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.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$32K 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

FY2020 · 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
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$32K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 14.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
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
$78K
20% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 20% 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
$369K
Spent
$322K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$313K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$369K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$369K
FY2021$523K
FY2022$832K
FY2023$995K
FY2024$985K
FY2025$851K
Expenses
$322K
FY2020
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
$313K
FY2020
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 FY2020 Form 990 (year ending August 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Dec 2015.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $264K Management & general 14% · $46K Fundraising 4% · $12K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $32K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$32,308Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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 · $264K · in their own filed words · FY2019
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.

$264Kprogram 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 FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$369K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$359K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Money outPt IX
$322K
Ln 25
Programscol B$264K
Managementcol C$46K
Fundraisingcol D$12K
Owns and owesPt X
$313K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$388K
Total assetsLn 16$390K
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$359K
Government grantsLn 1e$32K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Total revenueLn 12$369K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$361K
SavingsLn 2$27K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$388K
Total assetsLn 16$390K
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
Net assetsLn 32$313K
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$275K$388K
Total assetsLn 16$275K$390K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$78K
Net assetsLn 32$275K$313K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$41K$20K$10K$10K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$61K$61K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$8K$1K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$18K$18K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$136K$129K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$6K$4K$714$750
OccupancyLn 16$7K$7K
TravelLn 17$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$37K$31K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$322K$264K$46K$12K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $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 Viewing $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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $368,713 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $262,242$359,172
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,528$9,541
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $9$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $263,779$368,713
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $80,702$112,349
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $67,593$209,536
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $148,295$321,885
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $115,484$46,828
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 $368,713 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$32,385
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$326,787
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$359,172
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $9,541$9,541
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $9,541 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$368,713
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $321,885 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $20,385 · Management $10,192 · Fundraising $10,192$40,769
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $61,020$61,020
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,445 · Management $1,058 · Fundraising $1,057$10,560
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $17,843$17,843
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $128,660 · Management $7,315$135,975
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,049 · Management $714 · Fundraising $750$5,513
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $7,125$7,125
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,533$3,533
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,877$2,877
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $30,934 · Management $5,736$36,670
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $264,151 · Management $45,735 · Fundraising $11,999$321,885
Part X · Balance sheet $390,273 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $248,169$361,380
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $27,014$27,027
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$1,866
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $275,183$390,273
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$9,340
X-19 Deferred revenue$42,215
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$26,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$77,555
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $275,183$194,519
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$118,199
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $275,183$312,718
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $275,183$390,273
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $312,718 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$368,713
XI-2 Total expenses$321,885
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$46,828
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$275,183
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$9,293
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$312,718

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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