BioBus, Inc.
Lobbying client
A nonprofit, founded in 2008, that converts retired buses and trailers into mobile science labs bringing free, hands-on STEM programming to New York City students, and says it has reached more than 350,000 students at over 900 schools and community organizations. It has filed 45 lobbying disclosures with the city since 2024, registered citywide across all 51 council districts through Converge Government Affairs New York, Hollis Public Affairs and The Wright Group NY, seeking capital and program funding for nonprofit organizations, and holds about $901,000 in active NYC contracts as of August 2026.
- Council members lobbied
- 51 (citywide)
- Filings (since 2024)
- 45
- Lobbying compensation (since 2024)
- $415,000
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $901,319 · 4 contracts
- Awarded all-time
- $1,492,319 · 21 since 2016, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $1,231,843
- Won without a fresh bid
- 88% of contract value · $1,310,819 · 16 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $1,267,800 · 126 awards
- Funding history
- Funded every year since FY2017 (11 years running)
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $148,185 · Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler, Executive Director
Represented by lobbyist firms
- Converge Government Affairs New York, LLC Lobbyist firm
- Hollis Public Affairs, Inc. Lobbyist firm
- The Wright Group NY, Inc Lobbyist firm
Holds contracts at
- Department of Design and Construction City agency
- Department of Education City agency
- Department of Youth and Community Development City agency
Funded by these agencies
- Department of Citywide Administrative Services City agency
- Department of Youth and Community Development City agency
What they lobbied on
subjects from their filings
- Budget - Capital discretionary grants for nonprofit organizations
- Budget - Secure Program Funding
- Budget - Secure Program Funds
- Budget - securing funding
- Budget - securing funding for programs
- Budget - securing funding for projects
City contracts
Registered city contracts, largest first by current contract value (not amount spent): running now, then registered to start later, then ended. Totals count every registered contract. Each line shows its Checkbook contract ID. The tag on each row is how it was awarded (“no-bid” = non-competitive).
- PWDMSCIST, Purchase of Science Station Equipment Department of Design and Construction · CT185020268806459 $300,000
- BIOBUSMCR, Purchase of Microscope Equipment at BIOBUS, INC Department of Design and Construction · CT185020228803733 $275,000
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DIRECT STUDENT SERVICES Department of Education · MA104020269670500 $258,000
- PWMSOLAR2, Purchase of a vehicle for BioBus Inc. Department of Design and Construction · CT185020228803729 $68,319
- Proovide technical and computer training in District 51 Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268802641 · ended 2026 $240,000
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DIRECT STUDENT SERVICES Department of Education · MA104020229275060 · ended 2025 $150,000
- NEGOTIATED SERVICES-SERVICES Department of Education · CT104020213017455 · ended 2021 $25,000
- Funds will support Interactive science education programs . Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020248802557 · ended 2023 $25,000
- Funding to support hands-on science education programs . Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020238801614 · ended 2021 $20,000
- This provider offers in-person and online science and art. Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020221417236 · ended 2020 $20,000
Largest payments, by purpose
The organization's largest individual city payments (roughly $25,000 and up), grouped by purpose, to show what recent money was for. This is NOT a total — smaller payments aren't listed; see “Paid to date” above for the complete amount paid against its contracts. Fiscal years 2020 and later.
- BIOBUSMCR, Purchase of Microscope Equipment at BIOBUS, INC Department of Citywide Administrative Services · FY2025 $275,000
- Proovide technical and computer training in District 51 Department of Youth and Community Development · FY2026 · 4 payments $148,000
- PWMSOLAR2, Purchase of a vehicle for BioBus Inc. Department of Citywide Administrative Services · FY2023 $68,319
- Learn to use scientific equipment, learn research methods for collecting samples, identify and create image samples collected in a green space, host an info session with directors Department of Youth and Community Development · FY2020 $29,000
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- Speaker's Initiative CM Speaker · Speaker's Initiative · DOE · FY2026 $100,000
- Local CM Speaker · DOE · FY2027 $100,000
- Elementary School for Math, Science & Technology (10x382), Intermediate School 206X Ann Mersereau (10x206), and The Bronx School of Young Leaders (10X331) CM Sanchez · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2025 $30,000
- Elementary School for Math, Science & Technology (10x382), Intermediate School 206X Ann Mersereau (10x206), The Bronx School of Young Leaders (10X331) & Public School 109X Sedgwick (09X109) CM Sanchez, P · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2026 $30,000
- P.S 382 (10x382), IS 206X (10x206), The Bronx School of Young Leaders (10X331) & PS 109 (09x109) CM P. Sanchez · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2027 $30,000
- Council District 32 CM Ariola · Youth · DYCD · FY2026 $25,400
- Council District 32 CM Ariola · Youth · DYCD · FY2027 $25,400
- Public School 46M (05M046) CM Perkins · Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DYCD · FY2020 $20,000
- Services for Students - Council District 43 CM Zhuang · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2025 $20,000
- Council District 43 CM Zhuang · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2026 $20,000
- Council District 18 CM Farias · DOE · FY2026 $20,000
- Council District 18 CM Farias · DOE · FY2027 $20,000
- Digital STEM Learning - Council District 43 CM Zhuang · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2027 $20,000
- Parks Equity Initiative Parks Equity Initiative · DPR · FY2019 $15,000
- Parks Equity Initiative CM Moya · Parks Equity Initiative · DPR · FY2020 $15,000
- A Greener NYC CM Stevens · A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2026 $15,000
- Youth CM Salaam · Youth · DYCD · FY2027 $15,000
- BioBus park visit Parks Equity Initiative · DPR · FY2018 $14,500
- A Greener NYC CM Caban · A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2022 $14,000
- Council District 22 CM Caban · A Greener NYC · DOE · FY2023 $14,000
Funded by these council members
City Council members who steered discretionary (member-item) money to this organization, largest first (FY2020 and later, where the sponsoring member is disclosed). Sitting members link to their page.
- Althea V. Stevens FY2022-2027 · 12 awards $105,000
- Tiffany L. Cabán FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $84,000
- Amanda C. Farías FY2022-2027 · 8 awards $82,500
- Pierina Ana Sanchez FY2023-2025 · 5 awards $60,000
- Susan Zhuang FY2025-2027 · 3 awards $60,000
- Joann Ariola FY2024-2027 · 3 awards $55,800
- Shaun Abreu FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $50,000
- Carmen N. De La Rosa FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $40,000
- Yusef Salaam FY2025-2027 · 4 awards $37,000
- Perkins FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $30,000
- Rivera FY2020-2025 · 6 awards $30,000
- Pierina Ana Sanchez FY2026 · 1 award $30,000
- Pierina Ana Sanchez FY2027 · 1 award $30,000
- Christopher Marte FY2023-2027 · 5 awards $25,000
- Costa Constantinides FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $20,000
- Ayala FY2020-2025 · 4 awards $20,000
- Eric Dinowitz FY2024-2027 · 4 awards $20,000
- Moya FY2020 · 1 award $15,000
- Gale A. Brewer FY2022-2024 · 3 awards $15,000
- Shirley Aldebol FY2026-2027 · 2 awards $15,000
Officer & key-staff pay
Reportable compensation from this organization's IRS Form 990 (Part VII), latest available filing (FY2023). Includes pay from related organizations where reported; an annual figure, not a running total. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler Executive Director $148,185
- Latasha Wright Chief Scientific Officer $140,098
- Sasha Chait Chief Development Officer $122,437
- Robert Horrace Director Of Community Facilities $119,482
- Christine Marizzi Director Of Community Science $101,763
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +216% from FY2020 to FY2023. Top-officer reportable compensation by year (org-paid only), with each year's share of total revenue. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer 990 filings.
- FY2020 Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler · 8.19% of revenue $106,119
- FY2021 Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler · 6.92% of revenue $130,490
- FY2022 Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler · 8.51% of revenue $135,266
- FY2023 Benjamin J Dubin-Thaler · 11.46% of revenue $148,185