Black Planners and Urbanists Association

What Black Planners and Urbanists Association does

The Black Planners and Urbanists Association (BPUA) is a Toronto-based not-for-profit professional network organization founded informally in Fall 2018 and formally structured in April-May 2019. It supports Black professionals working in planning, design, and real estate development through membership-based services, including networking, mentorship, employment leads, events, advocacy, and publications such as blog posts and resource guides (e.g., the Planner's Beginner Guide to the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, Urban Planners as Organizers Towards Liberation, and Black Voices In the City). BPUA also engages in advocacy, including submissions to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force and an ongoing dialogue with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) on anti-Black racism in the profession.

BPUA operates on a community-led go-to-market model with a stated coast-to-coast-to-coast Canadian mandate, though operational evidence is concentrated in Ontario and Toronto. Revenue is generated through annual membership fees (pricing tiers not publicly disclosed; sign-up requires a downloadable PDF form submitted via email) supplemented by voluntary donations via PayPal. The organization does not offer commercial software products and has no disclosed API, proprietary technology, or AI/ML capabilities; its 'product surface' is content and community programming delivered by a small team of 1-10 staff and ~11 named volunteer contributors with planning credentials (MScPl, RPP, MCIP, PhD, J.D., MPl, MEd).

Key institutional relationships include a strategic dialogue with OPPI (founded on the 2020 Open Letter on Systemic Anti-Black Racism and the 14-recommendation Anti-Black Racism Task Force), a foundational collaboration with A Different Booklist, a submissions partnership with the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force, and organizational origins in the Black Planning Project. There are no funding rounds, acquisitions, or external investors disclosed.

Name

Black Planners and Urbanists Association

Legal name

Black Planners and Urbanists Association

Website

https://blackplanners.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Planners and Urbanists Association is a Toronto-based not-for-profit network supporting Black professionals in planning, design, and real estate development through membership services, advocacy, publications, and workshops across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAKAO

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAE

Regional & Land Use Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAD

Urban Planning & Master Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Urban planning advocacy
• Community development
• Membership organization
• Professional networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: BPUA operates as a not-for-profit organization that generates revenue through membership fees. Members pay to join and receive access to employment and volunteer opportunities, professional events, and networking with diverse practitioners in the planning field.
2. Donations and Support: The organization accepts donations through PayPal as a support mechanism for their operations and mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Planners and Urbanists Association (BPUA) is a not-for-profit professional membership network that supports Black professionals working in planning, design, and real estate development. It facilitates engagement through membership access, advocacy initiatives, publications including blog content and resource guides, events and conferences, and collaboration with planning bodies to address anti-Black racism in urban planning.

Product overview

Black Planners and Urbanists Association (BPUA) is a not-for-profit professional network organization, not a commercial product company. BPUA provides membership-based services including networking opportunities, mentorship programs, advocacy initiatives, blog content, and resource guides for Black professionals in planning, design, and real estate development fields. The organization does not offer commercial software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BPUA Membership Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational and major.

• Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2020BPUA participated in an ongoing dialogue with OPPI following their Open Letter on Systemic Anti-Black Racism. On July 30th, 2020, members of BPUA joined members of OPPI staff and Council for a facilitated session on addressing anti-Black racism in the planning profession. This partnership involves collaborative efforts to implement OPPI's Anti-Black Racism Task Force recommendations, with BPUA commending OPPI Council for approving the 14 recommendations and action plan.
• A Different BooklistfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In January 2019, BPUA collaborated with A Different Booklist for an event called 'Dinner with a Black Real Estate Developer' to learn about the experiences of Black professionals working in real estate development and explore how they could support those entering the field.
• Ontario Housing Affordability Task ForcemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBPUA was one of the groups invited to submit recommendations to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force on December 20, 2021. They submitted recommendations to help increase housing affordability in Ontario and subsequently responded to the February 2022 Task Force Report.
• Black Planning ProjectfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe founding members of BPUA connected through involvement in the Black Planning Project, which served as the precursor to the organization. This initial network led to periodic professional discussions and eventual formal organization.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Blacks in Property (UK): Blacks in Property is a UK-based network supporting Black professionals in real estate and the built environment. Directly analogous to BPUA in mission and structure, but operating in a different geography (UK).

Direct peers

• National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA): NOMA is a US-based professional network advancing minorities in architecture and design. It is directly comparable to BPUA in mission: building a community of Black/diverse professionals in a built-environment discipline, advocacy, mentorship, and policy engagement.
• African Planning Association (APA): APA advances planning practice across Africa with a focus on equity, inclusion, and capacity building. Comparable to BPUA as a regionally focused professional association advancing underrepresented planners and inclusive urban development.
• Planners Network: Planners Network is a US-based association of urban planners, activists, and scholars committed to social justice in planning. Directly comparable to BPUA as a values-aligned professional community in planning that combines advocacy, education, and member networking.

Broad incumbents

• Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU): CNU is a broader urbanism movement organization promoting equitable, walkable cities. Comparable as a professional community addressing equity in urbanism, though with a wider mandate and larger footprint than BPUA.
• Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP): CIP is the national professional body for planners in Canada. It is the broader incumbent peer: a wider-portfolio planning institution with overlapping members and parallel equity initiatives that contextualize BPUA's niche role.
• Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI): OPPI is Ontario's professional planning body and a BPUA partner. Comparable as the broader incumbent institution whose Anti-Black Racism Task Force BPUA helps shape; represents the establishment planning ecosystem BPUA engages with.

Emerging players

• National Urban Fellows: National Urban Fellows is a US non-profit that trains leaders of color for careers in urban governance and planning. Comparable to BPUA in its focus on building a pipeline of diverse talent in urban planning, though operating in the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-planners-and-urbanists-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Black Planners and Urbanists Association