Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program, Inc.
City-funded organization
Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program, Inc. (LEAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides arts based education and after school programs, including several "COMPASS Program" contracts, to New York City public schools; per its own website it was founded in 1977, serves about 20,000 students citywide, and is headquartered at 535 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. It holds $76.6 million in active NYC contracts as of August 2026 (4 contracts) with the Department of Education and Department of Youth and Community Development, out of $106 million awarded since 2002, and 69% of its contract value ($73 million across 41 contracts) was awarded without a fresh competitive bid, per Checkbook NYC. It has also received $1.3 million in City Council discretionary funding across 57 awards (FY2009 to FY2026). Executive Director Richard Souto was paid about $212,000 in reportable compensation in FY2023, per the organization's IRS Form 990 on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $76,611,187 · 6 contracts
- Awarded all-time
- $164,897,918 · 76 since 2002, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $87,698,052
- Won without a fresh bid
- 44% of contract value · $73,326,482 · 41 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $1,469,018 · 63 awards
- Funding history
- Funded 16 years (FY2009–FY2027), including each of the last 10
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $211,962 · Richard Souto, Executive Director
Holds contracts at
- Department of Education City agency
- 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 - Middle Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278801247 $46,612,800
- COMPASS Programs in Public Schools - Elemetary Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278801248 $12,240,000
- COMPASS Program NAE Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800421 $10,831,254
- COMPASS Program NAE Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800423 $5,022,348
- Student Support Services Department of Education · MA104020249477290 $1,200,000
- 21st CCLC services to provide academic and enrichment servic Department of Education · CT104020259556630 $704,785
- COMPASS Program Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020248800717 · ended 2025 $12,091,989
- COMPASS programming at The Urban Assembly Unison School Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020228800618 · ended 2023 $4,314,668
- COMPASS middle school services at JHS 088 Peter Rouget Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020191400519 · ended 2021 $4,185,486
- COMPASS middle school services at PS 129 Twin Parks Upper Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020191400518 · ended 2021 $3,729,168
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- JHS 22 OST · DYCD · FY2013 $71,500
- Community Intermediate School 22 - Jordan L. Mott School Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $71,500
- Public School 179K, Public School 124K Silas B. Dutcher, and Public School 230K CM Hanif · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2023 $60,000
- P.S./M. School 279 - Captain Manuel Rivera School OST · DYCD · FY2013 $44,000
- P.S./M.S. School 279 -Captain Manuel Rivera School Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $44,000
- Public School 179K and Public School 230K CM Hanif · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2024 $40,000
- Council District 39 CM Hanif · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2025 $40,000
- Council District 39 CM Hanif · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2026 $40,000
- Council District 39 CM Hanif · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2027 $40,000
- Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers · DYCD · FY2022 $28,655
- South Bronx School for International Cultures and the Arts Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCA · FY2010 $20,000
- South Bronx Charter School for the International Cultures and the Arts Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCA · FY2011 $20,000
- Public School 214Q Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCA · FY2011 $20,000
- Public School 121 Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCA · FY2012 $20,000
- Millenium High School Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCLA · FY2018 $20,000
- Millennium High School Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCLA · FY2019 $20,000
- Public School 124K Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2019 $20,000
- Grant Avenue Elementary (09X449) CM Gibson · Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCLA · FY2020 $20,000
- Lower Manhattan Arts Academy (02M308) CM Chin · Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCLA · FY2020 $20,000
- Public School 417M (03M417) CM Rosenthal · Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) · DCLA · FY2020 $20,000
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.
- Shahana K. Hanif FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $240,000
- Amanda C. Farías FY2024-2027 · 8 awards $160,000
- Julie Menin FY2022-2027 · 6 awards $120,000
- Althea V. Stevens FY2022-2026 · 5 awards $100,000
- Christopher Marte FY2022-2027 · 5 awards $100,000
- Gale A. Brewer FY2022-2024 · 5 awards $80,000
- Vanessa Gibson FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $40,000
- Chin FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $40,000
- Rosenthal FY2020-2021 · 2 awards $40,000
- Sandy Nurse FY2025-2026 · 2 awards $40,000
- Susan Zhuang FY2025-2027 · 4 awards $30,000
- Lander FY2020 · 1 award $20,000
- Kallos FY2021 · 1 award $20,000
- Crystal Hudson FY2025 · 1 award $20,000
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.
- Richard Souto Executive Director $211,962
- Lakimja Mattocks Chief People & Culture Officer $155,142
- Julliahann Washington Chief Financial Operations Officer $141,176
- Jennifer R Difiglia Chief Program Officer $92,320
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +10% 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 Richard Souto · 7.37% of revenue $234,409
- FY2021 Richard Souto · 3.86% of revenue $229,898
- FY2022 Richard Souto · 3.62% of revenue $244,496
- FY2023 Richard Souto · 6.24% of revenue $211,962
Federal awards
Federal awards made directly to this organization in fiscal years 2023 through 2026. Each amount is what the federal government has OBLIGATED on that award as recorded on USAspending.gov as of 2026-08-31 — money committed, not money paid out. These are prime awards only: federal money this
- National Endowment for the Arts 45.024 Promotion of the Arts Grants to Organizations and Individuals · National Endowment for the Arts · Grant $60,000
- National Endowment for the Arts 45.024 Promotion of the Arts Grants to Organizations and Individuals · National Endowment for the Arts · Grant $40,000