URBAN RESOURCE INSTITUTE
Transforming the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families
Learn how to support this organization
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Urban Resource Institute (URI) provides life-saving, empowering social services for New Yorkers who are suffering and recovering from domestic violence and homelessness. For 40 years, URI has been innovating and developing new programs to improve the lives of vulnerable New Yorkers, with a particular focus on survivors of domestic violence. We help individuals and families escape abuse, safely heal, and gain the resources needed to live healthy, independent lives. We also are the only organization in New York City and one of the few nationally that extends these services to pets.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Domestic Violence and Homeless Shelter Services
Urban Resource Institute helps transform the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families, with a focus on communities of color and other vulnerable populations. Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute has become the largest provider of domestic violence shelter services in the U.S. The nonprofit operates over 20 emergency and transitional shelters for individuals and families in NYC and is the only shelter service in New York that offers animal-friendly units so survivors do not have to abandon a beloved pet.
URI's holistic and innovative approach encompasses prevention, intervention, and education programs and services that allow survivors to heal, gain independence, and safely rebuild their lives. They offer an Economic Empowerment Program (EEP), Relationship Abuse Prevention Program to schools (RAPP), Legal Education Advocacy Program (LEAP), People and Animals Living Safely Program (PALS), Abusive Partner Intervention Program (APIP), and Crime Victims Services.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients placed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Domestic Violence and Homeless Shelter Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Urban Resource Institute accommodates approximately 2,200 individuals nightly in domestic violence and homeless shelters in New York City.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. Results: URI's programs are designed and implemented to get results/outcomes and to advance the fields of domestic violence and social services.
2. Resource Development: URI has the resources that allow us to achieve our mission and sustain our social value over the long-term.
3. Systems for Performance Management: URI is a data-driven organization with the systems in place to allow us to measure the performance of staff and the quality and effectiveness of programs for our target population.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
RESULTS
-- We have programs that are client-centered, trauma informed, evidence-based, and responsive to what we see as changes in the external environment
-- We embrace innovation to push for results/outcomes
-- We identify and act on systems critical for addressing domestic violence in the long-term
-- We constantly measure what works and innovate to improve our quality and effectiveness
-- We have taken steps that have led to our being recognized as a thought leader in the domestic violence field, which is core to our identity
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
-- We have defined and developed a culture of philanthropy
-- We have financial sustainability plans for programs that are at the core of our mission
-- We have comprehensive strategy for financing the organization that supports core mission work and innovation
-- We are known for its brand and approach that reinforces the practice of mission, vision, & values and embraces continuous innovation
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
As a thought-leader in the field of domestic violence, we have expert spokespersons for matters related to interpersonal violence, homelessness, economic empowerment, non-profit leadership, strategic planning, and fiscal management.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
As a data-driven organization, URI has designed meaningful metrics to assess program results, program quality and staff performance, effectiveness in operations, and financial strength. We use technology to empower and support data collection, ensuring our program operations and strategic management functions are informed by meaningful information. URI also incorporate environmental scanning (e.g. external data about need, clients, funding, partners, and changes in social policy) into its data collection and use, to assure that it is continuously responsive to environmental changes.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
URBAN RESOURCE INSTITUTE
Board of directorsas of 10/06/2023
Mr. Whittaker Mack III, CFP®
JP Morgan Securities LLC
Term: 2016 -
Nina Esaki, PhD
Springfield College Department of Social Work
Carmen J. Smith
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Adrienne Y. Peterson
Vivian Y. Bright
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Alan Kolod
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Esther Lainis
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Kenneth Pollack
Eileen Fisher
Whittaker Mack III, CFP®
JP Morgan Securities LLC
Phyllis Arnold
Decosta Headley
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Alycia M. Powell
Champions for Philanthropy
Dr. Vivien L. Salmon
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Philip Tugendrajch
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Roy A. Williams
Tabitha Williams
Williams Exec Solutions, Inc.
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data