REV Birmingham
REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2012, that drives place-based economic development in downtown Birmingham and Woodlawn through small-business advisory, community organizing, developer services, and BID management.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What REV Birmingham does
REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on place-based economic development in downtown Birmingham, Alabama and the Woodlawn neighborhood. Founded in 2012 through the merger of Operation New Birmingham (1962) and Main Street Birmingham (2004), the organization activates people, places, and investment to drive commercial district revitalization through three primary service lines: community stakeholder organizing ("yaysayers"), small business and entrepreneur advisory, and developer/investor navigation of revitalization incentives. Its service offering is delivered free of charge to constituents, with revenue generation concentrated in the SocialVenture co-working facility at 5529 1st Avenue South in Woodlawn, which offers $25/day and $275/month desk rentals plus negotiated office suites.
The organization's tangible assets include the Downtown BHM Business Improvement District (BID) management contract covering City Center, The Switch, and Five Points South; the SocialVenture co-working and meeting space (a 2013 conversion of a vacant Woodlawn warehouse); and the permanent Woodlawn Marketplace retail incubator and café (launched 2021). Programmatic products include Magic City Match (a Black entrepreneur-to-space matching program powered by Prosper, piloted 2022), Birmingham Open for Business advisory services, a Historic Preservation Easement Program, and an EPA-funded cleanup grant project at 5601 1st Avenue S leveraging the BJCTA Bus Rapid Transit terminus. The 11-year Woodlawn Street Market (2014–2025) was sunsetted in 2025 as comparable markets proliferated across the city.
REV's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than transaction-based, with named leadership continuity (David Fleming as President & CEO since the 2012 merger; Elizabeth Barbaree-Tasker as CFO since her 2011 recruitment to predecessor MSB). The organization employs 11–50 staff and maintains a partnership ecosystem spanning Woodlawn United, Woodlawn Business Association, Woodlawn Foundation, City Center District Management Corporation, Main Street Alabama, and the EPA. Since 2010, the broader downtown district REV supports has absorbed more than $2.5 billion across 75+ development projects and more than 5 million square feet of built or under-construction space including 10,500 housing units.
REV Birmingham firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- REV Birmingham
- Legal name
- REV Birmingham
- Website
- https://revbirmingham.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2012, that drives place-based economic development in downtown Birmingham and Woodlawn through small-business advisory, community organizing, developer services, and BID management.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
REV Birmingham industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI), Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH), Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)
Keywords
Where REV Birmingham is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
REV Birmingham business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that depends on community support. They accept donations through PayPal and other channels to fund their revitalization work.
- SocialVenture Co-working Space: REV operates SocialVenture co-working space offering daily ($25/day) and monthly ($275/month) desk rentals, plus office suites with negotiated rates. This generates fee-for-service revenue.
- Grants and Public Funding: REV receives EPA cleanup grants and other public funding for specific revitalization projects like the site improvements at 5601 1st Avenue S in Woodlawn.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flex desks at $25/day for community tables |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly flex desk with conference room access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Personal desk in coworking area at $275/month |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Office suite rates negotiated per tenant |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
REV Birmingham product offering
Product offeringCore offering
REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit that activates people, places, and investment to drive growth in downtown Birmingham and Woodlawn. It delivers free business support services to small businesses, developers, and community stakeholders, manages the Downtown BHM Business Improvement District, and operates the SocialVenture co-working space and Woodlawn Marketplace retail incubator in Woodlawn.
Product overview
REV Birmingham operates as a place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit offering a portfolio of programs and physical spaces. Its core offerings include SocialVenture (a co-working and meeting space in Woodlawn, converted from a vacant warehouse in 2013), Woodlawn Marketplace (a retail incubator and café launched in 2021), Magic City Match (a Black entrepreneur support program initiated in 2022), Historic Preservation Easement Program, EPA Cleanup Grant coordination, and Downtown BHM BID Management. The organization also provided the Woodlawn Street Market program from 2014-2025, which was discontinued as similar markets became more prevalent in Birmingham. These offerings work together to activate people, places, and investment to drive growth and vitality in Downtown Birmingham and Woodlawn.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SocialVenture Co-working Space Co-working space, meeting space, and event space in Woodlawn offering flex desks at $25/day, personal desks at $275/month, and negotiated office suites, with conference rooms, secured parking, WiFi, and event hosting.
- Woodlawn Marketplace Community gathering space serving breakfast and lunch alongside locally-made retail goods, functioning as a local retail incubator and café in the historic Woodlawn business district.
- Magic City Match Program that matches Black entrepreneurs and business owners with brick-and-mortar spaces in Birmingham where they can establish and grow their businesses.
- Birmingham Open for Business Business support program providing services for startups and small business owners, including strategies for growing the business, finding brick-and-mortar space, honing messaging and communications, and problem-solving through coaches, workshops, and resources.
- Historic Preservation Easement Program Program that safeguards Birmingham's historic architecture while adding long-term value to development projects involving historic properties, maintaining the character of the Magic City.
- Downtown BHM BID Management Management of the Downtown BHM Business Improvement District covering City Center, The Switch, and Five Points South, including CAP Clean and Safe program, placemaking activations, and capital projects.
- Developer & Investor Services Advisory services helping investors, developers, and building owners understand incentives and navigate issues related to revitalization projects, from consultations on district fitting to help with incentives and local processes.
- EPA Cleanup Grant Coordination Environmental Protection Agency cleanup grant coordination for site improvements at 5601 1st Avenue S in Woodlawn, leveraging activity at the eastern terminus of the BJCTA Bus Rapid Transit system.
Quantifiable outcome
- $2.5 billion+ in downtown Birmingham development investment
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use REV Birmingham
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
REV Birmingham technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
REV Birmingham partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Woodlawn UnitedcoreStrategic partnership to convert a vacant warehouse into SocialVenture co-working space in 2013. Woodlawn United co-locates with REV at SocialVenture, and both organizations work together on Woodlawn revitalization initiatives.
- Woodlawn Business AssociationcorePartnership to launch Woodlawn Street Market in 2014. Both organizations collaborate on small business support and commercial district revitalization in Woodlawn's historic business district.
- Woodlawn FoundationcorePartner in Woodlawn's equitable entrepreneurship initiatives. Works alongside REV and Woodlawn Business Association to identify and grow Woodlawn entrepreneurs.
- City Center District Management CorporationcoreREV carries out revitalization services in Downtown Birmingham through this relationship with support from downtown property owners. Manages the Downtown BHM Business Improvement District.
- ProspermajorMagic City Match is powered by Prosper, a program that matches Black entrepreneurs with brick-and-mortar spaces where they can thrive. This initiative aims to create opportunities for Black-owned businesses.
- Rebound Bham Partners (15+ organizations)majorCollaborative ecosystem of more than 15 organizations supporting small businesses during COVID-19 recovery. Partners include Alabama Small Business Development Center Network, Trufund, The Bold Agency, Dotedison Marketing, and others providing workshops and resources.
- CAP (Clean and Safe Program)coreCAP ambassadors patrol the Downtown BHM BID in bright blue, providing clean and safe services that are part of REV's downtown management efforts.
- Main Street AlabamamajorREV is part of the Main Street America network. Rebekah Fox was named Main Street Hero in the 7th Annual Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence. REV has won 3 Main Street Alabama Awards.
- Downtown BHM BIDcoreBusiness Improvement District managed by REV including City Center, The Switch, and Five Points South. Expanded from the original 1995 Business Improvement District.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
REV Birmingham competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Trust for Historic Preservation: National nonprofit focused on historic preservation with advocacy, easement, and field services programs. REV's Historic Preservation Easement Program is a direct functional analog at the local level.
- National Main Street Center: Historic preservation and commercial district revitalization program operating within the National Park Service; REV's historic preservation and downtown district work is aligned with this national Main Street framework.
- Main Street America: National umbrella for the Main Street Program that REV Birmingham is an affiliate of; REV's district management, BID, and placemaking work follows Main Street's four-point approach, making Main Street America a clear broad incumbent peer.
- Urban Land Institute: Global real estate and land use research and education organization with district revitalization initiatives; comparable to REV on developer advisory and downtown/mixed-use guidance, though at much broader scope.
- International Downtown Association: Industry association for downtown/BID organizations; REV's Downtown BHM BID management is functionally aligned with IDA members, including their district management, clean-and-safe, and placemaking offerings.
Direct peers
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development financial institution supporting place-based revitalization, small business, and equitable entrepreneurship—directly comparable to REV's mission, program mix, and nonprofit funding model, though at national scale.
- Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development, including small business and equitable entrepreneurship programs—comparable mission and funding mix to REV's district revitalization work.
- Woodlawn United: Place-based revitalization nonprofit in Woodlawn; shares office space with REV at SocialVenture and works jointly on community development. Closest operational peer because of overlapping geography and population.
Emerging players
- Prosper: REV's partner that powers Magic City Match and focuses on growing Black entrepreneurs and small businesses. Comparable on equitable entrepreneurship programming even though its model is broader than REV's two-district focus.
Regional players
- Birmingham Business Alliance: Regional chamber and economic development organization serving the Birmingham metro. Overlaps with REV on developer relations, business recruitment, and downtown vitality initiatives in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
REV Birmingham social profiles
Digital presenceREV Birmingham financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
REV Birmingham leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
REV Birmingham subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
REV Birmingham funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
REV Birmingham 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 REV Birmingham
What does REV Birmingham do?
REV Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit that activates people, places, and investment to drive growth in downtown Birmingham and Woodlawn. It delivers free business support services to small businesses, developers, and community stakeholders, manages the Downtown BHM Business Improvement District, and operates the SocialVenture co-working space and Woodlawn Marketplace retail incubator in Woodlawn.
Is REV Birmingham a public or private company?
REV Birmingham is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was REV Birmingham founded?
REV Birmingham was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is REV Birmingham based?
REV Birmingham is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does REV Birmingham make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are socialVenture Co-working Space and grants and Public Funding.
Who are REV Birmingham's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Main Street Center, Main Street America, Urban Land Institute and International Downtown Association. Direct peers are Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Enterprise Community Partners and Woodlawn United. Prosper is listed as an emerging player. Birmingham Business Alliance is listed as a regional player.
Does REV Birmingham have an API?
No public API is recorded for REV Birmingham.
What industry is REV Birmingham in?
REV Birmingham's product category is Community Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAE, Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives), with a secondary code of BPAIANAI, Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse. Its NAICS code is 712 and its SIC code is 6512.