Fishing Partnership Support Services

What Fishing Partnership Support Services does

Fishing Partnership Support Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Originally established as a health insurance company for commercial fishermen, it restructured after the Affordable Care Act into a community health worker model providing free health, safety, and economic security services to fishing families. The organization serves more than 20,000 New England fishing families through five physical offices (Gloucester, New Bedford, Plymouth, and Chatham in Massachusetts; Point Judith, Rhode Island) plus remote phone and virtual assistance, with a stated service corridor extending from Maine to the Carolinas.

The core 'product' is the Navigator program: Community Health Workers with lived fishing experience who deliver three service lines — Health & Wellness (MA Health Connector and MassHealth enrollment, Narcan training, recovery coaching, Oceans of Recovery peer support), Safety at Sea (USCG-compliant Safety & Survival, Drill Conductor, CPR/First Aid, and Vessel Stability classes meeting 46 CFR 28.210/28.270), and Economic Security (financial planning workshops, Captain's License scholarships, Ted Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund, emergency COVID-19 relief distribution). Distribution is community-led: navigators are embedded in fishing ports, partnered with 15+ foundations and state agencies, and supported by multilingual content in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

The revenue model is donations and grants, with no pricing on the beneficiary side. The organization reports no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no equity investors; legal entity is Fishing Partnership Health Plan Corporation d/b/a Fishing Partnership Support Services. One disclosed grant of $49,562 was received from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center in July 2020, with separate Cape Cod Foundation grants of $25,000 (2020) and $45,000 (2021) used to pass emergency COVID-19 aid through to 84 Barnstable County fishing families.

Name

Fishing Partnership Support Services

Legal name

Fishing Partnership Health Plan Corporation d/b/a Fishing Partnership Support Services

Website

https://fishingpartnership.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fishing Partnership Support Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides free health insurance navigation, USCG-compliant safety training, and economic security programs to more than 20,000 commercial fishing families across New England and the Mid-Atlantic through five community-based offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Fishing Partnership Support Services operates primarily through charitable donations and grant funding. The organization receives grants from foundations like the Cape Cod Foundation and partnerships with state programs to support fishing families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Fishing Partnership Support Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers free health, safety, and economic security support services to commercial fishermen, their families, and shoreside workers in New England. The organization employs Community Health Workers called Navigators—individuals with lived fishing experience—who are embedded in fishing communities and provide assistance with health insurance enrollment, safety at sea training, opioid overdose prevention, substance use recovery coaching, financial planning, and scholarship programs. Services are delivered at no cost through five physical offices and remote appointments.

Product overview

Fishing Partnership Support Services is a non-profit community support organization that offers a comprehensive suite of programs organized into three core service areas: Health & Wellness (navigator-based health insurance assistance, Narcan training, recovery coaches, substance abuse support groups), Safety at Sea Training (Safety & Survival Class, Drill Conductor Certification, CPR & First Aid, Fishing Vessel Stability Awareness, and PFD rebate programs), and Economic Security (financial planning workshops, webinars, grant assistance, and scholarship programs including the Ted Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund and Captain's License Program). The organization employs Community Health Workers called Navigators who are members of fishing communities and provide free, culturally-aware assistance to fishing families across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Navigator Health & Wellness Services Community Health Workers (Navigators) embedded within fishing communities provide free assistance with health insurance enrollment through the MA Health Connector and MassHealth, helping fishermen, their families, and Massachusetts residents under 65 access affordable healthcare coverage.
• Safety & Survival Class Free training for commercial fishermen covering fundamental safety and survival skills including EPIRBs, signal flares, MAYDAY calls, man overboard recovery, firefighting, flooding and damage control, dewatering pumps, immersion suits, PFDs, and life rafts. Meets U.S. Coast Guard requirements under 46 CFR § 28.210.
• Drill Conductor Certification Second-day certification program following Safety & Survival training that teaches fishermen how to lead monthly on-vessel safety drills. Meets U.S. Coast Guard requirements under 46 CFR 28.270(c).
• CPR & First Aid Class Certified CPR and first aid training for common vessel scenarios including bleeding, burns, fractures, poisoning, shock, and respiratory emergencies. Meets U.S. Coast Guard requirements under 46 CFR § 28.210.
• Fishing Vessel Stability Awareness Class 5-hour workshop providing practical information and hands-on training on vessel stability and emergency responses to flooding problems that cause casualties, incorporating practical examples and case studies of actual fishing vessel accidents.
• Narcan Training for Fishermen Training program addressing the opioid emergency affecting fishermen, who are 5 times more likely to die of opioid overdose than other Massachusetts workers, teaching administration of Narcan and connecting individuals to recovery resources.
• Oceans of Recovery Program Weekly peer-to-peer support group meeting every Thursday at 7 p.m. for fishermen seeking freedom from substance use disorder.
• Recovery Coach Services Professionally trained recovery coaches dedicated to helping people with substance use disorder, including dedicated Navigator Deb Kelsey serving as recovery coach.
• Ted Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund $500 scholarships for commercial fishermen and their families to attend professional maritime and safety skill training courses at approved training facilities across New England and Mid-Atlantic states.
• Captain's License Program Scholarship program connecting Massachusetts commercial fishermen with the Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Development Program to obtain Able Seafarer Certificates and Captain's Licenses through Northeast Maritime Institute.
• Financial Planning Workshops Free financial planning coaching sessions and workshops (Budgeting 101, Managing Debt & Improving Credit, Saving and Investing) conducted by certified financial planner Stephen Barkhuff for fishing families in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties.
• Economic Security Webinars Live webinars for fishermen covering topics including federal loan applications, unemployment insurance, and programs to market and sell fish directly to consumers.
• Massachusetts Infrastructure Grant Assistance $150 grant offset assistance for fishermen applying to the Massachusetts Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program, helping seafood businesses purchase equipment for resilience.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 20,000 fishing families served across New England
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Financial Fundamentals LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Brewster, MA based financial planning firm whose founder Stephen Barkhuff provides free financial planning workshops and coaching sessions for Cape & Islands commercial fishing families through Fishing Partnership's economic security programs.
• Monomy Community ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner organization that helped Chatham Navigator team reach Barnstable County fishing families with $45,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
• Wellfleet SPATminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner organization in COVID-19 relief outreach to Cape Cod fishing families.
• Massachusetts Health ConnectorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021State agency health insurance marketplace through which Fishing Partnership Navigators are certified and trained at the highest level to help MA residents enroll in subsidized health insurance plans. Navigators assist fishermen and any MA resident under 65 with health insurance enrollment at no cost.
• Lower Cape Outreach CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner organization that helped reach Cape Cod fishing families in need during COVID-19 relief distribution.
• New Bedford Fishing Heritage CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Located at 38 Bethel Street in New Bedford, this organization is dedicated to preserving fishing industry history. Hosts the Women's Work Exhibit featuring Fishing Partnership staff. Fishing Partnership has photos on display at their New Bedford office. Deb Kelsey serves as board member.
• Homeless Prevention Council of Lower CapecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Local partner organization that helped Fishing Partnership reach fishing families in need during COVID-19 relief distribution. Partnered on outreach to connect 99 individuals from 46 fishing families with emergency assistance.
• Community Development PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cape Cod partner organization that assisted in COVID-19 relief outreach to fishing families, helping distribute $25,000 in financial assistance to Barnstable County fishermen.
• Shaw Fund for Mariner's ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner organization that helped Fishing Partnership reach Barnstable County fishing families during COVID-19 relief distribution.
• Cape Cod Fishermen's AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner organization that assisted in outreach to Cape Cod fishing communities during COVID-19 relief efforts.
• Women of Fishing FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner organization that helped reach fishing families during COVID-19 relief distribution efforts.
• Massachusetts Division of Marine FisheriesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019State agency that sponsored Massachusetts Seafood Day 2019 event at the State House. Fishing Partnership hosted the event celebrating local fishermen and the commercial fishing industry.
• MassHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts Medicaid program. Fishing Partnership Navigators are trained through MassHealth in addition to the Health Connector to help residents access health coverage.
• Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Development ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit since 1969 that promotes the New England fishing industry and assists fishermen and their families. Provides scholarships for Massachusetts commercial fishermen to obtain Able Seafarer Certificate and Captain's License through the Captain's License Program.
• Northeast Maritime InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate maritime educational institution in Fairhaven, MA offering courses for Captain's License and Merchant Mariner Credentials. Recognized by International Maritime Organization as a world leader in maritime education. Partner for Captain's License scholarship program.
• Massachusetts Fishing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState fishing partnership organization that Fishing Partnership collaborates with to assist active and retired fishermen and their families with economic security programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Development Program: Non-profit since 1969 promoting the New England fishing industry and assisting fishermen and their families with scholarships and training. Directly comparable as a non-profit providing training scholarships and support services to commercial fishermen in the same New England region.
• Covering Wisconsin: Non-profit health insurance navigator organization providing free enrollment assistance to Wisconsin residents. Comparable as a state-licensed Navigator organization delivering community-based health insurance enrollment support to underserved populations through similar certified Navigator models.

Regional players

• Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance: Non-profit organization supporting small-scale fishing communities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through community-based seafood initiatives. Comparable as a regional non-profit serving similar commercial fishing family populations with similar community-embedded approaches.
• Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations: Non-profit trade association representing West Coast commercial fishermen. Comparable as a regional non-profit serving commercial fishing communities with advocacy and support services, though serving Pacific rather than Atlantic fisheries.
• Maine Coast Fishermen's Association: Non-profit trade association representing Maine commercial fishermen on sustainability and economic issues. Comparable as a regional fishing community advocacy and support organization serving similar fishing family populations in the Northeast.
• Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission: Non-profit serving Alaska Native fishing communities with health, safety, and economic support services. Comparable as a regional non-profit providing community-based support to commercial fishing families including health navigation and safety programming.
• Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance: Non-profit organization supporting Cape Cod commercial fishermen through advocacy, marketing, and community programs. Comparable as a regional fishing industry support organization serving overlapping New England fishing communities.

Broad incumbents

• Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission: Interstate compact organization supporting commercial and recreational fishing across Gulf states. Comparable as a broader-scope organization addressing commercial fishing community needs through policy, safety, and economic security programming.
• Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers: Statewide association representing community health centers providing Navigator services across Massachusetts. Comparable as a broader-scope organization delivering health insurance navigation and community health worker services that overlap with Fishing Partnership's Health & Wellness Navigator program.

Others

• New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center: Non-profit organization dedicated to preserving New Bedford fishing industry history and supporting fishing families. Adjacent comparable as a New Bedford-based fishing community non-profit with overlapping partnership relationships and overlapping service population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fishing_partner
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChrWlaSdEmzUOxxWLISoG4A
• Facebookfacebook.com/FishingPartnershipSupportServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fishing-partnership-support-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/fishingpartnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fishing Partnership Support Services