Issuu

FY 2020 July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

ANNUAL REPORT

Harlem Brownstones. Photo by Rosemary Santos.

THe upper manhattan empowerment zone

2020

CONTENTS Letter from CEO and Board Chair

Mission

UMEZ Investment Areas

Commercial Real Estate Development and Business Lending

Small Business Lending

Cultural Investment Fund

Workforce Opportunity Investments

Financial Report

Board and Staff

A Films by Firelight screening of Mr. Soul! at The Apollo Theater. Photo by Angela McCrae.

Letter from CEO and BOard Chair

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Dear Readers, We hope that during these uncertain times you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. This Annual Report is the second one we produced during the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic. Although some parts of New York City are reopening and many adults have been vaccinated, we know many have also lost loved ones, their health has been jeopardized, financial instability has been on the rise, and other parts of the world— home countries to many New Yorkers—are facing versions of what New York City experienced in 2020. What COVID-19 has taught us is the need to innovate to meet the rapidly changing needs of Upper Manhattan businesses and other partners.

$6,490,272

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Soon after the quarantine restrictions were announced by Governor Cuomo in March of 2020, UMEZ pivoted to work remotely along with most of the City’s businesses and nonprofits. Even while experiencing the same hardships that many New Yorkers have been going through, the UMEZ staff has remained dedicated to the community during this period of mounting challenges. UMEZ continues to provide uninterrupted services, critical assistance, and innovation to offer products and services needed by Upper Manhattan small business owners and other residents. In January 2020, we launched the Employer-Driven Bridge Hospitality

Blair M. Duncan Chief Executive Officer, UMEZ

Training Program (“EBHTP”). This innovative workforce initiative was designed to create access for Upper Manhattan residents to local hospitality jobs at the anticipated Marriott Hotel on 125th Street. Training courses were scheduled to begin in the spring but were postponed due to

INVESTED IN UPPER MANHATTAN COMMUNITIES in 2020

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Joseph J. Johnson, III Board Chair, UMEZ

quarantine restrictions.

business owners.

Ten months later, the first online cohort began its seven-week training. Registered Upper Manhattan residents who complete the course acquire industry-recognized hotel and hospitality skills, earned customer service and food protection certifications, and interview referrals with Marriott and other hospitality/ hotel employers. EBHTP also offers graduates admission to the Borough of Manhattan Community College with college credits.

After those conversations were held, Hybrid Microloan program was creat launched. This unique product incor a loan and conditional grant to supp Upper Manhattan small businesses d the pandemic. We are collaborating w community-based organizations to c to market the program. The UMEZ Hy Microloan program supports small b so they can stay open during the pan be part of the economic recovery of t Manhattan communities.

The program was reimagined from in-person to flexible online training to meet the City's social distancing regulations, the specific needs of the residents, and a new timeframe for Marriott's soft opening in fall 2021. For our small business borrowers, UMEZ implemented a three-month repayment moratorium and assembled a crossdepartmental team to assist small businesses to apply to the Federal Paycheck Protection Program with local community banks. For our nonprofit cultural organizations, UMEZ launched an emergency relief fund and relaxed reporting requirements for grantees. The pandemic has exposed a wider audience to the health disparities, economic dislocations, and insecurities Black, Latinx, and Asian American communities experience daily-inequities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19. UMEZ reached out to our small business borrowers and nonprofit grantees to assess how the pandemic was affecting their operations. Those conversations helped us create a loan product to help meet the immediate needs of Upper Manhattan small

UMEZ also provided funding to help headquarters of the National Urban to Harlem. Our $10 million loan is pro necessary gap financing for a transfo mixed-use development of affordabl retail, commercial office space, and t Urban Civil Rights Museum Experienc public-private partnership involved m developers and diverse funding sour

The past year has been one of collect heartache, and yet New Yorkers are r Even while we do not know how muc the pandemic will be in our daily live is committed to continuing to offer fi services and products that meet the changing needs of business and non owners in Upper Manhattan. Togethe will continue to build the economic v East Harlem, Central Harlem, West H Washington Heights, and Inwood. Sincerely, Blair M. Duncan (Chief Executive Officer, UMEZ) and Joseph J. Johnson, III (Chair of the UMEZ Board of Directors)

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UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

, the UMEZ ted and rporates port during with local continue ybrid businesses ndemic and the Upper

return the League oviding ormative le housing, the ce. The multiple rces.

tive resilient. ch longer es, UMEZ inancial evernprofit er we vitality of Harlem,

A community garden in Harlem. Photo by Rosemary Santos.

“I am incredibly proud of UMEZ's accomplishments, especially during this time of collective loss. We are thankful to be in a position to support the capital needs of Upper Manhattan businesses and nonprofits that continue to positively impact the communities they serve.”

JOSEPH J. JOHNSON, III Board Chair, UMEZ

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to sustain the economic revitalization of all communities in Upper Manhattan through job creation, corporate alliances, strategic investments, and small business assistance. UMEZ facilitates economic development in the neighborhoods of Central, West, and East Harlem; Washington Heights; and Inwood.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 6

investment areas UMEZ takes a holistic approach to community economic development, and we invest in the following five areas:

1 2

Commercial real estate development and business LENDING UMEZ invests in real estate development initiatives that yield employment opportunities and economic growth for Upper Manhattan.

small business LENDING UMEZ’s Business Resource and Investment Service Center (BRISC) provides loans for small business formation and expansion. Small business loans are meant to create opportunities for local wealth creation and economic vitality in Upper Manhattan. BRISC also offers lines of credit for qualified small businesses.

microlending

cultural investments

Workforce Opportunity investments

UMEZ partners with community development financial institutions to offer microloans to entrepreneurs who are underserved by mainstream banking institutions.

UMEZ’s Cultural Investment Fund (CIF) invests in Upper Manhattan’s vibrant cultural landscape, which leads to more visitors, new jobs, and increased economic activity.

UMEZ invests in effective and measurable training and employment program models that directly connect Upper Manhattan residents to quality jobs with pathways to careers.

Corner of 164th Street and Broadway. Photo by Rosemary Santos. 7

Commercial real estate and Business LENDIN

Corner of 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. Photo by Rosemary Santos.

d NG

investing in projects that FOSTER JOB CREATION UMEZ invests in projects that create new jobs for our community as well as those that would be undercapitalized without our loan capital. Rather than competing with traditional lenders, we tend to augment (or “gap fund”) the level of private capital provided to create adequately funded projects.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

National Urban League Photo courtesy of the National Urban League.

$10 Million loan for the Urban League Empowerment Center The 125th Street corridor has always been a vibrant part of Harlem's history, and continues to be so. On July 24, 2020, UMEZ closed on a $10 million loan to help relocate the National Urban League's headquarters to Upper Manhattan. The $242 million project, led by experienced developers L + M Partners, BRP Companies, and Taconic Investment Partners, will include a civil rights experience

museum, affordable housing, retail, and commercial offices.

The project, which is expected to break ground in the fall of 2021, will be located at 121 West 125th Street. It will be a 17-story mixeduse condominium development with 170 affordable housing units, multi-level retail space, Class A office space for community groups

BUSINESS LENDING

Photo courtesy of the National Urban League.

17 stories: a museum, retail and office spaces, jobs, and affordable housing and civic organizations, and the Urban Civil Rights Museum Experience. This project will bring much-needed affordable housing and jobs to local residents, as well as space for cultural and civic organizations. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2023.

About the National Urban League

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically “National Urban League is proud to be a part of UMEZ’s underserved urban legacy of economic revitalization in Harlem, the communities. Founded in neighborhood where our movement was born more New York City in 1910, the than a century ago. We are fortunate to partner with organization has expanded an institution that shares our goal of creating a hub for to include 90 local affiliates enterprise, creativity, activism, and advocacy, and serves spread across the country. The NUL, through the as an effective catalyst for economic growth." development of programs, Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, public policy research, civic National Urban League advocacy, and the provision of direct services, impacts and improves the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

REAL ESTATE FAST TRACK PROGRAM Photo courtesy of Guillaume TECHER.

$5 Million Loan Fund for Emerging Developers In January 2020, UMEZ launched an exciting new business investments program, the Real Estate Fast Track Program ("REFT Fund," "REFT Program") for emerging developers in Upper Manhattan. Real estate developers face significant up-front costs related to their development projects. These costs are often funded by the developers themselves and are not covered by other funds

specific to the physical development of a project. The financial strain of fronting the initial development costs often limits local emerging developers’ ability to succeed, causing barriers to their entry. UMEZ assessed the need many emerging developers in the Upper Manhattan community face. We responded by developing a

BUSINESS LENDING

Photo courtesy of chuttersnap.

LOANS OF UP TO $500,000 FOR EMERGING DEVELOPERS IN UPPER MANHATTAN thoughtful program that addresses that need and has fewer barriers to entry. This loan program is part of UMEZ’s overall efforts to foster and promote small business economic development and job creation opportunities within the communities of Upper Manhattan. “The REFT Program positions emerging developers who have projects in Upper Manhattan to scale and increase capacity,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ. “These funds will provide them with the capital they need to expand their business, drive economic development, and create jobs in our Upper Manhattan communities.” This program will finance a portion of pre-development costs associated with real estate development projects. The REFT Fund is capitalized with up to $5 million of lending capital. The loan amounts will reach up to $500,000 and the pre-development loan can be used to meet up to 75% of the pre-development financing needs of an eligible project.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

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SMALL BUSINESS lending The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation offers strategic start-up and/or growth business loans to qualified Upper Manhattan businesses through its Business Resource and Investment Service Center, Inc. (BRISC).

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BRISC offers lines of credit between $25,000 and $100,000 and term loans between $50,000 and $250,000. These loans are aimed at small business formation and/or expansion to create economic vitality for Upper Manhattan. Term loans typically are senior financing, depending on the other sources of capital for the project, and are set at an affordable rate, with flexible terms based on the cash flows, job generation, and level of collateral for the project.

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Photo by Obi Onyeador.

$399,000 invested in small businesses during July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

UMEZ and CARVER FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK 16

Photo courtesy of Carver Federal Savings Bank.

Paycheck Protection Program Technical Assistance Poremt volore que sum quateture The COVID-19 pandemic has beenim id quas audi via Carver and continue to pay their payroll sant volestrum quatem quias devastating to the once-thriving small in these tough times.” business community in Upper Manhattan. In order to provide some relief, UMEZ “During these difficult and uncertain times, partnered with Carver Federal Savings Carver Federal Savings Bank and UMEZ Bank to support businesses in Upper worked together to create a mechanism to Manhattan neighborhoods with their provide funding for small businesses and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) nonprofits in our communities to pay their applications to potentially qualify for employees and keep their doors open,” a forgivable loan offered by the Small stated Michael T. Pugh, President and CEO Business Administration. of Carver Federal Savings Bank. “UMEZ reached out to small business owners and nonprofits in the neighborhoods of Central, West, and East Harlem; Washington Heights; and Inwood, to inform them about this SBA PPP loan opportunity,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ. “We offered them the technical assistance they needed to successfully submit their applications

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

On April 29, Mr. Duncan represented UMEZ as a featured speaker, alongside Mr. Pugh, on a virtual community-based panel discussing the partnership, how the PPP program works, and how it can benefit our communities.

Peartree Preschool and the Paycheck protection program Peartree Preschool, longtime UMEZ client, partnered with UMEZ to apply for the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denise Adusei, originally from Brazil, spent the first few years of her life in Rhode Island and decided to move to New York City in 2000. After living in Brooklyn for a few years, she got married and moved to Harlem to start a new chapter with her husband. She enrolled at Columbia University’s Business School while pregnant, and hoped to find a high-quality, local daycare program in Harlem for her daughter. After spending a month with one provider, she became dissatisfied with the programming and quality of care and decided to open her own childcare program.

Adusei dreamed of being able to offer better-quality childcare programs for the children in Harlem and she established Peartree Preschool in 2010. Peartree Preschool is a progressive year-round preschool

SMALL BUSINESS LENDING

providing New York City families with a child-centered approach to early learning, a collaborative family atmosphere, and a safe, inspiring environment that encourages exploration and creativity. This upcoming school year will be Peartree’s 10-year anniversary.

Back in 2010, Denise says, she was “raising money to start a school, and now [she’s] raising money to save a school. It’s heavy to consider that.” At Peartree, she not only provides childcare to children throughout Harlem, she also helps parents navigate New York City’s complex childcare landscape. Adusei notes, “There are a lot of options, but not everyone has equal access to information about what the options are, especially in areas like Harlem.”

WHY UMEZ “UMEZ’s mission was very much aligned with our values. We wanted to provide an amenity or a service to our neighborhood and uplift our neighborhood. And that’s what UMEZ does, provide funding and services to local businesses and help with community development…So it makes sense for us to be part of UMEZ’s portfolio. And I think they’ve been very understanding, especially at the beginning, in allowing us to ramp up and make some adjustments to our payment plans as we go because there were times when things would get a little tough… I always appreciate UMEZ’s flexibility and understanding that entrepreneurship isn’t something that you can always plan for.”

She cites the importance of "having that understanding of Harlem as well, and how things work in the neighborhood, and what is needed in the neighborhood. I think that UMEZ has a really good understanding of what the needs are in the community, whether it's arts organizations, or businesses, or childcare programs like mine, and so I've always appreciated having that relationship with [UMEZ].”

Adusei also notes having a close relationship with her account manager and how important that is, having the ability to call them and say, “I’m having a really tough time because this happened, can we make an adjustment to my payment plan?” She describes how receptive and flexible UMEZ has been during difficult moments, when she

Photo courtesy of Peartree Preschool.

had documented adverse circumstances. Adusei describes how that’s not always the case, when working with large “corporate banks and other entities that are not so committed to a specific neighborhood like UMEZ is committed to Harlem.” Though facing an extremely challenging time, Denise continues to persevere and aims to reopen Peartree Preschool by fall 2021.

To learn more about Peartree Preschool, please visit their website.

“I feel like that’s been very much a part of our success, is being able to have those kinds of conversations of entrepreneurship and our neighborhood [with UMEZ].” Denise Adusei, Founder of Peartree Preschool

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Pequeñines $50,000 loan to build and expand their second location, in East Harlem

Photo courtesy of Pequeñines.

In 2018, Lissarette Nisnevich opened the daycare and preschool Pequeñines (Spanish for “little ones”), after seeing a need for early childhood education services and quality childcare services in her East Harlem community. Using her expertise and over a decade of experience in education, Pequeñines was born. Pequeñines is a familyowned, premium Spanish bilingual and bicultural daycare, located at 426 East 120th Street. Since its opening, Pequeñines has welcomed a steady stream of students from the community, filling up the capacity of the original location at 12 students. With continued need and a growing waitlist, Lissarette made the realization that the school needed to expand to fulfill her community’s needs.

SMALL BUSINESS LENDING

Lissarette came to UMEZ to help finance her dream of expanding the preschool. The $50,000 UMEZ loan contributed to the build-out and expansion of their second location at 340 Pleasant Avenue, which is located approximately two blocks from the original daycare and will be able to take on 15 more students. UMEZ is proud to provide small business financing to Pequeñines to continue serving the next generation of little Upper Manhattanites.

To learn more about Pequeñines, please visit their website and their YouTube channel.

Lissarette and Viktor Nesnevich with their son outside of Pequeñines. Photo courtesy of Pequeñines.

"UMEZ was there when I needed them the most, they were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and efficient. Our business expansion has been completed and the East Harlem community now has a high-quality Pre-K for children to thrive because of their assistance." Lissarette Nisnevich, Owner of Pequeñines UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

make my cake “UMEZ looks at me not only as an entrepreneur but as a whole person. That’s really important because that is how I would want any relationship with a financial institution to be. UMEZ is helping the community see this little brown girl from Harlem make her dreams come true.” Aliyyah Baylor, Owner of Make My Cake

SMALL BUSINESS LENDING

$249,000 to Harlem bakery Make My Cake In December 2019, UMEZ provided a $249,000 term loan to Aliyyah Baylor, owner of Make My Cake, one of Harlem’s most historic bakeries. Aliyyah Baylor was born and raised in Harlem and is a third-generation baker who learned to bake by watching her mother and grandmother. She attended North Carolina A&T University, where she received a bachelor’s in food science. The UMEZ loan supported business operations and relocation expenses as Make My Cake

relocated from its Upper West Side location to Harlem, at 413 West 125th Street. The modern, open-concept, fully equipped store will serve as the largest production facility and most dynamic storefront to date for Make My Cake, which has been featured in multiple publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the New York Daily News. To learn more about Make My Cake, please visit their website.

Aliyyah Baylor, owner of Make My Cake NYC. Photo Courtesy of Make My Cake NYC.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CULTURAL Investment FUND

Harlem School of the Arts dance performance. Photo Courtesy of Harlem School of the Arts.

investing in Arts organizations and artists to help grow the economy in upper manhattan. UMEZ's cultural investments are specifically focused on organizations that produce and/or present cultural activities for the public. These activities attract audiences to Upper Manhattan and thus help spur the local economy. Grants are designed to strengthen organizational capacity. A new program for fiscally sponsored artists and collectives and small organizations was launched in 2017 to support their public-facing activities.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

museum of the city of new york $268,341 to an iconic East Harlem cultural institution In February 2020, UMEZ awarded a grant to the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) in the amount of $268,341 to support capacity building. MCNY celebrates, documents, and interprets the City’s past, present, and future through exhibitions, school and public programs, publications, and its permanent interactive narrative of the City’s ongoing history, "New York at Its Core." The Museum’s remarkable collection of 750,000 objects ranges from theater memorabilia and costumes, period fashions, photos, prints, and manuscripts to furniture, silverware,

and paintings. One of this year's exhibitions is "New York Responds: The First Six Months," which is part of a Museum-wide project documenting and interpreting New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice uprisings of 2020, as well as looking towards the future of New York. The exhibition was crowdsourced from tens of thousands of submissions received via Instagram, email, and partner institutions across the city. The Museum of the City of New York recently completed a comprehensive modernization and expansion of its landmarked

CULTURAL INVESTMENT FUND

Georgian Colonial Revival building located on Fifth Avenue between 103rd and 104th Streets. Its East Harlem location has been the museum’s home since 1932. UMEZ funds will be used to hire new personnel with the goal of increasing the Museum’s capacity to generate increased earned and contributed revenue. In helping fund their capacity-building needs, UMEZ is proud to support MCNY as a continued “must-see” cultural and educational destination in New York City for years to come. “The Museum of the City of New York is an integral member of the Upper Manhattan community and the greater New York City cultural ecosystem,” said UMEZ President and CEO Blair M. Duncan. “UMEZ has invested in the Museum’s initiatives since 2005. This current grant will help the Museum as it continues to build revenue through the marketing of its traveling exhibitions and the implementation of a planned giving program.” “We are grateful for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone’s support through their Capacity Grant program. This critical assistance will diversify and strengthen our sources of earned and contributed revenue over the course of the next three years and beyond,” says Whitney W. Donhauser, Ronay Menschel Director & President at the Museum of the City of New York. "The Musuem is also so appreciative of UMEZ's flexibility and responsiveness given the challenges of the last year. The Museum has benefited tremendously from its partnership with UMEZ, and, as we approach our centennial year in 2023, we look forward to the positive impact that this grant will have on the Museum’s achievements and growth.”

Image from "New York Responds," an online exhibition by the Museum of the City of New York documenting New Yorkers' experience with the COVID-19 crisis and the uprising against structural racism. This image is titled Lenox Health Greenwich Village, 7 p.m. Photo by Nina Westervelt.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

firelight media Stanley Nelson, documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Firelight Media. Photo courtesy of Firelight Media.

$288,760 Capacity Grant to Firelight Media In April, UMEZ awarded a threeyear, $288,760 Capacity Grant to Firelight Media. Led by its founders, Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, Firelight Media works with emerging documentary filmmakers of color to bring their films about underrepresented people and their stories to the mainstream media. Through its signature program, DocLab, these emerging documentary filmmakers receive access to mentorship, networking opportunities, and support in the

creation of their films. Stanley Nelson, Director of “Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” was recently interviewed by the New York Times on the role of film in shaping the fight for racial justice. “Moving images have been in some ways really responsible for people getting out on the streets all over the country. I have 21-year-old twins in New York and a 30-year-old daughter in Atlanta, and they see things

CULTURAL INVESTMENT FUND

going on in their town, and they want to be part of it. You see that you don’t have to start a movement, there’s already something happening and you can just join in. And if you look at any of the marches, everybody is filming, everybody has their phone out, so we are going to have a whole bunch of films and images we haven’t seen yet.” Nelson states that documentaries “allow us to look back.” When it comes to his film on the Black Panthers, he notes, “I knew how the Black Panther Party was portrayed, and I knew there was a different story.” Recent major grants have allowed Firelight Media to expand its range of services to documentary filmmakers at multiple stages of their careers, thus placing new demands on the organization’s staff and administrative operations. Firelight undertook a strategic planning process that identified key areas for improvement in operations and infrastructure, particularly the need for additional personnel. Firelight Media will use its UMEZ Capacity Grant to hire three new staff members: a Director of Communications, a Director of Development, and a Finance Associate. The new staff will support Firelight Media’s growth as the organization develops new programs for documentary filmmakers of color across the country. “Audiences in Upper Manhattan have a documented appetite for documentary film, yet rarely have opportunities to see them or to interact with the diverse artists of color who create them. Support from UMEZ will allow Firelight Media to strengthen our operating infrastructure, allowing us to offer more live and online programming to the people of Upper Manhattan and beyond,” said Marcia Smith, President of Firelight Media. “We are enormously grateful to UMEZ for helping us to build our organizational capacity and look forward to our continued partnership toward building Harlem and Upper Manhattan's cultural offerings.” “UMEZ is proud to support Firelight Media. Its role as a leading voice in the representation of diverse perspectives in the documentary film industry is important for Upper Manhattan residents, including the artists in front of and behind the lens,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ. “We look forward to seeing how this UMEZ Capacity Grant helps expand the great work Firelight Media does in Upper Manhattan and how it impacts the careers of our local residents.”

Photo courtesy of Firelight Media.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Harlem arts Alliance $35,000 Catalyst Grant for the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival In November 2019, UMEZ awarded a $35,000 Catalyst Grant to the Harlem Arts Alliance (HAA) for the inaugural Harlem Jazz & Music Festival (HJMF), a festival celebrating Harlem’s jazz and musical legacies. The Festival spanned eleven days, featuring a multitude of free and paid events taking place in Central and West Harlem, and celebrating genres of music that have deep roots in Harlem, including Jazz, Latin, Hip-Hop, R&B, Salsa, Gospel, and Reggae, among others. Over 15,000 audience members

attended the 30 distinct events sponsored by the Festival.

The Harlem Jazz & Music Festival was jointly supported by three partnering local organizations: Harlem Arts Alliance, West Harlem Development Corporation, and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. Harlem Arts Alliance served as Creative Producer for the Festival and lead applicant to UMEZ, ensuring that all events are branded with Festival marketing

CULTURAL INVESTMENT FUND

and coordinating logistics with the participating artists, arts organizations, and other local businesses. UMEZ funds supported expenses related to the free, public concerts, including the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival Kick-Off on the Great Lawn at St. Nicholas Park; “Summer Stage in Harlem: Artz, Rootz, and Rhythm” at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Plaza, saluting Jazzmobile’s 55th Anniversary; “Harlem on the Hudson”; and the Festival Closing at City College of New York. All UMEZ-funded events featured a variety of musicians representing different musical genres, curated to showcase the depth and diversity of artistic expression cultivated in Harlem. They were free, open to the public, and easily accessible by local and visiting audiences.

The total project cost was $215,750. Matching support for the Festival was contributed by West Harlem Development Corporation in the amount of $110,750 in cash expenses, and by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, which provided $70,000 in in-kind expenses.

Summer Stage with the MAMA Foundation for the Arts / performers from their Sing Harlem program. Photo courtesy of UMEZ.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

UMEZ Arts Engagement Grants $375,000 to Cultural Organizations in Upper Manhattan The UMEZ Arts Engagement program is designed to enhance the diversity and frequency of cultural presentations in Upper Manhattan. Grants are made to support artist-driven projects and organizations with budgets under $750,000 to make their work more widely available to the public. Unlike other UMEZ grants, applicants to the UMEZ Arts Engagement grants may request funds to support programming and general operations. In 2020, UMEZ worked with the program’s administrator, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), to award $375,000 to 54 individual artists, collectives, and cultural groups. Recipients reflect the cultural and demographic diversity of Upper Manhattan. UMEZ renewed support for the Arts Engagement program, initially designed as a two-year pilot initiative, to cover grants in 2020 and 2021. Fiscally sponsored artists, collectives, and cultural nonprofits were able to apply for up to $10,000 to support public engagement with their artistic projects in each year. “We believe the UMEZ Arts Engagement program

enhances the artistic vibrancy of our communities through funding the work of artists and cultural organizations that live and work in Upper Manhattan,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ. “Our partnership with LMCC provides a supportive platform for all applicants and a competitive, juried process to select grantees.” “LMCC’s grant programs are central to our mission to serve artists and communities and facilitate these connections. We are thrilled to continue this partnership with UMEZ in support of this year’s artists and organizations who are deeply embedded in their communities, caring for and nurturing the artistic and creative lives of their neighborhoods,” said Lili Chopra, Executive Director of Artistic Programs for LMCC. “Through an exceptional mix of public-private partnerships, LMCC continues to advance arts programming throughout the borough, and our partnership with UMEZ helps to ensure that across Upper Manhattan there are opportunities to engage in the creative process and celebrate the depth and diversity of our City’s cultural life,” added Diego S. Segalini, Executive Director of Finance & Administration for LMCC.

CULTURAL INVESTMENT FUND

Kotchegna Dance Company. Photo by Lisa Diomande.

2020 UMEZ ARTS ENGAGEMENT GRANTEES Dance Dances for a Variable Population, NEW MUSIC/Wise Bodies Harlem Dance Club, MOTHERSHIP THREE Kotchegna Dance Company, Kekene XIII – The Gathering 2020 Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson, Partido Navarra Novy-Williams and Carlos Johns-Dávila, While You Wait… Look Around Cassie Norddgren / ThruLines Dance Initiative, Danza Highbridge

Multidisciplinary and Literature Ben Arthur, SongWriter Dominican Writers Association, Uptown Lit Crawl The Gatekeepers Collective, Harlem Renaissance 2.0 Jazz Power Initiative, Intergenerational Jazz Jam La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, The Kings of Salsa Latino Film Market, Latino Film Market (“LFM”) William Ruiz Morales / Living Away, Living Away Festival Kanon Sapp / looseKANONDance, F U Z E NYC Kidsfest, NYC Kidsfest Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria, Uptown Kid Lit Stefanie Nelson Dance Group, The MOVING MEMORY Project Sarah Cameron Sunde, 36.5 / A Durational Performance with the Sea

Music The Art Song Preservation Society of New York, Inc. (ASPSNY), Spring Into Art Song Festival 2020

Los Pleneros de la 21, LP21’s Cultural Legacy Initiative Project 2020 Makam New York., Kervan (caravan) New Amsterdam Music Association, NAMA Harlem 20/20 New York Scandia Symphony, Scandinavian Music Festival 2020 Christine Pulliam Melamed / Prelude Opera, Little Red Riding Hood, A Children’s Opera PUBLIQuartet, MIND | THE | GAP: Reflections on Beauty Tenth Intervention, Songs for the Resistance Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, Pieces of Us | Piezas de Nosotros

Theater The American Slavery Project, Black Women and the Ballot Barrio Independent Productions, Frenzy Fest Clutch Productions, empowHER Reading Series Melinda Hall / Willful Pictures, The 10th Annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Sonnet Slam People’s Theatre Project, Doña Carmen (World Premiere) UP Theater Company, “Barn Play” by Lizzie Donahue

Visual Arts and Media African Diaspora Film Festival, ADIFF 2020 ArtCrawl Harlem, ArtCrawl Harlem Presents Harlem Renaissance 2020 Art Exhibit Paul Deo, Virtual Harlem Renaissance 2020 Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Alliance, The DyckmanDISCOVERED ARTS Initiative Harlem Needle Arts, UpSouth Textile Exhibition

Centro Civico Cultural Dominicano, Music Appreciation Through Concerts

Zaq Landsberg, Reclining Liberty

Cornerstone Chorale, Celebrate: Cornerstone Chorale’s 30th, Beethoven’s 250th!

Marcie Revens, Letters to 125th Street

Courtney’s Stars of Tomorrow, Feel the Spirit: The Art of the AfricanAmerican Spiritual East Winds / Taikoza, Concert Series Ekmeles, Ekmeles Uptown 2020

Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, Renaissance Women Sukkahwood / Omanut: Jewish Uptown Arts, Uptown Jewish Film Festival While We Are Still Here, The 53rd Year: A Kamoinge Collective Retrospective

Fair Trade Chamber Music Society, Fair Trade at MOSA The Harlem Chamber Players, 4 Concerts during The Harlem Chamber Players’ 2020 Season Harlem Presents, The Harlem Opera Festival Jazz WaHi, The WaHi Wednesday Weekly Jazz Jam El Taller Latino Americano, El Barrio Canta Su Historia II loadbang, Plays Well With Others

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Pandemic Relief: Cultural Aid Fund “The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has delivered an unprecedented shock to the arts and culture sector in Upper Manhattan. Our team quickly adapted to develop a new program to relieve some of the short-term financial effects of COVID-19. We are pleased this emergency capital helped to stabilize cultural organizations in Upper Manhattan,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ.

On May 5, 2020, UMEZ launched the Cultural Aid Fund, a new, temporary fund designed to offer support for previous Cultural Investments grantees impacted by the governmental closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UMEZ distributed $500,000 in support to 17 organizations that met current

eligibility requirements in an invitation-only, application-based grant cycle. Through the Cultural Aid Fund, UMEZ provided flexible grants designed to support organizations’ continued operating needs and transition from in-person programs to online programming.

CULTURAL INVESTMENT FUND

ArtCrawl Harlem. Photo courtesy of ArtCrawl Harlem.

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1 2 3 4 5 6

rlem School of the Arts

Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance

em School of the Arts (HSA) enriches the lives of thousands oung people by providing unrivaled arts instruction and lity community performances attracting diverse audiences. many organizations, the Harlem School of the Arts closed its rs in mid-March in accordance with statewide shelter-at-home ers. When forced to close, HSA quickly pivoted and migrated e than 200 classes and private lessons online, reaching more n 800 students over the spring semester. HSA President Eric ryor said, “Thanks to the support from UMEZ, Harlem School he Arts will continue to engage our youth population after eral months of isolation by helping us maintain our classes instruction and offer programming via an online platform.”

For the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA), the spread of the virus coincided with preparations for their signature annual event, the Uptown Arts Stroll/Paseo de las Artes, a month-long series of arts events taking place from 135th Street to 220th Street. NoMAA quickly pivoted their in-person stroll to an entirely online event complete with digital artist Open Studios, virtual exhibitions, and technical assistance workshops.

Dr. Niria E. Leyva-Gutiérrez, Executive Director of NoMAA, said, “Like so many entities, NoMAA has felt the sweeping effects of COVID-19. As an arts service organization, our mission is to serve as a resource and as a support for artists and other arts organizations. The challenges we all face during this unprecedented public health crisis threaten to compromise in dramatic fashion the work that we do. We are thus especially grateful to the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for recognizing the value of our mission and the transformative potential of arts and culture organizations to bring about change and recovery during these uncertain times.”

ltural aid fund grantees

1 2 3 4 5 6

Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute Classical Theatre of Harlem Dance Theatre of Harlem El Museo del Barrio Elisa Monte Dance Futuro Media Group

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

7 8 9 10 11 12

Harlem Arts Alliance Harlem School of the Arts Harlem Stage Jazzmobile Mama Foundation for the Arts

13 14 15 16 17

National Black Theatre

National Jazz Museum in Harlem Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance Studio Museum in Harlem Taller Boricua

Maysles Institute

Workforce opportunity investments UMEZ is committed to funding effective and measurable training and employment program models that directly connect Upper Manhattan residents to quality jobs with pathways to careers. We also invest in employment strategies that are designed to connect residents to jobs generated through our portfolio of commercial and IQUIA SEQUAM AUT small business lending projects and priorities of regional and local PROVID ULLITAE economic development.

TUS RATIA AUT VOLUEM AUTATI IPSAE NONS

MURESSED INATU RO VATU ULLOREH ENIS TEA STRO 36

1199SEIU members in biology class taking advantage of education and training benefits. Photo courtesy of 1199SEIU League Training and Upgrading Fund.

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Employer-driven bridge hospitality training program A First-of-its Kind Training Program for Upper Manhattan Residents In January 2020, UMEZ launched the Employer-Driven Bridge Hospitality Training Program (“EBHTP”), in partnership with (i) the developer, Exact Capital and the Lam Group, (ii) the local Marriott operator, the Real Hospitality Group, and (iii) the State University of New York Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (“SUNY MEOC”), and its administrator, the Borough of Manhattan Community College (“BMCC”) (together, “SUNY MEOC”). This first-of-its kind in Upper Manhattan program model fosters meaningful collaboration between economic and workforce development. “As an economic development organization, we know that economic development requires creating program models that are geared towards supporting a skilled and qualified workforce,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of UMEZ. “The Employer-Driven Bridge Hospitality Training Program is a perfect example of our commitment to sustaining business and local economic growth in the communities of Upper Manhattan.” The program coordinates training and employment resources with one of UMEZ’s anchor economic development projects, the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Initiative. The Victoria Theater is part of the revitalization of 125th Street and will create a 27-story tower with a 211-room Marriott Renaissance Hotel, 191unit apartment building, retail space, and cultural space for local nonprofits. The Marriott Renaissance Hotel, an anchor tenant of the Victoria Theater, is expected to generate nearly 60 full-time jobs to operate the hotel, which is tentatively scheduled to open during the fall of 2021. “The Employer-Driven Bridge Hospitality Training Program, spearheaded by UMEZ, will be an invaluable

asset to the Upper Manhattan community, serving as a driver of meaningful and deliberate economic and workforce development collaboration. On behalf of the City of New York, I congratulate UMEZ on this innovative program and continued commitment to the communities they serve, further complementing the City’s efforts in advancing employment and career pathways for New Yorkers,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, City of New York. To effectively prepare Upper Manhattan residents for employment and career opportunities at the Marriott and other hospitality/hotel employers, UMEZ funded an employer-driven, skills-building program model to support the development of a well-qualified hospitality workforce in Upper Manhattan. “This investment and leadership of UMEZ exemplifies economic development and community engagement that our Upper Manhattan community deserves and will deliver,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY13). “The Employer-Driven Bridge Hospitality Training Program benefits our community, aligning industry partnerships, academia, training, and employment resources tailored to Upper Manhattan. I am confident that this partnership and outreach to all corners of Upper Manhattan will help residents to learn and demonstrate high-quality and in-demand hospitality skills that will lead to success in this growing sector and greater career opportunities going forward.” The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the hospitality and tourism industries, among others. Soon after the EBHTP launched, the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City especially hard, resulting in UMEZ working extensively with its partners

From left to right: J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor, City of New York; Craig Livingston, Managing Partner, Exact Capital Group, LLC; Yahshaanyah Hill, Vice President, Workforce Opportunity Investments, UMEZ; Anthony Watson, Executive Director, State University of New York Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center; Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO, UMEZ; Honorable Adriano Espaillat, Congressman, New York 13th District. Photo by Burroughs Lamar. Photo courtesy of UMEZ.

to reimagine the program. The EBHTP strategy was revamped to accommodate the City’s recovery efforts, the workforce development needs of our residents, and the new timeframe for the hotel opening. The new version consists of several training cohorts operating via a virtual learning platform (for an average of 7 to 10 weeks). Upper Manhattan residents gain workforce preparation skills, knowledge of hospitality/hotel industry content, basic computer skills, industry-recognized credentials, career development support, and linkages to interviews with the local Marriott operator. The EBHTP is free and is being administered by our partner, SUNY MEOC. Program instruction, books, uniforms, and student supplies are covered under the program. To address the digital divide in Upper Manhattan, UMEZ repurposed funds to ensure the students who need it had access to the internet and other technologies. We provide them hotspot devices UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

and Chromebooks. To support career pathway development for local residents, program graduates who are interested in advancing their academic career pursuits within the hospitality industry will have, among other things, guaranteed admissions to BMCC and an opportunity to earn three college credits. To align community resources as a solution to address local skill gaps and to better meet the training and employment needs of local residents, UMEZ developed a consortium of Upper Manhattan workforce development providers representing all communities of Upper Manhattan. These providers are strategically designed as virtual neighborhood resource centers to recruit and develop a home-grown talent pipeline for the program.

FINANCIAL REPORT

INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL SUMMARY FINANCIAL POSITION

2020

2019

Assets Cash and Investments

66,784,840

66,070,741

Loans to Businesses and Affiliates

16,005,011

17,205,696

2,329,533

3,190,470

68,238

103,231

85,187,622

86,570,138

1,087,252

424,784

10,674,383

14,049,075

11,761,635

14,473,859

73,425,987

72,096,279

85,187,622

86,570,138

Interest and Other Revenue

2,938,346

2,310,336

Government Grant Support for Lending Activity

4,532,439

10,499,826

7,470,785

12,810,162

Expenses Grant Program Expenses

2,344,564

1,397,171

Program Service Expenses

3,206,317

2,784,227

590,196

531,758

6,141,077

4,713,156

Receipts From Borrowers

1,180,156

1,483,048

Receipts From Funding Sources & Others

3,275,798

3,153,394

Payments to Suppliers & Employees

(3,342,214)

(3,258,477)

Payments to Subgrantees

(2,344,564)

(1,397,171)

(1,230,824)

(19,206)

(11,121)

(990)

(4,089,485)

(8,759,746)

5,200,268

19,756,507

845,261

(72,384)

1,944,923

10,923,387

714,099

10,904,181

BEGINNING CASH and INVESTMENTS

66,070,741

55,166,560

ENDING CASH and INVESTMENTS

66,784,840

66,070,741

Grants Receivable and Other Assets Net Fixed Assets TOTAL ASSETS Liabilities and Net Assets Liabilities Deferred Revenue Total Liabilities Net Assets TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ACTIVITIES Revenue and Support:

TOTAL REVENUE AND SUPPORT

Management and General Expenses TOTAL EXPENSES CASH FLOWS From Operating Activities:

Net cash used in operating activities From Investing Activities: Purchase of Equip & Leasehold Loan disbursements Loan collections Other activities (net) Net cash provided by investing activities

Increase in Cash

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

umez staff Blair M. Duncan President and Chief Executive Officer Ella Johnson Executive Assistant Lisa Banks Executive Assistant

Business Investments Blair Smith Chief Investment Officer William Chase Senior Underwriter Andre Simon Community Lending Officer

Cultural Investments Verdery Roosevelt Senior Vice President Cheryl Anhava Program Officer Lindsey Crane Program Officer

Finance and Administration Gaffar Mohamed Chief Financial Officer Ayesha Codrington Controller Delmarie Williams Assistant Controller Danessy Pico Office & Human Resources Manager Sharon Cheeks Receptionist

Legal Elizabeth Harris General Counsel Lydia Edwards Compliance Officer Sara Farahall Legal Analyst

Workforce Opportunity Investments Yahshaanyah Hill Vice President Jose Calderon Program Officer

UMEZ Board Joseph J. Johnson, III (Chair) Senior Vice President, Goldman Sachs & Co.

Michael Smart Founding Member and Managing Partner, CSW Private Equity

Amir Kirkwood Chief Lending and Investment Officer, Opportunity Finance Network

Nikisha Alcindor, Executive Director of Business Development, School of Professional Studies, Columbia University; Community Board 9

Anthony Q. Fletcher Attorney Member, Community Board 9

Nilsa Orama Chair, Community Board 11

Kevin G. Chavers Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc.

Rekha Nambiar Partner, Mitchell Titus LLP

Harriet R. Michel

Richard Lewis

Former President, National Minority Supplier Development Council; Community Board 9

Former Chair, Community Board 12

Lisa Downing Founder and Owner, Connections Real Estate Services; Community Board 10 Maurine D. Knighton Program Director for the Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Sabrina Stratton First Vice President of Social Impact Commercial Banking, Amalgamated Bank; Community Board 10 Teresa Eyring Executive Director, Theatre Communications Group; Community Board 11

Maxine Griffith Senior Advisor to the President, Columbia University

BRISC Board Blair M. Duncan President and CEO, UMEZ Ex Officio

Julian James Vice President, BlackRock, Inc.

Charles Patrick, III Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Keesa Schreane Executive Producer and Host of You’ve Been Served Podcast

Christopher Brown Partner at Citrin Cooperman

Linda Scott (Chair) Associate Corporate Secretary, JP Morgan Chase & Co.

Gardner Rivera Managing Member, Paper City Investments

Lisa Downing Founder and Owner, Connections Real Estate Services

Geoffrey Eaton President, NAACP Mid- Manhattan Branch

Steven Berrios, Commercial Loan Officer, Carver Federal Savings Bank

Harriet R. Michel Former President, National Minority Supplier Development Council

UMEZ FY 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Connect with UMEZ

FOLLOW US ON social media TWITTER: @UMEZ_DC INSTAGRAM: @umezdc LINKEDIN: Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation

Email us For information about our: Business lending - email businessinvestments@umez.org Cultural investments - email culture@umez.org Workforce development investments - email workforcedevelopment@umez.org

Los Pleneros de la 21. Photo courtesy of Los Pleneros de la 21.

Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation

www.umez.org

55 West 125th Street, 11th Floor New York, NY 10027 (212) 410-0030 45