Midtown Business Alliance

What Midtown Business Alliance does

Midtown Business Alliance (MBA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit business association founded in 2022 and headquartered in Kingston, NY, serving the Midtown Kingston business community. Its mission is to advocate for, support, and promote existing businesses, empower residents to build successful enterprises, and amplify community voices — delivered through bilingual (English/Spanish) programming and a dedicated Hispanic outreach committee. Core offerings include a tiered annual membership program ($25-$10,000 per year based on business size and supporter tier), a public Member Business Directory, a Black-Owned Business Directory, the MBA Job Board for Ulster County employment, curated Business Resources (SBDC, SBA, SCORE, MWBE, Empire State Development), the Midtown Scene Summer Fridays event series, and recurring networking events (monthly board meetings, Midtown Meetups, MBA Mixers). Strategic programs include the Midtown Business Capital Program with Rondout Savings Bank (affordable loans for sub-$500K-revenue businesses) and a Google Business Profile optimization workshop with Volt & Clove that has served 13 businesses.\n\nThe underlying technology stack is minimal: MBA operates on a Squarespace-built website (kingstonmba.org) with no proprietary platform, no public API, no SDK, and no software product. It functions primarily as a community orchestrator and resource broker rather than a technology company, connecting members to external partners including Rondout Savings Bank, Language Justice Collective, the City of Kingston, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, Center for Photography Woodstock, Radio Kingston, Mid-Hudson SBDC, and the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. The revenue model is membership dues plus small job board posting fees ($10-$30 per listing), supplemented by grant-funded initiatives such as the $238,559 Brownfield Opportunity Area partnership. The organization is governed by a board of directors drawn from its membership (business owners, a PR firm president, the Marketing Director of Bardavon Presents, a nonprofit executive), supported by a legal advisor, strategy advisor, operations advisor, and advisory council. Headcount is 1-10, with a December 2025 leadership transition accompanying a reported growth surge.

Name

Midtown Business Alliance

Legal name

Midtown Business Alliance

Website

https://kingstonmba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midtown Business Alliance is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit business association founded in 2022 in Kingston, NY, that supports, promotes, and connects Midtown Kingston businesses through tiered membership, directories, events, a job board, and partnerships with local lenders and government resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

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. Business Membership Dues: Annual subscription fees from business and nonprofit members based on size tier. Provides access to member directory, networking events, social media promotion, newsletter features, and business support services.
2. Job Board Posting Fees: Three-tier paid posting system: Basic ($10 for 8 weeks), Tier 2 ($20 pins post + newsletter), Tier 3 ($30 pins + newsletter + homepage feature). Revenue from employers posting Ulster County job opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Midtown Business Alliance is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit business association that delivers tiered annual membership services to local businesses in Midtown Kingston, NY. Its core offerings include a public Member Business Directory, an Ulster County Job Board, and curated connections to capital, marketing, and government resources. The organization also produces recurring networking and community events such as MBA Mixers, Midtown Meetups, and the Midtown Scene Summer Fridays series.

Product overview

Midtown Business Alliance is a business membership organization serving Midtown Kingston, NY—not a technology product. Its core offering is a suite of membership and community programs including: the Member Business Directory (public-facing listings of member businesses), Black-Owned Business Directory, MBA Job Board (regional employment platform), Membership Program (tiered annual membership with networking benefits), Business Resources Hub (connections to SBDC, SBA, SCORE, MWBE certification), Midtown Business Capital Program (loan access partnership with Rondout Savings Bank), Google Business Profile Optimization Program (digital marketing workshops), Midtown Scene Summer Fridays (seasonal community event series), and networking events (monthly board meetings, meetups, mixers). These services work together to support Midtown Kingston business prosperity through advocacy, promotion, and resource connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Tiered annual membership ($25 solo, $100 1-9 employees, $180 9-49 employees, $300 50+ employees, $10,000 patron) providing member directory listing, social media promotion, newsletter features, networking events, and access to business resources. For SMBs and solo entrepreneurs in Midtown Kingston.
• Member Business Directory A publicly accessible directory listing Midtown Kingston member businesses organized by category including Bars & Restaurants, Creative Studios, Local Organizations, Services, Shops, and Wellness. Provides free listing and link for member businesses.
• Black-Owned Business Directory A directory specifically showcasing Black-owned businesses and community leaders in Kingston, NY, to celebrate and support the local community.
• MBA Job Board A regional employment platform for Ulster County businesses to post job opportunities with three paid tiered listing options (Basic $10, Tier 2 $20, Tier 3 $30) for enhanced visibility over an 8-week period.
• Midtown Scene Summer Fridays A recurring community event series held June through August to drive engagement with Midtown Kingston businesses through raffles, activities, and local business specials.
• Midtown Business Capital Program A financing access program in partnership with Rondout Savings Bank providing intentionally affordable loans with interest rates well below market to small business owners in Midtown Kingston with less than $500,000 in annual sales and at least one year in operation.
• Google Business Profile Optimization Program A workshop series partnering with Volt & Clove marketing agency to help local small businesses optimize their Google Business Profiles and SEO through hands-on training. 13 businesses completed optimization through this program.
• Business Resources Hub A curated collection of business support resources including Mid-Hudson SBDC counseling, MWBE certification, Empire State Development programs, Women's Enterprise Development Center, SCORE mentorship, SBA support, and Brownfield Opportunity Area grants.
• Networking Events Regular networking opportunities including monthly board meetings, Midtown Meetups (casual gatherings at member businesses), and MBA Mixers (structured events with guest speakers and interpretation services).

Named customers10 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Volt & ClovecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 May 2024MBA partnered with Volt & Clove marketing agency to assist local small businesses in optimizing their Google Business Profiles and SEO. Through this partnership, 13 businesses had their Google business profiles optimized through a 2-part workshop series with hands-on support. Volt & Clove is a local marketing agency with over 5 years of experience in SEO services and digital marketing support.
• Language Justice CollectivecoreOthersMBA provides access to Language Justice Collective for translation and interpretation services, supporting the organization's bilingual English/Spanish outreach to the Kingston Hispanic community.
• Center for Photography Woodstock (CPW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Midtown Scene-Summer Fridays event series. CPW hosts businesses without storefronts in their gallery and provides venue for the main raffle station at Field Court during the event.
• Radio KingstonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Midtown Scene-Summer Fridays providing music at Field Court during the events. Radio Kingston is a noncommercial community platform at 693 Broadway.
• Midtown Kingston Arts District (MKAD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Midtown Scene-Summer Fridays event series. MKAD provides family-friendly arts activities and hosts the Neighborhood Print Studio at 49 Greenkill Avenue.
• Rewind KingstonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Midtown Scene-Summer Fridays leading family-friendly activities including pickleball at Field Court and managing special hours at their vintage store location.
• Hudson Valley Pattern for ProgressmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with City of Kingston on the Midtown Thriving Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant project, a $238,559 initiative from NYS Department of State for community-driven urban renewal plan for redevelopment of vacant properties in a 270-acre area along the Broadway corridor.
• Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA connects members to Mid-Hudson SBDC which provides free one-on-one business counseling for Ulster County small businesses, along with educational offerings and research support.
• Ulster County Chamber of CommercesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMBA connects members to Ulster Chamber of Commerce which provides promotion in print and online directories, keyword-searchable listings, and annual Community Resource Guide & Membership Directory inclusion.
• Empire State Development - Small Business DivisionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA connects members to Empire State Development's Small Business Division which supports businesses with under 100 employees through various programs and initiatives for business growth.
• Women's Enterprise Development Center (WEDC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA connects members to WEDC which provides training programs, advisory services, and access to capital for entrepreneurs in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.
• SCORE Business MentorshipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA connects members to SCORE which provides free one-on-one business counseling by phone, email, and in-person in the Mid-Hudson Valley, plus workshops for startup and seasoned small business owners.
• US Small Business Administration (SBA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA connects members to SBA which offers business start-up support, growth services, small business loans, disaster loans, and federal contract support.
• City of KingstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA partners with City of Kingston on initiatives including the Kingston Forward form-based zoning code and the Midtown Thriving BOA grant project for vacant property redevelopment.
• Place CorpssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBA collaborated with Place Corps for the Midtown Mix-Up event featuring information on the annual Beauty for Ashes conference bringing resources to vulnerable community members including the homeless.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• SCORE: National network providing free business mentoring and workshops. MBA explicitly connects members to Mid-Hudson SCORE, making it a feeder/partner rather than a competitor, but a useful comparable for nonprofit small-business service delivery.
• Kingston City Initiatives / City of Kingston Economic Development: City government office that partners with MBA on the BOA grant and zoning initiatives. A peer in the sense of shared neighborhood revitalization agenda, though not a membership-based competitor.

Direct peers

• Local First Wisconsin: One of the largest Local First 'buy independent' alliances in the country, with a tiered membership model and community events. Highly comparable to MBA's mission and program mix.
• Ulster County Chamber of Commerce: Regional business association serving Ulster County. MBA explicitly refers members to it for directory listings and Community Resource Guide inclusion, making it the most directly comparable peer in the same geography.
• Independent We Stand: National movement supporting independent businesses through promotion, events, and toolkits. Comparable to MBA in mission and target audience (independent local merchants).
• Local First Arizona: Local-independent-business alliance with tiered membership, programming, and neighborhood-level chapters. A direct structural analog to MBA's member services and community activation model.
• American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA): National umbrella network that supports local 'independent business alliance' associations. MBA's structure (501(c)(6), supporting local independent businesses through advocacy and promotion) is the textbook AMIBA model.
• Main Street America: National organization pursuing downtown and neighborhood revitalization through district-level programs. MBA's Midtown Thriving BOA work and Summer Fridays series closely mirror the Main Street Approach.

Regional players

• Kingston Land Trust: Local Kingston nonprofit focused on community land and revitalization. A Strategy Advisor at MBA is affiliated with both, indicating close ecosystem ties and overlapping stakeholder base.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce: Much larger New York-based business association. Useful as a 'scaled-up' analog for how a local alliance can evolve into a regional membership body with broader programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/kingstonmidtownbiz
• Facebookfacebook.com/kingstonmidtownbiz
• Instagraminstagram.com/kingstonmidtownbiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Midtown Business Alliance