CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of NYS

What CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of NYS does

CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of NYS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit state association founded in 1995 and headquartered in Albany, NY, that coordinates and supports local CASA volunteer advocacy programs across New York State. Its mission is to recruit, train, and supervise volunteer advocates who are appointed by Family Court Judges to represent the best interests of children in foster care; the organization also serves kinship caregivers and the broader family court system. CASA-NYS operates as a coordinating and capacity-building body rather than a direct large-scale service provider, channeling resources and standards to local county-level programs.

The organization's product surface is centered on a training and resource ecosystem for volunteers and stakeholders. This includes the Pre-Advocacy Academy, On-Demand Training Center, Advocate Exchange, CASA Reading Library, Youth Corner (explicitly serving older youth aging out of foster care), and CATE (CASA Advocacy Training & Education). These are content, curriculum, and community platforms rather than technology products in a commercial sense; the underlying technology stack is not disclosed in the input. The model is volunteer-intensive and human-judgment-led, with no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit funding mix: individual donations, government grants (federal and New York State), corporate sponsorships structured in tiers including a "Diamond & Hearts" sponsorship level, and planned giving. The organization has maintained continuous operations for approximately 30 years and holds third-party validated credibility markers including a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating and GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of NYS

Legal name

The New York State CASA Association, Inc.

Website

https://casanys.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CASA-NYS is a 501(c)(3) state association that recruits, trains, and coordinates volunteer court-appointed advocates for children in foster care across New York State, supporting Family Court Judges and kinship caregivers through a multi-platform training and resource ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Advocacy Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAIAFAF

Juvenile Justice System (Courts & Detention)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

Keywords

• Child welfare advocacy
• Foster care services
• Volunteer court advocacy
• Nonprofit family services
• Youth support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany, New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting CASA's mission to advocate for children in foster care. Donations can be made online, by check, or through planned giving vehicles.
2. Government Grants and Funding: Funding from Office of Court Administration of the NYS Unified Court System, NYS Office of Victim Services, and county/municipal governments. Most government support is passed through to local CASA programs.
3. Corporate and Foundation Sponsorships: Event sponsorships for Diamond & Hearts annual event ranging from $250 (Bronze) to $25,000+ (Legacy), plus foundation grants from various philanthropic organizations.
4. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Bequests in wills, life insurance designations, gifts of appreciated property, and Donor Advised Fund contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CASA of New York State is a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains, and supervises community volunteers who are appointed by family court judges to serve as independent advocates for abused and neglected children in foster care. The organization also operates an education and training ecosystem for volunteers, staff, and board members through the Center for Advocacy, Training & Excellence (CATE), including the Pre-Advocacy Academy, On-Demand Training Center, and The Advocate Exchange.

Product overview

CASA of New York State operates as a nonprofit organization offering a unified advocacy service rather than a software product. The core offering is the CASA Volunteer Program, supplemented by an education and training ecosystem comprising the Pre-Advocacy Academy (virtual volunteer training), On-Demand Training Center (recorded sessions), The Advocate Exchange (live sessions), CASA Reading Library (book resources), and the Center for Advocacy, Training & Excellence (CATE) as the overarching education hub. The Youth Corner portal provides resources specifically for older youth in foster care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CASA Volunteer Program Community volunteer advocacy program where trained volunteers are appointed by family court judges to serve as advocates for children who have been abused or neglected.
• Pre-Advocacy Academy A six-week virtual training program built from the National CASA/GAL Pre-Service Curriculum that prepares new volunteers to become Court Appointed Special Advocates, covering topics such as child abuse and neglect, trauma and resilience, family court systems, and communication skills.
• The Advocate Exchange A platform for live, real-time training sessions and info sessions where prospective volunteers can learn about becoming CASA volunteers, training requirements, and time commitments.
• On-Demand Training Center A library of past training recordings organized by topic and role, including hubs for advocates, program staff, and board members, with downloadable handouts to support ongoing learning.
• Center for Advocacy, Training & Excellence (CATE) The central hub for learning, growth, and professional development across the CASA network in New York State, housing training opportunities, spotlighted resources, and the curated library.
• CASA Reading Library A curated collection of books exploring experiences of children in foster care, offering diverse perspectives for understanding the lived experiences of children in the foster care system.
• Youth Corner A hub for older youth in foster care providing resources for independent living skills, education and career planning, housing guidance, employment resources, rights awareness, and LGBTQ+ support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maria achieved permanency after 1,092 days in foster care when her foster parents chose to adopt her as a direct result of CASA's advocacy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National CASA/GAL AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational CASA/GAL Association provides technical assistance, training curricula, branding and marketing support to CASA of New York State and local programs. The national organization is funded in part by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
• Office of Court Administration of the NYS Unified Court SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government funder providing grant funding that supports CASA operations and local programs across New York State. Court system appoints CASA volunteers to cases.
• Bond, Schoeneck & KingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor of Diamond & Hearts annual event, providing support for CASA programming.
• 677 PrimeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent venue host and sponsor for Diamond & Hearts annual event in Albany.
• Guidestar (Candid)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party nonprofit information platform providing transparency seal and profile for CASANYS.
• Times UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor for CASA events and awareness initiatives.
• Legal Aid SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent sponsor supporting Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children event.
• Mental Health America of Dutchess CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing mental health services; received 2025 Diamond & Hearts Award; co-hosts events with CASA of Dutchess County including Ellens Place.
• Greater Mental Health of New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2025 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic partner.
• Mental Health Advocates of Western New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2025 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; mental health services provider in Western New York.
• Northern Rivers Family of ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2023 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; family of human services agencies.
• Schuyler Center for Analysis and AdvocacyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2022 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; policy analysis and advocacy organization.
• New York State Kinship NavigatorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2019 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; provides information on financial assistance and legal resources for kinship caregivers.
• Mental Health Association in New York StateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward recipient for 2018 Diamond & Hearts for New York's Children Award; works to promote mental health wellness in NYS.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Children's Aid Society: Major NYC-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, after-school, health, and child welfare services. Overlaps with CASA-NYS's child welfare mission but operates as a direct service provider rather than a volunteer court advocate.
• New York Foundling: Large New York-based child welfare and family services nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, mental health, and community services. Operates broadly in the same child welfare space as CASA-NYS but with a wider service portfolio rather than volunteer-only advocacy.

Direct peers

• CASA-NYC: The New York City affiliate CASA program within CASA-NYS's statewide network. Directly comparable: recruits and trains community volunteers to serve as court-appointed advocates for children in NYC foster care proceedings.
• National CASA/GAL Association: National umbrella organization for the CASA network; provides technical assistance, training curricula, branding, and federal funding support to CASA-NYS and other state CASA programs. Operates the same volunteer court-advocate model at a multi-state level.
• Child Advocates of Montgomery County (PA): Pennsylvania CASA affiliate recruiting and training volunteers to advocate for children in foster care within the county court system. Closely comparable in mission, structure, and community-led volunteer model.
• KidsVoice (Pennsylvania): Pennsylvania-based nonprofit providing court-appointed legal advocates and best-interest advocates for abused and neglected children; overlapping advocacy mission and judicial referral channel.
• CASA of Los Angeles: One of the largest CASA programs in the U.S. and the most prominent state-level peer organization; operates the same court-appointed volunteer advocate model for foster children in Los Angeles County.
• Voices for Children (San Diego): Court Appointed Special Advocates program serving San Diego County's foster children; directly comparable mission, volunteer recruitment model, and court-affiliated advocacy role.
• CASA of Travis County: Texas CASA program serving Travis County; operates the same court-appointed volunteer advocate model for abused and neglected children, comparable in scale and service model.
• CASA of Pikes Peak: Colorado CASA affiliate serving El Paso County; operates the same Court Appointed Special Advocate model with community volunteer recruitment and court-appointed advocacy for foster youth.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casa-court-appointed-special-advocates-for-children-of-nys

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of NYS