irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.44MBEAMWORKS: PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS WHERE BEAM CENTER FACULTY COLLABORATE WITH TEACHERS ON ART AND TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS, SERVING MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT NYC, IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
- #2 $1.49MYOUTH AND OTHER PROGRAMS: OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN 2ND THROUGH 8TH GRADES. WORKSHOPS LED BY BEAM CENTER FACULTY AND BEAMWORKS APPRENTICES.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Apprenticeship Program
Credit-bearing, 54-hour program for high school students that builds leadership, technical, and teaching skills through themed collaborative projects; prepares youth for roles in Beam’s youth employment programs.
BEAMWORKS: Public School Partnerships
Collaborative art and technology projects co-developed with NYC public school teachers and students, serving middle and high schoolers both in and out of the classroom.
Beam Camp
Sleepaway summer program in New Hampshire where campers ages 7–17 learn creative and collaboration skills by designing and building large-scale collaborative projects chosen through a global competition.
Beam Camp City
Urban adaptation of Beam Camp on Governors Island, bringing the same ethos of collaborative project-making to New York City youth during summer programming.
Inventgenuity Festival
Annual festival featuring youth-led projects that integrate invention, creativity, and hands-on learning, now hosted on Governors Island.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Hands-On STEM Education Programs 3 activities
- Out-of-school workshops for younger studentsOffers hands-on workshops for students in grades 2–8, led by Beam Center faculty and youth apprentices, using tools and materials such as drills, welding torches, circuitry, and sewing machines to foster creative and technical skill development.
- School and community-based STEAM enrichment programsPartners with over 30 public schools and community-based organizations through collaborations with the NYC Department of Education and Department of Youth and Community Development to deliver hands-on, project-based STEAM curricula during and after school. Programs are facilitated by youth and reach over 5,000 young people annually in New York City.
- Youth training in prototyping and fabricationTrains youth Fellows in prototyping, fabrication, and installation, and integrates their expertise into apprenticeship and school partnership programs to strengthen technical instruction and project delivery.
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Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
- Facility and equipment hub for youth programsOperates a 3,400 square foot facility in Red Hook, Brooklyn that serves as an administrative headquarters, materials and equipment hub, and space for prototyping, building projects, professional development, and youth apprenticeship programs.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Paid youth employment programs (Enterprises)Operates five paid youth employment programs—called “enterprises”—that employ youth in designing and delivering public art and programming, enabling them to earn wages while gaining professional experience. In 2025, youth earned $1,187,037 through these programs.
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Youth Workforce Readiness Programs 1 activity
- Post-apprenticeship transition and externship supportSupports youth in transitioning from apprenticeships into youth employment programs, teaching roles, or externships at creative and technical organizations, aligning with learning-based employment principles and career pathways.
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Summer Day Camp Programs 1 activity
- Summer camp programs for youthOperates two summer camp programs—Beam Camp in Strafford, NH and Beam Camp City on Governors Island, NYC—where campers ages 7–17 engage in large-scale collaborative creative projects. Beam Camp serves over 1,000 campers annually and employed 146 youth in 2025, including as staff and project assistants.
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Career and Technical Education Programs 1 activity
- Youth apprenticeship programs in creative and technical skillsRuns structured apprenticeship programs for 11th and 12th graders and youth aged 15–24, including credit-bearing and out-of-school formats, focused on developing technical skills (woodworking, circuitry, textiles, digital fabrication) and instructional skills such as lesson planning and facilitation. Programs include a 54-hour credit-bearing course and a 150+ hour technical training curriculum, with cohorts offered in fall and spring semesters.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.15M
Contributions & grants$4.28M83%
Program service revenue$857K17%
Investment income$30%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$4.76M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$2.82M
Grants paid out$300K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.97M
Cash$596K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.86M
Net assets$1.11M
Liquid reserves1.5 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +31.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Robingson | CFO | 40 | $118K |
| Brian Cohen | Executive Director | 40 | $101K |
board members · 10
- Aaron Weymouth — Member
- Ahmad Choudhry — Member
- Amy Batallones — Member
- Danny Kahn — Member
- Jennifer Mangino — Secretary
- Juliette Adams — Chair
- Kathy Larchian — Treasurer
- Nicole Kim — Member
- Philip Kim — Member
- Vanessa Torres — Member
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Big Reuse Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Bronx International High School Partner — Collaborates with Beam Center on educational programs for students.
- Brooklyn Children’s Museum Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Brooklyn High School for International Studies Partner — Collaborated with Beam Center to build the Open Stoop project in NYC.
- Building Beats Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- CAMBA Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- City Growers Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Coditivity Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Collective fare Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Department of Education Partner — Collaborates with Beam Center to implement hands-on classroom projects in public schools.
- Department of Youth and Community Development Government — Provides funding support for Beam Center's Externship Enterprise through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
- Department of Youth and Community Development Partner — Partners with Beam Center to provide youth career exploration through hands-on projects.
- Enterprises Partner — Youth employment program where apprentices transition after completing the Apprenticeship to facilitate programs for other youth.
- Flying Leap Production Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Kenneth Montgomery Government — Member of Beam Center’s Board of Trustees from 2019 to present
- NYCDOE Partner — Beam Center began building a formal partnership with the New York City Department of Education.
- National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST) Network — Beam Center's model was discussed in a publication by Dr. Thomas Hatch, Director of NCREST.
- Playlab Partner — Designed the Open Stoop project in collaboration with Beam Center and students from Brooklyn High School for International Studies.
- Public Schools in New York City Partner — Collaborates with public school teachers and students on art and technology projects across NYC middle and high schools.
- Reelworks Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- South Street Seaport Museum Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Standard Architects Partner — Collaborated with Beam Center to envision and build Beam Camp on the Parker Mountain Scout Reservation site.
- Summer Youth Employment Program Partner — Collaborative partner in the development of the SkillCETT program
- Teachers College, Columbia University Network — Beam Center's model was discussed in a publication by Dr. Thomas Hatch, professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.
- Textile Arts Center Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- The Point CDC Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- United for Social Change Partner — Host organization for Beam Center youth participating in the Externship Enterprise.
- Work, Learn, Grow Partner — Collaborative partner in the development of the SkillCETT program
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.
- Intergenerational Co-Creation as Leadership Incubatormethodology: intergenerational_co_creationBy positioning older youth as mentors and project leaders for younger peers through apprenticeship and peer-mentor progression, we develop leadership and professional identity because reciprocal teaching relationships reinforce competence, responsibility, and community belonging.
- Learning-by-Doing Through Ambitious, Collaborative Projectsmethodology: collaborative_project_based_learningBy engaging youth in large-scale, collaborative projects that require problem-solving and creative risk-taking, we produce unanticipated growth because authentic, hands-on challenges extend learning beyond the classroom and demand resilience, teamwork, and innovation.
- Mentorship by Professional Creators to Build Identitymethodology: mentorship_by_professional_creatorsBy connecting youth with professional creators in design and production fields, we build technical competence and positive youth identity because real-world mentorship models authentic creative practice and expands aspirational horizons.
- Strengths-Based, Holistic Youth Developmentmethodology: strengths_based_youth_developmentBy integrating technical skill-building with social-emotional learning and critical analysis of power, we promote holistic development because focusing on youth strengths in a safe, community-focused environment enables personal growth and civic contribution.
- Youth-Led Creative Ownership and Agencymethodology: learning_by_doingBy engaging youth as creators and leaders of ambitious, community-facing projects, we foster deep learning and personal growth because ownership of the creative process builds agency, identity, and pride—evidenced by the authentic expression “I made this.”