Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce

Name

Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://fmbcc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chamber of Commerce / Small Business Support Services

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Small business development
• Chamber of commerce
• Business incubation programs
• Technical assistance services
• Economic empowerment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees that unlock technical assistance services and access to the chamber's network of business professionals and programs.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to the Fresno Metro Black Chamber Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 27-2369570). Supports scholarships and community programs.
3. Technical Assistance and Workshop Fees: Fee-based technical assistance services including business consulting, strategic business advising, and specialized workshops. Some programs like Strategic Business Advising are noted as not being free services.
4. Grant Funding: The chamber receives and administers grant funding from government agencies and foundations to support small business programs, micro-grants, and community initiatives. Funding sources include California Office of the Small Business Advocate, James Irvine Foundation, California Arts Council, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chamber of commerce that delivers programs, technical assistance, mentorship, and access to capital for Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs in California's Central Valley. Core offerings include the Betting Big 12-week incubator/accelerator, the FRIENDS reentry entrepreneurship program, Evolv3 youth development, BTAC contractor support, Money $enter capital access services, the ProspHER Women's Economic Impact Center, and physical co-working and shared mobility infrastructure at the BizWerx Business Innovation and Mobility Hub.

Product overview

The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce is a chamber of commerce organization serving Black-owned businesses in the Central Valley of California. Rather than a single product, it operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. Core offerings include: the Betting Big on Small Black Businesses 12-week incubator/accelerator; the FRIENDS reentry entrepreneurship program for formerly incarcerated individuals; the Evolv3 youth development program; the BTAC contractor development program; and the Money $enter financial services center providing access to capital including Kiva microloans. Physical infrastructure includes the BizWerx Business Innovation and Mobility Hub (co-working space) and the Clean Shared Mobility Network (electric vehicle and e-bike sharing). Additional services encompass technical assistance, mentorship, advocacy, scholarship programs, and annual events including the ProspHER Women's Symposium. The organization functions as a comprehensive small business support ecosystem rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BizWerx: Business innovation and mobility hub providing coworking space and business support services
• Betting Big
• BTAC
• FRIENDS
• Evolv3
• Money $enter
• ProspHer Women's Economic Impact Center
• Clean Shared Mobility Network
• Fresno Green Team

Products and services

• Chamber Membership Annual membership program that provides Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs in California's Central Valley with access to the chamber's full technical assistance services, programs (Betting Big, FRIENDS, Evolv3, BTAC, ProspHER, Money $enter), BizWerx co-working facilities, networking events, mentorship, and access to capital channels.
• Betting Big on Small Black Businesses A 12-week full-service incubator and accelerator program for startups and BIPOC entrepreneurs providing access to mentors, advisors, community leaders, business strategy curriculum, individualized business support, and connections with investors and partners. Founded through the Fresno DRIVE initiative with $750,000 funding from JP Morgan Chase and the James Irvine Foundation.
• FRIENDS (Fresno Recently Incarcerated Entrepreneurs Network & Discovery Strategies) A trauma-informed, evidence-based 12-week entrepreneur development program for formerly incarcerated individuals covering ideation, business planning, marketing, financial management, and leadership skills to explore entrepreneurship as a pathway to self-sufficiency and financial sustainability.
• Evolv3 A healing arts program targeting systems-impacted youth ages 18–26. Engages young adults through professional development, substance abuse education, mentorship, and healing arts (drumming, painting, poetry/storytelling, dance) to promote self-efficacy, structured around nine weekly sessions with curriculum, advocacy work, community building, and resource access.
• BTAC (Bonding, Technical Assistance, and Contracting) An ecosystem of comprehensive contractor-related services for small and emerging contractors (veteran, women, Black, and minority-owned). Includes Pathway to Contractor's License and Contractor's Academy, bonding support, access to capital, and business development. Operated in partnership with Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services and Access Plus Capital.
• Money $enter (Money Center) A comprehensive financial services center providing business assessment, coaching, technical assistance, business planning using LivePlan software, access to capital including Kiva zero-interest loans ($1,000–$15,000, 12–36 month terms), grant writing assistance, and financial coaching for entrepreneurs.
• Technical Assistance Services Comprehensive technical assistance including business planning and development, financial management training, marketing and branding support, technology and innovation guidance, legal and regulatory compliance, workshops and training programs, one-on-one business consultations, mentorship program, digital literacy initiative, and grant writing assistance. Strategic Business Advising is a paid service.
• BizWerx & Mobility Innovation's Lab Professional co-working spaces and conference room facilities at 1600 Fulton Street available to chamber members. Includes Biz Werx conference room booking for business meetings and events, and Mobility Innovation's Lab co-working space, serving as the chamber's primary physical program delivery hub.
• Clean Shared Mobility Network A transformative climate communities initiative operating 40 electric vehicles and 200 e-bicycles for carsharing, vanpooling, and bike-sharing in Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods. Includes electric vehicle charging infrastructure and a Mobility Hub Customer Service Center.
• ProspHER Women's Economic Impact Center Women's economic empowerment initiative that has engaged over 375 women, graduated nine women from cohorts, facilitated over $84,000 in contracts for women-owned businesses, and provided $9,750 in seed funding. Includes annual Women of Color Business Symposium, Circle of Excellence cohort, pitch contests, financial literacy, and business growth mentorship.
• Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Service Ceremony service for chamber members celebrating new business openings, anniversaries, relocations, or milestones. Includes community engagement and media visibility for the member business.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% increase in membership over the last several years
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• B AWESUM Art Groove GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2022Partner for the Arts in Reentry and Jump Starts Youth Art programs, supporting participants in writing and owning their own stories through artistic expression, including drumming, painting, poetry/storytelling, and dance.
• Merriwether & Williams Insurance ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in the BTAC (Bonding, Technical Assistance, and Contracting) program, providing ecosystem of contractor-related services including bonding support, access to capital, and business development for small contractors.
• Tree FresnominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2021Collaboration with Tree Fresno on the Green Team Youth Ambassadors program, offering part-time positions at $20/hour for young people to address environmental racism and learn about trees in urban communities.
• Fresno Career Development InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2021Partner in marketing and outreach efforts for the EV and e-bike ride-share program in Southwest Fresno, educating the community on electric vehicle benefits and shared mobility options.
• Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021State government partner that supports CalOSBA and chamber programs; the chamber's former CEO Tara Lynn Gray was appointed to the California Office of the Small Business Advocate by Governor Newsom.
• California Department of General ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021State agency partner; Tonia Burgess from the department serves as small business and disabled veteran business enterprise advocate, participating in chamber events and panels.
• BizFed Central ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Regional business federation that cites the chamber as an invaluable resource for business advocacy strategy and planning.
• California High-Speed Rail AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2019Hosted the first Small Business Supportive Services Symposium at Bitwise South Stadium to help small businesses take advantage of opportunities connected to the high-speed rail project and other government contracting avenues.
• Fresno Area Hispanic FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012A partnership developed in 2012 when the chamber moved into the Downtown Business Hub, contributing to the launch of the Central Valley Business Diversity Expo.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Black Economic Institute: Research and advocacy organization focused on closing the racial wealth gap. Partially comparable to FMBCC's policy and advocacy function but more research-oriented and not a direct service provider.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Community Development Financial Institution providing small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs. Overlaps with FMBCC's Money $enter and Kiva facilitation activities, with deeper direct-lending capabilities.
• Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC): Initiative of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) connecting underrepresented entrepreneurs with capital and corporate partners. Comparable capital-access and capacity-building mission with national scope.

Broad incumbents

• California Black Chamber of Commerce: Statewide umbrella Black chamber that has recognized FMBCC with Chamber of the Year (2012). Operates at broader California scale with overlapping mission of supporting Black-owned businesses and advocacy.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) - SBDC Program: Federally funded network providing free business advising and training to entrepreneurs. Directly competes with FMBCC for TAP-style technical assistance dollars and serves overlapping SMB segments.
• National Black Chamber of Commerce: National federation of Black chambers with similar advocacy, capital access, and small business support mission. Provides federal-level policy access and brand legitimacy that FMBCC leverages at state level.
• National Urban League: National civil rights and urban-advocacy organization operating entrepreneurship, workforce, and small business programs. Broader portfolio but overlapping mission around economic empowerment for Black communities.
• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentorship, workshops, and business advising to SMBs. Competes for similar small business technical assistance funding streams and overlaps with FMBCC's one-on-one consulting and educational programming.

Direct peers

• Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation: Partner organization co-located with FMBCC at the Downtown Business Hub. Runs parallel small business development, financial literacy, and workforce programs serving Hispanic entrepreneurs in Fresno — directly comparable ethnic-community business support model.
• Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce: Mainline regional chamber operating in the same Fresno geography with general business membership, advocacy, and networking model. Directly comparable operating model and target SMB base, though broader demographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fresnometrobcc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBvMzlZTkhJh-BtG7Tc71pA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FresnoMetroBlackChamber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fresno-metro-black-chamber-of-commerce
• Instagraminstagram.com/fresnometrobcc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce