges like climate change and nuclear weapons because large-scale problems require coordinated, transnational civic engagement to shift policy and norms.
- Community-Mobilized Resource Generationmethodology: community_mobilizationBy engaging community leaders, sponsors, churches, and citizens in fundraising and online giving, we generate broader ownership and sustainability of charitable initiatives because localized participation increases trust, reach, and long-term commitment.
- Integrated Basic Needs and Education Modelmethodology: integrated-basic-needs-and-educationBy combining immediate basic needs support with education, we create cascading improvements in children's lives and societal outcomes because stability enables learning, and learning breaks cycles of poverty.
- Trauma-Informed Sequential Supportmethodology: trauma-informed-legal-supportBy providing humanitarian aid before legal support, we restore dignity and safety first, enabling traumatized individuals to engage more effectively with complex systems because psychological stability is a prerequisite for advocacy and rights claiming.
- Women's Education as Transformative Empowermentmethodology: women-empowerment-through-educationBy educating women, we build self-identity, leadership, and personal freedom, which in turn drives broader social and economic empowerment because education fundamentally shifts agency and life trajectories.