Harlem Childrens Zone Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $77.1 million
- Spending
- $148.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 73.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 1,611
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $1.3 million, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 73.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 93% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $57.9 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OHCZ PROMISE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLSAT PROMISE ACADEMY A TOP-PERFORMING K-12 CHARTER SCHOOL WITHIN HCZ'S CRADLE-TO-CAREER PATHWAY OF SERVICES WE PROMISE TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET OUR SCHOLARS TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE. EVERYTHING WE DO FROM QUALITY INSTRUCTION TO EXCEPTIONAL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO HEALTHY, HOME-COOKED MEALS IS DESIGNED TO KEEP THAT PROMISE.SINCE THE OPENING OF HCZ PROMISE ACADEMY I IN 2004 AND HCZ PROMISE ACADEMY II IN 2005, WE'VE MADE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'VE ENROLLED NEARLY 100% OF OUR SCHOLARS IN COLLEGE; WE'VE CLOSED THE BLACK-WHITE ACHIEVEMENT GAP; AND WE'VE HELPED OUR GRADUATES BUILD SUCCESSFUL CAREERS AND BECOME CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZENS.EDUCATION AND YOUTH PROGRAMSPEACEMAKERSPEACEMAKERS PARTNERS WITH HARLEM'S PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO HELP UNLOCK THAT POTENTIAL IN ALL STUDENTS.A CUT ABOVEA CUT ABOVE (ACA) IS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR SCHOLARS IN GRADES K-8 THAT CULTIVATES A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE THROUGH PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, STEM AND ARTS ENRICHMENTS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.ACADEMY OF ARTS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENTACADEMY OF ARTS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT (ACE) IS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS THAT PREPARES THEM FOR CAREERS IN THE ARTS. SCHOLARS GAIN CAREER-READY SKILLS, REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE, AND A NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS. EMPLOYMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER EMPLOYMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER (ETC) IS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS THAT PREPARES THEM FOR CAREERS IN STEM AND TECHNICAL ARTS AREAS. SCHOLARS GAIN CAREER-READY SKILLS, REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE, AND A NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS.COUNTEE CULLEN COMMUNITY CENTER COUNTEE CULLEN COMMUNITY CENTER (CCCC) IS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS THAT PREPARES THEM FOR CAREERS IN BROADCASTING AND MEDIA ARTS. SCHOLARS GAIN CAREER-READY SKILLS, REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE, AND A NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS.
- $15.0 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OCOLLEGE AND CAREER PROGRAMSCOLLEGE SUCCESS OFFICEOUR SCHOLARS MAY LEAVE THE ZONE TO GO TO COLLEGE, BUT THE ZONE NEVER LEAVES THEM. COLLEGE SUCCESS OFFICE (CSO) EMPOWERS OUR SCHOLARS TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE AND EARN THEIR DEGREES SO THEY CAN EMBARK ON FRUITFUL CAREERS AND PAVE THE PATH TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY.WHEN SCHOLARS GET INTO COLLEGE, THEY GET THE HELP THEY NEED TO PERSIST THROUGH THEIR POST-SECONDARY JOURNEY. OUR COLLEGE SUCCESS OFFICE SERVICES INCLUDE: -ONE-ON-ONE COACHING -ACADEMIC, EMOTIONAL, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT -CHECK INS WITH SCHOLARS TO ENSURE THEY'RE PROGRESSING ALONG THEIR COLLEGE JOURNEY -VISITS FROM CSO STAFF TO HELP SCHOLARS ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY LIAISONS OVER 1,000 SCHOLARS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN COLLEGE AND OVER 1900 HAVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
- $11.2 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O EARLY CHILDHOODTHE BABY COLLEGETHE BABY COLLEGE PROMOTES THE HEALTH AND SUCCESS OF NEWBORNS AND TODDLERS THROUGH A NINE-WEEK WORKSHOP SUPPORTING NEW AND EXPECTANT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGH THE INS AND OUTS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.THE BABY COLLEGE G.R.A.D.S. EARLY HEAD STARTTHE BABY COLLEGE G.R.A.D.S. (GUARDIANS RESPONDING AND DEVELOPING STRATEGIES) EARLY HEAD START IS A YEAR-ROUND, HOME-VISITING PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS EXPECTANT MOTHERS TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHEN PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS.THE THREE-YEAR-OLD JOURNEYTHE THREE-YEAR-OLD JOURNEY PROVIDES LOTTERY WINNERS OF HCZ'S PROMISE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO LEARN, GROW, AND NURTURE FRIENDSHIPS IN THE LEAD UP TO THEIR ADMISSION TO PROMISE ACADEMY.HARLEM GEMSHARLEM GEMS PRESCHOOLS EMPOWER OUR YOUNGEST SCHOLARS TO SUCCEED IN K-12 AND BEYOND BY BUILDING A STRONG ACADEMIC FOUNDATION AND STARTING THEM ON THE PATH TO COLLEGE AND CAREER.
- $35.7 million spent. HEALTHY AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMSCENTRAL HARLEM IS ENRICHED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS STEEPED IN RICH, UNIQUE, AND PROUD HISTORY. WE ARE AT OUR BEST WHEN THE PEOPLE OF HARLEM HAVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS TO THE TOOLS AND SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT THEIR WELLBEING IN EVERY SENSE.TO BUILD UP OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE CREATED A BROAD OFFERING OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CREATE PATHWAYS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. WE ALSO LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. TO US, THIS MEANS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME TOGETHER, LEARN FROM AND WITH EACH OTHER, SOCIALIZE AND HAVE FUN, AND SUPPORT THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLY TO OUR STUDENTS: COMMUNITY PRIDECOMMUNITY PRIDE IS A PROGRAM OF GRASSROOTS, BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND CONNECTORS, COMMUNITY BUILDERS, AND PROBLEM SOLVERS DEVOTED TO EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS AND THE COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE.HEALTHY HARLEMHEALTHY HARLEM IS EMPOWERING A CULTURE OF HEALTH IN CENTRAL HARLEM BY HELPING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LEARN HOW TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEMSELVES, MAKE THOUGHTFUL CHOICES, AND ESTABLISH LIFELONG HEALTHY HABITS.THE HCZ ARMORYTHE HCZ ARMORY IS A MULTI-PURPOSE, COMMUNITY WELLNESS CENTER COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING A CULTURE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN CENTRAL HARLEM.NATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMSPRACTITIONERS INSTITUTEPRACTITIONERS INSTITUTE HELPS ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE U.S. AND THE WORLD IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE, PLACE-BASED SOLUTIONS DEVELOPED AT HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. HEALTHY WAYS REPLICATIONINSPIRED BY HEALTHY HARLEM, HEALTHY WAYS IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT CHAMPIONS HEALTHY HABITS AND LIFESTYLES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING ENGAGING PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.WEALTH BUILDSWEALTH BUILDS SEEKS TO CLOSE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP AND OPENS PATHWAYS TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY BY EMPOWERING OUR SCHOLARS WITH THE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL FUTURES.WILLIAM JULIUS WILSON INSTITUTE WILLIAM JULIUS WILSON INSTITUTE IS A NATIONAL RESOURCE FOR PLACE-BASED, PEOPLE-FOCUSED SOLUTIONS THAT OPEN PATHWAYS TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1971.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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