Harlem Commonwealth Council Inc.
City-funded organization
Harlem Commonwealth Council Inc. is a nonprofit based in Harlem, founded in 1967 and headquartered at 361 West 125th Street in New York, NY; its own site describes its mission as building economic power and self determination in New York City through entrepreneurship support, workforce development, and equitable lending, including through its Harlem Entrepreneurial Fund, a U.S. Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution. Its NYC contracts run through the Department of Small Business Services (business development and Business Solution Center services for small business owners) and the Department of Youth and Community Development (COMPASS after school programming), including an active $2.5 million DYCD contract for "COMPASS Programs in Public Schools - Middle," awarded by RFP. Since 2009 the organization has been awarded $21.4 million across 40 registered city contracts (paid to date $15.5 million); 67% of contract value was awarded without a fresh competitive bid ($14,306,708 across 33 contracts), largely through contracts tagged as renewals, an assignment, and negotiated contracts rather than new competitive bids. It has also received $373,420 in City Council
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $2,457,000 · 1 contract
- Awarded all-time
- $21,384,420 · 40 since 2009, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $15,470,176
- Won without a fresh bid
- 67% of contract value · $14,306,708 · 33 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $373,420 · 27 awards
- Funding history
- Funded 14 years (FY2009–FY2027), including each of the last 3
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $425,000 · Joseph Tait, Secretary/COO
- Based in
- New York, NY
Holds contracts at
- Department of Small Business Services 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).
- COMPASS Programs in Public Schools - Middle Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020278801858 $2,457,000
- PERFORM BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & SERVE SMALL BUSINESSES Department of Small Business Services · CT180120161418859 · ended 2019 $2,388,069
- PERFORM BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & SERVE SMALL BUSINESSES Department of Small Business Services · CT180120201405283 · ended 2021 $1,334,356
- COMPASS middle school services at P.S. 129 John H Finley Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020191409932 · ended 2021 $1,273,429
- DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESS OWNERS Department of Small Business Services · CT180120121443353 · ended 2013 $1,264,226
- Business Solution Center Services Department of Small Business Services · CT180120228800337 · ended 2023 $1,243,156
- COMPASS programming at PS 129 John H. Finley Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020228801716 · ended 2023 $1,202,898
- OST Middle School Expansion IC Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020151401712 · ended 2018 $1,198,334
- COMPASS Program Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020248800734 · ended 2025 $944,497
- NYC Business Solutions UM and WH Department of Small Business Services · CT180120258801760 · ended 2025 $856,578
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- Speaker's Initiative CM Speaker · Speaker's Initiative · DYCD · FY2025 $50,000
- NYC Clean Up - Neighborhood First NYC Cleanup · DYCD · FY2019 $25,000
- NYC Cleanup CM Perkins · NYC Cleanup · DYCD · FY2020 $25,000
- A Greener NYC A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2018 $20,000
- STEM D09 Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2018 $20,000
- A Greeen NY focus on Growing their Food A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2019 $20,000
- Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2019 $20,000
- A Greener NYC CM Perkins · A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2020 $20,000
- Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative CM Perkins · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2020 $20,000
- Prep For Success CM Jordan · Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2022 $20,000
- A Greener NYC A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2017 $19,627
- NYC Cleanup CM Perkins · NYC Cleanup · DYCD · FY2021 $15,000
- Council District 9 CM Salaam · Aging · DFTA · FY2027 $15,000
- Local DYCD · FY2011 $10,000
- Neighborhood NYC Clean Up CM Perkins · A Greener NYC · DYCD · FY2021 $10,000
- Council District 9 CM Salaam · Aging · DFTA · FY2026 $10,000
- Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers Pandemic Support for Human Service Providers · DYCD · FY2022 $9,293
- Local DYCD · FY2009 $5,000
- Local DYCD · FY2013 $5,000
- Local DYCD · FY2014 $5,000
Funded by these council members
City Council members who steered discretionary (member-item) money to this organization, largest first (FY2020 and later, where the sponsoring member is disclosed). Sitting members link to their page.
- Perkins FY2020-2021 · 5 awards $90,000
- Yusef Salaam FY2026-2027 · 3 awards $30,000
- Jordan FY2022 · 2 awards $25,000
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.
- Joseph Tait Secretary/COO $425,000
- E Hamil Douglas President $248,285
- Suzanne Hurley Vice President $161,974
- Ayesha Codrington Director. of Finance $138,026
- Terri-Ann Smith Senior Lending Director $133,182
- Ericka Powell-Sinclair Sr. Compliance Director $130,451
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +245% 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 Dr Joseph L Tait · 5.9% of revenue $140,125
- FY2021 Dr Joseph L Tait · 13.13% of revenue $309,644
- FY2022 Terri-Ann Smith · 11.04% of revenue $122,603
- FY2023 Joseph Tait · 13.95% of revenue $320,000