irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.13MPOST-INCARCERATION PUBLIC HUMANITIES GRANT - PIHP:THE POST-INCARCERATION HUMANITIES PARTNERSHIP (PIHP) GRANT SUPPORTS THE WORK OF ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW YORK STATE WHO SERVE AND COLLABORATE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN INCARCERATED AND THE FAMILIES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. EACH GRANT PROVIDES UP TO $25,000 IN FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS USING HUMANITIES-BASED TECHNIQUES ON PROJECTS THAT ENGAGE THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH EXPERIENCES, TOOLS, EDUCATION, AND NETWORKS TO INSURE THAT THEIR INCARCERATION IS NOT THE EPISODE THAT DEFINES THEIR LIVES. BOLSTERED BY A PILOT VERSION OF THE GRANT, WHICH FUNDED EFFORTS BY SIX "DOWNSTATE ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN THE NYC AND LONG ISLAND REGIONS, HNY SUPPORTED THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND THEIR LOVED ONES IN EFFORTS TO REBUILD THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THEIR LIVES.
- #2 $281KREADING AND DISCUSSION:THE READING AND DISCUSSION PROGRAM OFFERS TIME FOR PARTICIPANTS TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT A SINGLE IDEA FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES. IN THE PROCESS, TEXTS BECOME CATALYSTS FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND PERSONAL REFLECTION. PARTICIPANTS READ A SERIES OF THEMATICALLY LINKED TEXTS OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR TO SIX SESSIONS. AT EACH SESSION, THEY COME TOGETHER WITH OTHERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IDEAS IN THOSE TEXTS, GUIDED BY A TRAINED LOCAL FACILITATOR. THEMES RANGE FROM "JAMES BALDWIN'S AMERICA AND "GROWING & AGING" TO THE INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA AND THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT. HOST ORGANIZATIONS IDENTIFY A THEME RELEVANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY, HOW MANY SESSIONS THEY PLAN TO HOST, AND PARTNER WITH A LOCAL HUMANIST TO FACILITATE THE PROGRAM. HNY TRAINS BOTH THE HOST SITE AND THE FACILITATOR ON BEST PRACTICES FOR GENERATING DISCUSSION AND DRAWING IN MULTIPLE VOICES. HNY PROVIDES GRANTS OF UP TO $2,000 FOR PROGRAM EXPENSES, PROVIDES A LENDING LIBRARY OF BOOKS FOR EACH THEME, AND PAYS THE COST OF FREIGHT FOR BOOKS TO AND FROM THE HOST SITE. PARTICIPANTS, RECRUITED BY THE HOST ORGANIZATIONS, ATTEND THE PROGRAMS FOR FREE. HNY'S PROGRAMS TEAM REVIEWS ALL APPLICATIONS, AND ANY THAT DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT AN AUDIENCE AND HOST THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY ARE AWARDED, SO LONG AS FUNDING PERMITS. IF NECESSARY, HUMANITIES NEW YORK GIVES PREFERENCE BASED ON GEOGRAPHY AND NEW PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO INSURE OUR RESOURCES REACH NEW AUDIENCES AND UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE STATE.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Action Grants
Grants awarded to organizations across New York State to support public humanities projects; 21 grants were awarded in 2025 as part of HNY’s restructured grant offerings.
Freedom and Its Futures
Ongoing conversation series in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library that explores the evolving meaning of freedom through literature, history, and civic engagement.
Humanities Centers Initiative (HCI)
Statewide partnership with nine university-based humanities centers that supports public humanities fellowships, community partnership grants, and joint advocacy for the humanities in New York.
Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership (PIHP) Grant
Provides up to $25,000 in funding to organizations in New York State that use humanities-based approaches to support individuals previously incarcerated and their families, helping them rebuild lives and relationships.
Reading and Discussion Program
Supports community-based reading and discussion groups on themes like social justice, aging, and historical movements; provides grants up to $2,000, book libraries, and facilitator training to host organizations.
Speaking of Revolution
Statewide series of Community Conversations exploring the meaning of revolution in contemporary communities, launched in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Storytelling and Literacy Resource Development 1 activity
- Developing and refining humanities discussion toolkitsCreates and improves reading and discussion toolkits through pilot partnerships with libraries, historical societies, and community institutions. These resources support place-based humanities dialogues and are used in statewide programming.
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Website Accessibility Implementation 1 activity
- Enhancing digital accessibility for public engagementInvests in website accessibility improvements, including implementation of a UserWay Website Accessibility Widget to meet WCAG 2.1 standards and providing customer support during business hours to assist users with disabilities.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Hosting public humanities dialogue programsOrganizes and hosts facilitated, text-based public dialogues and conversation series across New York State, including recurring programs such as "Freedom and Its Futures" and "Can We Disagree Without Falling Apart?" These 60–90 minute sessions engage 15–25 participants in structured reflection on themes like justice, belonging, and revolution. Programs are hosted in partnership with public libraries and community organizations and have been conducted over 40 times since 2018.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Funding public humanities projects across New York StateAwards grants to cultural organizations, community groups, and graduate students to support public humanities initiatives statewide. In 2024, awarded over $1 million in grants across all regions of New York State, serving 170,000 New Yorkers; in another reporting year, awarded over $1.1 million across ten regions and 161 grants. Serves as New York State's primary public humanities grantmaker, funding museums, historical societies, libraries, and community-based organizations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.60M
Contributions & grants$2.47M95%
Program service revenue$67K3%
Investment income$57K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$3.37M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$1.34M
Grants paid out$1.13M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.18M
Cash$309K
Investments$1.02M
Liabilities$1.24M
Net assets$1.94M
Liquid reserves4.7 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -1.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARA OGGER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $240K |
| ALYSON CASEY | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $177K |
| JAMES TAYLOR TO 32024 | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMIN | 40 | $154K |
board members · 16
- ADAM W PERRY — DIRECTOR
- BRIDGET WILLIAMS — DIRECTOR
- C EVAN STEWART — TREASURER
- DAMALI WYNTER — SECRETARY
- HERMAN BENNETT — DIRECTOR
- JASMINE K SYEDULLAH — DIRECTOR
- JEFF ARNSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- JOSEPH HADDAD — DIRECTOR
- KAREN GANTZ ZAHLER — DIRECTOR
- LAURA FREE — DIRECTOR
- LINDSAY M KRYZAK — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT J VANNI — DIRECTOR
- STEVEN M BERZIN — VICE CHAIR
- TIMOTHY MURRAY — CHAIR
- ULISES MEJIAS — VICE CHAIR
- VALERIE PALEY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- Brooklyn Public Library Partner — Co-hosts the "Freedom and Its Futures" conversation series with Humanities New York
- CUNY Graduate Center's Center for the Humanities Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- Community-based organizations Partner — Partner institution type engaged in public humanities programming and dialogue facilitation
- Cornell University Society for the Humanities Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- Libraries Partner — Partner institution type engaged in public humanities programming and dialogue facilitation
- Museums Partner — Partner institution type engaged in public humanities programming and dialogue facilitation
- National Endowment for the Humanities Government — Provided founding support for Humanities New York in 1975.
- New York State Government — Partners with organizations across New York State to bring the humanities into public life.
- Queens Public Library Partner — Collaborates with Humanities New York on a community discussion series in Ridgewood
- Roots. Wounds. Words. Partner — Partner organization hosting a Public Humanities Projects in Health (PIHP) program.
- Stony Brook University's Humanities Institute Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- Syracuse University Humanities Center Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- The Center for the Humanities at New York University Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- The Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at Binghamton University Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- The University at Buffalo's Humanities Institute Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- Universities and colleges Partner — Partner institution type engaged in public humanities programming and dialogue facilitation
- University of Rochester Humanities Center Partner — Participating center in the Humanities Centers Initiative, collaborating on public humanities programming and advocacy.
- UserWay Partner — Provides the Website Accessibility Widget used to improve compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards.
- bookstores Partner — Hosts Community Conversations in partnership with bookstores across New York State
- community centers Partner — Hosts Community Conversations in partnership with community centers across New York State
- community institutions Partner — Engages community institutions in piloting toolkits and hosting reading and discussion programs.
- historical societies Partner — Partners with historical societies to pilot and refine reading and discussion toolkits.
- libraries Partner — Collaborates with libraries to host Reading & Discussion series and pilot humanities toolkits.
- libraries Partner — Hosts Community Conversations in partnership with libraries across New York State
- museums Partner — Hosts Community Conversations in partnership with museums across New York State
- museums Partner — Works with museums to host facilitated, text-based conversation series.
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.
- Civic Dialogue Through Shared Humanities Practices 22 orgsmethodology: civic_dialogueBy funding, convening, and supporting dialogue-based programs grounded in the humanities, we strengthen civic life because shared reflection and structured discussion cultivate mutual recognition, ethical inquiry, and democratic culture — even amid disagreement.shared approach: Civil Discourse Through Structured Dialogue →
- Humanities as Reintegration Tool 7 orgsmethodology: humanities-based_reintegrationBy applying humanities-based techniques — such as reading and dialogue — to support formerly incarcerated individuals and their families, we disrupt cycles of marginalization because engaging with texts and ideas fosters identity reclamation and civic belonging beyond the experience of incarceration.shared approach: Relational Bridge-Building →
- Equity-Centered Systems Building for Public Humanitiesmethodology: system_of_practiceBy creating a scalable system of practice with shared resources, annual themes, and equity-centered facilitation, we sustain a coherent and inclusive public humanities ecosystem because it balances statewide alignment with local responsiveness and centers inclusion in civic engagement.