Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE

Name

Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE

Legal name

Waterfront Historic Area League, Inc.

Website

https://waterfrontleague.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Preservation Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Historic Home Renovation & Preservation (HSAPAEAG)

Keywords

• Historic preservation services
• Community development financing
• Historic tax credit consulting
• Revolving loan fund
• Architectural heritage restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

New Bedford

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership Contributions: WHALE raises operating funds through membership contributions at various levels (Individual $35, Family $50, Student/Senior $25, Advocate $100, Supporter $250, Champion $500) and direct one-time donations from individuals and organizations. Donors of $1,000 or more are eligible for a 50% Massachusetts state tax credit through the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program.
2. Grants and Foundation Support: WHALE receives grants from foundations including the 1772 Foundation, Island Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and others. These grants support specific projects and operational costs.
3. Open-Door Loan Program Interest: WHALE operates a revolving loan fund for historic homeowners providing loans of $10,000 to $50,000. Interest income on repaid loans supports the revolving fund and organizational revenue.
4. Fee-for-Service Technical Assistance: WHALE provides fee-for-service preservation consulting, historic tax credit application preparation, and technical expertise to property owners and developers on a project basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WHALE is a nonprofit historic preservation organization operating bricks-and-mortar restoration projects, the Open-Door revolving loan fund for historic homeowners, educational workshops, and fee-for-service historic tax credit consulting. It also develops the Places that Matter GIS greenprint mapping tool and runs tiered membership and corporate Partners in Preservation programs to fund ongoing preservation work in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Product overview

WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE) is a nonprofit historic preservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services focused on revitalizing New Bedford through architectural heritage. Core offerings include the Open-Door Loan Program (a revolving fund for historic homeowner preservation financing), Historic Homeowner Workshop Series (educational programming), Historic Tax Credits Assistance (fee-for-service applications), and the Places that Matter GIS mapping tool. Direct preservation projects include the Hillman Street Firehouse restoration, Steeple Playhouse, Strand Theater rehabilitation, and Co-Creative Center. The organization also operates membership and Partners in Preservation corporate programs, and a Mini Grant Program for small preservation projects. Services are accessed through their 15 Johnny Cake Hill office and partner organizations including Rockland Trust and NBEDC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open-Door Loan Program A revolving loan fund providing responsible, preservation-aligned financing of $10,000 to $50,000 with 5–15 year terms to support stabilization and long-term stewardship of historic owner-occupied homes in New Bedford. Administered in partnership with Rockland Trust and NBEDC.
• Historic Homeowner Workshop Series Educational programs connecting and empowering owners of historic properties through practical workshops on maintenance, windows, masonry, roofing, energy efficiency, tax credits, insurance, and funding opportunities.
• Historic Tax Credits Assistance Fee-for-service preparation of applications for federal (20% tax credit) and state historic rehabilitation tax credits, plus New Markets Tax Credits for income-producing and commercial projects.
• Places that Matter: New Bedford An interactive GIS-based greenprint mapping tool identifying historical and cultural assets, housing opportunities, open space, public art locations, and areas at risk from sea level rise. Created in partnership with Trust for Public Lands.
• Membership Program Individual and family membership with levels including Individual ($35), Family ($50), Student/Senior ($25), Advocate ($100), Supporter ($250), and Champion ($500), with benefits including communications, event invitations, and lectures.
• Partners in Preservation Corporate membership program at $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000 levels with 50% MA Tax Credit eligibility for donations through the Community Investment Tax Credit, plus recognition on website and donor communications.
• Mini Grant Program Small grant program providing funds for historic preservation projects, including exterior paint and porch renovations for qualifying homeowners.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70 restoration and preservation projects completed since 1962
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Zapalac AdvisorsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Zapalac Advisors facilitated the development of WHALE's 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, working with WHALE's board and staff to chart the organization's future course. The plan was funded by the 1772 Foundation and National Trust for Historic Preservation.
• New Bedford Economic Development CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NBEDC is listed as a funder of WHALE's strategic plan alongside the 1772 Foundation and National Trust for Historic Preservation.
• Trust for Public Lands (TPL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022WHALE partnered with the Trust for Public Lands to create a Greenprint of New Bedford — a comprehensive interactive GIS-based map identifying places that matter to the community, including historical/cultural assets, housing opportunities, open space, and areas at risk from climate change. The project launched in May 2024 and was funded by the 1772 Foundation.
• New Bedford Parks, Recreation and BeachesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The City of New Bedford's Parks, Recreation and Beaches department, led by Mary Rapoza, prepared the conceptual park design for the Tom Lopes Gateway Park through neighborhood design meetings. WHALE collaborated with the South End Neighborhood Leadership Team and other partners on this community-driven project.
• Your Theatre, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012WHALE partnered with Your Theatre, Inc. starting in 2012 to restore the First Baptist Church as a theater venue. The project culminated in the opening of the Steeple Playhouse in November 2023, with Your Theatre as the operating tenant.
• NBEDC (New Bedford Economic Development Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBEDC is a partner in the Open-Door Loan Program alongside WHALE and Rockland Trust, contributing to the initiative designed to fill the gap in financing options for owner-occupied historic homeowners.
• CMK Development PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMK Development Partners is WHALE's development partner for the $3.9 million Hillman Street Firehouse rehabilitation project. WHALE and CMK formed Hillman Firehouse LLC to undertake the project, which will create 8 units of housing (5 affordable). CMK hosts a project blog documenting progress.
• Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford (CVANB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHALE is serving as consultant and project manager for the Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford's rehabilitation of the historic Strand Theater as a Cape Verdean Cultural Community Center. Phase 1 (historic façade reconstruction and interior lobby restoration) has been completed; Phase 2 involves systems upgrades.
• HallKeen ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHALE joined forces with HallKeen Management, a real estate developer and management company, for the $11 million Union Street Lofts project restoring 5 abandoned historic buildings in downtown New Bedford.
• Paul & Dixon InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul & Dixon Insurance partnered with WHALE for the Historic Homeowner Workshop on insurance for historic and older homeowners, providing expert insights on insuring older properties in New Bedford and the South Coast.
• City of New BedfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of New Bedford is a long-standing partner with WHALE on multiple preservation, housing, and economic development projects, including the Route 18 redesign ($16.3M), receivership program properties, and the Hillman Street Firehouse project.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHALE played the lead role in securing the designation of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in November 1996 and continues as an active member of 'Partners in the Park.' WHALE donated the Old Bank building to the NPS for use as a Visitor's Center.
• Veterans Transition House (VTH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHALE served as historic developer in partnership with the Veterans Transition House (VTH) to save and transform the historic Cape Verdean whaleman's home at 1060 Pleasant Street into 10 units of Veterans transitional housing.
• Massachusetts Historical CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Massachusetts Historical Commission (state historic preservation office) administers the state historic rehabilitation tax credit program and works with WHALE on tax credit applications and preservation projects throughout New Bedford.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The largest national private preservation organization in the US, providing grant funding to WHALE and recognizing New Bedford as a Distinctive Destination. Comparable in mission scope but operates nationally while WHALE focuses on a single city; National Trust provides umbrella support and standards that local nonprofits like WHALE follow.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution focused on equitable economic development. LISC provides capital and technical assistance to local CDCs like WHALE, sharing overlapping mission of community-based preservation and affordable housing creation through nonprofit development vehicles.

Direct peers

• Historic New England: The oldest and largest regional heritage organization in the US, also based in New England with overlapping focus on historic property preservation, owner education, and heritage interpretation. Both organizations serve similar preservation constituencies in the New England region.
• National Preservation Partners Network: Coalition of statewide and local preservation organizations where WHALE's Executive Director served on the board. Represents the network of peer organizations at WHALE's operational tier, providing advocacy, capacity building, and convening for local nonprofits in the preservation field.
• Center for Community Progress: National nonprofit focused on addressing vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties through community-led strategies. Shares WHALE's mission of blight reduction and historic building revival as community development tools, though operates at national scale providing technical assistance to local groups.
• Preservation Massachusetts: Statewide nonprofit preservation advocacy organization where current WHALE Executive Director Erin Miranda previously worked. Both organizations focus on historic preservation, policy advocacy, and educational programming in Massachusetts, serving overlapping audiences of preservation professionals and property owners.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that partners with WHALE on the Places that Matter Greenprint project. Both organizations use GIS-based mapping tools to support community planning, conservation, and preservation outcomes, and engage in joint project execution with municipalities.

Regional players

• Boston Preservation Alliance: Regional preservation advocacy organization serving the Greater Boston area. Performs similar functions to WHALE (preservation advocacy, education, awards, policy work) but in a different Massachusetts geography, serving as a structural peer for benchmarking organizational operations.
• Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia: Regional preservation nonprofit serving the Philadelphia area with comparable services including owner education, technical assistance, advocacy, and awards programs. Provides a structural peer for benchmarking WHALE's programmatic model in a different mid-Atlantic urban context.

Others

• New Bedford Economic Development Corporation (NBEDC): Local economic development partner that collaborates with WHALE on the Open-Door Loan Program and other community development initiatives. While not a direct preservation peer, NBEDC represents the broader ecosystem of local economic development organizations whose work intersects with WHALE's preservation and housing development activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@watefronthistoricarealeagu4144
• Facebookfacebook.com/whalenewbedford
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterfrontleaguenb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterfront-historic-area-league-of-new-bedford-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE