About Us


Our Mission

The Rainbow Business & Professional Association (RBPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the vitality, productivity and growth of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender business and professional community throughout the State of Maine.

Since 1992, our aim has been to promote and support the LGBT business and professional community in Maine.  RBPA is a rapidly growing organization with a membership that boasts business leaders, entrepreneurs, the self-employed, individuals from the corporate community and non-profit organizations.

RBPA is dedicated to promoting the strength and prosperity of Maine’s LGBT community by working toward the following objectives:

  • Provide a forum for members to promote and enhance their business organizations.
  • Provide a support system for all members to meet professionally and socially.
  • Support current or future community issues and events through speakers, education and awareness.
  • Enable members of the community to seek out and to support one another by utilizing Member and Sponsor businesses and services as found in our Directory or advertised on our web site.
  • Ensure the future strength and growth of our community by awarding Scholarships through the RBPA Scholarship Fund.

Our History

RBPA was established in 1992 to promote networking within the LGBT business community. It was initially conceived to support the coming out process of LGBT professionals and business people throughout the State of Maine and to encourage us to spend our gay dollars within the gay community.

By 2001 membership in RBPA had increased to 160, listings in our advertising directory had doubled, and our mailing list was more than 500.  Monthly meetings are held from September through May at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.  Members meet for networking and community announcements, and we feature a guest speaker who addresses topics of interest to the community, featuring a new business, non-profit groups or addressing best practices for the business community. 
A donation of $1,000 in memory of Donna Tennant launched the RBPA Scholarship Fund in1997. From that initial gift, annual fundraising events such as the Holiday Auction and individual and group donations have enabled us to award scholarships each May.  The grants are awarded based on the Scholarship Committee’s selections from essay applications.
 
1998: RBPA was awarded the Southern Maine Pride "Pride in the Community Award.”  The award honors the courage to be ourselves.

2005: RBPA established the RBPA Scholarship Endowment, with an initial gift of $10,000.00, to allow Scholarships to be awarded in perpetuity.

2006: RBPA joins the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, with over 45 national and international affiliate chambers.