Directions For Our Youth, Inc.

City-funded organization

Directions For Our Youth, Inc. (DFOY) is a nonprofit youth development organization founded in 1991 that, per its own website, runs out-of-school-time and after-school programming, including COMPASS and Cornerstone community center programs, in the Bronx and Manhattan, with a stated mission to engage young people "as active partners in their own development." Its NYC contracts are with the Department of Education (Learning To Work programs for Young Adult Borough Centers and transfer schools) and the Department of Youth and Community Development (COMPASS Programs and Cornerstone Community Centers), totaling about $90 million awarded since 2007 across 77 contracts ($70.2 million currently active as of August 2026 across 10 contracts), with $66 million paid to date. 79% of contract value ($71 million) was awarded without a fresh competitive bid, and the organization has received $1.3 million in City Council discretionary funding across 16 awards between FY2009 and FY2026. Its highest-paid officer in FY2023, per its IRS Form 990, was Executive Director Elisa Istueta, at $217,293.

Industry (per city contracts)
Human Services
City contracts (active)
$70,240,082 · 10 contracts
Awarded all-time
$133,836,841 · 79 since 2007, incl. expired
Paid to date
$68,471,731
Won without a fresh bid
53% of contract value · $70,823,439 · 61 contracts
Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
$1,257,292 · 16 awards
Funding history
Funded 6 years (FY2010–FY2022); not in FY2027
Top officer pay (FY2023)
$217,293 · Elisa Istueta, Executive Director

Holds contracts at

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).

Discretionary funding received

City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.

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.

Officer pay over time

Total officer pay changed +243% 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.

Sources