ICMA
ICMA is a 100+ year-old U.S. nonprofit professional association serving 12,000-13,000+ local government managers through credentialing, a Code of Ethics, publications, conferences, learning products, and a tiered corporate partnership program targeting city and county administrators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ICMA does
ICMA (International City/County Management Association) is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit professional association founded in 1914 (operating under its Code of Ethics since 1924) that serves more than 12,000-13,000 local government management professionals across thousands of communities whose decisions affect nearly 185 million individuals. Its core deliverables include the ICMA Credentialed Manager voluntary credential, the ICMA Code of Ethics with peer-review enforcement, the PM Magazine publication portfolio, the Job Center recruitment marketplace, and a learning and coaching stack anchored by the ICMA Learning Lab e-commerce platform, ICMA CoachConnect, Career Compass, and the ICMA Connect member community. The association also convenes the 112th Annual Conference in 2026 (Long Beach), the Global Exchange international program, Credentialed Managers Summits, and Leadership Development Programs.
ICMA generates revenue across six streams: tiered annual membership dues (CAOs, ACAOs, Department Heads, Students/Interns, Professors/Private Sector, International, Retired), the tiered Annual Partner Program for corporate sponsors (Strategic, Corporate, Annual Sponsors starting at $35,000), registration and sponsorship from conferences and Global Exchanges, publications and Learning Lab course sales, advertising across PM Magazine, the SmartBrief e-newsletters (29,000+ subscribers), the icma.org site, and the Job Center, and grant-funded technical assistance via the Global Technical Assistance program. Distribution runs through owned digital channels (icma.org with 105,000+ monthly visitors, Learning Lab, bookstore, Job Center), affiliate networks across state-based associations of local government professionals, and international offices including ICMA China Center and ICMA México-Latinoamérica. Partner organizations span Strategic Partners (Cigna, HomeServe, MissionSquare, NASPO, OpenGov), Corporate Partners (Tyler Technologies, Granicus, CPSM, IBTS, Republic Services), and Annual Sponsors (FirstNet/AT&T, Citibot, CivicPlus, eScribe, GovAI, Harvard Kennedy School, Skydio, Unite Us), driving $3.1 million in member product purchases per year through the partner program.
ICMA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ICMA
- Legal name
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
- Website
- https://icma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ICMA is a 100+ year-old U.S. nonprofit professional association serving 12,000-13,000+ local government managers through credentialing, a Code of Ethics, publications, conferences, learning products, and a tiered corporate partnership program targeting city and county administrators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ICMA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), International Affairs (92812)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB), Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program Management (BPADAOAC)
Keywords
Where ICMA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
ICMA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from local government professionals including CAOs, ACAOs, department heads, students, interns, professors, private sector, international, retired, and life members. Tiered pricing based on role and community size.
- Annual Partner Program: Corporate partnership tiers (Strategic, Corporate, Annual Sponsors) starting at $35,000 providing brand visibility, business generation, client retention, and community responsibility opportunities.
- Conference and Events: Annual conferences (112th in Long Beach 2026), Global Exchanges, Credentialed Managers Summits, Leadership Development Programs generating registration and sponsorship revenue.
- Publications and Learning Products: Sale of books, eNewsletters, PM Magazine subscriptions, online courses through Learning Lab, and research reports.
- Advertising: Advertising opportunities in PM Magazine, Leadership Matters e-newsletter, icma.org website, ICMA SmartBrief (29,000+ subscribers), and Job Center listings reaching local government professionals.
- Job Center: Featured job postings and employer recruitment services for local government positions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Membership tiers by role category |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Partner Program - customized partnership packages |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels12 records
ICMA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICMA operates as a nonprofit professional membership association delivering career-long support to local government managers through tiered individual memberships, the ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) voluntary credentialing program, the PM Magazine publication, ICMA Learning Lab online courses, the Job Center, and an enforced Code of Ethics dating to 1924. The organization supplements member services with the Annual Partner Program for corporate sponsors and revenue-generating annual conferences and global exchanges, distributing content through icma.org, the Learning Lab storefront, and member-only platforms.
Product overview
ICMA (International City/County Management Association) offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional development and support services for local government managers. The core offerings include PM Magazine (the award-winning official publication), the Job Center (career placement service), the ICMA Credentialed Manager Program (voluntary professional credential), and ICMA Learning Lab (online learning platform). Additional services encompass coaching programs, career resources (Career Compass), publications and bookstore, annual conferences, the ICMA Global Exchange (international program), and ethics resources including the Code of Ethics. The organization also offers the Tranter-Leong Fellowship for international professional development. The Annual Partner Program provides corporate partnership tiers for organizations seeking to connect with local government professionals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PM Magazine: Award-winning magazine for ICMA members and local governments worldwide, inspiring innovation and fostering excellence in local governance.
- ICMA Learning Lab
- ICMA Connect
- Tranter-Leong Fellowship
- ICMA CoachConnect
- Bob Turner Scholars Internship Program
- Local Government Management Fellowship
Products and services
- ICMA Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 185 million individuals in thousands of communities affected by ICMA member decisions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ICMA
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ICMA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ICMA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
33 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic partner, corporate partner, annual sponsor, affiliate, core and strategic ally.
- Cignastrategic partnerStrategic Partner in ICMA's Annual Partner Program. Cigna provides health and wellness solutions for public sector employers including state and local governments.
- HomeServestrategic partnerStrategic Partner providing home repair and utility service solutions through partnership programs.
- MissionSquare (formerly ICMA-RC)strategic partnerStrategic Partner providing retirement savings and financial wellness solutions for public sector employees. Formerly ICMA Retirement Corporation.
- NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials)strategic partnerStrategic Partner supporting procurement excellence and shared services for state and local governments.
- OpenGovstrategic partnerStrategic Partner providing cloud-based budgeting, permitting, licensing, procurement, and asset management software for 1,600+ governments.
- CPSM (Certified Public Supply Manager)corporate partnerCorporate Partner offering supply management certification and professional development for public procurement.
- Granicuscorporate partnerCorporate Partner providing government technology solutions for digital engagement, transparency, and compliance.
- IBTS (Institute for Building Technology and Safety)corporate partnerCorporate Partner providing building safety, energy, and sustainability consulting services.
- onCoursecorporate partnerCorporate Partner offering course and event management solutions for associations.
- Republic Servicescorporate partnerCorporate Partner providing environmental services and waste management solutions.
- The Ferguson Group (tfg)corporate partnerCorporate Partner providing government affairs and consulting services.
- Tyler Technologiescorporate partnerCorporate Partner providing integrated software solutions for local government management, courts, financial services, and data services.
- Zencitycorporate partnerCorporate Partner providing community insights and resident engagement platform for local governments.
- FirstNet (AT&T)annual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing public safety broadband network solutions for first responders.
- Citibotannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing AI-powered civic engagement and constituent communication platform.
- CivicPlusannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing government website and digital services platform.
- eScribeannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing meeting management and agenda solutions.
- GovAIannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing AI solutions for government operations.
- Harvard Kennedy Schoolannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing executive education and research collaboration.
- Skydioannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing autonomous drone solutions for public safety and infrastructure inspection.
- Unite Usannual sponsorAnnual Sponsor providing care coordination and referral network platform for government health and human services.
- American Public Works Association (APWA)affiliateAffiliate organization relationship for collaboration on public works professional standards and practices.
- Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)affiliateAffiliate organization for government finance professionals, joint professional development activities.
- International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC)affiliateAffiliate organization for municipal clerks, collaboration on professional standards.
- International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators (I-NAPA)affiliateAffiliate organization supporting Asian Pacific Islander public administration professionals.
- National Association of County Administrators (NACA)affiliateAffiliate organization for county administrators, collaboration on professional development.
- National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)affiliateAffiliate organization supporting Black public administrators, joint diversity initiatives.
- State-Based Associations of Local Government ProfessionalscoreNetwork of state associations with formal affiliation agreements, regional relationship management through regional vice presidents and directors.
- Federation of Sri Lankan Government Authorities (FSLGA)strategic allyICMA strategic ally coordinating Tranter-Leong Fellowship projects in Sri Lanka including planning assessments and revenue generation initiatives.
- Urban Management Center (India)strategic allyIndia-based organization undertaking research study on rural-to-urban local body transition SOPs with ICMA member input on professionalized municipal administration.
- Gujarat High Level Committee on Urban Planningstrategic allyOfficial advisory body of Gujarat state government seeking ICMA member expertise on technology and AI solutions for city transformation.
- Municipal Council of Manzini (Eswatini)strategic allyHost organization for 2025 Global Exchange program, working on sustainable urban development initiatives.
- South African Local Government Association (SALGA)strategic allyHost organization for 2025 Global Exchange, collaborating on local government professionalization and talent management.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ICMA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA): Professional membership association for state and local government finance officers, with very similar revenue model (dues, conferences, publications, training, credentialing). ICMA's own data lists GFOA as an affiliate partner and they jointly coordinate professional development for CAOs and CFOs, making them the most directly comparable peer.
- American Public Works Association (APWA): National professional association for public works professionals serving cities and counties. ICMA lists APWA as an explicit affiliate organization, and they operate on the same dues/conference/credentialing model serving complementary local government functions.
- International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC): Professional association for municipal clerks worldwide with credentialing and ethics programs. ICMA lists IIMC as an affiliate and they share the council-manager governance focus and similar professional standards infrastructure.
- National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA): ICMA-listed affiliate organization for Black public administrators, with similar professional development, scholarship, and conference operations serving a focused subset of the same local government manager audience.
Broad incumbents
- National Association of Counties (NACo): Major broader-based membership organization for county governments and elected county officials, with much larger scale and policy advocacy focus. Overlaps with ICMA on county administrator audiences and shares conference/partnership models.
- National League of Cities (NLC): Broader association representing municipal governments and elected city officials through advocacy. While ICMA focuses on appointed professional managers, NLC's audience (mayors, council members) overlaps significantly and they run similar conference/learning/research programs.
- U.S. Conference of Mayors: Nonpartisan association for mayors of US cities with over 30,000 population. Comparable dues/conference/advocacy model, but serves elected officials rather than appointed managers, so audience and policy goals differ from ICMA's CAO focus.
Emerging players
- Alliance for Innovation: Smaller professional network focused on local government innovation and transformation. While narrower in scope than ICMA, it competes for the same thought-leadership audience on emerging technology and management practices.
- National Civic League: Nonpartisan nonprofit advancing civic engagement and governance reform. Overlaps with ICMA on democratic governance and council-manager form topics, though more advocacy/grant-funded and less membership-dues dependent.
Regional players
- Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) UK: UK-based association for senior local government leaders with analogous credentialing, conferences, and policy work. ICMA maintains affiliate relationships with similar bodies globally including Global Exchange Ireland programming, making SOLACE the closest direct international functional twin.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ICMA social profiles
Digital presenceICMA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ICMA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ICMA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
ICMA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ICMA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ICMA
What does ICMA do?
ICMA operates as a nonprofit professional membership association delivering career-long support to local government managers through tiered individual memberships, the ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) voluntary credentialing program, the PM Magazine publication, ICMA Learning Lab online courses, the Job Center, and an enforced Code of Ethics dating to 1924. The organization supplements member services with the Annual Partner Program for corporate sponsors and revenue-generating annual conferences and global exchanges, distributing content through icma.org, the Learning Lab storefront, and member-only platforms.
Is ICMA a public or private company?
ICMA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ICMA founded?
ICMA was founded in 1924. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ICMA based?
ICMA is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does ICMA make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are annual Partner Program, conference and Events, publications and Learning Products, advertising and job Center.
Who are ICMA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), American Public Works Association (APWA), International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) and National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). Broad incumbents are National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC) and U.S. Conference of Mayors. Emerging players are Alliance for Innovation and National Civic League. Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) UK is listed as a regional player.
Does ICMA have an API?
No public API is recorded for ICMA.
What industry is ICMA in?
ICMA's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAA, Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies), with a secondary code of BPADANAB, Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.