Amber Charter School FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Since 2000EducationEIN 13-4119814

This page gets seen. Tell your story. Claim this org.

To provide our students an academically rigorous and well-rounded education, along with strong character development, that will enable them to prosper in future endeavors.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.3M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $117K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $186K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.0M
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$20.9M
+18% vs prior year
Spent
$17.3M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$14.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$20.9M
FY2021▲ +18%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$17.7M
FY2021$20.9M
FY2022$28.0M
FY2023$27.2M
FY2024$29.7M
FY2025$31.1M
Expenses
$17.3M
FY2021▲ +18%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.7M
FY2021$17.3M
FY2022$30.3M
FY2023$28.5M
FY2024$31.4M
FY2025$31.7M
Net assets
$14.2M
FY2021▲ +34%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.6M
FY2021$14.2M
FY2022$11.9M
FY2023$10.6M
FY2024$8.8M
FY2025$8.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2000.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $12.7M Management & general 27% · $4.6M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

Who runs it and what they're paid

21 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$296,520Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer
$177,787Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$165,723Pt VII · Sec A
$144,698Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Communications Offic
$143,637Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Academic Officer
$140,477Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$137,414Pt VII · Sec A
Teacher Representative
$73,926Pt VII · Sec A

Veronica Almedina’s $264K as Co-Chief Executive Officer is at the 56th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Vasthi Acosta——$221,471$263,771$296,520$245,213
Veronica Almedina$263,536$258,948$164,260$164,389$144,698$132,275
Kirsys Gomez$261,071$256,920$203,100$149,746——
Sashemani Elliott$204,965$196,232$209,827$163,143$140,477$137,793
Christine Ganey$200,331$192,472$186,867$161,208$143,637$120,503
Karen Drezner———$180,785$177,787$117,421
Heidi Hamilton———$172,225$165,723$156,832
Meirelys Ruiz$164,843—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Amber Charter School executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers rigorous academics and character development to help students succeed.

Provided by the organization

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

2 programs · $12.7M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

The organization operates a charter school in the city of new york. The school is open to the general public (admission by lottery). Amber's mission is to provide students with an academically rigorous and well-rounded education, along with strong character development, that will enable them to prosper in future endeavors.

$12.7Mprogram expense
02

The after school program was started in september 2014. In addition to supplementing what the students have learned in school, they participate in interactive learning models that engage critical thinking skills and get assistance with their homework from trained staff members.

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
50can INCFY2024$116K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$186K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$20.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15.3M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Money outPt IX
$17.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$12.7M
Managementcol C$4.6M
Owns and owesPt X
$14.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16$18.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$4.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$73K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$12K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Total revenueLn 12$20.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$10.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.1M
Other assetsLn 15$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$18.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.0M
Net assetsLn 32$14.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5172
VolunteersI 611
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.8M$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.5M$5.1M
Total assetsLn 16$16.2M$18.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.6M$4.0M
Net assetsLn 32$10.6M$14.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$470K$94K$376K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$9.2M$6.8M$2.4M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$347K$263K$83K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.1M$1.5M$581K
Payroll taxesLn 10$854K$609K$245K
Management feesLn 11a$70K$70K
Legal feesLn 11b$15K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$41K$41K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$932K$751K$181K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$97K$83K$14K
Office expensesLn 13$91K$18K$73K
Information technologyLn 14$164K$147K$17K
OccupancyLn 16$1.2M$830K$347K
TravelLn 17$8K$6K$2K
InterestLn 20$127K$91K$35K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$339K$305K$34K
InsuranceLn 23$111K$79K$32K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$1.1M$61K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$47K$36K$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$17.3M$12.7M$4.6M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $31.1M$31.7M−$550K$8.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $29.7M$31.4M−$1.8M$8.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $27.2M$28.5M−$1.3M$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $28.0M$30.3M−$2.3M$11.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $20.9M$17.3M$3.6M$14.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $17.7M$14.7M$3.0M$10.6M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $20,911,182 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$11,833
VIII-1e Government grants$4,693,688
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$846,589
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$73,466
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,552,110
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $15,349,081$15,349,081
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,991$9,991
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $15,349,081 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9,991$20,911,182
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $17,309,317 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $94,032 · Management $376,129$470,161
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $6,768,573 · Management $2,409,232$9,177,805
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $263,232 · Management $83,406$346,638
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,476,097 · Management $581,212$2,057,309
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $609,013 · Management $244,540$853,553
IX-11a Management feesManagement $70,297$70,297
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $14,610$14,610
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $40,601$40,601
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $751,394 · Management $180,531$931,925
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $82,823 · Management $13,932$96,755
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,380 · Management $72,870$91,250
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $147,234 · Management $16,711$163,945
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $829,780 · Management $346,705$1,176,485
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,691 · Management $2,310$8,001
IX-20 InterestPrograms $91,252 · Management $35,330$126,582
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $305,141 · Management $33,937$339,078
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $78,814 · Management $31,724$110,538
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,125,581 · Management $61,304 · Fundraising $0$1,186,885
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $35,962 · Management $10,937$46,899
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,682,999 · Management $4,626,318 · Fundraising $0$17,309,317
Part X · Balance sheet $18,229,334 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $8,775,088$10,553,297
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $873,198$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $22,337$899,130
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $149,950$41,432
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,515,359$5,085,780
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,844,602$1,649,695
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $16,180,534$18,229,334
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,550,229$1,826,126
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,560,951$4,007,886
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $10,619,583$14,221,448
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,619,583$14,221,448
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $16,180,534$18,229,334
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,221,448 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$20,911,182
XI-2 Total expenses$17,309,317
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,601,865
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,619,583
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,221,448

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.