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 businesses and services found in our Directory.
* Ensure the future strength and growth of our community by awarding Scholarships

* through the RBPA Scholarship Fund.

History

rbpa was established in 1992 to promote networking within the glbt business community. One of the original goals was to support the coming out process of glbt professionals and business people throughout the State of Maine. Another purpose was 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 1,000. Ten monthly dinner meetings each year included a variety of speakers and networking opportunities. Networking meetings were held in Augusta, Bar Harbor, Hallowell, Ogunquit and Presque Isle.

A donation of $1,000 in memory of Donna Tennant began the rbpa Scholarship Fund. Annual fundraising events such as the Holiday Auction, and individual and group donations have enabled us to award eight scholarships since 1997.

rbpa was awarded the Southern Maine Pride "Pride in the Community Award" in 1998. This award honors the courage to be ourselves.

rbpa gladly welcomes new members.