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HARLEM BUSINESS ALLIANCE INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133591350 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE S20Z · Community Improvement · Small ($100K-$1M) · hbany.org
revenue
$617K
expenses
$635K
net assets
$247K
employees
9
program ratio
71%
mission · from form 990

HBA AIMS TO FACILITATE THE CREATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH OF NYC BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE, CULTURALLY COMPETENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INNOVATIVE BUSINESS EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, AND A BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER.

profile · synthesized from sources

Harlem Business Alliance supports the creation, sustainability, and growth of businesses in New York City, with a focus on Black-owned enterprises. It provides culturally competent technical assistance, business education workshops, and support services including certification help and financial literacy training. The organization serves entrepreneurs through direct programming and partnerships with city agencies.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $91K
    MWBE LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION - NYC DEPARTMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES: HBA DELIVERED EXTENSIVE BUSINESS EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND ONE-TO-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MWBE (MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE) CERTIFICATION ASSISTANCE, AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS. HBA HELPED 80 BUSINESSES TO NOT ONLY COMPETE FOR AND PERFORM ON CITY CONTRACTS, BUT TO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES AS WELL. 12 OF THOSE BUSINESSES BECAME CERTIFIED. HBA PROVIDED OVER 307 HOURS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 30 ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES VIA ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON STARTING A BUSINESS, DISCUSSING THE ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN, ADVISING ON MARKETING AND BUSINESS PLAN STRATEGIES AND OTHER RELEVANT TOPICS. HBA ALSO HOSTED NETWORKING EVENTS, POP UP EXPERIENCES FOR PRODUCT-BASED BUSINESSES, AND CONNECTED BUSINESSES TO PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS.
  2. #2 $61K
    TDX/MTA - IN CONJUNCTION WITH TDX CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION AND THE NYC METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY(MTA) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SBDP), HBA ADDRESSES THE NEEDS AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL GROWTH POTENTIAL ENTREPRENEURS BY PROVIDING BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, USING A TRAINING WHILE DOING APPROACH, TO MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED FIRMS THAT HAVE A VISION TO SUCCEED, THE AMBITION TO TRY, AND THE NEED FOR HANDS ON ASSISTANCE. HBA ASSISTED OVER 150 BUSINESSES.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

DYCD Entrepreneurship Program
Delivers intensive business education workshops and one-on-one assistance to Harlem residents, culminating in pitch presentations for seed funding and co-working space.
Financial Literacy Program
Offers workshops and individual consultations on strategic and financial planning, technology adoption, branding, and social media for entrepreneurs, with a focus on accessing federal and state relief programs.
MWBE Leadership Association
Provides business education workshops, one-on-one technical assistance, MWBE certification support, and financial education to help minority and women-owned businesses compete for city contracts and grow sustainably.
TDX/MTA Small Business Development Program
Provides business management support using a "training while doing" approach to growth-potential minority and women-owned firms in partnership with TDX Construction and MTA.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Startup Acceleration & Business Growth Support 2 activities
    • Conduct business education and financial literacy workshops
      Offers workshops on basic business skills, strategic planning, financial literacy, branding, and technology adoption; conducted over 100 virtual and in-person workshops reaching hundreds of entrepreneurs in Harlem.
    • Deliver business support services and technical assistance
      Provides one-on-one technical assistance in marketing, finance, business development, management, and IT to entrepreneurs starting or growing businesses; delivered over 1,000 hours of individualized support across multiple programs as documented in IRS-990 filings.
  • MWBE Certification and Contract Access Support 2 activities
    • Develop and promote the Back Office Support Initiative (BOSI) model
      Developed the BOSI model to strengthen Black businesses’ ability to bid for and execute contracts; successfully influenced the MTA to adopt and extend a Small Business Development Program based on this model.
    • Support certification and contract competitiveness for minority-owned businesses
      Helps minority- and women-owned businesses compete for city contracts by supporting certification processes and capacity building; assisted in certifying and recertifying dozens of businesses and trained over 150 firms through partnerships with MTA and construction corporations.
  • Small Business and Nonprofit Lending 1 activity
    • Administer microloan fund for Harlem entrepreneurs
      Operates an in-house microloan fund offering loans between $5,000 and $65,000 to qualified Harlem entrepreneurs, paired with ongoing technical assistance to support business growth and sustainability.
  • Business Community Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocate for Harlem’s business community preservation
      Advocates for policies that preserve and sustain Harlem's local business ecosystem, including active roles in forming the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone and the Clinton Foundation’s Harlem Small Business Initiative.
  • Professional Networking Events 1 activity
    • Facilitate networking events connecting entrepreneurs with public and private leaders
      Hosts power networking events that connect Harlem entrepreneurs with public officials and private-sector representatives from organizations such as Airbnb and Artimus Construction to foster collaboration and opportunity.
  • Community Space Provision 1 activity
    • Operate co-working space and innovation hub for entrepreneurs
      Operates Creative Workspace, the first co-working space in Harlem, providing a physical environment where entrepreneurs can collaborate, work, and access resources to grow their businesses.
  • Local Business Financing and Incentives 1 activity
    • Provide grant funding and economic development support to local businesses
      Offers grant opportunities and administers federal CED grants to support local businesses and economic development initiatives in Harlem; used funds to help businesses like Seasoned Vegan open brick-and-mortar locations.
  • Tech Skills Training for Underserved Groups 1 activity
    • Train young adults in tech and entrepreneurship
      Ran the Disrupt Harlem Code Squad program to prepare young adults for careers in technology and entrepreneurial ventures, building workforce readiness and innovation capacity in the community.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Advocate for emergency support and equitable contracting during crises
      Provided advocacy and support for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including pushing for equitable no-bid contracts, emergency resources, and expanded access to relief funding for Black-owned businesses.
    • Lead cannabis equity advocacy and policy reform
      Advocates for equitable cannabis legislation since 2018, including calls for automatic expungement of marijuana convictions, exclusive licensing periods for equity applicants, dedicated funding for equity businesses, and reinvestment of tax revenues into impacted communities; documents historical exclusion in other industries to inform current policy demands.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$617K
Contributions & grants$614K100%
Program service revenue$3K0%
Investment income$1340%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$635K
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead29%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$397K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$506K
Cash$142K
Investments$0
Liabilities$259K
Net assets$247K
Liquid reserves2.7 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -2.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MONIQUE HECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 35 $100K
board members · 9
  • ADRIANNE C SMITH — SECRETARY
  • GEORGE H WELDON JR — 2ND VICE CHAIR NOMINATING COMMITTEE
  • JASON BENTA — CHAIR FINANCE COMMITTEE
  • KENDRA WELDON — MEMBER
  • KENNETH WOODS — CHAIR MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
  • LARRY DAIS — 1ST VICE CHAIR
  • MARK A SAMUEL — TREASURER
  • RAMONA GREY-HARRIS — MEMBER
  • WALTER EDWARDS — CHAIRMAN
relationships · 39

Who they work with

  • Airbnb Partner — Private-sector representative participating in HBA power networking events
  • Angie Hancock Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Anthony Riley Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Artimus Construction Partner — Private-sector representative participating in HBA power networking events
  • BBB Wise Giving Alliance Network — Accredited charity member as verified by BBB accreditation seal.
  • Baunita Greer Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Bill de Blasio Government — Presented HBA's cannabis policy platform to senior members of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration.
  • Black Entrepreneurs NYC Partner — Collaborates with or draws leadership experience from Black Entrepreneurs NYC, a program previously led by the Executive Director.
  • Brian Benjamin Government — Presented HBA's cannabis policy platform to State Senator Brian Benjamin.
  • CDFI Fund Government — Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) recognized by the CDFI Fund.
  • Cannabis Control Board Government — Key regulatory body influencing cannabis rules and equity implementation in New York State.
  • Capital One Bank Partner — Co-funded financial and business planning workshops
  • Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes Government — Presented HBA's cannabis policy platform to State leadership, including Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes.
  • Darryl T. Downing Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Daryl Holman Jr. Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Daryl Holman Jr. Partner — Site design partner for the Harlem Business Alliance website.
  • Department of Small Business Services Government — Executive Director previously held a leadership role at the Department of Small Business Services, indicating institutional ties.
  • Department of Youth and Community Development Funder — Funded the delivery of intensive business education workshops and one-on-one assistance to Harlem residents.
  • Eddie Ellis Partner — Collaborated on identifying protected areas most harmed by the war on drugs through "The 7 Neighborhood Study Revisited"
  • H&R Block Partner — Co-funded financial and business planning workshops
  • Harlem Community Development Corporation Funder — Funded the Disrupt Harlem Code Squad program
  • Kevin Howell Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • MTA Partner — Partnered with the MTA to influence the creation and extension of its Small Business Development Program based on HBA's BOSI model.
  • Madisyn Consulting Partner — Content development partner for the Harlem Business Alliance.
  • Madisyn Consulting Partner — Content development partner for the organization's website.
  • Maria Granville Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • Mitchell Greene Partner — Consultant supporting Harlem Business Alliance clients
  • NYC Department of Small Business Services Partner — Partnered to deliver business education workshops, technical assistance, and MWBE certification support.
  • NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Partner — Partnered with HBA and TDX Construction Corporation on the Small Business Development Program to support minority- and women-owned firms.
  • NYS Department of Health Government — Responsible for issuing additional medical marijuana licenses and shaping equity-focused regulations.
+ 9 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Back-Office Support for Public Contract Competitiveness
    methodology: back-office-support
    By providing operational capacity building through the Back Office Support Initiative (BOSI), Harlem Business Alliance strengthens Black businesses' ability to compete for and fulfill public contracts, because systemic under-resourcing has historically excluded them from government procurement opportunities.
  • Economic Restorative Justice via Cannabis Equity
    methodology: economic_restorative_justice
    By advocating for cannabis equity policies that prioritize business, workforce, and community development in communities most impacted by marijuana prohibition, the organization repairs historical harms because economic inclusion serves as a form of restorative justice for systemic policing and economic disparities.
  • Entrepreneur-as-Consultant Model
    methodology: entrepreneur-as-consultant
    By using experienced entrepreneurs as consultants, the organization delivers practical, real-world business guidance that produces more relevant and actionable outcomes than traditional advisory models, because lived experience in small business ownership increases credibility and applicability.
  • Training-While-Doing for Minority- and Women-Owned Firms
    methodology: training-while-doing
    By combining hands-on business management support with skill development, the "training while doing" approach builds capability in real time, because experiential learning leads to faster mastery and implementation than classroom-only instruction.