In Our Backyards Inc
In Our Backyards Inc, based in Brooklyn, New York, is a public charity that supported community-led projects through its ioby platform. The organization’s 2023 filing describes services including project support, outreach and sourcing, and maintaining an online platform; its support included coaching, training, technical assistance, fiscal sponsorship, and project funds disbursement.
In Our Backyards Inc at a glance
In short: In Our Backyards Inc gave $1.2M across 100 grants in 2023 (avg $12K), top state New York. 67% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $1,199,019
- +40.5% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 100
- +33.3% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $11,990
- +5.4% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $9,465
- Total assets
- $1,303,950
- -50.7% vs 2022
- New grantees (estimate)
- 67% first-time grantees (67 of 100, 2023)
- Primary geography
- New York (31% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to In Our Backyards Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 275 Park Avenue Suite A, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: (917) 464-4515
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who In Our Backyards Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Mama Scrap's Inc ($57K). Together the top 10 received $337K.
Grant Size Distribution
485 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 476 grants of 485 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 grant dollars were distributed across recipient states, led by New York (31%), California (19%), Ohio (12%), Arkansas (7%), and Illinois (6%). The listed grants also included recipients in states such as Vermont and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 100 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is In Our Backyards Inc open to new grantees?
67%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 67 of 100 grantees (67%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $8K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $853K (2022) to $2.4M (2020). In 2023 it made 100 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mama Scrap's Inc Fairview Heights, IL | To Provide Funding for Sacred Resistance: Return | $57,432 |
| The Hustle Presents Inc New York, NY | To Provide Funding for the Hustle Presents | $48,500 |
| FLAWLESS4YOUTH Inc Sacramento, CA | To Provide Funding for FLAWLESS4YOUTH | $31,490 |
| The Music Education Initiative Rogers, AR | To Provide Funding for the Juke Joint Project | $30,109 |
| Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation Burlington, VT | To Provide Funding for NWBR: Our Facility's Future | $29,993 |
| Don Conley Boxing Club Sacramento, CA | To provide funding for 2023 usa boxing jr olympics | $29,550 |
| Samhati Bentonville Inc Bentonville, AR | To provide funding for samhati - durga puja 2023 | $29,400 |
| The Horticultural Society of New York New York, NY | To provide funding for annual fund for father fagan park | $28,374 |
| Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California Sacramento, CA | To provide funding for renovation of miguel hidalgo bust | $27,623 |
| Action Research Collaborative Inc Raleigh, NC | To provide funding for system change for the rideshare platform economy | $24,165 |
Ready to take the next step with In Our Backyards Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The organization stated in its 2023 filing that revenue decreased significantly from 2022 while expenses remained at a similar level, resulting in a greater-than-25% decrease in net assets.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1,303,950 | $4,035,181 | $5,020,069 | $1,199,019 | 100 | $3,142 |
| 2022 | $2,642,466 | $5,002,721 | $5,058,811 | $853,295 | 75 | — |
| 2021 | $2,495,951 | $5,883,251 | $6,454,153 | $1,660,186 | 93 | — |
| 2020 | $3,212,579 | $8,598,106 | $7,911,740 | $2,414,634 | 150 | — |
| 2019 | $2,685,637 | $4,734,427 | $4,345,303 | $915,713 | 67 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission was to mobilize neighbors with good ideas to become civic leaders who plan, fund, and make positive change in their neighborhoods. Its filing describes support for project planning and management, fundraising, communications, and project implementation, alongside outreach to neighborhood groups and nonprofits.
The 2023 grants included organizations with varied missions. The Music Education Initiative described its mission as bringing music education and appreciation to the public and school-aged children. The Horticultural Society of New York said it works to share knowledge about plant cultivation and stimulate interest in horticulture in New York City. Other grantees described missions involving environmental advocacy, food services for economically insecure people, Latin cultural heritage, African culture and community development, and arts and entrepreneurship education for young men of color.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the organization reported 100 grants totaling $1,199,019. Grant amounts ranged from $5,024 to $57,432, with a median of $9,465. The largest awards included $57,432 to Mama Scrap’s Inc for “Sacred Resistance: Return,” $48,500 to The Hustle Presents Inc, and $31,490 to Flawless4Youth Inc. Other notable awards included $30,109 to The Music Education Initiative for the Juke Joint Project and $28,374 to The Horticultural Society of New York for its annual fund for Father Fagan Park.
The organization’s filing describes a project process requiring a line-item budget and an implementation narrative. Before funds were disbursed, it confirmed budget changes in a signed contract; oversight included receipts, staff review, photo or video documentation, a final report, and a brief completion interview.
The former website described project eligibility requirements that included a public benefit, a U.S. or territorial location, and management by a 501(c)(3), government entity, or fiscal sponsor. Its 2023 Reimagining Communities Match Program was a past program, with eligibility conditions including a public-benefiting project focused on public space or infrastructure and BIPOC leadership. These descriptions are historical, not current application instructions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2023 filing were Apollo Gonzales, board chair; Evelyn Burnett, vice chair; Jamie Hand, past chair; Jena Bradley, secretary; Christine Rico, treasurer; and directors Loren Blackford, Lindsay Campbell, Michelle Huang, Scott Miller, and Justin G Moore.
In Our Backyards Inc is led by Erin Barnes, Cofounder & Chief Executive Officer since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 2 of 17 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Erin Barnes
Cofounder & Chief Executive Officer
Cofounder & Executive Director → Cofounder & Chief Executive Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$96K (2019) → $30K (2023)
Apollo Gonzales
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harriet Tregoning
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin G. Moore
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay Campbell
Director
Board Member → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Huang
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Loren Blackford
Director
On filings since 2021
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Omar Parbhoo
Director
On filings since 2021
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Camilla Velasquez
Director
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ioanna Paraskevopolous
Director
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karyn Williams
Director
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Miller
Director
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hanna Zahory
CFO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$116K (2022) → $62K (2023)
Evelyn Burnett
Vice Chair
Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2020
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Hand
Past Chair
Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Past Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christine Rico
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jena Bradley
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Jason Schwartz (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Nadia Owusu (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Projjal Dutta (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Shin-Pei Tsay (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kenneth Nadolski (2020–2022) — Chief Philanthropy Officer
- Former: Michelle Garcia (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Adam Freed (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Autumn Smoot (2019–2021) — Chief Finance Officer
- Former: Brandon Whitney (2019–2020) — Cofounder & COO
- Former: Cassie Flynn (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Charlotte Kaiser (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Eric Ng (2019–2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $62K, to Hanna Zahory (CFO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about In Our Backyards Inc
How much does In Our Backyards Inc give each year?
In Our Backyards Inc gave $1.2M across 100 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. In 2022 it gave $853K across 75 grants.
What is In Our Backyards Inc's typical grant size?
In Our Backyards Inc's median grant in 2023 was $9,465, and its average grant was $11,990, across 100 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from In Our Backyards Inc that year got $13K on average.
Where does In Our Backyards Inc give grants?
In Our Backyards Inc's top state is New York, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (19%) and Ohio (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (19 grants), Sacramento, CA (12 grants), Brooklyn, NY (11 grants) and Cleveland, OH (10 grants).
Does In Our Backyards Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of In Our Backyards Inc's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 100) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990.
Who are In Our Backyards Inc's largest grantees?
In Our Backyards Inc's largest 2023 grantees include Mama Scrap's Inc ($57,432), The Hustle Presents Inc ($48,500) and FLAWLESS4YOUTH Inc ($31,490), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is In Our Backyards Inc?
In Our Backyards Inc reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.0M.
What does In Our Backyards Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission was to mobilize neighbors with good ideas to become civic leaders who plan, fund, and make positive change in their neighborhoods. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from In Our Backyards Inc?
In Our Backyards Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is In Our Backyards Inc's EIN?
In Our Backyards Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3283639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 7, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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In Our Backyards Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?