Fresh Youth Initiatives Inc
City-funded organization
Fresh Youth Initiatives is a Washington Heights and Inwood nonprofit, incorporated in 1993, that provides free education support, youth development, mental health counseling and family services, including a food pantry partnership with New York Common Pantry, to children and teens ages 5 to 18 in northern Manhattan. Its city money relationship is chiefly with the Department of Youth and Community Development, whose contracts fund its COMPASS after-school programs at public schools; the organization currently holds $9,341,667 in active contracts as of August 2026 (4 contracts) and has been awarded $24 million all-time across 65 contracts since 2008, of which 55% of contract value ($13,006,411 across 46 contracts) was awarded without a fresh competitive bid. It has also received $327,975 in City Council discretionary funding across 42 awards, funded every year since FY2009, and its outgoing Executive Director Eileen Lyons was reported paid $172,872 in FY2023 per the organization's IRS Form 990.
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $9,341,667 · 4 contracts
- Awarded all-time
- $23,694,415 · 65 since 2008, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $12,849,343
- Won without a fresh bid
- 55% of contract value · $13,006,411 · 46 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $327,975 · 42 awards
- Funding history
- Funded every year since FY2009 (19 years running)
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $172,872 · Eileen Lyons Lmsw, Executive Director, Thru 11/2023
Holds contracts at
- Department of Youth and Community 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).
- COMPASS Programs in Public Schools - Elementary Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278801777 $5,508,000
- COMPASS Programs in Public Schools - Middle Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278801781 $2,106,000
- COMPASS Program NAE Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800485 $1,473,819
- FY27 COMPASS High NAE Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278800888 $253,848
- COMPASS Negotiated Acquisition Extension, PS 128 Audubon Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020228800760 · ended 2023 $1,421,835
- COMPASS PROGRAM Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020248801160 · ended 2025 $1,257,788
- COMPASS after-school Programming at PS 128 Audubon. Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020190000571 · ended 2021 $1,006,121
- Funding for NYC Comprehensive afterschool Elementary program Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020161408866 · ended 2018 $958,754
- As a result of COVID-19,NYC provide Learning Labs contracts Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020190000573 · ended 2021 $799,617
- OST Middle School Expansion IC Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020151401927 · ended 2018 $795,105
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- COMPASS Slot Restoration COMPASS Slot Restoration · DYCD · FY2016 $56,000
- Afterschool, Saturday, & Summer Youth Programs CM Manhattan Delegation · Boroughwide Needs Initiative · DYCD · FY2023 $19,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2013 $15,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2012 $12,000
- Helping Hands Food Pantry Food Pantries · DYCD · FY2016 $11,656
- Middle School Journeys Program CM De La Rosa · DYCD · FY2024 $10,000
- Local CM De La Rosa · DYCD · FY2025 $10,000
- After-school Program - Council District 10 CM De La Rosa · DYCD · FY2027 $10,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2011 $9,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2012 $9,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2013 $9,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2014 $9,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2009 $7,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2010 $7,000
- Youth Youth · DYCD · FY2015 $7,000
- After-School Program - Council District 10 CM De La Rosa · DYCD · FY2026 $7,000
- Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers · DYCD · FY2022 $5,569
- Youth Initiatives - Council District 7 CM Abreu · Anti-Poverty · DYCD · FY2024 $5,250
- Youth Initiatives - Council District 7 CM Abreu · Anti-Poverty · DYCD · FY2025 $5,250
- Youth Initiatives - Council District 7 CM Abreu · Youth · DYCD · FY2026 $5,250
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.
- Carmen N. De La Rosa FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $45,000
- Shaun Abreu FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $29,250
- Rodriguez FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $10,000
- Levine FY2021 · 1 award $3,500
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.
- Eileen Lyons Lmsw Executive Director, Thru 11/2023 $172,872
- Susan Gonzalez Program Director $121,379
- Maria Hererra Development Director $115,000
- Catherine Shugrue Dos Santos CEO $31,154
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +55% 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 Eileen Lyons Lmsw · 8.2% of revenue $161,872
- FY2021 Eileen Lyons Lmsw · 11.64% of revenue $171,257
- FY2022 Eileen Lyons Lmsw · 10.44% of revenue $172,508
- FY2023 Eileen Lyons Lmsw · 13.08% of revenue $172,872