Community Service Society of New York
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK (CSS) HAS WORKED WITH AND FOR NEW YORKERS SINCE 1843 TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND CHAMPION AN EQUITABLE CITY AND STATE. WE POWER CHANGE THROUGH A STRATEGIC COMBINATION OF RESEARCH, SERVICES, AND ADVOCACY TO MAKE NEW YORK MORE LIVABLE FOR PEOPLE FACING ECONOMIC INSECURITY. BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CONVICTION HISTORIES, DEBT ASSISTANCE, AND MORE, WE MAKE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF MILLIONS.
- Income
- $50.2 million
- Spending
- $47.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 41.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 71%
- Employees
- 209
- Volunteers
- 1,248
- Highest pay
- $896,076, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 41.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2535 of 35 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $30.7 million spent. CSS'S HEALTH INITIATIVES DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS HEALTH COVERAGE POLICY RESEARCH, ADVOCATES FOR QUALITY AFFORDABLE COVERAGE FOR ALL, AND PROVIDES EDUCATION AND DIRECT HEALTH COVERAGE ASSISTANCE TO NEW YORK CONSUMERS. CSS'S HEALTH COVERAGE-RELATED DIRECT SERVICES PROGRAMS INCLUDE: COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCATES; THE CSS NAVIGATOR NETWORK; THE INDEPENDENT CONSUMER ADVOCACY NETWORK; THE ABD-FE PROGRAM; THE MANAGED CARE CONSUMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MCCAP); INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OMBUDS PROGRAM (IDDO); AND COMMUNITY HEALTH ACCESS FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROJECT (CHAMP). FOR MANY OF THESE PROJECTS, CSS SUBCONTRACTS WITH NETWORKS OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SERVE CONSUMERS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE. TOGETHER, IN FY 2025, CSS'S HEALTH COVERAGE DIRECT SERVICES PROGRAMS SERVED CONSUMERS IN OVER 150,000 CASES. THE HEALTH INITIATIVES DEPARTMENT HAS 10 TRAINED AND ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS.
- $1.8 million spent. RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP CORE PROGRAM) HIGHLIGHTS DURING FY2025 ARE AS FOLLOWS:-A TOTAL OF 1,248 VOLUNTEERS WERE ACTIVE IN THE AMERICORPS SENIORS RSVP PROGRAM IN FY 2025-RSVP CORE PROGRAM HAS PARTNERSHIPS WITH 134 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO UTILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH IMPACTFUL, ONGOING SERVICE. THE ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEERS INCLUDE ACCESSING HEALTH CARE; PROVIDING FRAUD PREVENTION EDUCATION; FIGHTING FOOD INSECURITY; HOME MEAL DELIVERY; REDUCING SOCIAL ISOLATION BY PROVIDING COMPANIONSHIP; TUTORING AND MENTORING STUDENTS OF ALL AGES; REMOVING BARRIERS RESULTING FROM CONVICTION HISTORIES; BUILDING CAPACITY IN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS; AND SUPPORTING VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. VOLUNTEERS SERVE IN BOTH IN-PERSON AND REMOTELY BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY SERVE AND THE PREFERENCE OF THE VOLUNTEER.-THE RSVP ACES VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED 4,147 CLIENTS (2,320 NEW AND 1,827 ONGOING) WITH 5,782 PUBLIC BENEFITS. THEY COMPLETED 1,205 APPLICATIONS AND RECERTIFICATIONS. -THE RSVP FINANCIAL COACHING CORPS (FCC) SUPPORTED 41 FINANCIAL COACHES AND ESTABLISHED 21 PARTNER SITES.-THE FCC VOLUNTEERS CONDUCTED 1,132 FINANCIAL COACHING SESSIONS ON 2,523 FINANCIAL TOPICS.
- $3.2 million spent. EDUCATION DEBT CONSUMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EDCAP) PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS DURING FY2025 ARE AS FOLLOWS:-STATEWIDE CAMPAIGNS: EDCAP'S EXTENSIVE OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS REACHED OVER 6.9 MILLION NEW YORKERS, RAISING AWARENESS AND ADDRESSING KEY STUDENT DEBT TOPICS. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, DRIVEN BY GROWTH IN OUR PRE-COLLEGE COUNSELING AS WELL AS HIGHER EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL AID CONTENT.-EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND COUNSELING: WE ENGAGED 16,388 BORROWERS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND CONDUCTED 7,300 INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THEIR STUDENT DEBT.-FINANCIAL IMPACT: EDCAP SECURED OVER $10 MILLION IN SAVINGS FOR BORROWERS THROUGH FEDERAL RELIEF, FORGIVENESS, AND DISCHARGE PROGRAMS, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THEIR FINANCIAL BURDENS. TO DATE, WE HAVE SAVED NEW YORKERS MORE THAN $46.5 MILLION CUMULATIVELY (AS OF 12/6/2025).
- $6.5 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE:LEGAL DEPARTMENTUNHEARD THIRDHOUSING RESEARCHYOUTH POLICYLABOR MARKET STUDIESTRUE COST OF LIVING CAMPAIGN GENERALCITYLIMITSINCOME SUPPORTBENEFITPLUSHIICAP/NYSPOLITICAL DEPARTMENTPUBLIC AFFAIRS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1939.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.