SAY YES BUFFALO SCHOLARSHIP INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

SAY YES BUFFALO SCHOLARSHIP INC

EIN 46-2867677 · Fund Raising & Fund Distribution - Education (B12)

What they do

THE MISSION of THE SAY YES BUFFALO PARTNERSHIP is to REMOVE BARRIERS to EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION and ECONOMIC MOBILITY for STUDENTS IN PUBLIC and CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BUFFALO and NIAGARA FALLS, NY. OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT PARTNERSHIP, CENTERED ON RACIAL EQUITY and INCLUSION, PROVIDES A POSTSECONDARY TUITION PROMISE and CRADLE to CAREER COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORTS to INCREASE THE RATES of HIGH SCHOOL and POSTSECONDARY COMPLETION and THE ACHIEVEMENT of FULFILLING PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT. OUR VISION is A MORE EQUITABLE and THRIVING WESTERN NEW YORK ECONOMY IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY to REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $88.50 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders29 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

93.44%of revenue went to mission work88.5% of expenses · Program services

$105.62spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

12.19%of revenue went to management and office costs11.5% of expenses

$3.19in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

99.9%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,018,344 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $390,346 for DAVID RUST (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$18,105,764

Mission workProgram services$16,917,24093.44% of revenue88.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,206,86812.19% of revenue11.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations0.00% of revenue0.0% of expenses

Total expenses$19,124,108105.62% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 88.5% mission · 11.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.62% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 88.8% mission · 11.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 37.10% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 85.7% mission · 14.3% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.65% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 85.6% mission · 14.4% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 74.42% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 97.4% mission · 2.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.36% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 96.1% mission · 3.9% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.85% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 99.9% mission · 0.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 52.35% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 100.0% mission · 0.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 147.20% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$18,105,764

Expenses$19,124,108

Annual shortfall $1,018,344 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$16,917,240 · 88.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,206,868 · 11.5% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$18,105,764

Expenses$19,124,108

Assets$61,073,030

Income$18,105,764

Contributions$18,091,467

Mission work (program services)$16,917,240

Grants given$15,517,838

Average grant$2,216,834

Management and general$2,206,868

Accounting fees$55,473

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DAVID RUSTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $390,346Base $343,467 · Other $46,879

LAURA DELUCACHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $216,318Base $168,600 · Other $47,718

DAPHNE ROSSCHIEF IMPACT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $172,859Base $156,429 · Other $16,430

TANYA STAPLESSENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS · 40 hrs/week $152,318Base $121,813 · Other $30,505

AMANDA PAULSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES · 40 hrs/week $146,585Base $118,648 · Other $27,937

ELIZABETH BEHRENDSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIP ADMINISTRATION · 40 hrs/week $135,231Base $103,548 · Other $31,683

CHRISTOPHER J LEEDATA DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $134,974Base $108,828 · Other $26,146

GELLENIA SMALLWOODSENIOR DIRECTOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES · 40 hrs/week $131,708Base $114,376 · Other $17,332

DANIEL ROBERTSONDIRECTOR OF BMOC · 40 hrs/week $124,600Base $107,238 · Other $17,362

SYLVIA LLOYDSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES · 40 hrs/week $122,580Base $105,157 · Other $17,423

STEPHANIE PEETESENIOR DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $118,212Base $104,328 · Other $13,884

COLLIN S GEHLHUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $116,426Base $108,146 · Other $8,280

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (29)

DAVID RUSTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

LAURA DELUCACHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

DAPHNE ROSSCHIEF IMPACT OFFICER

TANYA STAPLESSENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

AMANDA PAULSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES

ELIZABETH BEHRENDSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIP ADMINISTRATION

CHRISTOPHER J LEEDATA DIRECTOR

GELLENIA SMALLWOODSENIOR DIRECTOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES

DANIEL ROBERTSONDIRECTOR OF BMOC

SYLVIA LLOYDSENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES

STEPHANIE PEETESENIOR DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

COLLIN S GEHLHUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR

UMESH BABARIADIRECTOR

TRINA BURRUSSDIRECTOR

TEMARA CROSSDIRECTOR

YVONNE MINOR RAGANSECRETARY

ALICE JACOBSDIRECTOR

MICHELLE-MARIE GANTVICE CHAIR

MATT CONNORSDIRECTOR

MARSHA SULLIVANDIRECTOR

KENYA K HOBBSDIRECTOR

KENDRA BRIMDIRECTOR

KATIE SCHNEIDERDIRECTOR

JACK WALSHDIRECTOR

GRETCHEN GEITTERDIRECTOR

CHANTELE CAMBELLDIRECTOR

BRIGID DOHERTYTREASURER

BILL GISELCHAIR

BESTY CONSTANTINEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 2015
Location: 1166 JEFFERSON AVE STE A, BUFFALO, NY 14208-2456
County: Erie
In care of: % PAYROLL DEPARTMENT
Primary officer: DAVID RUST, CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@sayyesbuffalo.org Phone(716) 247-5310 Officer phone(716) 852-2857

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: DOPKINS & COMPANY LLP
NTEE classification: Fund Raising & Fund Distribution - Education (B12)
IRS tax category: Fund Raising & Fund Distribution
Grant-giving organization: Yes