U.S. Black Chambers

What U.S. Black Chambers does

U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 2009 that serves as the national umbrella organization for 145+ African American chambers of commerce and business organizations across 42 states, collectively representing approximately 326,000 Black-owned businesses. Its service portfolio bundles advocacy and policy work (annual BlackPrint to Congress, direct federal agency access), certification (the ByBlack Platform — positioned as the first national certification exclusively for Black-owned businesses, presented by American Express), capital access (the Lendistry lending portal, ByBlack Grant List subscription at $99/year, Grubhub and Famous Amos grant programs), training and counseling (Greenwood Women's Business Center in Tulsa under SBA Cooperative Agreement, SCORE mentoring, Grow with Google, Chase Advancing Black Entrepreneurs), recognition (Power 50 Under 40, Power 50 Women), and programmatic venture support (USBC 360° Accelerator launched in 2026 with up to $100,000 in grant funding for growth-stage CPG founders).

The underlying technology footprint is operationally modest: a Glue Up membership and event management backend, the ByBlack directory and certification portal at byblack.us, a Constant Contact email newsletter, and a WordPress/CMS-driven public website at usblackchambers.org. There is no documented public API, proprietary AI/ML system, or developer platform. The most significant capital asset is the USBC Innovation Campus — the former BET campus in Washington, D.C., comprising three buildings on 7.88 acres acquired in October 2025 with over $38 million in investment, intended to house media, workforce development, wellness, and entrepreneurship programming.

USBC's revenue mechanics are characteristic of a mission-driven nonprofit advocacy organization: a non-disclosed tiered membership structure for individual businesses and affiliated chambers, corporate sponsorship from a concentrated set of marquee partners (American Express, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Lendistry, Grubhub, Ferrero/Famous Amos), grant administration fees, the $99/year ByBlack Grant List consumer subscription, and an SBA cooperative agreement for the Women's Business Center. The organization is led by President & CEO Ron Busby, Sr., supported by a small core staff (1-10 employees) and an Executive Vice President (Talisha Bekavac).

Name

U.S. Black Chambers

Legal name

U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

Website

https://usblackchambers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit founded in 2009 that serves as the national umbrella for 145+ African American chambers across 42 states, representing roughly 326,000 Black-owned businesses through advocacy, certification (ByBlack), training, lending, and grant programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Advocacy and Chamber of Commerce Services

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (81392)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Chamber of commerce
• Small business advocacy
• Business certification services
• Minority business development
• Entrepreneur support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: USBC operates a membership model where individual businesses and chambers join for access to advocacy representation, procurement opportunities, webinars, grants and capital resources, and discounts on USBC events.
2. ByBlack Grant List Subscription: Annual subscription service providing access to a curated list of hundreds of grants and funding opportunities worth over $10 million for diverse small businesses. Priced at $99/year for unlimited access.
3. Lendistry Partnership (Referral/Fee): Partnership with Lendistry to provide small business loans to minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. USBC earns referral or partnership fees for directing members to Lendistry financing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is a national nonprofit membership organization that serves as the national voice of Black businesses. It provides advocacy representation in Washington D.C., the ByBlack national directory and certification platform for Black-owned businesses (presented by American Express), training and education programs, capital access partnerships, grant programs, and policy publications. USBC anchors a network of more than 145 Black chambers of commerce in 42 states representing approximately 326,000 Black businesses.

Product overview

The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is a national membership organization providing advocacy, business resources, and programs for Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses. The organization operates a multi-product service portfolio anchored by its core membership program and the ByBlack Platform — a free national directory and certification system exclusively for Black-owned businesses. Supporting programs include the USBC 360° Accelerator (a 12-week growth-stage accelerator with grant funding), the USBC Innovation Campus (a multi-building D.C. facility acquired in 2025), the ByBlack Grant List subscription (access to $10M+ in grant opportunities), the USBC Lending Portal (powered by Lendistry), the Greenwood Women's Business Center (an SBA-funded counseling and training center in Tulsa), the SCORE Mentoring Partnership, and the USBC Restaurant Grant Program (in partnership with Grubhub). Additional programs include the Chase Advancing Black Entrepreneurs partnership, Grow With Google training, USBC Events Platform (managed via Glue Up), USBC Media Network, the USBC Power 50 Under 40 and Power 50 Women recognition programs, the annual 2025 Blackprint policy publication, and the Famous Amos Ingredients for Success grant initiative. USBC's network encompasses over 145 chambers of commerce in 42 states representing approximately 326,000 Black businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ByBlack: National database and certification program designed exclusively for Black-owned businesses, presented by American Express, offered at no-cost.
• Greenwood Women's Business Center
• USBC 360° Accelerator
• USBC Innovation Campus
• USBC Media Network

Products and services

• USBC Membership Annual membership program providing Black-owned businesses and affiliated Black chambers of commerce with access to USBC's network of government and corporate relationships, advocacy representation in Washington D.C. and federal agencies, complimentary registration to the USBC Annual Policy Summit, procurement opportunities with corporate partners, monthly webinars, exclusive grant and capital resource information, and discounts on USBC events.
• ByBlack Platform (Directory and Certification) National directory database and the first certification program exclusively for Black-owned businesses in the United States, presented by American Express. Certification is provided at no cost and enables Black entrepreneurs to reach new customers, get certified as Black-owned, and access business resources.
• ByBlack Grant List Annual subscription service providing access to hundreds of curated grant and resource opportunities worth over $10 million exclusively for diverse small businesses and non-profits. Categories include Private & Corporation Funded, State-Specific, For Women, Non-Profits, and Additional Funding Opportunities. Priced at $99/year for unlimited access.
• USBC 360° Accelerator 12-week hybrid accelerator program for growth-stage Black founders in the consumer packaged goods sector. Participants receive mentorship, business development support, strategic planning, and access to up to $100,000 in grant funding. Launched in response to shrinking corporate DEI commitments.
• Greenwood Women's Business Center (GBC) Women's Business Center operated by USBC in partnership with the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration, located at 102 N Greenwood Ave, 2nd Floor, Ste 200, Tulsa, OK 74120. Provides one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on startup, financial management, marketing, and procurement. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the SBA.
• USBC Lending Portal (Lendistry Partnership) Lending platform partnership with Lendistry providing small business loans for minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. Open to for-profit, not-for-profit, sole proprietors, C Corps, S Corps, partnerships, and LLCs with at least two years in business. Provides financing for working capital, equipment, inventory, and business expansion.
• USBC Restaurant Grant Program (Grubhub Partnership) Grant program in partnership with the Grubhub Community Fund providing over $500,000 in grants to Black-owned restaurants and culinary-based businesses. Individual grants of $2,500 to $10,000 are awarded to more than 100 businesses to seize business opportunities and address current challenges.
• Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative Annual entrepreneurship initiative in partnership with Ferrero North America (Famous Amos) providing $50,000 capital awards to three early-stage Black business owners, along with mentorship and networking opportunities. Targets businesses at least 90% Black-owned, in operation 5 years or less. Since 2020, $750,000 has been awarded to 15 entrepreneurs.
• Chase Advancing Black Entrepreneurs Partnership with JPMorgan Chase providing Black business owners with practical resources, educational content, digital sessions, access to Chase business consulting, on-demand business tools, webinars, and business spotlights to help them grow and scale.
• Grow With Google Partnership Partnership with Google providing training for Black-owned businesses to enhance their online presence through tools like Google My Business and Google Analytics, and access to the Black-owned business attribute on Google Business Profiles and Google's digital skills resources.
• SCORE Mentoring Partnership Partnership with SCORE providing free one-on-one mentoring to USBC member businesses. USBC members receive three or more hours of mentoring support covering business accounting, strategy, operations, HR, marketing, contracting, and technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• 326,000 Black businesses represented through 145 chambers in 42 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• USBC 360° Accelerator PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 202612-week hybrid accelerator program for growth-stage Black founders in consumer packaged goods. Participants receive mentorship, business development support, strategic planning, and access to up to $100,000 in grant funding. Responds to shrinking corporate DEI commitments.
• Former BET Campus AcquisitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2025Acquisition of former BET campus in Washington, D.C. for USBC Innovation Campus. Campus spans 3 buildings on 7.88 acres with facilities for media, workforce development, wellness, and entrepreneurship. Supported by over $38 million investment.
• American ExpressflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Express presents the ByBlack.us Platform, a national database and certification program exclusively for Black-owned businesses. American Express provides backing and visibility for the certification initiative.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to help Black-owned businesses enhance their online presence. Google partnership includes training for Black-owned businesses to use Google My Business and Google Analytics, plus promoting the Black-owned business attribute on Google Maps.
• VerizoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVerizon Small Business Digital Ready Program providing digital resources and $10,000 grants for eligible small businesses. Partnership provides access to digital tools and grant opportunities for USBC members.
• JPMorgan ChasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvancing Black Entrepreneurs partnership providing practical resources, webinars, and business consulting to help Black business owners grow and scale. Chase consultants available for mentoring sessions.
• Wells FargocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWells Fargo Works for Small Business initiative providing resources and preferred SBA lending services. Wells Fargo supports the USBC Resource Desk and offers cash flow tips, diverse business resources, and supplier diversity programs.
• Bank of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBank of America provides resources including Access to Capital Directory, Better Money Habits Education, grants and sponsorships information, and marketplace opportunities through the USBC Resource Desk.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBA partnership includes Cooperative Agreement for Greenwood Women's Business Center in Tulsa, OK. SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership supports WBC network providing counseling, training, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs.
• SCOREcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFree mentoring partnership providing one-on-one counseling with experienced mentors. USBC members receive three or more hours of mentoring support covering business strategy, accounting, marketing, HR, legal services, and more.
• EatOkraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with EatOkra (ByBlack Certified business) to celebrate and promote Black-owned restaurants. Collaboration highlights 1,000 top Black-owned restaurants and supports buying Black year-round.
• Greenwood Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the oldest economic chamber serving the African American community for the Greenwood Women's Business Center. The center is operated by USBC in partnership with Greenwood Chamber and SBA.
• NABOB (National Association of Black Owned Media)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for Black media advocacy and promotion. NABOB Black Media Summit is hosted as part of USBC events, supporting Black-owned media companies and media diversity.
• U.S. BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerU.S. Bank Business Resources Central providing small business resources, financial education, and banking services through the USBC Resource Desk.
• VisaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisa Business Skills program providing business education and skills training through the USBC Resource Desk for small business owners.
• Liberty Mutual InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResponsible sourcing resources and business support through USBC Resource Desk, helping small businesses with supply chain and procurement practices.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: National umbrella chamber for Hispanic-owned businesses, structurally mirroring USBC's chamber-of-commerce model for a different demographic. Comparable in network scale, advocacy function, and corporate partnership model.
• National Urban League: National civil rights and economic empowerment organization serving the African American community. Directly comparable to USBC in mission scope (advocacy, workforce, entrepreneurship) and target audience (Black Americans and Black-owned businesses).
• SCORE: Free small-business mentoring and education network and an active USBC partner. Directly comparable in delivering one-on-one counseling, training, and resources to SMBs, often through chamber and nonprofit partnerships.
• NAACP: Largest U.S. civil rights organization with substantial economic development programming. Comparable to USBC in policy advocacy and Black-community focus, with overlapping corporate and government relationships.
• National Black MBA Association: Professional association supporting Black business leaders and entrepreneurs through programming, events, and career resources. Overlaps USBC on entrepreneurship and capital-access programming for the Black professional class.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National membership organization for women business owners, structurally analogous to USBC's chamber-of-commerce model but demographically scoped to women. Comparable in advocacy, programming, and corporate partnership approach.
• Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE): National chamber amplifying AAPI-owned businesses through advocacy, programming, and corporate partnerships. Closely mirrors USBC's model as an umbrella organization for affiliated regional ethnic chambers.
• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC): Corporate membership organization that certifies minority-owned businesses and connects them to corporate supply chains. Closest functional peer to USBC's ByBlack certification and supplier-diversity advocacy model.

Broad incumbents

• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): Federal agency dedicated to minority business growth. Operates the same mission space as USBC (capital access, contracts, capacity-building) but with government authority and scale; a policy counterpart and potential funder.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Largest U.S. business federation and the dominant incumbent chamber model. Comparable in advocacy and policy-publishing function, though it serves the full business population rather than Black-owned firms specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usblackchambers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theu.s.blackchambers832/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/usblackchambers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/byblack-platform
• Instagraminstagram.com/byblack.us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 U.S. Black Chambers