Ariva

What Ariva does

Ariva Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered at 69 East 167th Street in the Bronx, New York City. The organization delivers free tax preparation and free financial counseling services to low-income New York City residents, with a primary focus on the South Bronx and expanding reach into Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Its core service lines include the IRS VITA-certified Free Tax Preparation program (8,164 returns filed in 2024), one-on-one Financial Counseling (4,728 clients served in 2024), and a portfolio of specialized programs: La Ventanilla (consulate-based financial education for immigrant communities, at the Mexican Consulate since 2014 and the Ecuadoran Consulate since 2024), Ready to Rent (affordable housing application support), the Small Business Program for microentrepreneurs, the ITIN Certified Acceptance Agent service, and the Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative in partnership with NYC DCWP. The organization holds IRS VITA program certification and Certified Acceptance Agent status for ITINs.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally minimal and non-proprietary: tax preparation is performed by certified volunteers and staff using IRS-certified third-party software (TaxSlayer), and client/case management is handled via Salesforce CRM. There is no proprietary platform, mobile application, API, or AI/ML component; the entire service model is human-assisted, bilingual (English/Spanish), and delivered in person across 30+ community partner sites including consulates, community centers, health clinics, housing organizations, and senior centers.

Ariva's revenue model is that of a community-development nonprofit: all services are free to clients, and the organization is funded entirely through a mix of foundation grants (e.g., Citi Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Flagstar Foundation, NY Foundation for Eldercare, Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation), corporate sponsorships and community reinvestment funding from financial institutions (M&T Bank, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, BNY Mellon, Ridgewood Savings, Signature Bank), government contracts (NYC DCWP, NYC HPD), and individual donations. Go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven rather than sales-led: clients are acquired through word-of-mouth, partner referrals, consulate co-location, community canvassing during the January-April tax season, and grassroots outreach via social media and community events. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Heng Ly (Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation) and led by Executive Director Irene Baldwin, with no parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

Name

Ariva

Legal name

Ariva Inc.

Website

https://ariva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ariva is a Bronx-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers free IRS VITA tax preparation and one-on-one financial counseling to over 15,000 low-income New York City residents annually — including immigrants, seniors, and microentrepreneurs — across 30+ community and consulate locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tax Preparation Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Income Support & Cash Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAE), Affordable Rental & Multifamily Housing Finance Programs (LIHTC/Tax Credits/Subsidized Loans) (FSALAKAF), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Free tax preparation
• Financial counseling services
• ITIN application assistance
• Affordable housing counseling
• Microenterprise support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bronx

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Ariva operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from foundations, financial institutions, and government sources. Services are provided completely free to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ariva delivers free, IRS-VITA-certified tax preparation and personalized one-on-one financial counseling to low- and moderate-income New York City residents at no cost. Its service portfolio includes the La Ventanilla immigrant financial education program at Mexican and Ecuadorian consulates, Ready to Rent affordable housing preparation, the Small Business/Microentrepreneur Program, an ITIN filing service, and the Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative. All services are delivered through approximately 25 full-time staff and 150 annual volunteers across 30+ locations in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, with bilingual English/Spanish support.

Product overview

Ariva is a nonprofit financial empowerment organization offering a portfolio of free financial services primarily serving low-income New York City residents in the Bronx. The core offerings include a VITA-certified free tax preparation program and one-on-one financial counseling services. These are supplemented by specialized programs including La Ventanilla (consulate-based financial education), Ready to Rent (affordable housing assistance), the Small Business/Microentrepreneur Program, and an ITIN filing service. Ariva also operates the Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative for public school communities. Services are delivered through a network of year-round and seasonal sites across NYC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Ventanilla: A free financial education and tax preparation services program offered at consulates (Mexican and Ecuadorian) in New York City.
• Ready to Rent
• Small Business Program

Products and services

• Free Tax Preparation (VITA Program) IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program providing free tax preparation services to eligible NYC residents, helping them file tax returns and claim credits such as EITC and Child Tax Credit. Services are available at over 30 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
• Free Financial Counseling Personalized one-on-one financial counseling and coaching to help low- and moderate-income clients with budgeting, credit improvement, debt management, savings goals, and access to affordable financial products. Delivered through partner community organizations and at Ariva sites across NYC.
• La Ventanilla Free financial education and tax preparation program operating at the Mexican and Ecuadoran Consulates in New York, providing bilingual services to immigrant communities in a trusted government setting.
• Ready to Rent Affordable housing preparation program helping New Yorkers prepare for and apply to the NYC Housing Lottery, including financial counseling, credit review, and application assistance, delivered in collaboration with NYC HPD, DCWP's Office of Financial Empowerment, and the Center for Urban Community Services.
• Small Business Program Microentrepreneur support initiative providing business development and financial counseling services to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Bronx.
• ITIN Program Certified Acceptance Agent services helping individuals obtain Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) required for tax filing, enabling access to banking, credit building, and tax credits for immigrants without Social Security Numbers.
• Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative School-based financial and consumer education program delivering 2Gen workshops to students, families, and communities in partnership with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), including one-on-one financial counseling and in-school banking support.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Consulate General of Ecuador in New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Expanded La Ventanilla program to Ecuador Consulate in 2024, providing free financial education and tax services to the Ecuadoran immigrant community. Services available Saturdays at the consulate location.
• Consulate General of Mexico in New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014La Ventanilla financial education window at the Mexican Consulate providing free financial counseling, tax preparation, and education to the Mexican immigrant community in NYC. Since 2014, has served thousands of community members with bilingual services in a trusted government setting.
• Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing Ready to Rent affordable housing counseling services at CUCS locations, helping New Yorkers prepare for and apply to NYC Housing Lottery.
• Spring BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing Ariva's headquarters at Spring Bank building (69 East 167th Street, Bronx). Spring Bank is a community bank partner supporting financial inclusion efforts and hosting Ariva services at their location.
• Parkchester Enhancement Program (PEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Centerlight Healthcare providing tax preparation and financial literacy services exclusively for Parkchester seniors. Special recognition at Toast to Ariva 2022.
• Fordham Bedford Housing CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Heng Ly's organization providing Serviam Hall venue for Toast to Ariva events in the Bronx. Partnership supporting community events and programs.
• CommonpointmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost partner for seasonal tax preparation site at Commonpoint location in the Bronx. Provides space and community access for Ariva services on Saturdays during tax season.
• Gotham HealthmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with NYC Health + Hospitals providing tax preparation services at Gotham Health-Morrisania location, integrating financial services with healthcare access.
• Legal HandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner providing free legal information and referrals, collaborating with Ariva's financial services to support Bronx residents.
• NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Youth Financial Empowerment Initiative, providing DCWP workshop content and curriculum. Ariva serves as lead agency in designated Bronx school districts providing financial education workshops and one-on-one counseling.
• NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReady to Rent program is a collaboration between Ariva, HPD, and DCWP's Office of Financial Empowerment, helping New Yorkers prepare for affordable housing applications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mission Asset Fund: National nonprofit building financial capability for immigrant and low-income communities through lending circles and credit-building, directly comparable to Ariva's La Ventanilla and ITIN work with Latino immigrants.
• The Financial Clinic: Historically one of the largest NYC-based nonprofits providing free, high-quality financial counseling and coaching to low-wage workers—closely aligned with Ariva's financial counseling practice on the same target population.
• BronxWorks: Large Bronx-based multiservice nonprofit offering workforce development, housing support, and benefits access—sharing Ariva's Bronx geography and similar immigrant/low-income target segments.
• Compass Working Capital: Nonprofit providing financial coaching and asset-building (matched savings, homeownership) for low-income families, overlapping Ariva's financial-counseling and housing-readiness (Ready to Rent) services.
• Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners: NYC-based nonprofit delivering one-on-one financial coaching for low-income workers and managing national financial-coaching capacity-building, overlapping Ariva's financial-counseling program and target segments.
• Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation: Historic Brooklyn-based community development nonprofit providing financial empowerment, housing, and small-business services—closely analogous to Ariva's combined tax prep, financial counseling, and microentrepreneur programming.
• Single Stop USA: National nonprofit operating free tax preparation (VITA) plus financial counseling and benefits screening at community sites. Operates several NYC sites and shares Ariva's free, community-embedded delivery model for low-income clients.

Regional players

• Foundation Communities: Texas-based nonprofit delivering free tax preparation, financial coaching, and affordable housing—a near-identical service model to Ariva but geographically separate, useful as a regional comparable for the model.

Broad incumbents

• United Way of New York City: NYC's largest private funder of human services, supporting many of the same low-income and immigrant populations via partner grants—operates overlapping financial-inclusion initiatives and competes for similar donor dollars.
• NYC Financial Empowerment Centers (NYC DCWP): City-run network of financial counseling sites operated by NYC's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection—the same model Ariva is a partner in delivering, making it both a funder and a near-direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBlZsxulyBThbB5BW79Ut0Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/arivaimpact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ariva
• Instagraminstagram.com/arivaimpact

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ariva