Buffalo String Works provides rigorous music instruction and a creative home for 100 refugee, immigrant, and historically marginalized youth in the city of Buffalo, NY.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 12 volunteers and 13 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $23K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.9 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
19
named funders · $450K
Looks good: 19 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$260K
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$851K
-14% vs prior year
Spent
$924K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$356K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$851K
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$369K
FY2021$523K
FY2022$832K
FY2023$995K
FY2024$985K
FY2025$851K
Expenses
$924K
FY2025▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$322K
FY2021$441K
FY2022$671K
FY2023$948K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$924K
Net assets
$356K
FY2025▼ -16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$313K
FY2021$394K
FY2022$555K
FY2023$603K
FY2024$426K
FY2025$356K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 2015.

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

Where the money goes

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $611K Management & general 18% · $165K Fundraising 16% · $148K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair Develo
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Yuki Numata Resnick’s $60K as Executive Di is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2022FY2021FY2020
Yuki Numata Resnick$60,000$33,866$32,308

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 Buffalo String Works INC executive salaries →

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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 music instruction and a creative home to refugee, immigrant, and marginalized youth.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $611K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

We provide up to 6 hours of high quality music instruction each week and multiple performance opportunities each year to students. While prioritizing musical excellence, we also aim to cultivate a positive space that supports our students' development into curious, confident, committed individuals.

$611Kprogram expense

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
See all 19 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$851K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$824K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27K
Investment incomeLn 3$761
Money outPt IX
$924K
Ln 25
Programscol B$611K
Managementcol C$165K
Fundraisingcol D$148K
Owns and owesPt X
$356K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$69K
Total assetsLn 16$616K
LiabilitiesLn 26$260K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$824K
Government grantsLn 1e$149K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27K
Investment incomeLn 3$761
Total revenueLn 12$851K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$44K
SavingsLn 2$25K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$69K
Other assetsLn 15$208K
Total assetsLn 16$616K
LiabilitiesLn 26$260K
Net assetsLn 32$356K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 612
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$157K$69K
Total assetsLn 16$461K$616K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K$260K
Net assetsLn 32$426K$356K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$569K$395K$73K$100K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$17K$13K$2K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$57K$40K$7K$9K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$97K$43K$41K$13K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$1K$8K
OccupancyLn 16$76K$62K$15K
TravelLn 17$5K$5K$73
InsuranceLn 23$11K$1K$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$83K$53K$16K$14K
Total functional expensesLn 25$924K$611K$165K$148K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $851K$924K−$73K$356K 990 PDF
FY2024 $985K$1.1M−$127K$426K 990 PDF
FY2023 $995K$948K$47K$603K 990 PDF
FY2022 $832K$671K$161K$555K 990 PDF
FY2021 $523K$441K$82K$394K 990 PDF
FY2020 $369K$322K$47K$313K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $851,095 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $946,733$823,675
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $24,133$26,659
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $14,176$761
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $985,042$851,095
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $743,801$643,018
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $368,701$281,029
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,112,502$924,047
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$127,460−$72,952
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $851,095 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$674,946
VIII-1e Government grants$148,729
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$823,675
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,659$26,659
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $761$761
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,420$851,095
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $924,047 across 9 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $395,380 · Management $73,167 · Fundraising $100,446$568,993
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $12,502 · Management $2,186 · Fundraising $2,798$17,486
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $39,723 · Management $7,403 · Fundraising $9,413$56,539
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $43,322 · Management $40,607 · Fundraising $12,831$96,760
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,036 · Fundraising $8,406$9,442
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $61,675 · Management $14,513$76,188
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,830 · Management $73$4,903
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,006 · Management $9,837$10,843
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $52,948 · Management $16,113 · Fundraising $13,832$82,893
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $611,386 · Management $164,935 · Fundraising $147,726$924,047
Part X · Balance sheet $615,878 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $128,835$44,443
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $27,666$24,975
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $298,221$328,727
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,214$9,371
X-15 Other assets$208,362
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $460,936$615,878
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $35,167$11,699
X-19 Deferred revenue$40,000
X-25 Other liabilities$208,362
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $35,167$260,061
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $365,792$330,842
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $59,977$24,975
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $425,769$355,817
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $460,936$615,878
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $355,817 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$851,095
XI-2 Total expenses$924,047
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$72,952
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$425,769
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$3,000
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$355,817

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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