NYC FIRST Inc
NYC FIRST's mission is to inspire and empower K-12 students from diverse communities across New York City each year to engage with STEM and robotics in meaningful and joyful ways. It creates learning experiences that encourage young people to think critically and creatively and to persevere. Its programs set young people on pathways to success academically and professionally.
NYC FIRST Inc at a glance
In short: NYC FIRST Inc gave $3.1M across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $1.0M), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,134,198
- +1352.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,044,733
- +868.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $174,300
- Total assets
- $5,743,613
- +110.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who NYC FIRST Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Open Athena AI Foundation ($2.9M). Together the top 3 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 6 grants of 10 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $122K (2023) to $3.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $3.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Open Athena AI Foundation New York, NY | Fiscal Sponsorship/Advancement of STEM in Educational Institutions | $2,949,898 |
| For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Manchester, NH | League Program Team Support | $174,300 |
| Girl Scouts Council of Greater NY Inc New York, NY | League Program Team Support | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,743,613 | $7,706,949 | $7,382,718 | $3,134,198 | 3 | $62,742 |
| 2024 | $2,732,318 | $4,599,562 | $3,580,032 | $215,780 | 2 | $36,116 |
| 2023 | $1,104,054 | $3,521,549 | $2,980,384 | $122,400 | 5 | $22,977 |
| 2022 | $662,453 | $2,651,745 | $2,687,954 | — | — | $392 |
| 2021 | $586,689 | $2,125,543 | $2,211,276 | — | — | $-70 |
| 2020 | $817,702 | $1,995,231 | $2,139,557 | — | — | $2,290 |
About NYC FIRST Inc
Based on IRS filings
NYC FIRST Inc is a public charity focused on Youth Development, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $5.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $3.1M. Net investment income was $63K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
NYC FIRST Inc is led by Michael Zigman, CEO & Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 6 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Zigman
CEO & Executive Director
CEO → CEO & Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
55 hrs/week
$239K (2020) → $315K (2025)
David Siegel
Director & Co-Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Dubno
Director & Co-Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Sharkey
Director of Development
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$114K (2023) → $122K (2025)
Lisa Cai
Program Director & K-
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$103K (2025)
Anne Kirschner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Armen Avanessians
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gilda Barabino
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karl Sprules
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Naeve
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katelyn Karageorgiou
Chief of Staff
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$152K (2025)
Marjorie Schulman
Vice President of Programs
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$169K (2025)
Nicholas Jerez
Past Director of People Operations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$126K (2025)
Lyudmila Koyenova
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Allen Weinberg (2020–2023) — Past Director
- Former: Sanaya Kaufman (2022–2023) — Past Vice President & Advancement
- Former: Meghan Groome (2021–2022) — Past Vice President & Programs
- Former: Larry Cohen (2020) — Past Vice President & Past Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $315K, to Michael Zigman (CEO/Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about NYC FIRST Inc
How much does NYC FIRST Inc give each year?
NYC FIRST Inc gave $3.1M across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $216K across 2 grants.
What is NYC FIRST Inc's typical grant size?
NYC FIRST Inc's median grant in 2025 was $174,300, and its average grant was $1,044,733, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does NYC FIRST Inc give grants?
NYC FIRST Inc gives mostly in New York: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Hampshire (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does NYC FIRST Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on NYC FIRST Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is NYC FIRST Inc?
NYC FIRST Inc reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.7M.
What is NYC FIRST Inc?
NYC FIRST Inc is a public charity focused on Youth Development, based in New York, NY. It holds $5.7M in total assets as of 2025.
What is NYC FIRST Inc's EIN?
NYC FIRST Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2754933. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work NYC FIRST Inc funds
Youth Development Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in NYC FIRST Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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