$49 / year
Learn. Connect. Prepare.
Affordable access to learning, career exposure and BBABC’s Black professional and entrepreneurial community.
Join as a StudentBBABC Membership
Four membership pathways for Black students, professionals and Black-owned businesses. Choose the one that fits who you are and what you need right now.
$149 / year
Connect. Develop. Advance.
A year-round platform for Black professionals to connect, develop, contribute and advance.
Join as a Professional$249 / year
Learn. Connect. Build.
The tools, planning support, resources and community Black-owned businesses need to build stronger foundations.
Join as a Black-Owned Business$599 / year
Scale. Access. Expand.
Everything in Business Core, plus deeper intelligence, greater visibility, first access and priority positioning for growth opportunities.
Choose Growth Membership
The value ladder
Each tier is valuable on its own
Professional is a complete membership, not merely a step toward entrepreneurship. Core is the business support platform. Growth is the market access advantage.
StudentPrepare
ProfessionalAdvance
Business CoreBuild the business
Business GrowthScale and access markets
IncludedAvailable as part of annual membership, subject to published terms.
Member Pricing / DiscountedA reduced rate applies; the service or event is not included in dues.
Application-BasedMembers may apply; participation depends on eligibility, readiness, capacity and program criteria.
Priority Notification & AccessAdvance notice, early application windows and priority consideration where permitted; no guaranteed selection.
Separate Paid / Add-OnRequires a separate fee, scope, travel cost, sponsorship agreement or service engagement.
Student
Learn. Connect. Prepare.
A low cost entry point for Black students to build knowledge, professional relationships and career exposure.
$49 / year
Join as a StudentWho it is for
Black students enrolled in universities, colleges, trade or technical schools, and recognized training programs.
Student membership creates an early pipeline into BBABC’s professional and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Included benefits
- Member portal access and student member profile.
- Student/community discussion forums and peer connection.
- Recorded webinar playbacks and selected educational resources.
- Digital access to BBABC Business Growth Blueprint content.
- Selected general templates, career resources and entrepreneurship toolkits.
- Student pricing for designated BBABC events and workshops.
- Networking and career development opportunities.
- Eligibility to participate in mentorship opportunities when available.
- Volunteer opportunities and participation in appropriate BBABC initiatives.
- Access to job, internship and placement opportunities posted through BBABC.
- Eligibility for student/community spotlights and selected youth or student panels.
Boundaries
- No business funding intelligence or Funding Agent access.
- No business directory listing, Business Planner or advanced growth tools.
- No buyer, retail, procurement, export or trade mission privileges.
- No guaranteed mentorship match, internship, employment, speaking role or feature.
Strongest reasons to join
Affordable access to BBABC’s community; practical career and entrepreneurship learning; exposure to Black professionals and entrepreneurs; and a clearer pathway into professional life or future business ownership.
Professional
Connect. Develop. Advance.
A professional home for Black employees, consultants, executives, subject matter experts and aspiring entrepreneurs.
$149 / year
Join as a ProfessionalWho it is for
Black professionals, employees, consultants, executives, subject matter experts, community leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs who want professional connection, development and opportunities to contribute expertise.
Professional membership supports professional growth and ecosystem participation without requiring business ownership. It is a complete membership destination, not merely a transitional tier.
Included benefits
- Member portal access and professional member profile.
- Professional and community discussion forums.
- Recorded webinar playbacks and selected learning resources.
- Digital access to BBABC Business Growth Blueprint content.
- Selected professional development templates and resources.
- Member pricing for designated events, workshops and networking activities.
- Eligibility to participate in mentorship as a mentor or mentee, depending on program design.
- Volunteer, committee and working group opportunities where appropriate.
- Eligibility for professional/community spotlights.
- Eligibility for thought leadership, speaking or panel consideration, subject to program and editorial fit.
- Access to career, leadership and professional networking opportunities posted through BBABC.
Boundaries
- No verified Black-owned business directory listing unless the member separately qualifies for a business tier.
- No Business Planner, business funding intelligence or advanced business templates.
- No Growth promotional package or first access to business Growth tools.
- No priority buyer, retail, procurement, export, certification or trade mission access.
Strongest reasons to join
A trusted Black professional network; year-round learning and visibility; opportunities to contribute expertise and mentor others; and access to BBABC events, leadership conversations and professional development opportunities.
Good to know. Professional membership is not required to progress into business ownership. A Black professional may remain in the Professional tier indefinitely because its purpose is career, leadership, contribution and network development.
Business Core
Learn. Connect. Build.
BBABC’s year-round business support platform for Black-owned businesses strengthening their foundations and readiness.
$249 / year
Join as a Black-Owned BusinessWho it is for
Eligible Black-owned businesses that want practical tools, credible visibility, peer learning, funding information and access to BBABC’s broader ecosystem.
Included benefits
- Full member portal access.
- Standard verified business directory profile.
- Peer discussion forums for business learning and connection.
- Recorded webinar playback library.
- Core templates and practical business tools.
- BBABC Business Planner access.
- Core compliance checklists and educational resources.
- Digital access to BBABC Business Growth Blueprint content and member updates.
- Curated funding alerts and general funding readiness resources.
- Member pricing for designated events and workshops.
- General access to BBABC tools released for all business members.
- Eligibility to apply for relevant accelerators, retail, procurement, export, certification, buyer and trade mission opportunities.
Discounted or separately priced
- Designated consulting and advisory services at the published Core member rate.
- Custom market research, regulatory review and technical document support.
- Accelerators, certifications, market activations and trade missions where a separate program fee applies.
- Additional advertising, sponsored content and promotional campaigns.
Boundaries
- Application eligibility does not guarantee selection, buyer meetings, retail placement, contracts, funding or certification.
- Core does not include the Growth promotional package, deeper funding intelligence or first access to Growth pilots.
- Publicly funded programs may remain open to eligible non-members when funder terms require it.
Strongest reasons to join
Core combines credible business visibility, the BBABC Business Planner, practical templates, compliance resources, funding alerts and peer learning in one year-round membership.
Business Growth
Scale. Access. Expand.
Everything in Business Core, plus deeper intelligence, stronger visibility, first access and priority opportunity positioning.
$599 / year
Choose Growth MembershipWho it is for
Eligible Black-owned businesses actively pursuing retail, procurement, interprovincial expansion, export development, buyer relationships or other significant growth opportunities.
Everything in Core, plus
- Enhanced or priority business directory profile.
- Growth focused peer learning spaces and designated Growth briefings.
- Advanced templates for expansion, market entry, buyer readiness, commercialization and deal tracking.
- Deeper and more segmented funding intelligence.
- First invitation to qualifying new BBABC tools, pilots and digital resources, subject to capacity and pilot criteria.
- Enhanced member discount and priority booking windows for designated advisory services.
- Priority Notification & Access for accelerators and cohort programs.
- Priority Notification & Access for retail opportunities and UEL related pathways where applicable.
- Priority Notification & Access for procurement education, capability building and matchmaking opportunities.
- Priority Notification & Access for export and international market opportunities.
- Priority Notification & Access for buyer and market activations.
- Priority Notification & Access for certification pathways.
- Priority Notification & Access for trade missions; program, travel and participation costs may apply.
Annual Growth visibility package
| Placement | Annual commitment | Delivery safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| 2 dedicated posts | Approved assets, editorial standards and publishing schedule apply. | |
| 2 dedicated posts | Approved assets, editorial standards and publishing schedule apply. | |
| BBABC newsletter | 2 dedicated features | Subject to newsletter calendar, content quality and timely submission. |
Boundaries
- Priority Notification & Access is not guaranteed selection or participation.
- BBABC retains editorial control over promotional, newsletter, speaking and Blueprint content.
- Custom advisory, technical work, accelerators, certifications, trade missions and travel remain separately priced where applicable.
- Membership does not guarantee funding approval, procurement contracts, buyer meetings, retail placement or sales.
Business members
Business Core or Business Growth
Core is the business support platform. Growth is the market access advantage.
| Dimension | Business Core, $249 | Business Growth, $599 |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic role | Year-round business infrastructure | Market access advantage |
| Value promise | Tools, planning, knowledge, peer community and credible business visibility | Everything in Core plus deeper intelligence, first access, enhanced visibility and priority opportunity positioning |
| Funding | Curated alerts and readiness resources | Deeper segmented intelligence and first access to qualifying funding tool pilots |
| Visibility | Standard verified directory profile | Enhanced profile plus 2 Instagram posts, 2 LinkedIn posts and 2 newsletter features annually |
| Tools | Business Planner, core templates and general business tools | Advanced templates and first access to qualifying new tools and pilots |
| Opportunities | Eligible to apply | Priority notification, early windows and priority consideration where permitted |
| Advisory | Standard member discount | Enhanced discount and priority booking windows |
| Best fit | Businesses strengthening foundations and accessing the BBABC ecosystem | Businesses actively pursuing retail, procurement, export, buyer and expansion opportunities |
Why a business upgrades to Growth
- A defined annual promotional package with six placements across Instagram, LinkedIn and the newsletter.
- Deeper funding intelligence and earlier access to qualifying digital tools and pilots.
- Priority notification and application positioning for limited capacity market access opportunities.
- Advanced growth, market entry and buyer readiness templates.
- Enhanced advisory discounts and priority booking.
Side by side
Four tier benefit comparison
| Benefit | Student | Professional | Business Core | Business Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $49 | $149 | $249 | $599 |
| Primary purpose | Learn and prepare | Develop and advance | Build the business | Scale and access markets |
| Member portal | Included | Included | Included | Included + Growth areas |
| Member profile | Student profile | Professional profile | Standard business profile | Enhanced business profile |
| Discussion forums | Student/community | Professional/community | Business peer forums | Business + Growth focused spaces |
| Recorded webinars | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Templates/resources | Selected learning resources | Selected professional resources | Core business templates | Core + advanced growth templates |
| Business Growth Blueprint | Digital access | Digital access | Digital/member access | Digital/member access |
| Event/workshop pricing | Student pricing | Member pricing | Member pricing | Member pricing + priority booking where stated |
| Mentorship | Eligible when available | Mentor or mentee eligibility | Business peer/mentor opportunities | Growth focused opportunities where offered |
| Career/job opportunities | Included | Included | Not a primary benefit | Not a primary benefit |
| Business Planner | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Compliance resources | General education only | General education only | Core business resources | Advanced readiness resources |
| Funding intelligence | Not included | Not included | Curated alerts | Deeper/priority intelligence |
| Business directory | Not included | Not included | Standard verified listing | Enhanced/priority listing |
| New business tools | Not included | Not included | General member release | First access to qualifying pilots |
| Promotional package | Not included | Not included | Not included | 2 IG + 2 LinkedIn + 2 newsletter |
| Accelerators/programs | Not included | Not included | Application-based | Priority Notification & Access |
| Retail/procurement/export | Not included | Not included | Application-based | Priority Notification & Access |
| Buyer/market activations | Not included | Not included | Application-based | Priority Notification & Access |
| Certification pathways | Not included | Not included | Application-based / paid | Priority Notification & Access / paid |
| Trade missions | Not included | Not included | Application-based + separate cost | Priority Notification & Access + separate cost |
| Advisory services | Not included | Not included | Member discount | Enhanced discount + priority booking |
Important. Professional membership is not required to progress into business ownership. A Black professional may remain in the Professional tier indefinitely because its purpose is career, leadership, contribution and network development.
Member terms
What priority and eligibility mean
Priority Notification & Access: Growth members may receive advance notice, early application windows and priority consideration or access to eligible BBABC opportunities where permitted. Participation may remain subject to eligibility, business readiness, available capacity, partner or funder requirements and applicable fees.
| Area | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Funding | BBABC provides information and readiness support. Membership does not guarantee eligibility, approval or funding. |
| Buyer access | Buyer readiness and buyer engagement opportunities depend on business fit, readiness, buyer interest and available capacity. |
| Procurement | Membership may provide notice of education, capability building or matchmaking; it does not guarantee bid eligibility or a contract. |
| Accelerators | Programs may require a separate application, eligibility review and fee. Membership does not guarantee admission. |
| Certification | Certification depends on successful completion and applicable partner or assessment requirements. |
| Trade missions | Participation is application-based. Program fees, travel, accommodation, insurance, product samples and other costs may apply. |
| Promotional benefits | Content is subject to active membership, timely submission of approved assets, BBABC editorial standards and publishing schedules. |
| Funded programs | Funder rules may require open or independent selection. Membership will not override funding agreement eligibility or selection requirements. |
| Advisory services | Member discounts and booking priority apply only to designated services; engagements remain separately scoped and priced. |
BBABC guides, templates, checklists, webinars and educational resources provide general information only and are not legal advice. Members should obtain advice from a qualified lawyer or other appropriate professional regarding their specific circumstances.
