irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $175KAn urbanist entrepreneurship accelerator aimed at reimagining how Black communities are planned, revitalized and built. By investing in the creative autonomy and capacity of 8-10 urbanist organizations, Studio Kin leverages ethics-based practices as tools for appreciating heritage and collectively building a sustainable future in majority-Black neighborhoods.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Cousin Groups
Autonomous local affiliates in cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, and New York that host gatherings, events, and projects aligned with the BlackSpace Manifesto
Customized Learning Workshops
Tailored educational sessions for organizations and institutions on liberatory design, co-design practices, and inclusive urbanism principles
Studio KIN
National entrepreneurship accelerator offering technical assistance, business development training, $5,000 micro-grants, and mentorship to 8–10 Black urbanist ventures annually; includes a culminating pitch event with opportunity for additional funding
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Architecture and Design Public Education Programs 2 activities
- Conduct workshops and public programs on culture-first neighborhood designHosts workshops, lectures, and community gatherings nationwide to advance culture-first urban design, including Manifesto workshops that engaged 6,157 people nationally, as well as Jane's Walks, storytelling events, and pop-ups celebrating Black placemaking in cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, and Oklahoma.
- Distribute educational and design tools to advance community-led urbanismDevelops and disseminates accessible tools such as the BlackSpace Manifesto and Heritage Conservation Playbook to support communities and designers in co-creating inclusive urban spaces. These resources reached an estimated 22 million people.
-
-
Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Administer micro-grants to support community-based projects amplifying Black cultural contributionsProvides micro-grants, including $5,000 awards and additional in-kind prizes, to local ventures focused on culture-first urban development and public space activation. Deployed $26,000 in microgrants and raised $55,000 in unrestricted capital for urbanist ventures.
-
-
Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Co-create public design and community engagement projects in Black neighborhoodsCo-designs and implements bespoke projects in urbanist experiences, neighborhood strategy, and customized learning, including memory mapping, building re-design, walking tours, design workshops, and community celebrations. Invested $1.03 million in public design projects across Roxbury, Brownsville, Red Hook, and East Orange.
-
-
Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
- Document and preserve Black cultural spaces and narrativesConducts research and documentation projects to uplift stories, spaces, and experiences shaping Black communities, contributing to cultural and spatial heritage in cities like Chicago through storytelling initiatives and archival efforts.
-
-
Startup Acceleration & Business Growth Support 1 activity
- Operate Studio KIN urbanist entrepreneurship acceleratorRuns a 6-month hybrid accelerator program for 8–10 place-based urbanist organizations annually, providing technical assistance, capacity building, virtual trainings, one-on-one coaching, and pitch events. The program supports reimagining planning and development in majority-Black neighborhoods.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.08M
Contributions & grants$1.07M99%
Program service revenue$2K0%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$8K
expenses
Total expenses$741K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$576K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$586K
Cash$581K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$586K
Liquid reserves9.4 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +149.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KENYADA MCLEAN | COMANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $103K |
| EMMA O OSORE | COMANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $100K |
board members · 18
- ALICIA O AJAYI — MEMBER
- AMANDA J COLON-SMITH — MEMBER
- CARA MICHELL — MEMBER
- CHLOE GREEN — MEMBER
- COURTNEY MORGAN — MEMBER
- DANIELLE KAVANAGH-SMITH — MEMBER
- DAPHNE LUNDI — MEMBER
- DEVON GINN — MEMBER
- JASON ALSTON — MEMBER
- JUSTIN A ROMEO — MEMBER
- LORRYN P YOUNG — MEMBER
- MELISSA S LEE — MEMBER
- MICHELE Y WASHINGTON — MEMBER
- PETER ROBINSON — MEMBER
- RAQUEL VASQUEZ — MEMBER
- RASHAUNDA R LUGRAND — MEMBER
- SARADINE PIERRE — MEMBER
- TIFFANY A TAYLOR — MEMBER
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- American Planning Association Partner — Profiled by the American Planning Association for centering and celebrating Blackness in design.
- Americans f/t Arts Partner — Emma Osore previously led initiatives at Americans f/t Arts, indicating a past institutional partnership.
- Black Enterprise Partner — Highlighted in Black Enterprise for challenging traditional values in the curation of built spaces.
- BlackSpace Network — Chicago Cousins are part of the BlackSpace network, joining in 2017 as the first Cousin city.
- BlackSpace OK Coalition — Vanessa Morrison is co-founder of BlackSpace OK, indicating organizational leadership in a related initiative.
- BlackSpace national Network — Verified affiliate of BlackSpace national, aligning with its mission to amplify Black creativity in urban development.
- Brooklyn Community Foundation Partner — Recognized by Brooklyn Community Foundation for commitment to informing, inspiring, and investing in Black communities.
- CHUMS OKC Partner — Latasha Timberlake has consulted for CHUMS OKC, indicating a professional partnership.
- Chicago BlackSpace Cousins Partner — Local group in Chicago that localized the BlackSpace Manifesto through community projects.
- City of Beverly Hills Government — Emma Osore previously led initiatives with the City of Beverly Hills, indicating a past government partnership.
- Coforma Partner — Michele Washington works for Coforma in Civic Design, indicating a current professional affiliation.
- DC Public Schools Government — Emma Osore previously led initiatives with DC Public Schools, indicating a past government partnership.
- Fast Company Partner — Featured in Fast Company for reimagining how cities are built through a Black design lens.
- Indianapolis BlackSpace Cousins Partner — Local group in Indianapolis that localized the BlackSpace Manifesto through community projects.
- Madam Walker Legacy Center Partner — Devon Ginn manages programs and outreach at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, indicating a professional partnership with the organization.
- NEOKC Renaissance Partner — Latasha Timberlake has consulted for NEOKC Renaissance, indicating a professional partnership.
- NEW INC Partner — Emma Osore previously led initiatives at NEW INC, indicating a past institutional partnership.
- NYCEDC Government — Saradine Pierre is a senior project manager at NYCEDC, indicating a current professional affiliation with a public agency.
- Oklahoma BlackSpace Cousins Partner — Local group in Oklahoma that localized the BlackSpace Manifesto through community projects.
- Open Design Collective Partner — Vanessa Morrison is CEO of Open Design Collective, indicating leadership in a partner organization.
- Open Design Collective Partner — Vanessa Morrison, co-founder of BlackSpace Oklahoma, is CEO of Open Design Collective, which collaborates on community planning and cultural preservation initiatives.
- Public Works Partners Partner — Melissa Lee served as Principal at Public Works Partners, indicating a professional affiliation.
- Regional Plan Association Partner — Tiffany-Ann Taylor is Vice President for Transportation at the Regional Plan Association, indicating a current professional affiliation.
- Studio KIN Partner — BlackSpace's accelerator program for culture-first urbanist ventures.
- Studio KIN Partner — National entrepreneurship accelerator program operated by BlackSpace for place-based, culture-first ventures.
- Studio Kin Partner — Collaborates with Studio Kin, an urbanist entrepreneurship accelerator program, to support Black urbanist organizations.
- Work Ready Oklahoma Partner — Latasha Timberlake has consulted for Work Ready Oklahoma, indicating a professional partnership.
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.
- Capacity-Building for Self-Determined Community Developmentmethodology: project-based_capacity_buildingBy providing ethical design and business education through project-based accelerators, BLACKSPACE strengthens the long-term sustainability of Black-led urban projects because building practical capacity enables communities to lead their own development.
- Community-Led Urban Governance Through Networked Infrastructuremethodology: community-led_urban_governanceBy investing in networks, technical assistance, and cultural stewards, BLACKSPACE enables community-led urban governance because strengthening local infrastructure allows residents to shape planning decisions and claim power in the built environment.
- Culture-First Co-Creation for Spatial Justicemethodology: co-creationBy centering Black cultural contributions and using co-creation between communities and designers, BLACKSPACE produces inclusive urban spaces because it believes authentic community input rooted in cultural continuity leads to more just and sustainable spatial outcomes.