Imagine Black

What Imagine Black does

Imagine Black is a 501(c)(4) civic engagement and political advocacy nonprofit founded in 2009 as the Portland African American Leadership Forum (PAALF) and rebranded to Imagine Black in 2020. The organization builds Black political power in Oregon through voter engagement, candidate endorsements, legislative advocacy, community organizing, and leadership development programs including the Black Seeds School and African American Leadership Academy. Its constituency is Black Oregonians statewide, and its work is guided by a Black Queer Feminist lens.

Operationally, Imagine Black runs an integrated portfolio of digital and programmatic tools: the Black Possibilities mobile app, an online Voter Guide, the Afro-Ecology Poll, advocacy campaigns on child care and public safety reform, the People's Plan policy document, and convening events such as the Reimagining Public Safety Forum. The organization works through three affiliated corporate entities — Imagine Black (501c4 for advocacy), Imagine Black Futures (501c3 for education), and Imagine Black Ventures LLC — and is staffed by six people operating on an approximately $1M budget, a 400% increase over four years.

The business model is a recurring donation-and-membership engine (Kinfolk members, Accomplice Sustainers, grants) rather than product or service sales. Coalition partnerships with Unite Oregon, the Climate Justice Collaborative, APANO, Coalition of Communities of Color, and the Oregon Cares Fund Coalition provide amplification leverage. Revenue is diversified across small-dollar donors, sustainer recurring contributions, and grant funders; the technology stack is a Squarespace website plus a mobile app, with no disclosed AI or proprietary platform.

Name

Imagine Black

Legal name

Imagine Black

Website

https://imagineblack.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Imagine Black is a Portland-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit, founded in 2009, that builds Black political power in Oregon through voter engagement, candidate endorsements, policy advocacy, and leadership development programs serving Black Oregonians statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Advocacy & Civic Engagement

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Human Rights, Social Inclusion & Disability Inclusion (BPAGABAN)

Keywords

• Community organizing
• Civic engagement
• Political advocacy
• Leadership development
• Voter education

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Imagine Black operates as a 501(c)(4) political advocacy nonprofit funded through member donations, sustainer contributions, and Kinfolk membership programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Imagine Black is a 501(c)(4) civic engagement and advocacy nonprofit that builds Black political power in Oregon through community organizing, voter engagement, candidate endorsements, legislative advocacy, and leadership development programs. Its offerings include the Black Possibilities App, Voter Guide, Afro-Ecology Poll, Child Care and Public Safety advocacy campaigns, the People's Plan policy document, and leadership development programs such as the Black Seeds School.

Product overview

Imagine Black is a civic engagement and advocacy organization operating through three distinct corporate entities: Imagine Black (501c4), Imagine Black Futures (501c3), and Imagine Black Ventures LLC. The organization offers a suite of digital and programmatic tools including the Black Possibilities App (mobile application), Voter Guide, and Afro-Ecology Poll for community engagement. Its advocacy work centers on campaigns for child care, public safety reform, and leadership development through programs like the Black Seeds School and People's Plan. The portfolio functions as an integrated civic infrastructure designed to build Black political power through electoral engagement, policy advocacy, and leadership cultivation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Black Possibilities App A mobile application accessible at imagineblackaction.com/m/blackpossibilitiesapp that provides resources and information for Black community members, supporting civic engagement and political participation.
• Voter Guide An online voter guide providing information about candidates and electoral participation for Black Oregonians, used to support informed voting and civic engagement.
• Afro-Ecology Poll A polling and temperature-check tool for the Afro-Ecology initiative that gathers community input on environmental and ecological priorities from Black Oregonians.
• Leadership Development Program Programs including the Black Seeds School, leadership academies, and workshops designed to develop Black community leaders and build long-term civic leadership capacity in Oregon.
• People's Plan A comprehensive policy document developed through community engagement with over 400 African Americans in Portland, outlining community-driven priorities and policy recommendations.
• Child Care Campaign An advocacy initiative focused on child care policy and accessibility for Black families in Oregon, including legislative testimony and community mobilization.
• Public Safety Campaign An advocacy campaign focused on reimagining public safety and promoting community-centered safety approaches, including the Reimagining Public Safety Forum 2022 and related debate series.
• Kinfolk Membership Program A membership program for Black Oregonians and allies offering recurring support and community connection to sustain Imagine Black's organizing work.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Unite OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in Defund police campaign; co-developed the $50 million budget cut proposal for Portland Police Bureau that was submitted to City Council during 2020 budget deliberations
• Oregon Cares Fund CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition work on $62 million COVID relief fund (Oregon Cares Fund) that helped numerous Black Oregonians during the pandemic; helped author the Cannabis Equity Bill
• Climate Justice CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-cultural organizing and advocacy coalition including APANO, Native American Youth & Family Center, OPAL, Verde working on equitable processes in Portland's built environment
• Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in Climate Justice Collaborative addressing environmental racism and frontline community needs
• Coalition of Communities of ColormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner addressing racial equity and systemic issues affecting communities of color in Oregon
• Working FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Imagine Black to host Beyond Walls film screening at Hollywood Theater focusing on voices of incarcerated individuals
• Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists, and Community Coalition (SOBLACC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host Redistricting Rapid Response Workshop ensuring Black voices are heard in Oregon redistricting process
• Portland State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Black Seeds School program at Oregon State Penitentiary and various educational initiatives; hosting Alley-Oop the Vote at Viking Pavilion
• IRCO Africa HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Fertile Black Soil Dialogue series and Walking While Black focus groups with Portland Bureau of Transportation
• NASS (National Association of Secretaries of State)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarding body for Medallion Award recognizing civic engagement work; provides recognition platform for democracy initiatives

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Black Equity: Organization supporting Black LGBTQ+ communities and advocating for equity, with a focus closely aligned with Imagine Black's Black Queer Feminist (BQF) framework. Comparable in mission to center Black intersectional leadership and community empowerment.
• Color of Change: National online racial justice advocacy organization that mobilizes Black communities on policy, electoral, and corporate accountability campaigns. Comparable to Imagine Black as a Black-led advocacy nonprofit driving civic engagement and policy change, though at significantly greater national scale.
• Black Voters Matter: Organization focused on increasing Black voter registration, turnout, and civic participation. Directly comparable to Imagine Black's voter engagement, candidate endorsement, and electoral mobilization work, with a similar community-organizing approach to building Black political power.
• Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): National network mobilizing white allies for racial justice while centering Black-led organizing. Comparable to Imagine Black's coalition-based advocacy approach and community organizing on racial equity issues, though with a different primary base.

Broad incumbents

• NAACP: The nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization, with a mission closely aligned with Imagine Black's focus on Black political power, voter engagement, and anti-discrimination advocacy. Functions as a broad incumbent with local chapters operating in similar civic engagement spaces.
• Movement for Black Lives: National coalition of Black-led organizations advancing a shared policy agenda on racial justice, including defund police and economic justice campaigns. Comparable as an umbrella framework Imagine Black's Defund.Reinvest.Protect work aligns with, though operating at a network rather than single-organization level.
• National Urban League: Historic national organization advancing economic and civil rights for African Americans through programs, advocacy, and civic engagement. Comparable mission and broad civic engagement focus, though operating at significantly greater scale across multiple domains.

Regional players

• Coalition of Communities of Color: Oregon-based coalition advancing racial equity for communities of color. Already a partner of Imagine Black and directly comparable in mission, regional focus, and policy advocacy work in the Pacific Northwest.
• Unite Oregon: Oregon-based immigrant and civil rights coalition. Direct coalition partner of Imagine Black on campaigns such as Defund.Reinvest.Protect and comparable in grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and community-led civic engagement in the same geography.
• Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO): Oregon-based AANHPI advocacy organization and Imagine Black coalition partner within the Climate Justice Collaborative. Comparable as a regional racial justice advocacy organization operating in Oregon with community organizing and policy advocacy focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/Cg0X-Y4hxj1
• Xx.com/ImagineBlack_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paalf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Imagine Black