Black Chamber of Arizona

What Black Chamber of Arizona does

Black Chamber of Arizona (BCAZ) is a private nonprofit chamber of commerce founded in 1995 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the only Black Chamber of Commerce in the state and operates a four-pillar programmatic model focused on Access to Capital, Contracting Readiness, Digital and Health Equity, and Youth Development. The organization's mission is to strengthen small businesses, with an emphasis on Black-owned and minority-owned businesses, and to produce new economic buying power across Arizona.

The Chamber's core product portfolio includes the Impact AZ 6-month business accelerator (currently in its fourth cohort, launching July 14, 2026, in partnership with Millionaire Mastermind Academy), a BCAZ Directory, a Job Board, the BCAZ Toolkit for small businesses, the Black Chamber Media Collective, and the forthcoming BCAZ Women's League. Technology consists of a website (blackchamberaz.org), a mobile app for Impact AZ available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and basic digital tools — no proprietary AI/ML platform is described. Signature events include the annual Pinnacle Pathways Gala and Business Awards (28th anniversary scheduled for December 12, 2026), the National Black Business Month Summit (August 2026), and the All White Networking Mixer.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit mix: individual and corporate membership dues (annual, quote-based, not publicly disclosed), corporate partnerships and event sponsorships across presenting/gold/silver/bronze tiers, signature event ticket sales, accelerator program revenue (likely application and program fees), donations via the Rising Together Capital Campaign, GoFundMe (BCAZ Foundation Fund), and the Black Chamber Media Collective. The customer base spans Arizona small businesses (primary segment), youth entrepreneurs, and corporate employers pursuing supplier diversity and workforce development partnerships (including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Amazon, Cox Communications, ASU, University of Phoenix, BCBSAZ, SRP, Southwest Gas, Lumen Technologies, and Intralot). The CEO is Dr. Velma Trayham, a nationally recognized leader featured in Forbes, Essence, and the Phoenix Business Journal, named one of JPMorgan Chase's Top 100 Women to KNOW, and a #1 Amazon bestselling author of UNFIREABLE (April 2026).

Name

Black Chamber of Arizona

Legal name

Black Chamber of Arizona

Website

https://blackchamberaz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Chamber of Arizona (BCAZ) is a nonprofit chamber of commerce founded in 1995 and headquartered in Phoenix, serving Black-owned and minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs across Arizona through the Impact AZ accelerator, directory, job board, signature events, and a four-pillar model spanning capital access, contracting readiness, digital/health equity, and youth development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual and corporate membership tiers provide recurring revenue. The organization offers standard membership, corporate membership, and vendor membership pathways. Specific pricing tiers are not publicly disclosed and appear to be quote-based.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor the organization and its events, including the Pinnacle Awards Gala (presenting, gold, silver, and bronze tiers), the Rising Together Capital Campaign, and the Black Chamber Media Collective. Sponsors receive visibility through the organization's website, events, and communications channels.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from ticket sales, table sponsorships, and attendee fees for signature events including the Pinnacle Pathways Gala and Business Awards, National Black Business Month Summit, networking mixers, and the IMPACT AZ accelerator program.
4. Impact AZ Accelerator Program: A 6-month accelerator program (IMPACT AZ) backed by the Black Chamber of Arizona, currently in its fourth cohort launching July 2026. The program likely generates revenue through application fees, accelerator programming, or associated service offerings. It is run in partnership with the Millionaire Mastermind Academy.
5. Black Chamber Media Collective: A six-month hands-on media training cohort connecting emerging media professionals with real opportunities. This program represents a potential revenue stream through participant fees or employer/sponsor relationships.
6. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates a GoFundMe campaign (BCAZ Foundation Fund) and runs a capital campaign (Rising Together Campaign) to fund small business empowerment initiatives. Donations represent a non-recurring revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Black Chamber of Arizona is a nonprofit chamber of commerce that provides membership services, a 6-month business accelerator program (Impact AZ), a business directory, job board, small business toolkit, signature networking events, and corporate partnership programs aimed at strengthening Black-owned and minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs across Arizona.

Product overview

The Black Chamber of Arizona operates as a chamber of commerce organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the Impact AZ Accelerator (a 6-month entrepreneurship accelerator), the BCAZ Directory (business directory for market access), Job Board, and BCAZ Toolkit. Additional programs include the Women's League (launching soon), Black Chamber Media Collective (media professional cohort), and membership/corporate partnership tiers. Signature events such as the Pinnacle Pathways Gala and National Black Business Month Summit round out the service portfolio, all aligned with the organization's mission to strengthen small businesses and build economic prosperity across Arizona.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BCAZ Membership Program Multi-tiered membership offering business development resources, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to capital for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals supporting Arizona's Black business community.
• Corporate Partnership Program Corporate membership tier enabling large companies to partner with the Black Chamber of Arizona for diverse supplier access, workforce development, sponsorship visibility, and shared community impact.
• Impact AZ Accelerator A 6-month entrepreneurship accelerator program designed to close the wealth gap for underserved Arizona entrepreneurs through business development, mentorship, and capital access, currently in its fourth cohort.
• BCAZ Directory Online business directory providing market access and visibility, connecting users with diverse suppliers and Black-owned businesses across Arizona.
• BCAZ Job Board Online employment listing platform connecting job seekers with employers, supporting workforce development within Arizona's Black business community.
• BCAZ Toolkit Resource package providing small business development tools, templates, and guidance for entrepreneurs to build and scale their ventures.
• Pinnacle Pathways Gala and Business Awards Annual signature event and awards gala recognizing outstanding Black businesses and leaders across Arizona, distributed via ticket sales and corporate sponsorship tiers (Presenting, Gold, Silver, Bronze).
• National Black Business Month Summit Month-long annual summit hosted in August that convenes Black business owners, entrepreneurs, and partners for programming, networking, and economic development support.
• Black Chamber Media Collective A six-month hands-on cohort program connecting emerging media professionals with real opportunities to capture and amplify the Chamber's impact, stories, and events through multimedia content.
• Rising Together Capital Campaign Fundraising capital campaign operated through the BCAZ Foundation that mobilizes resources to empower Arizona small businesses and sustain Chamber programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8,000 minority entrepreneurs mentored across the U.S. through the leadership of CEO Dr. Velma Trayham.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Dunbar PavilioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026A new partnership with The Dunbar Pavilion was announced during the organization's Juneteenth programming. The partnership is designed to expand business resources for Southern Arizona entrepreneurs, extending the organization's reach beyond Phoenix and Tempe into Tucson and the broader southern region of the state.
• Arizona Alliance of Black School EducatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Velma Trayham, as CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona, served as Emcee for the Arizona Alliance of Black School Educators' 12th Annual Teacher Leadership Summit on June 18, 2026. This collaboration bridges the business and education communities, connecting educators with economic empowerment and entrepreneurship resources.
• Millionaire Mastermind AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Black Chamber of Arizona partners with the Millionaire Mastermind Academy to operate the Impact AZ business accelerator program. The partnership leverages the academy's curriculum and mentorship infrastructure to deliver a 6-month accelerator experience to Arizona entrepreneurs. The program is currently in its fourth cohort (Impact AZ 2026, launching July 14, 2026).
• City of Phoenix (Mayor Kate Gallego)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA leadership convening with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego was held during the organization's Juneteenth programming, demonstrating a strong civic partnership between the organization and the City of Phoenix. The mayor's involvement signals city-level support for the organization's mission and programming.
• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona State University is listed as a corporate partner of the Black Chamber of Arizona. The partnership likely involves university resources, student pipelines, research collaboration, or workforce development programming for the organization's member businesses.
• University of PhoenixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Phoenix is listed as a corporate partner of the Black Chamber of Arizona. The partnership may involve education, workforce development, and credentialing resources for member entrepreneurs and businesses.
• Cox CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCox Communications is listed as a corporate partner of the Black Chamber of Arizona. As a major telecommunications provider, Cox likely contributes to the organization's digital equity pillar and may provide technology resources or sponsorship.
• Lumen TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLumen Technologies is listed as a corporate partner. As a technology and infrastructure company, Lumen may contribute to digital equity initiatives and technology access programming for the organization's members.
• AmazoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon is listed as a corporate partner of the Black Chamber of Arizona. The partnership likely involves sponsorship, access to Amazon's marketplace and logistics resources for member businesses, and potential e-commerce training programs.
• Salt River Project (SRP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalt River Project (SRP) is listed as a corporate partner. As a major Arizona utility and community partner, SRP likely contributes to community investment, sponsorship, and potentially energy-related workforce development.
• Southwest GascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthwest Gas is listed as a corporate partner of the Black Chamber of Arizona, contributing to the organization's sponsorship base and community investment initiatives in Arizona.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is listed as a corporate partner. As a major healthcare insurer, BCBSAZ may contribute to the organization's health equity pillar and provide sponsorship and wellness-related programming for members.
• IntralotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntralot is listed as a corporate partner, contributing to the organization's sponsorship base. Details of the specific partnership activities are not disclosed.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. National umbrella organization for Black chambers of commerce across the U.S. Directly comparable to BCAZ as the leading peer organization for the Black chamber model; both serve as membership-based business advocates for Black entrepreneurs and pursue corporate partnerships.
• National Black Chamber of Commerce: Another national Black chamber organization providing advocacy, networking, and resources to Black-owned businesses. Comparable to BCAZ in mission and member base, though national in scope rather than Arizona-focused.
• Greater Phoenix Chamber: The mainstream regional chamber serving the Phoenix metro area. Comparable to BCAZ as a local business membership organization, though broader in demographic focus and significantly larger in scale and corporate partner base.
• Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: Demographic-focused state chamber serving Hispanic-owned and minority businesses in Arizona. Closely comparable to BCAZ in structure, geographic scope, and member model; a relevant peer for benchmarking programming, sponsorships, and accelerator offerings.
• Urban League of Greater Phoenix: Local affiliate of the National Urban League serving the Phoenix metro. Comparable to BCAZ in geography, target demographic, and economic empowerment mission; a relevant local peer for partnerships and shared programming.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: National civil rights and economic empowerment organization with a strong focus on Black entrepreneurship and workforce development. Comparable to BCAZ in mission and target community but operates at national scale and across many programmatic areas beyond business advocacy.
• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentoring, education, and resources to small businesses, with significant reach among minority entrepreneurs. Comparable to BCAZ's mentorship and accelerator pillars; a broad incumbent in the small business support category.
• Arizona Commerce Authority: State-level economic development agency supporting business growth, attraction, and workforce development across Arizona. Comparable to BCAZ in driving Arizona's small business ecosystem but with a much broader mandate and substantially larger budget.
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): Federal agency dedicated to promoting the growth and competitiveness of minority business enterprises. Comparable to BCAZ's mission of advancing minority entrepreneurship; relevant as a funder/partner rather than a direct competitor.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: National small business accelerator and education program for underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable to BCAZ's Impact AZ accelerator in cohort-based model and target demographic; broader incumbent with deeper funding.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BlackChamberofArizona/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackChamberofArizona
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-black-chamber-of-arizona
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackchamberaz
• Xx.com/blackchamber_az

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Black Chamber of Arizona