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Nonprofiteer
← BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES.

Totals

Total revenue
$89,249,810
Total expenses
$83,753,003
Contributions and grants received
$89,252,808
Grants paid
$6,900
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$0
Other revenue
-$2,998
Total assets, end of year
$43,814,123
Total liabilities, end of year
$42,193,994
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,620,129
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$73,683,368
Management and general expenses
$9,975,182
Fundraising expenses
$94,453
Program service expenses (Part III)
$73,683,368

Program services were 88.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $118,556

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $88,457,890

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $676,362

  • 2f · All other program service revenue

    total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $0 · personal property $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $0 · other assets $0

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $118,556

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $2,998

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$2,998 · excluded -$2,998

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $6,900 · program services $6,900

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $660,576 · management and general $660,576

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $53,515,381 · program services $48,165,977 · management and general $5,349,404

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $2,665,855 · program services $2,396,983 · management and general $268,872

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $8,498,148 · program services $7,600,377 · management and general $897,771

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $4,215,070 · program services $3,752,107 · management and general $462,963

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $222,352 · management and general $222,352

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $371,513 · management and general $371,513

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $84,000 · management and general $84,000

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $2,425,306 · program services $2,038,542 · management and general $302,764 · fundraising $84,000

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $2,004,464 · program services $1,720,337 · management and general $277,174 · fundraising $6,953

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $1,492,393 · program services $1,215,990 · management and general $272,903 · fundraising $3,500

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $6,262,629 · program services $5,913,999 · management and general $348,630

  • 17 · Travel

    total $182,164 · program services $180,636 · management and general $1,528

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $300,153 · program services $239,590 · management and general $60,563

  • 20 · Interest

    total $287,572 · management and general $287,572

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $345,422 · program services $302,262 · management and general $43,160

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $213,105 · program services $149,668 · management and general $63,437

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $2,632,073 · end of year $3,417,576

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $16,966,454 · end of year $11,333,008

  • 5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $520,569 · end of year $424,903

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $5,234,893

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $3,324,103

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,254,489 · end of year $1,910,790

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $0

  • 13 · Investments: program-related

    beginning of year $0

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $30,667,156 · end of year $26,727,846

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $5,958,118 · end of year $5,507,741

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $49,646 · end of year $26,005

  • 22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $7,500,000

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $8,840,897 · end of year $6,231,556

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $34,568,758 · end of year $30,428,692

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year -$4,037,434 · end of year $1,554,790

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $160,756 · end of year $65,339

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.

  • IN FY24 BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES (BDS) PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO 25,201 LOW-INCOME BROOKLYN RESIDENTS WHO WERE ARRESTED, 2,335 PARENTS IN CHILD WELFARE PROCEEDINGS, 332 CLIENTS IN DETAINED IMMIGRATION REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, AND 2,371 CLIENTS FACING BARRIERS TO CIVIL JUSTICE. BDS EMPLOYS A LARGE STAFF OF HIGHLY DEDICATED AND TALENTED ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, INVESTIGATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CLIENT REPRESENTATION IN OUR CORE AREAS OF CRIMINAL, FAMILY AND IMMIGRATION DEFENSE TO PEOPLE FACING THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPRISONMENT, LOSS OF THEIR CHILDREN OR DEPORTATION.

    Expenses $73,683,368 · Grants $6,900

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • CINDI GIGLIO

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • GREGORY CERCHIONE

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • KEVIN SNOVER

    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • LISA SCHREIBERSDORF

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $400,192
    From this org
    $363,885
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $36,307
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $363,885
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $18,194
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,113
    Filer's total
    $400,192

  • ANDREA BONINA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JASON STARR

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JEFFREY RONA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • ROBERT J GUNTHER JR

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JUAN ALMONTE

    MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $220,003
    From this org
    $188,917
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,086
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $188,917
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,446
    Nontaxable benefits
    $21,640
    Filer's total
    $220,003

  • JOYCE D KENDRICK

    MD OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE

    Total calculated
    $271,499
    From this org
    $215,460
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $56,039
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $215,460
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,773
    Nontaxable benefits
    $45,266
    Filer's total
    $271,499

  • Kelli McTaggart

    General Counsel

    Total calculated
    $235,138
    From this org
    $214,100
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,038
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $214,100
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,705
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,333
    Filer's total
    $235,138

  • KWAME MILLAR

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $248,884
    From this org
    $222,860
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,024
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $222,860
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,143
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,881
    Filer's total
    $248,884

  • LAURA SAFT

    DEPUTY ED, MD CRIMINAL DEFENSE

    Total calculated
    $272,159
    From this org
    $245,027
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $27,132
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $245,027
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,251
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,881
    Filer's total
    $272,159

  • LAUREN A SHAPIRO

    MD OF FAMILY DEFENSE PRACTICE

    Total calculated
    $256,054
    From this org
    $234,020
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,034
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $234,020
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,701
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,333
    Filer's total
    $256,054

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Independent compensation consultant
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
8 May 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202521289349303047

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