irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $77KLittle Caribbean NYC: Lead place-based economic development and placemaking initiatives including merchant organizing, district marketing, holiday market, tours & business development in Central Brooklyn stimulating increased revenue, visibility and foot traffic for small businesses. Program accomplishments include supporting over 100 small businesses and entrepreneurs through merchant organizing, development and distribution of Little Caribbean Passport; facilitated foot traffic and revenue for select local businesses by 10-20%; development and implementation of cultural tours, holiday markets attracting thousands of visitors to the area; collaborations with local government, city/state agencies and universities to implement place-based economic development strategies & initiatives
- #2 $61KMonday Mas: Immersive celebration of Caribbean Carnival that includes mas (masquerade) workshops, live music culminating with a band that showcases Caribpolitan culture, traditions and heritage. Program accomplishments include producing an inclusive cultural experience reaching millions of parade goers in New York City & beyond; our Mas Band themed Diaspora placed eighth in the Annual West Indian American Day Parade in 2024; forged partnerships with local groups and cultural practitioners to create new masquerade designs and performances.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Community Festival & Event Production 5 activities
- Designs and coordinates community celebrations and milestone eventsPlans and executes community events such as the Intern Takeover and the 3rd Anniversary celebration of Little Caribbean, fostering local engagement and recognition of Caribbean-American contributions.
- Named and developed cultural districts including Little Caribbean and Little Dominican RepublicNamed and established Little Caribbean in Flatbush, Brooklyn—the first officially recognized Little Caribbean in the U.S.—and developed the Little Dominican Republic in Washington Heights and Steelpan Day in Brooklyn at the request of local elected officials, creating designated cultural spaces to celebrate Caribbean and Dominican heritage.
- Produces and curates cultural events and programming in Caribbean communitiesProduces monthlong Caribbean-American Heritage Month events, Monday Mas Caribbean Carnival programming, and other cultural festivals such as One Love Fest and the Best of Little Caribbean Awards, engaging tens of thousands and collaborating with 50+ community organizations and cultural institutions.
- Produces pop-up markets and culinary showcases featuring Caribbean makers and businessesCurates and launches annual pop-up shops and markets, including holiday markets and a Caribbean section at Smorgasburg, featuring artisans, makers, and food businesses from the Caribbean and its Diaspora.
- Supports Caribbean-owned small businesses through cultural and economic initiativesSupports over 100 small businesses in Central Brooklyn through merchant organizing, the Little Caribbean Passport, cultural tours, holiday markets, and campaigns like “Eat Little Caribbean” and “Lyft Up Little Caribbean,” increasing foot traffic and revenue by 10–20% for participating businesses.
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Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 2 activities
- Engages in artist and institutional collaborations to expand cultural reachHas engaged in over 50 artist and creative collaborations and established 50 corporate and institutional partnerships to co-produce cultural programming, exhibitions, and events that elevate Caribbean voices and heritage.
- Organizes walking tours and cultural experiences highlighting Caribbean communitiesLeads neighborhood walking tours in Flatbush and other areas that spotlight Caribbean food, drink, art, and community, promoting local Caribbean-owned businesses and cultural heritage along Flatbush, Nostrand, and Church Avenues.
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Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
- Creates digital and physical cultural spaces to celebrate Caribbean identityOperates caribBEING House and other cultural spaces—including a repurposed sea container—and partners with Google Arts & Culture to launch digital exhibitions like "Caribbean Spirit," creating immersive experiences that celebrate Caribbean heritage and identity.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Curates exhibitions and public art installations celebrating Caribbean heritageOrganizes and presents art exhibitions and public installations such as "Caribbean Veranda," "Portraits of Carnival," "Esprit: Sacred Art of Haiti," and the 100 Gates public art project, hosted at venues including caribBEING House, MoCADA, and the Brooklyn Museum.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Organizes and produces immersive cultural experiences in partnership with major institutionsHas produced over 400 immersive cultural experiences and organized more than 300 events and exhibitions in collaboration with major cultural institutions, reaching over 300,000 in-person participants and millions online.
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Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
- Produces branded merchandise to support cultural identity and programmingDesigns and sells #IAMCARIBBEING and Caribpolitan-branded merchandise, including hand-stitched sweatshirts, tote bags, t-shirts, and self-care kits developed in collaboration with local makers, to promote Caribbean culture and fund programming.
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Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
- Provides community-focused programming during public health crisesPartnered with restaurants in Little Caribbean to deliver Caribbean meals to frontline health workers at Kings County and Downstate Hospitals during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting both healthcare workers and local businesses.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Provides mentorship and capacity-building opportunities for BIPOC creativesHas provided over 200 mentorships and professional opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) creatives, supporting development and inclusion in cultural and artistic fields.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$415K
Contributions & grants$381K92%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$34K
expenses
Total expenses$556K
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$138K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$350K
Cash$43K
Investments$0
Liabilities$527K
Net assets$-177K
Liquid reserves0.9 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -9.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jean Luc Stanislas | Director | 30 | $38K |
| SHELLEY WORRELL | Executive Dir. | 40 | $14K |
board members · 2
- DR TRINA YEARWOOD — President
- Theo Chambers Jr — Secretary
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- AirBnB Partner — Partnered with caribBEING to reach the Caribbean Diaspora and influencers in Brooklyn and beyond.
- Airbnb Partner — Co-hosted neighborhood art, culture, culinary, and walking experiences for Airbnb Superhosts.
- Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Partner — Collaborated with CARIBBEING INC during Caribbean-American Heritage Month programming.
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Hosted caribBEING in residence for multiple exhibitions.
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Hosted caribBEING's artist residency and exhibition Close-Lines
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Partnered on a public art mural through the JR exhibition at Kings Theatre.
- CUNY Network — Studies and teaches caribBEING’s work as an innovative cultural model.
- Conseil Regional of Guadeloupe Partner — Consults for the Conseil Regional of Guadeloupe on cultural initiatives.
- Cornell University Network — Studies and teaches caribBEING’s work as an innovative cultural model.
- Downstate Hospital Partner — Partnered with Little Caribbean/Flatbush restaurants to deliver Caribbean meals to frontline health workers during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Flatbush Nostrand BID Partner — Collaborating to bring the 100 Gates public art model to the Junction to enhance Flatbush as a cultural destination.
- Google Arts & Culture Partner — Collaborated on the digital exhibition "Caribbean Spirit" to showcase Caribbean cultural legacy.
- Google Arts & Culture Partner — Collaborated to launch the online exhibition "Caribbean Spirit".
- Google Arts & Culture Partner — Partners with caribBEING on cultural activations.
- James Beard Foundation Partner — Collaborates with caribBEING on immersive cultural experiences.
- Jane's Walk Partner — Led neighborhood walking tours focused on the Caribbean community in Brooklyn.
- Kings County Hospital Partner — Partnered with Little Caribbean/Flatbush restaurants to deliver Caribbean meals to frontline health workers during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Kings Theatre Partner — Activated courtyard with Caribbean food, art, and film, and facilitated a public art mural in partnership with the Brooklyn Museum’s JR exhibition.
- La Maison D’Art Partner — Co-organized the group exhibition "Salon 1.0" with MoCADA.
- Lefferts Historic House Partner — Hosted the group exhibition "Caribbean Veranda".
- Link NYC Partner — Curated the “Eat Little Caribbean” campaign to promote local businesses and increase neighborhood visibility.
- LinkNYC Partner — Partnered to present "Caribbean-American Icons" during Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
- Lyft Partner — Partnered on the “Lyft Up Little Caribbean” campaign to drive visitation and support for Black and minority-owned businesses in Flatbush and Crown Heights.
- Lyft Partner — Partnered with caribBEING to reach the Caribbean Diaspora and influencers in Brooklyn and beyond.
- MoCADA Partner — Co-organized group exhibitions including "Portraits of Carnival" and "Salon 1.0".
- Municipal Arts Society Partner — Led neighborhood walking tours focused on the Caribbean community in Brooklyn.
- NYC Small Business Services Partner — Collaborated with caribBEING on community development initiatives and invited caribBEING to lead a Cultural Entrepreneur bootcamp.
- NYC Small Business Services Partner — Consults for NYC Small Business Services on cultural and economic development initiatives.
- NYU Network — Studies and teaches caribBEING’s work as an innovative cultural model.
- Prospect Park Partner — Collaborated with CARIBBEING INC during Caribbean-American Heritage Month 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.
- Consultative Amplification of Caribbean Cultural Influencemethodology: consultative_cultural_amplificationBy forming consulting partnerships with public and private entities, we shape the development of Caribbean cultural districts and media representations because institutional collaboration extends community-driven narratives into policy and public consciousness.
- Cultural Hub for Community Engagement and Creative Expressionmethodology: cultural_hub_modelBy creating a physical and collaborative cultural hub in the “Little Caribbean” neighborhood, we foster creativity, cultural expression, and community engagement among Caribbean and diasporic communities because shared space strengthens identity and enables collective storytelling.
- Cultural Production as Resistance and Self-Determinationmethodology: art-as-resistanceBy using artistic installations and experimental filmmaking to center marginalized identities—including Latine queer and trans communities—we advance cultural resistance and self-determination because creative expression in oppressive systems enables reimagined worlds and reclaiming of narrative power.
- Place-Based Economic Development Through Cultural Placemakingmethodology: place-based economic developmentBy organizing merchants, marketing the district, and hosting cultural events in Central Brooklyn, we stimulate local economic activity and visibility because cultural identity drives foot traffic and supports small business sustainability.