Community Development Project, Inc.
City-funded organization
Community Development Project, Inc. is the IRS registered legal name still used by TakeRoot Justice, a New York City legal services nonprofit that spent 18 years as a project of the Urban Justice Center before launching as an independent organization in 2019; it provides free civil legal representation and organizing support on housing, workers' rights, and worker cooperative development for low income New Yorkers. The organization holds no active city contracts as of August 2026 but has been awarded $15 million since 2019 across 20 contracts with the Department of Social Services, Housing Preservation and Development, Small Business Services, and the Department of Youth and Community Development, all negotiated or discretionary (member item) awards rather than competitively bid, matching Checkbook NYC's 100% no bid figure for the vendor. It has also received $15 million in City Council discretionary funding across 102 awards every year since FY2020. Its highest paid officer in FY2023 was Executive Director Marco Conner at $192,991, per the organization's IRS Form 990.
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts
- none active as of 2026-08-22 · $14,923,025 awarded since 2019
- Paid to date
- $11,419,084
- Won without a fresh bid
- 100% of contract value · $14,923,025 · 20 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $14,812,806 · 102 awards
- Funding history
- Funded every year since FY2020 (8 years running)
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $192,991 · Marco Conner, Executive Director
- Based in
- New York, NY
Holds contracts at
- Department of Small Business Services City agency
- Department of Social Services City agency
- Department of Youth and Community Development City agency
- Housing Preservation and Development City agency
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).
- For provision of housing and tenant support services. Housing Preservation and Development · CT180620258806920 · ended 2026 $3,438,510
- Prov of legal representation on a range of matters Department of Social Services · CT106920258802986 · ended 2026 $2,916,004
- Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative Department of Small Business Services · CT180120258804903 · ended 2026 $1,217,126
- For provision of housing and tenant support services. Housing Preservation and Development · CT180620248805206 · ended 2023 $951,770
- Prov of legal services outreach to low-wage workers Department of Social Services · CT106920248802517 · ended 2023 $777,601
- provide housing related services Housing Preservation and Development · CT180620211405779 · ended 2020 $760,730
- Provision of Housing Related and Public Education Services Housing Preservation and Development · CT180620238805541 · ended 2022 $707,661
- Provision of housing related services Housing Preservation and Development · CT180620228803526 · ended 2021 $701,620
- Immigrants Services for Workers Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020248801253 · ended 2026 $561,226
- Prov of legal representation on a range of matters Department of Social Services · CT106920228806138 · ended 2022 $455,000
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2022 $582,745
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2023 $580,250
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2024 $580,250
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2025 $580,250
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2026 $580,250
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2027 $580,250
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2020 $553,000
- Stabilizing NYC Stabilizing NYC · HPD · FY2021 $470,050
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2020 $455,000
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2022 $455,000
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2023 $455,000
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2024 $455,000
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2025 $455,000
- Working-Class Legal Services for Low-Income and Working-Class New Yorkers (formerly Legal Services for Low-Income New Yorkers and Legal Services for the Working Poor) · Dss/hra · FY2026 $455,000
- Working-Class Legal Services for Low-Income and Working-Class New Yorkers · Dss/hra · FY2027 $455,000
- Legal Services for the Working Poor Legal Services for the Working Poor · Dss/hra · FY2021 $384,705
- Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative · SBS · FY2022 $324,567
- Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative · SBS · FY2023 $324,567
- Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative · SBS · FY2024 $324,567
- Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative · SBS · FY2025 $324,567
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.
- Gale A. Brewer FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $114,000
- Julie Menin FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $60,000
- Kallos FY2020-2021 · 3 awards $35,000
- Rita C. Joseph FY2023-2027 · 5 awards $30,000
- Shahana K. Hanif FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $28,500
- Jennifer Gutiérrez FY2024-2027 · 4 awards $22,000
- Rosenthal FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $20,000
- Oswald J. Feliz FY2023 · 1 award $15,000
- Lander FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $7,000
- Chris Banks FY2027 · 1 award $5,000
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.
- Marco Conner Executive Director $192,991
- Nadia Qurashi Supervising Attorney $154,233
- Marcos Ortiz Chief Financial Officer $149,476
- Sumantra Sinha Supervising Attorney $141,032
- Michael Leonard Supervising Attorney $138,895
- Michael Grinthal Supervising Attorney $136,814
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +70% 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 Sadia Rahman-From 1220 · 9.9% of revenue $122,641
- FY2021 Sadia Rahman · 13.71% of revenue $147,386
- FY2022 Marcos Ortiz · 15.09% of revenue $149,476
- FY2023 Marco Conner · 16.09% of revenue $192,991