Jacob a Riis Neighborhood Settlement

Overview

Mission

Jacob a. Riis neighborhood settlement is a 132-year-old community-based organization that provides comprehensive, integrated social services to the youth, seniors, immigrants and families of western queens. The agency operates from eight sites across long island city/astoria and serves a yearly average of 4,000 clients across our three main programs: riis academy for youth, senior services, and immigrant services. Our mission is to build and strengthen underserved communities in western queens and act as a catalyst for change

What it reported doing in 2024

Fy25 program highlights: children, youth and family services:- we served 768 students in grades k-12 in our riis academy after-school programs.- we served 1,364 youth (k-12) in our riis academy summer camp programs.- we served 117 younger youth (14-16) and 238 older youth (16-24) through our queensbridge and ravenswood summer youth employment programs.(continued on schedule o)immigrant services:- we served 905 students across 66 esol cycles, with 172 individuals receiving additional support from our esol counselor. Among students who were post-tested, 80% demonstrated measurable improvement in english proficiency.- our case manager supported 240 low-income clients in western queens, completing over 500 applications for housing, public benefits, emergency assistance, and other essential services.- our legal team conducted legal screenings for 604 individuals and opened 360 cases addressing immigration needs such as affirmative and defensive asylum, tps, daca renewals, and more.older adult services:- we served 29,654 congregate meals (breakfast and lunch) at our queensbridge older adult center.- 795 older adults used our transportation services, and we provided case assistance to 305 individuals.- we provided 421 health and wellness classes, as well as 309 art and culture sessions, which included photography classes, jewelry making classes, cultural celebrations like our mid-autumn and lunar new year celebrations, and trips to museums and broadway.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 73% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
111729398
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Long Island City, NY, USA
Phone
7187847447
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Neighborhood Centers

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 78%; rating input score 78
  • Program expense ratio: 80.4%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $27.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.2%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.63; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.4; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.8%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.5% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.1% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 78% of revenue deployed · 80.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $6.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $166K · 23 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $240K reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • CHRISTOPHER HANWAY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $165,975 total reported compensation
  • ROBERT T MADISON (ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECT): $135,087 total reported compensation
  • DESIREE LEWIS (ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECT): $109,726 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.