Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute

What Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute does

Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI) is a non-profit educational research organization headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, operating as the only provincial Africentric educational research body in the province. Established as an independent entity in 2012 following the 1994 BLAC Report on African Nova Scotian education, DBDLI delivers a portfolio of programs including the Project Ubuntu VR heritage experience (built on Matterport), an e-learning platform, an Africentric publications and bookstore program, community space rentals, graduate research fellowships, the annual African Nova Scotian History Challenges (operating for over 20 years), and the biennial Africentric Education Conference.

The Institute is governed by a twelve-person volunteer board of African Nova Scotian professionals and supported by a nine-person management team led by CEO Sylvia Parris-Drummond. Its go-to-market is community-led, using participatory action research and partnerships with seven Regional Centres for Education, multiple universities (Dalhousie, MSVU, StFX, NSCC, University of Toronto, Guelph, Acadia, Saint Mary's), the Black Educators Association, and the Council on African Canadian Education. Customers include African Nova Scotian learners (primary through grade 12), graduate students of African ancestry, post-secondary students, educators seeking professional development, and the general public visiting cultural sites such as the Africville Heritage Museum.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across government grants (including federal multicultural/anti-racism funding and a CDN $11,800 Canadian Heritage grant in 2025), donations via CanadaHelps, museum admissions (Adults $10, Students/Seniors $9), publication sales ($10-$100 per title), and space rentals. Pricing for the Graduate Research Fellowship is up to CDN $5,000 per academic year for up to two years. The 2026 Africentric Education Conference 'We Rise Together' extends organizational reach into South African academic partnerships with the University of Venda and University of Pretoria, signalling a shift toward international Ubuntu pedagogy positioning.

Name

Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute

Legal name

Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute

Website

https://dbdli.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute is a Halifax-based non-profit and the only provincial Africentric educational research organization in Nova Scotia, delivering VR cultural heritage tours, publications, graduate fellowships, and youth programs to African Nova Scotian learners, educators, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Africentric Education and Research Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Differentiated Instruction & Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Implementation Support (EDAKABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) & Inclusive Content Services (EDAGAKAJ), Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH), Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

Keywords

• Africentric education services
• Educational research programs
• Cultural heritage experiences
• Community-based learning
• African Nova Scotian history

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Publication Sales: Sale of educational books and resources through the DBDLI online bookstore, including titles like 'A Child of East Preston', 'The ABCs of North Preston', 'Black History: Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas', and various children's books celebrating African Nova Scotian history and culture.
2. Donations: Online donations processed through CanadaHelps, with cheque, money order, and Interac e-Transfer options available. Donations support delivery of Africentric learning and educational change to African Nova Scotian communities.
3. Space Rentals: Community space rentals for events and gatherings at the DBDLI office location, providing venues for community engagement activities.
4. Government Grants and Funding: Funding from government sources including the Government of Canada's multicultural and anti-racism initiatives to support multicultural projects across Atlantic Canada.
5. Museum Admission Fees: The Africville Heritage Museum charges admission fees: Adults $10.00, Students/Seniors (55+) $9.00, Children 5 and under free. Sunday closed, open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DBDLI delivers Africentric educational programs, community-based participatory action research, and cultural heritage experiences for African Nova Scotian learners, educators, and the broader community. Its core offerings include the Project Ubuntu VR cultural heritage experience, an e-learning platform with digital curriculum resources, a publications and bookstore program, the Graduate Research Fellowship Programme, the annual African Nova Scotian History Challenges student competition, and the biennial Africentric Education Conference.

Product overview

Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute is a non-profit educational organization offering a portfolio of programs and services centered on Africentric education and research. The core offerings include Project Ubuntu (VR-enabled virtual cultural experiences), an E-Learning Platform for digital education, a Publications & Bookstore program with Africentric learning materials, and Community Space Rentals. Supporting programs include the Graduate Research Fellowship Programme, African Nova Scotian History Challenges (annual student competition), the Africentric Education Conference (annual hybrid event), the Youth Advisory Council, Scholarship Guide resources, Digital Access to curriculum materials, and Research Reports & Publications. The organization also offers youth development initiatives including the Young Leaders Poster initiative and various bursary programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Ubuntu VR Experience A VR-enabled virtual cultural heritage experience that allows users to explore African Nova Scotian cultural sites and museums online through Matterport technology, including virtual tours of the Africville Heritage Museum, Universal Negro Improvement Association hall, and DBDLI offices. Targeted at educators, students, researchers, and the general public interested in African Nova Scotian history and culture.
• E-Learning Platform Online learning platform at elearning.dbdli.ca offering digital educational resources including the Black History curriculum series and Teacher's Resource materials. Targeted at educators, students, and lifelong learners.
• Publications & Bookstore Africentric publishing program producing and selling books, educational resources, and teaching materials celebrating African Nova Scotian history and culture through the DBDLI online bookstore. Titles include 'A Child of East Preston', 'The ABCs of North Preston', 'Black History: Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas', and various children's books.
• Community Space Rentals Rental of presentation and meeting spaces at the DBDLI office at 5450 Nora Bernard Street, Halifax, for community use, events, and gatherings. Targeted at community groups and organizations.
• Graduate Research Fellowship Programme Financial support program providing up to CDN $5,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years to assist graduate students of African ancestry with tuition, textbooks, and supplies. Up to 10 fellowships are available each year for students conducting research on African Nova Scotian education topics.
• African Nova Scotian History Challenges Annual educational competition for students in grades Primary through 12 recognizing excellence in African Nova Scotian history, heritage, and culture, with awards, medals, and prizes. The 2026 program offers awards totaling $3,000.
• Africentric Education Conference Biennial hybrid conference bringing together educators, researchers, community leaders, and youth to explore Ubuntu and Africentric approaches to lifelong learning and creating systemic change as a global movement. Targeted at educators, academics, and community leaders.
• DBDLI Youth Advisory Council Advisory body of young adult leaders of African ancestry (ages 18-30) providing strategic advice to the DBDLI Board on engaging learners of African ancestry. Targeted at young African Nova Scotian leaders seeking leadership development.
• Africville Heritage Museum Admissions Physical museum location at 5795 Africville Rd, Halifax — a contemporary replica of Africville's historic church serving as a cultural centre that tells the story of the Africville community. Open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with admission fees of $10 adults, $9 students/seniors (55+), and free for children 5 and under. Rainbow Registered for 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive spaces.
• Digital Access Platform Secure digital platform at digital.dbdli.ca providing access to online educational resources including the Black History curriculum series and Teacher's Resource materials. Targeted at educators requiring digital curriculum access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 years of History Challenges program engaging Nova Scotia students in learning African Nova Scotian history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Venda (South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on the 2026 Africentric Education Conference 'We Rise Together', bringing global perspectives on Ubuntu and Africentric education approaches.
• University of Pretoria (South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on the 2026 Africentric Education Conference 'We Rise Together', partnering with South African universities to create a global movement for systemic change.
• Acadia UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership to deliver the Master of Education in Counselling program with a focus on Africentricity.
• Saint Mary's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ongoing partnership with Saint Mary's University on educational initiatives for African Nova Scotian communities.
• Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership on 'Ubuntu Pedagogy of the Community' project with Professor Susan Brigham to engage community Elders in developing framework for teaching strategies. DBDLI office temporarily housed at MSVU 'Meadows' from 2000-2002.
• St. Francis Xavier University (StFX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership on 'Making Community Voices Count' project with Professor Lisa Borden to profile historical education policies and practices for African Nova Scotians.
• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Three-year SSHRC project 'Using African Nova Scotian Elders to Support Educational Experiences' with Professor Sefa Dei involving Black communities in Toronto, Halifax, South Africa and Ghana.
• Tri-County Regional Centre for EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership on 'Attendance and Engagement Policy' research project studying the impact of the Nova Scotian Student Attendance and Engagement Policy on African Nova Scotian students.
• Dalhousie UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Multiple collaborations including 'Attendance and Engagement Policy' research with Professor Joyline Makani, and 'Black Excellence in STEM' program with Professor Pemberton Cyrus and Professor Kevin Hewitt.
• Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership on 'Building Africentric Model from Community Voices' project with Dr. Terrah Keener assessing the African Canadian Transition Program (ACTP) at NSCC.
• University of GuelphminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Social Justice Experiential Education Program with Professor Jade Ferguson and Cassie Wever exploring Canadian Black history and community resilience.
• Black Educators Association of Nova ScotiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Long-standing partnership with the BEA, founded in 1969 to assist African Nova Scotian communities develop strategies toward an equitable education system. The BEA coordinates the Cultural and Academic Enrichment Program (CAEP) and works with DBDLI on educational initiatives.
• African Canadian Services Division (Nova Scotia Department of Education)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Established in February 1996 to implement the Department of Education's response to the BLAC Report on Education. Partners with DBDLI on implementing educational programs and policies for African Nova Scotian learners.
• Council on African Canadian Education (CACE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990The outgrowth of the Black Learners Advisory Committee (BLAC), formed in 1990. CACE was instrumental in establishing DBDLI and continues to advise the Minister of Education on issues pertaining to African Canadian/Nova Scotian learners.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Black Educators Association of Nova Scotia: Founded in 1969, the BEA is the closest direct peer — a Nova Scotia-based African Nova Scotian organization focused on equitable education for Black learners, operating parallel programs (CAEP) and serving as a long-standing DBDLI partner.
• Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia: A Nova Scotia-based cultural centre preserving and presenting Black heritage in the province; overlaps with DBDLI's heritage education mandate and operates museum/visitor programming similar to the Africville Heritage Museum.
• Council on African Canadian Education (CACE): Outgrowth of the original BLAC advisory body; advises the Minister of Education on African Canadian learner issues and is the institutional lineage from which DBDI itself was established, making it a direct mission peer.
• Lee & Low Books: A U.S. multicultural children's book publisher that produces culturally affirming K-12 texts and teacher resources — directly comparable to DBDLI's Africentric publications and bookstore model.

Regional players

• Ontario Black History Society: Canada's largest Black heritage and history organization, based in Ontario, with comparable mandates around Black history education, cultural preservation, and youth programming — analogous to DBDLI but operating in a different province.

Broad incumbents

• Michaëlle Jean Foundation: A larger Canadian foundation focused on arts, education, and youth empowerment of marginalized communities; overlaps with DBDLI's youth and equity-oriented programming but at a national scale.
• Indspire: A large Indigenous-led Canadian charity delivering bursaries, scholarships, and educational programming — a structural analogue to DBDLI serving a different marginalized learner population.
• Nearpod: A broader K-12 instructional platform offering VR/virtual field trips and digital lessons; comparable to DBDLI's Project Ubuntu VR experience and e-learning platform, though at much larger commercial scale.

Emerging players

• ClassVR: An edtech provider focused on VR/AR content for K-12 classrooms; comparable to DBDLI's VR-enabled heritage learning and e-learning platform in delivery mechanism and audience.
• Z Space: An immersive edtech platform delivering VR/AR educational content for K-12 — a peer in the VR-for-cultural-and-STEM-education category that overlaps with DBDLI's Project Ubuntu approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dbdli
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dbdli
• Facebookfacebook.com/DBDLI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dbdli
• Instagraminstagram.com/dbdli

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute