Hey Black Girl!

What Hey Black Girl! does

Hey Black Girl! is a Canadian Black-led nonprofit founded in 2018 by three Black immigrant women, headquartered virtually in Toronto. The organization delivers leadership development, career-readiness, menstrual equity, and microgrant programming for Black women and gender-diverse individuals, primarily in Canada. Its core product portfolio includes The Fellowship (a 10-session professional development workshop series), Project Up (career-readiness workshops for youth aged 18-25), the Menstrual Equity Initiative (distribution of sustainable menstrual products), Community Outreach (the Black LGBTQ+ Annual Microgrant Fund and Black Women in Leadership Award), and the Black Business Directory. Programs are delivered by 40 Black educators and supported by a 12,000+ online community.

The organization's technology footprint is minimal: a WordPress CMS-hosted website with no proprietary software, no mobile app, and no API integrations. Distribution is community-led and event-driven, relying on Instagram (@heyblackgirlca), email newsletters, RoundTable Discussions, and the HBG Fest event for community acquisition, with workshop recruitment via website contact forms.

Hey Black Girl! operates as a nonprofit under fiscal sponsorship through the Women's Multicultural Resource Centre (WMRCC) while pursuing independent charitable status via the Pass the Mic campaign. Revenue is generated through individual donations ($25-$1,000 tiers) processed via Zeffy, recurring monthly giving, corporate sponsorships (DEI/ESG-aligned), and a $2.50/week Black Business Directory subscription. The organization is currently pursuing charitable status to unlock sustainable grant funding.

Name

Hey Black Girl!

Legal name

Hey Black Girl!

Website

https://heyblackgirl.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hey Black Girl! is a Canadian Black-led nonprofit offering leadership development, career-readiness, menstrual equity initiatives, and microgrants for Black women and gender-diverse individuals. It funds operations via donations, corporate sponsorships, and a Black Business Directory subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Assistance (624), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Professional development training
• Menstrual equity advocacy
• Microgrant funding
• Leadership development programs

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, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations supporting programs including The Fellowship, Project Up, Menstrual Equity initiatives, and microgrants. Donation tiers range from $25/month to $1,000 one-time. Tax receipts available through fiscal sponsor WMRCC.
2. Black Business Directory Membership: Paid membership access to Black Business Directory offering 20-30% discounts at listed businesses. Priced at $2.50/week for directory access and member benefits.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Program sponsorships from corporate funders, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Sponsors gain DEI/ESG alignment, visibility with engaged community, and contribute to SDG 4, 5, and 10.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hey Black Girl! is a Black-led nonprofit that delivers a portfolio of free empowerment programs for Black women and gender-diverse individuals in Canada. Its core offerings include The Fellowship (a 10-session professional development workshop program), Project Up (career-readiness training for youth aged 18-25), the Menstrual Equity Initiative (distribution of sustainable menstrual products), Community Outreach (microgrants and leadership recognition), and the Black Business Directory (a paid discount directory for Black-owned businesses).

Product overview

Hey Black Girl! is a Black-led community organization offering a portfolio of empowerment programs designed by and for Black women and gender-diverse individuals. The core offerings include: The Fellowship, a 10-session professional development program; Project Up, career-readiness workshops for youth; the Menstrual Equity Initiative distributing sustainable products; Pass the Mic for charitable status funding; Community Outreach comprising the Black LGBTQ+ Microgrant Fund and Black Women in Leadership Award; and the Black Business Directory providing member discounts. These programs collectively aim to close the systemic wage gap and advance economic parity for 5,000 Black gender-marginalized individuals globally by 2028.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Fellowship
• Project Up
• Menstrual Equity Initiative
• Black Business Directory
• Community Outreach
• Black LGBTQ+ Microgrant Fund
• Black Women in Leadership Award

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ sustainable menstrual products distributed to Black menstruators
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women's Multicultural Resource Centre (WMRCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToronto-based nonprofit providing fiscal hosting for emerging Black and racialized women-led initiatives. Enables tax-receipted donations, grant eligibility, and compliance support. Essential partner for Hey Black Girl's charitable status journey and operational sustainability.
• Youth Action NowminorOthersBilingual organization supporting youth initiatives. Appears in supporter logos section.
• Black Girl CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver-based registered nonprofit holding space and advocating for self-identifying Black women. 2024 recipient of Black LGBTQ+ Annual Microgrant. Works to build inclusive spaces through social events, local business support, and community education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Black Girls Code: US-based nonprofit providing technology education and career exposure for Black girls and girls of color. Comparable in mission to empower Black girls through education and professional development, though focused on tech rather than broad professional development.
• Black Youth Helpline: Canadian nonprofit providing mental health, education, and crisis support for Black youth and families. Comparable as a Black-led Canadian nonprofit serving community development and youth, with overlap on Project Up's 18-25 audience segment.

Direct peers

• Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA): Canadian nonprofit focused on supporting Black professionals and entrepreneurs through networking, awards, and programming. Directly comparable to Hey Black Girl! in mission, target audience (Black professionals in Canada), and community-led operating model.
• Black Women's Network (Toronto): Toronto-area professional network supporting Black women through mentorship, career advancement, and community events. Closely comparable to Hey Black Girl!'s Fellowship and career-readiness programming in audience and offerings.
• Women's Multicultural Resource Centre (WMRCC): Toronto-based nonprofit supporting racialized and immigrant women. WMRCC is Hey Black Girl!'s fiscal sponsor and a peer organization serving a similar multicultural women's empowerment mission through community programming and advocacy.

Others

• Nellie's (Women's Shelter): Toronto women's shelter and advocacy organization providing emergency support and community programming. Comparable as a Toronto-based women's social services nonprofit with community-driven programs, though focused on shelter rather than professional development.
• Laidlaw Foundation: Canadian private foundation funding programs in youth, arts, and community engagement for marginalized populations. Comparable as an ecosystem participant — Hey Black Girl! lists Laidlaw as a financial partner — but operates as a funder rather than a peer community organization.

Regional players

• Africa Centre (Toronto): Toronto-based community hub serving people of African descent through cultural programming, education, and integration support. Comparable in serving the Canadian Black diaspora with community-led programming, but with a broader pan-African rather than women-specific focus.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Canada: National women's empowerment organization delivering housing, employment, and leadership programs across Canada. Shares the women's empowerment mission but serves a broader demographic and operates at significantly larger scale than Hey Black Girl!.
• Canadian Women's Foundation: Canada's largest public foundation dedicated to gender equality, funding programs across violence prevention, economic empowerment, and inclusion. Comparable in gender-equity mission but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than Hey Black Girl!.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/heyblackgirlca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hey-black-girl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Hey Black Girl!