for the people,

by the people.

Our BGC Marketplace

Welcome to BGC Marketplace, a values based shopping experience for the outdoor lover! Whether you’re a weekend climber, a professional athlete, or completely new to outdoor recreation, we welcome you to shop brands we love. Our marketplace features brands we care about and that care about us and our community.

We strive to create a shopping alternative that challenges the way outdoor businesses typically run with the goal of creating a resource for the people and by the people. The outdoors is changing and so should our options.

How does the BGC Marketplace Work?

BGC Marketplace is an online platform to find the best brands to support in the outdoor industry.

As a customer and supporter of the BGC Marketplace your activity on the site provides the most values to us as a business. We have affiliate links to many of our corporate partners and also track the traffic directed from the BGC Marketplace website to each of our corporate partners.

By using www.thebgcmarketplace.com to navigate to our various partner sites, you help us accomplish a few primary goals:

Brown Girls Climb, LLC and associated community partners receive a portion of the profit generated from purchases you made using the affiliate links you click on (the “Shop Now” button on each brand profile).
Your traffic (clicks, reviews, etc.) on each brands/business’ profile provides a valuable resource for continuing to recruit great companies to support us through an annual rate which provides long term support for Brown Girls Climb. This activity also provides valuable data to leverage the outdoor industry 1) to support small businesses and entrepreneurs 2) to invest in actionable environmental and social initiatives and 3) to create inclusive products for everyone in the outdoors.

Make www.thebgcmarketplace.com the place to find great brands and make your next purchases!

How does the BGC Marketplace Make Revenue & Where Does the Revenue Go?

BGC Marketplace makes revenue through three primary methods:

Corporate partners pay an annual rate to Brown Girls Climb, LLC to be featured on the site. Free to scaled rates are available for People of the Global Majority (aka Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQ2IA+, Trans, Non-Binary, Women, Disabled, and Plus Size, Immigrant, and Veteran owned businesses.
Corporate partners include an affiliate link to Brown Girls Climb. Brown Girls Climb, LLC receives a portion of the profit from purchases you make using the links on our website.
Black, Indigenous, Women and Non-Binary People of Color (BIPOC) and allies can also support us through our memberships. You can find more information on our Ally memberships and Free, Monthly and Annual Premium memberships (BIPOC women and non-binary) on our website. Members are also eligible for discount with our partners (varies per membership)!

what happens to the revenue from BGC Marketplace.jpeg

Revenue generated from www.browngirlsclimb.com is directed to the following areas:

The primary revenue and profit generated from the site is reinvested into Brown Girls Climb, LLC to support operations and staff to manage the business. We also use these funds to support our outreach efforts including meet-ups and leaders across the United States. Sustainable revenue is critical for Brown Girls Climb and our services to continue.
Revenue generated from brand affiliate links that have been suggested or introduced by community members (Plus Size, Gender Inclusive, and Disabled communities) will be directed to those communities. (This aspect is still in development). We know a lot of folks have advocated for inclusive products before us and it’s important that we give back to these communities who have put in a lot of labor and energy to convince companies to I corporate these products into their existing lines.

Once www.browngirlsclimb.com generates a profit (after covering basic operations and staff costs), a portion of these profits will be given to Land Back Initiatives to support land purchases for Indigenous people within Turtle Island (aka United States). This aspect is in development. We are still seeking consultants for this initiative. Please email bgcmarketplace@browngirlsclimb.com if you or someone you know are interested in consulting on this topic.

Why did we create the BGC Marketplace?

The Problems:

Limited BIPOC, Women, Non-Binary, and Queer owned companies are carried at outdoor retailers and finding outdoor industry and sports related products are difficult to find in existing affinity based directory platforms, particularly from an intersectional lens.

Identifying companies that are investing in social and environmental good is a challenge which has historically been done through word of mouth recommendations.
Specialized gear and apparel, particularly for Disabled, Plus Size/Fat/Curvy, and Non-Binary communities, are notoriously difficult to find and limited brands may carry them.

The SOLUTION:

As a social enterprise, we navigate the capitalistic society we live in the best we can with the goal of redistributing funds and reducing harm where possible. We believe that everyone’s dollar can be a powerful tool for transformative investment and change and that’s why we created the BGC Marketplace.

The BGC Marketplace incorporates search filters beyond what you find in a typical retailer. We offer an option for you to filter brands by your values because let’s face it - the details matter. Search options include:

Ownership (BIPOC, Women, Non-Binary, LGBTQIA2+, Plus Size, Disabled,Veteran, and Immigrant)
Fit & Style (Adaptive, Gender Inclusive, Plus Size)
Corporate Responsibility (Environmental & Social Initiatives)

Brown Girls Climb, LLC is a social enterprise which strives to facilitate mentorship, provide access, uplift leadership, and celebrate representation in the outdoors and climbing for People of the Global Majority*. To learn more about us, visit our website: www.browngirlsclimb.com.

Visit our FAQ page for more information! If you have any questions or comments, please email bgcmarketplace@browngirlsclimb.com