named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy Agenda
Annual release of policy priorities aimed at improving the Upstate economy, including tax reduction, regulatory reform, and infrastructure investment
Case Studies
In-depth reports on major policy issues such as the Unemployment Insurance crisis and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA)
Legislative Memos
Policy briefs explaining Upstate United's position on key legislative bills to educate elected officials, taxpayers, and employers
UPAC
Nonpartisan political action committee that supports candidates in Albany who align with Upstate United’s pro-growth, fiscally responsible agenda
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Policy Advocacy & Research 3 activities
- Advocacy campaigns for pro-growth economic policies in Upstate New YorkConducts media and advocacy campaigns to influence state-level policy outcomes in Albany that support job creators, taxpayers, and economic development in Upstate New York. Efforts include organizing communications with elected officials and achieving measurable impacts on legislation.
- Legislative education and accountability initiativesIssues annual legislative memos and a biennial legislative scorecard to educate stakeholders and evaluate elected officials’ alignment with Upstate United’s pro-growth policy agenda.
- Research and analysis on economic and energy policy in New YorkConducts original research and policy analysis on issues affecting Upstate New York, including employer perspectives on legislation and the economic implications of energy policy. Publishes findings from state audits and system assessments to inform public debate.
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Energy Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Energy policy advocacy for data center infrastructure and grid reliabilityAdvocates for policy reforms enabling hyperscale data centers to secure dedicated power sources and responds to state energy planning reports by highlighting misalignments between climate policy and economic development goals. Analyzes risks to grid reliability under current energy mandates.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$560K
Contributions & grants$503K90%
Program service revenue$57K10%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$435K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$263K
Grants paid out$600
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$159K
Cash$159K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$159K
Liquid reserves4.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +76.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUSTIN WILCOX | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $150K |
board members · 4
- BRIAN SAMPSON — BOARD MEMBER
- GARRY F DOUGLAS — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT DUFFY — BOARD MEMBER
- STACEY DUNCAN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Albany Government — Engages with state government entities in Albany to advocate for Upstate economic interests.
- Albany Government — State government entity targeted for advocacy to address Upstate economic issues.
- Associated Builders and Contractors, Empire Chapter Partner — Board member Brian Sampson is president of Associated Builders and Contractors, Empire Chapter, indicating a leadership-level affiliation.
- CenterState Partner — Collaborates on regional economic development issues, including data center and energy policy.
- Empire Center Partner — Collaborates on public opinion research related to data center policy and energy infrastructure in New York.
- Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce Partner — Board member Stacey Duncan is President and CEO of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, indicating a leadership-level affiliation.
- New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) Government — References and analyzes reliability reports issued by NYISO to inform commentary on energy policy.
- New York State Department of Labor Government — Critically engages with the agency over unemployment insurance mismanagement and labor policy impacts on agriculture.
- North Country Chamber of Commerce Partner — Board member Garry Douglas is President and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, indicating a leadership-level affiliation.
- Rochester Business Alliance Partner — Board member Robert J. Duffy is President and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, indicating a leadership-level affiliation.
- State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli Government — Cites audit findings from the Office of the State Comptroller to support advocacy around government accountability.
- World Wide Web Consortium Network — Follows accessibility standards set by the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
- business and trade organizations from across Upstate New York Coalition — Coalition composed of business and trade organizations across Upstate New York advocating collectively for regional interests.
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.
- Accountability-Driven Systemic Reformmethodology: systemic-reform-through-accountabilityBy publishing legislative scorecards and highlighting failures in public agency oversight, the organization promotes civic accountability and systemic reform, because informed voters and public pressure are necessary to drive structural changes that prevent recurring fiscal and operational crises.
- Aggressive Public Awareness Campaigns to Drive Policy Actionmethodology: aggressive-advocacy-and-mediaThrough aggressive media and advocacy campaigns, the organization raises public and political awareness about Upstate economic challenges, because sustained visibility creates pressure on policymakers to act, especially where incremental approaches have failed.
- Fiscal Conservatism for Economic Revitalizationmethodology: fiscal-conservatism-economic-revitalizationBy advocating for controlled spending, reduced taxes, and business-friendly policies, the organization aims to stimulate economic growth and revitalize Upstate New York communities, because fiscal responsibility creates a sustainable environment for private sector investment and job creation.
- Non-Partisan Coalition Advocacy with Business Leadership Governancemethodology: non-partisan-coalition-advocacyBy uniting business and taxpayer interests through a non-partisan coalition and guiding strategy via a board of experienced business leaders, the organization increases the credibility and influence of its advocacy, because policy change is more effective when driven by pragmatic, regionally-informed economic priorities rather than partisan agendas.
- Policy Reform-Driven Economic Developmentmethodology: policy-driven-economic-developmentBy reforming energy policy, removing restrictions on infrastructure development, and advocating for reliable, affordable energy, the organization seeks to attract large employers and high-tech industries, because systemic policy changes are necessary to enable long-term economic growth in Upstate New York.