Boston Ujima Project
Boston Ujima Project is a Boston-based, member-run nonprofit operating the nation's first democratically governed investment fund, deploying $2.5MM+ in member capital into BIPoC-owned small businesses alongside a cooperative business alliance, arts programming, and translocal expansion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Boston Ujima Project does
Boston Ujima Project is a Boston-based, member-run nonprofit organization founded in 2018 that operates a cooperative finance, business, and arts ecosystem. The organization is home to the nation's first democratically governed investment fund, through which members collectively deploy capital into BIPoC-owned small businesses and cooperatives, with over $2.5MM invested to date and a $5MM fund target. Members participate in governance through voting tiers (Voting, Solidarity, Resident, and Youth Members), ratifying investment plans and stewarding the 36-point Good Business Standards that underpin the Ujima Good Business Alliance (UGBA) certification network.
The organization runs a multi-program platform spanning the Ujima Fund (investment), UGBA (business certification), the recently launched Center for Art, Invention & Uncommon Practice (CAIUP, a commercial gallery), arts and cultural organizing programs, publications (Ujima WIRE, Fortunately Magazine, Ujima Press), weekly Ujima Wednesdays political/financial education workshops, the Ujima Cafe community events, the We Create the World Juneteenth celebration, time banking, and a Translocal Membership Program replicating the model through peer organizations in other cities. The underlying technology is a member voting infrastructure built on a Wix-hosted website with Neon CRM for event management; there is no proprietary software product.
The revenue model is primarily nonprofit in character, drawing on member-invested capital deployed into portfolio businesses, with emerging commercial revenue from the CAIUP gallery and potential management fees on the growing fund. The go-to-market is community-led: members and UGBA-certified businesses are recruited through events, publications, podcasts, and a multi-tier membership structure. The organization serves working-class communities of color in Boston with a translocal extension to peer organizations in other U.S. cities, supported by a small staff of 1-10 employees and a founder (Aaron Tanaka, co-founder).
Boston Ujima Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Boston Ujima Project
- Legal name
- Boston Ujima Project, Inc.
- Website
- https://ujimaboston.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Boston Ujima Project is a Boston-based, member-run nonprofit operating the nation's first democratically governed investment fund, deploying $2.5MM+ in member capital into BIPoC-owned small businesses alongside a cooperative business alliance, arts programming, and translocal expansion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Boston Ujima Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Finance
- NAICS
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type) (BPADACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate & Foundation Relations (Sponsorships, Grants, Partnerships) (EDALAOAE), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)
Keywords
Where Boston Ujima Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Boston Ujima Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Member Investments: Members invest capital into the democratically governed fund which is then deployed to BIPoC-owned small businesses and cooperatives through a member-voted process.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Boston Ujima Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Boston Ujima Project is a democratic, member-run nonprofit organization that operates the Nation's first democratically governed investment fund, where members collectively invest in BIPoC-owned small businesses and cooperatives. The organization also runs the Ujima Good Business Alliance (UGBA), a network of BIPoC-owned businesses certified against 36 Good Business Standards, along with arts and cultural programming, educational workshops, and community-building events.
Product overview
Boston Ujima Project is a democratic, member-run organization operating as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a single tech product. The core offerings include the Ujima Fund (the nation's first democratically governed investment fund with $2.5MM+ invested in BIPoC-owned businesses), the Ujima Good Business Alliance (a network of 36-standard certified businesses), and Ujima WIRE (monthly social justice publication). These are supported by the Yours, Mine, Ours Podcast, Ujima Press Publications (including Fortunately Magazine), Ujima Wednesdays (weekly education workshops), Ujima Cafe (community gatherings), We Create the World (annual Juneteenth celebration), Time Banking, Translocal Membership Program, Community Wellness resources, and various fellowships and grants. The organization functions as a cooperative business, arts, and investment ecosystem rather than a technology company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ujima Fund (Democratically Governed Investment Fund) The Nation's first democratically governed investment fund where members collectively invest in BIPoC-owned small businesses and cooperatives, with over $2.5MM invested through member voting.
- Ujima Good Business Alliance (UGBA) The Ujima Good Business Alliance is the certification and membership program for the fund.
- Center for Art, Invention & Uncommon Practice (CAIUP) A commercial gallery and cultural initiative dedicated to pushing the edges of artist support through rotating exhibitions, talks, and workshops.
- Translocal Membership Program Action-oriented initiative supporting economic democracy ecosystems outside Boston through quarterly office hours, joint fundraising, organizational support, and ecosystem exchanges.
- Member Programs (Multi-tier Membership) Multi-tier membership structure including Voting Members (Boston POC with decision-making power), Solidarity Members (non-Boston/non-POC supporters), Resident Members (non-voting Boston POC), and Youth Members (POC under 25).
- Time Banking Community timebanking initiative (Ujima Cousins TimeBank) allowing members to exchange services using time credits, promoting mutual aid and economic circulation. Transitioning to Community Timebanks platform.
- Ujima Press Publications (Fortunately Magazine) Publishing initiative including the #BlackTrust book series, cookbook zines, and the Fortunately Magazine print/online publication exploring art, culture, and economic democracy.
- Community Wellness Resource Hub Resource hub providing wellness organizing resources across categories including mutual aid, mental health, housing, food, reproductive health, LGBTQ+ resources, and rest.
- Hyperlocal Procurement Initiative Program supporting local purchasing and procurement from BIPoC-owned businesses within the community.
Quantifiable outcome
- $2.5MM invested in BIPoC-owned businesses
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Boston Ujima Project
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Boston Ujima Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Boston Ujima Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Moonlighters' ClubcorePodcast production collaboration for Yours, Mine, Ours Podcast dedicated to Good Business Alliance businesses. The Moonlighters' Club collaborates on producing the podcast that showcases UGBA member businesses.
- Coalition for Worker Ownership and Power (COWOP)coreStatewide coalition launched in 2019 with support from the Center for Economic Democracy, supporting economic development for worker empowerment across Massachusetts. COWOP enables ecosystem of cooperators including grassroots groups, labor unions, worker-owned enterprises, and policy advocates.
- Center for Economic DemocracycoreProvided support for COWOP launch in 2019; works on enabling economic democracy ecosystems
- Boston Neighborhood NetworkminorPartner venue for Making My First Demo workshop series, in-person location for music production education
- United for a Fair EconomyminorOrganization led by Ernesto Arroyo-Montano featured in Ujima Wednesdays February programming on economic trauma
- The Colored Girls MuseumminorGrassroots memoir museum led by Vashti DuBois, featured in Ujima Wednesdays workshops. Nominated for USA Today Readers' Choice Best 2026.
- Runway RootsminorFinancial activism organization led by Jessica Norwood, featured in Ujima Wednesdays workshops on money, shame, and grief
- I Have a FutureminorYouth-powered movement for jobs, justice, and policy change in Massachusetts, led Power in Action October workshops
- The Organizing CenterminorOrganization committed to developing organizers base building and resilience practices, led two-part workshop series on organizing
- Birmingham Civil Rights InstituteminorCultural and educational center sharing Civil Rights Movement history, facilitated lessons in power workshop
- Dorchester Food Co-OpcoreKey partner business and community organization, featured in organizing change workshops and COWOP organizing
- The Guild (Atlanta)coreFifth translocal member; BIPOC-led worker co-op focused on community-led real estate development. Atlanta's first co-living company. Partners on Groundcover Initiative for community-owned real estate.
- The BIG WecoreSixth translocal member; creative organization partnering with communities to build economic, political, and narrative power through storytelling, creative placemaking, and investments in land development
- Dominic 'Diggity Dom' GlaudeminorMusic educator and producer facilitating Making My First Demo workshop series on recording, production, and mixing basics
- Encuentro Diaspora AfrominorAfro-descendant cultural organization founded by Yvette Modestin, featured in Telling Tales storytelling programs
- Our Place TheatreminorTheatre partner for Yvette Modestin's plays 'I Am Black, Too' and 'The Banana Tree'
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Boston Ujima Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Slow Money: National network catalyzing capital for local food systems and small businesses. Comparable in channeling community-sourced investment into place-based enterprises with social return.
- RSF Social Finance: Social enterprise-focused donor-advised and investment fund with 35+ year track record. Comparable mission-aligned capital pool deploying into food, education, and social-justice enterprises, including BIPoC-led ventures.
- Kiva: Global crowdfunded microfinance platform pooling individual lenders to fund small businesses, including a U.S. direct-lending program. Comparable in democratizing access to capital for underserved entrepreneurs, though at much larger global scale.
Direct peers
- Seed Commons: National cooperative network of CDFIs and loan funds financing democratic, community-controlled enterprises. Most direct comparable to Ujima's democratic investment-fund model with member-driven governance over capital deployment.
- The Working World: Non-extractive finance cooperative supporting worker cooperatives and democratic businesses. Comparable mission of returning capital control to worker/community stakeholders using patient, democratic capital.
- Pacific Community Ventures: CDFI providing capital and business advisory to small businesses in underserved communities. Peer in deploying community-aligned capital into BIPoC- and immigrant-owned enterprises.
- The Guild (Atlanta): BIPOC-led worker co-op and Ujima translocal member focused on community-led real estate and co-living development. Direct peer in cooperative economic democracy ecosystem with explicit Ujima partnership.
- Center for Economic Democracy: Boston-area organization advancing cooperative economics and worker ownership, and an explicit Ujima partner. Peer in mission to build democratic economic ecosystems through cooperative enterprise development.
Regional players
- Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF): Northeast U.S. CDFI financing cooperative and community-owned enterprises. Direct regional peer deploying patient, democratically governed capital to community businesses.
- Cooperative Fund of New England: New England-focused CDFI lending to cooperatives and community enterprises. Geographic peer deploying community-sourced capital into worker and community-owned businesses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Boston Ujima Project social profiles
Digital presenceBoston Ujima Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Boston Ujima Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Boston Ujima Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Boston Ujima Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Boston Ujima Project
What does Boston Ujima Project do?
Boston Ujima Project is a democratic, member-run nonprofit organization that operates the Nation's first democratically governed investment fund, where members collectively invest in BIPoC-owned small businesses and cooperatives. The organization also runs the Ujima Good Business Alliance (UGBA), a network of BIPoC-owned businesses certified against 36 Good Business Standards, along with arts and cultural programming, educational workshops, and community-building events.
Is Boston Ujima Project a public or private company?
Boston Ujima Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Boston Ujima Project founded?
Boston Ujima Project was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Boston Ujima Project based?
Boston Ujima Project is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Boston Ujima Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: member Investments.
Who are Boston Ujima Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Slow Money, RSF Social Finance and Kiva. Direct peers are Seed Commons, The Working World, Pacific Community Ventures, The Guild (Atlanta) and Center for Economic Democracy. Regional players are Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF) and Cooperative Fund of New England.
Does Boston Ujima Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Boston Ujima Project.
What industry is Boston Ujima Project in?
Boston Ujima Project's product category is Community Development Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADACAJ, Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type), with a secondary code of EDALAOAE, Corporate & Foundation Relations (Sponsorships, Grants, Partnerships). Its NAICS code is 8139 and its SIC code is 8600.