Burlington Business Association

What Burlington Business Association does

The Burlington Business Association (BBA) is a non-profit, non-political membership organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Burlington, Vermont. It serves as the institutional voice and advocacy body for more than 240 business and nonprofit members operating in downtown Burlington and the broader northwestern Vermont region. Its stated mission is to enhance and promote Burlington's economic vitality and to ensure the city remains the cultural, social, political, educational, and economic center of northwestern Vermont. The BBA runs targeted community programs including the Downtown Ambassador Program, Adopt Your Sidewalk, public safety initiatives, and housing advocacy.

The BBA's business model is membership-dues-driven. It acquires and retains members through a community-led go-to-market approach anchored in regular networking events (Brews with the BBA, Coffee with Kelly, Cocktails with Kelly, BBA Nights Party, waterfront FAM Tours) and word-of-mouth within the Burlington business community. Event pricing is modest and tiered between members and non-members. Marketing is conducted through the BBA website (bbavt.org), The BBA Brief email newsletter, Twitter (@bbavt), and in-person events. Distribution is direct via an online membership portal hosted on Neon CRM (bbavt.z2systems.com). Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues supplemented by event fees and occasional partnership-driven fundraising (e.g., the 2023 Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund).

Governance is provided by a working Board of Directors; current Chair is Chelsea Condos, Vice-Chair is Christian Kuzia, and the organization is led by Executive Director Kelly Devine. The BBA has no proprietary technology, software products, or AI/ML capabilities — it is a community association rather than a technology company. There are no subsidiaries, no funding rounds, no investors, and no M&A activity in the record.

Name

Burlington Business Association

Legal name

Burlington Business Association

Website

https://bbavt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Burlington Business Association is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1978 that serves over 240 businesses and nonprofits in Burlington, Vermont, advocating for downtown economic vitality and hosting networking events and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: As a non-profit membership organization, BBA generates revenue through annual membership dues from business and nonprofit members. The organization was founded in 1978 and currently has over 240 business and nonprofit members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Burlington Business Association is a non-profit, non-political membership organization that sells annual membership subscriptions to Burlington, Vermont-area businesses and nonprofits. Members receive access to recurring networking and community events, advocacy representation on economic vitality, public safety, and housing issues, and participation in programs such as the Downtown Ambassador Program and Adopt Your Sidewalk. The BBA does not sell physical or software products; its offering is the membership relationship and the events and programs that flow from it.

Product overview

The Burlington Business Association (BBA) is a non-profit membership organization, not a technology product company. It provides membership services, networking events, and programs for Burlington, Vermont businesses. Its offerings include various member events (Brew with the BBA, Coffee with Kelly, Cocktails with Kelly, BBA Nights Party, Winter Social, FAM Tours), public safety initiatives (Downtown Ambassador Program, Adopt Your Sidewalk), and community programs. The BBA does not offer technology products or software services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BBA Membership Annual membership subscription for Burlington-area businesses and nonprofit organizations, providing access to networking events, advocacy representation, and community programs. Currently has over 240 members. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.
• Public Safety Initiatives

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 July 2023The BBA partnered with the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund to support Vermont small businesses affected by July 2023 flooding. BBA's Executive Director Kelly Devine joined the Fund's advisory board. The Fund provides grants of $2,500-$10,000 to cover equipment replacement, supplies, and clean-up costs. The Fund is administered in partnership with Capstone Community Action.
• Capstone Community ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 July 2023Capstone Community Action in Barre, VT serves as the fiscal sponsor and administrator for the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund, receiving donations and disbursing funds to small businesses affected by the 2023 flooding.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce: The regional chamber serving the greater Burlington/Lake Champlain area in Vermont. Directly comparable as another non-profit membership organization serving overlapping Burlington-area businesses, with overlapping board representation.
• Vermont Chamber of Commerce: The state-level chamber of commerce for Vermont. Comparable as a membership-based business advocacy organization operating across the same state, with overlapping board members and a parallel mission of promoting economic vitality.
• Hello Burlington: A Burlington-area tourism and community promotion organization. Comparable as a Burlington-focused membership and community organization; multiple BBA board members hold concurrent affiliations with Hello Burlington.
• Downtown Burlington Community Partnership: A potential peer organization focused on downtown Burlington economic development and vibrancy. Conceptually comparable as a downtown-focused advocacy and economic vitality group serving overlapping constituents.

Regional players

• Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC): A regional economic development organization serving northwestern Vermont. Comparable as a Burlington-anchored non-profit focused on economic vitality, though more oriented toward industrial attraction than BBA's downtown advocacy focus.
• Vermont Retailers and Grocers Association: A Vermont-based trade association for retail and grocery businesses. Comparable as a state-level membership organization representing business interests; its president sits on the same Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund advisory board as BBA's executive director.
• Local First Vermont: A Vermont-based organization promoting locally owned independent businesses. Comparable as a Vermont non-profit membership organization focused on small business advocacy and community economic development.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The largest national business federation in the United States. Comparable as a membership-based business advocacy organization, though operating at vastly greater scale and scope than BBA's hyper-local focus.

Others

• American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE): The national association for chamber of commerce executives and staff. Comparable as a membership organization supporting chamber professionals; BBA's executive director is the natural peer cohort.
• Capstone Community Action: A Vermont-based community action agency that administers the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund in partnership with BBA. Comparable as a non-profit operating in the same geographic and small-business support ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bbavt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Burlington Business Association