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SoHarlem Inc
New York, NY · EIN 471640149 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE P19 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · soharlem.org
revenue
$496K
expenses
$564K
net assets
$82K
employees
4
volunteers
6
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

SoHarlem serves as a Cultural Industries Incubator with the explicit goal of connecting creative entrepreneurs, master artisans, and apprentices to their community in ways that promote citizenship, entrepreneurship, employment, community sustainability, environmental stewardship, and cultural expression. Here storytelling and expression of Harlems rich cultural fabric meets the development of entrepreneurship skills and workforce training. Despite the areas real estate boom and growing market of consumers committed to buying local, few of Harlems community-based organizations currently engaged in workforce development consider cultural industries as viable avenues to pursue. Developing our communitys ability to engage in creative expression that affirms the rich culture of a black and brown community is an aspect of workforce development that is systematically under acknowledged. SoHarlem has distinguished itself as the sole manufacturer of one-of-a-kind designs operating in West Harle

profile · synthesized from sources

SoHarlem Inc is a cultural industries incubator based in West Harlem, New York, that connects creative entrepreneurs, master artisans, and apprentices to foster workforce development through fashion, design, and cultural expression. The organization offers training programs in garment construction, pattern making, and business development, with a focus on empowering unemployed and underemployed residents, particularly from Black and brown communities. It also supports sustainable fashion and community revitalization through public art and green spaces.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $67K
    Creative Economy Training Institute - Cultivating the next generation of cultural workersDapper Dans Dream-Connection: Piloted a 12-week intensive apprenticeship for young entrepreneurs.Participants received technical training in garment construction and business mentorship.Success Stories: Nelvin De La Rosa (accepted to college; working part-time at SoHarlem), Zaire Benjamin (promoted to Design & Studio Apprentice), Ashley Best (now at FIT), and Dean Delfante (hired by Banana Republic).Recruitment Partners: Collaborated with Rambler Studios, Shoot for the Stars Foundation (founded by Audrey Jackson), and Avenues for Justice to identify at-risk youth with a passion for design.The Future of Fashion (3D Tech): Under the leadership of Noah Ortiz, SoHarlem is developing a 3D-enabled workforce program to bridge traditional artisan craft with digital fashion technology.Expanded footprint through cultural and environmental cultural collaboration Climate Week & Gotham Foundry: Partnered with neighbors Gotham Foundry to showcase upcycled creations by young designers, highlighting the intersection of biofabrication and sustainable fashion in West Harlem.Urban Tech & Green Spaces: Amsterdam Greenstreet: Collaborated with the City Parks Department to restore the West 126th St & Amsterdam Ave corridor with new flora and fencing.Smart Streetscapes (CS3): Participated in Columbia Universitys Augmented Reality (AR) workshops to help design tech-enabled public spaces that preserve neighborhood history.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Creative Economy Training Institute
12-week intensive apprenticeship program providing technical training in garment construction, business mentorship, and career development for young entrepreneurs and at-risk youth.
Designers Studio
Provides studio access, equipment, and mentorship to former trainees, creative entrepreneurs, and designers for project development, including pattern making, cutting, and fabrication.
Its Always Fashion Week @ SoHarlem
Marketing and public engagement campaign featuring photo shoots, fashion shows, and pop-up shops to promote the work of incubated designers and attract community support.
Public/Private Partnership Initiative
Collaborates with local entities to install public art, including murals and mosaics, to enhance public spaces and celebrate Harlem’s cultural identity.
Urban Tech & Green Spaces
Community revitalization initiative that includes restoring public corridors like Amsterdam Greenstreet and participating in AR-enabled streetscape design with Columbia University.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Vocational Sewing and Tailoring Training 1 activity
    • Delivers workforce development and skills training programs
      Offers no-cost, intensive training programs in sewing, garment construction, textile repurposing, and entrepreneurial skills for unemployed, underemployed, and formerly incarcerated residents of Harlem and the South Bronx. Trained over 200 individuals, with 50% placed on a career track, including hires at SoHarlem and in the garment industry, and supported the launch of small businesses.
  • Artist Marketplace Operations 1 activity
    • Hosts public events, showcases, and retail opportunities for local entrepreneurs
      Organizes fashion shows, pop-up shops, holiday markets, and benefit galas—including participation in New York Fashion Week—to showcase resident designers and provide sales platforms for local creative entrepreneurs. Operates both physical and online retail channels (Shop SoHarlem) with fulfillment and shipping services.
  • Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives 1 activity
    • Implements community-centered economic development initiatives
      Has led sustainable economic development in West Harlem since 2011, transforming the Manhattanville Factory District into a creative hub that supports local employment at livable wages. Collaborates with institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the West Harlem Arts Alliance to advance racial and social equity through creativity.
  • Startup Acceleration & Business Growth Support 1 activity
    • Incubates fashion microenterprises and creative start-ups
      Provides studio space, business development support, mentorship, and market access to local entrepreneurs and designers to launch and grow fashion-related micro-enterprises in Harlem. Programs include the Dream Connection For Young Entrepreneurs and selective incubation initiatives that guide participants through business planning, product testing, and professional presentation.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Operates affordable workspaces and resource hubs for creatives
      Manages the Designers’ Studio and a subscription-based workspace that provides affordable, fully equipped facilities for designers, tailors, seamstresses, and fashion creatives to collaborate, network, and grow their businesses in West Harlem.
    • Provides custom design, tailoring, and garment restoration services
      Offers made-to-measure custom garment design and construction, one-on-one sewing instruction, and ReCouture services to restyle, recycle, and modernize clients' existing clothing. Demonstrated capability includes reconstructing worn wedding dresses into new garments for subsequent use.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$496K
Contributions & grants$462K93%
Program service revenue$34K7%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$564K
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$218K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$88K
Cash$86K
Investments$0
Liabilities$6K
Net assets$82K
Liquid reserves1.8 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -46.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 6
  • Barbara Lee Morgan — Member
  • Deirdre Washington — Secretary
  • Frederick Quenzer — Treasurer
  • Janet Rodriguez — Member
  • Jessica Tomb — Chairwoman
  • Tanya Melendez Escalante — Member
relationships · 29

Who they work with

  • Art in Heaven Partner — Collaborates with Art in Heaven on product design and availability at Shop SoHarlem.
  • Avenues for Justice Partner — Recruitment partner for identifying at-risk youth with a passion for design.
  • Belkola Vasquez Partner — Collaborates with guest artist Belkola Vasquez in creative programming.
  • Blue Olive Partner — Collaborates with Blue Olive on product design and availability at Shop SoHarlem.
  • BronxNet Partner — Media partner that featured SoHarlem in multiple interview programs.
  • CBS News Partner — News outlet that covered SoHarlem's participation in New York Fashion Week.
  • City Parks Department Government — Collaborated on the restoration of the West 126th St & Amsterdam Ave corridor with new flora and fencing.
  • Columbia University Partner — Collaborates in the context of economic development and community transition in West Harlem.
  • Columbia University Partner — Hosted the SoHarlem Holiday Market on the Manhattanville Campus
  • Columbia University Partner — Participated in Augmented Reality workshops to design tech-enabled public spaces that preserve neighborhood history.
  • DREAM Partner — New partnership launched in Summer 2026 to support creative entrepreneurs.
  • Dream Connection For Young Entrepreneurs Partner — Collaborates with partner organizations to deliver a workforce development program for young entrepreneurs who are emerging designers.
  • Gotham Foundry Partner — Collaborated to showcase upcycled creations by young designers during Climate Week, highlighting sustainable fashion.
  • High School of Art & Design Partner — Recruited summer interns from the school to assist designers in preparing for the Fall Fashion Show.
  • Janus Property Company Partner — Local developer in the Manhattanville Factory District where SoHarlem is located; contextual partner in neighborhood development.
  • Javier Valencia Partner — Collaborates with Javier Valencia on product design and availability at Shop SoHarlem.
  • Manhattan Neighborhood Network Partner — Media partner that aired programming featuring SoHarlem.
  • Michigan State University Partner — Partnered through SoHarlem's Javier Valencia on a theatrical production at MSU's Wharton Center
  • NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Government agency that supports SoHarlem's mission.
  • Nest Network — Global network of handcraft enterprises and maker businesses of which SoHarlem is a member.
  • New York State Arts Council Government — State-funded grantee supporting SoHarlem's programs.
  • Rambler Studios Partner — Recruitment partner for identifying at-risk youth with a passion for design.
  • Shoot for the Stars Foundation Partner — Recruitment partner for identifying at-risk youth with a passion for design.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Collaborated on programming and recognized SoHarlem's founder in 2024.
  • Triangle Designs Partner — Collaborated on hosting "Craft, Reclaim, Create" workshops in early summer 2026.
  • Washington Irving High School Partner — Facilitated a meeting between students and SoHarlem apprentices
  • West Harlem Arts Alliance Partner — Collaborates with SoHarlem on cultural corridor initiatives and pop-up events.
  • West Harlem Arts Alliance Partner — Partnered with SoHarlem on collaborative initiatives as of August 2025.
  • Young Atlas Partner — Collaborating organization in efforts to create sustainable economic development in Harlem.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Creative Incubator Model for Economic Equity
    methodology: creative_incubator
    By providing studio space, business support, and market access within a place-based cultural incubator, SoHarlem enables Black and brown residents to launch and sustain creative enterprises, because embedding entrepreneurship in culturally rooted ecosystems increases economic mobility and community ownership of the creative economy.
  • Culturally Rooted Workforce Development
    methodology: culturally_rooted_workforce_development
    By integrating cultural expression tied to Black and brown identity into skill-building and training programs, SoHarlem increases relevance and engagement, because aligning workforce development with community cultural assets strengthens both individual capacity and collective economic resilience.
  • Sustainable Creative Practices as Environmental and Economic Strategy
    methodology: sustainable_creative_economy
    By combining sustainable fashion techniques like garment restyling and biofabrication with youth training, SoHarlem advances environmental stewardship while building green creative economy skills, because linking ecological sustainability to hands-on creative work creates dual generational and environmental impact.