HARLEM — The Harlem Business Alliance will use a three year $700,000 grant to open a Small Business Support Center. The grant will help small businesses with marketing, bid preparation, payroll, budgeting and strategic planning services, per Regina Smith, the group’s executive director.

This was in response to recent local black-owned business closings. including Sherman’s Barbecue, Hue-Man Bookstore, Harlem Lanes, Nectar Wine Bar, Society Coffee, Mobay Uptown and Harlem Vintage.

The new center will also make the Harlem Business Alliance more visible. Using a grant from the Community Economic Development Program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the alliance will expand into the ground level space at their building at 275 Lenox Ave.

Through a partnership with IncubateNYC, the space will be fully furnished and equipped with Wi-Fi and computers for clients’ use.