Harlem Children's Zone, Inc
City-funded organization
Harlem Children's Zone, Inc. is a Harlem-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt since 1971, that operates a network of early-childhood, K-12 (Promise Academy charter schools), and family/community programs in central Harlem. Per Checkbook NYC, it holds $2.1 million in active contracts as of August 2026 with the Administration for Children's Services, Department of Education, and Department of Youth and Community Development, part of $116.7 million awarded since 2007 (59% won without a fresh bid), plus $1.19 million in discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2026).
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $2,108,578 · 2 contracts
- Awarded all-time
- $116,665,271 · 90 since 2007, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $104,794,485
- Won without a fresh bid
- 59% of contract value · $68,803,457 · 70 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $1,190,770 · 11 awards
- Funding history
- Funded 5 years (FY2009–FY2014); not in FY2027
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $1,166,373 · Kwame Owusu-Kesse, CEO
- Based in
- New York, NY
Holds contracts at
- Administration for Children's Services City agency
- Department of Education City agency
- Department of Youth and Community Development City agency
City contracts
Registered city contracts, largest first by current contract value (not amount spent): running now, then registered to start later, then ended. Totals count every registered contract. Each line shows its Checkbook contract ID. The tag on each row is how it was awarded (“no-bid” = non-competitive).
- Community School service contract assignment Department of Education · CT104020269659590 $1,206,552
- COMPASS Program NAE Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800512 $902,026
- GENERAL PRREVENTIVE SERVICES RENEWALS Administration for Children's Services · CT106820160000332 · ended 2020 $11,702,094
- GP - General Preventive Administration for Children's Services · CT106820120000221 · ended 2015 $7,286,016
- UPK-BTF Department of Education · CT104020229259521 · ended 2026 $6,065,500
- To provide preventive services at PS 194. Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020181414582 · ended 2020 $5,400,056
- Beacon Community Centers Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020111400662 · ended 2014 $5,364,351
- Educational Support & Youth Leadership (Site PS 194 Manh) Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020080010331 · ended 2010 $4,183,844
- UPK - Universal Prekindergarten Services Department of Education · CT104020189852151 · ended 2021 $4,055,330
- SP - Family Treatment/Rehabilitation Administration for Children's Services · CT106820120000404 · ended 2015 $3,783,360
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- Public School 242- Gwendolyn P. Brown Elementary OST · DYCD · FY2013 $200,000
- Public School 154 - Harriet Tubman Elementary School OST · DYCD · FY2013 $200,000
- P.S. 242 GWEN P. BROWN COMPUTER SCHOOL Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $200,000
- Public School 154 - Harriet Tubman Elementary Scho Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $200,000
- Harlem Children'S Zone, Inc OST · DYCD · FY2013 $130,000
- HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE/PROMISE ACADEMY CHARTER SC Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $130,000
- Truce OST · DYCD · FY2013 $58,635
- Truce Out of School Time Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $58,635
- Local DYCD · FY2009 $5,000
- Community Pride DYCD · FY2011 $5,000
- Community Pride DYCD · FY2010 $3,500
Officer & key-staff pay
Reportable compensation from this organization's IRS Form 990 (Part VII), latest available filing (FY2023). Includes pay from related organizations where reported; an annual figure, not a running total. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- Kwame Owusu-Kesse CEO $1,166,373
- Geoffrey Canada President $952,816
- Jazmine Lewis Chief Strategy Officer $537,965
- Nana A Annan COO (Thru 07/2023) $527,956
- Connor Fournier CFO (Thru 02/2024) $483,977
- Jennifer Klein Chief Development Officer $477,848
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +22% from FY2020 to FY2023. Top-officer reportable compensation by year (org-paid only), with each year's share of total revenue. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer 990 filings.
- FY2020 Anne Williams-Isom Thru 0620 · 3.32% of revenue $1,368,746
- FY2021 Kwame Owusu-Kesse · 3.44% of revenue $765,709
- FY2022 Kwame Owusu-Kesse · 5.3% of revenue $993,781
- FY2023 Kwame Owusu-Kesse · 7.07% of revenue $1,166,373
Federal awards
Federal awards made directly to this organization in fiscal years 2023 through 2026. Each amount is what the federal government has OBLIGATED on that award as recorded on USAspending.gov as of 2026-08-31 — money committed, not money paid out. These are prime awards only: federal money this
- Department of Health and Human Services 93.600 Head Start · Administration for Children and Families · Grant $4,681,209
- Department of Health and Human Services 93.600 Head Start · Administration for Children and Families · Grant $79,148