ICMA

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.

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

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

• Professional association services
• Local government management
• Professional credentialing programs
• Leadership development training
• Membership association programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Conference and Events: Annual conferences (112th in Long Beach 2026), Global Exchanges, Credentialed Managers Summits, Leadership Development Programs generating registration and sponsorship revenue.
4. Publications and Learning Products: Sale of books, eNewsletters, PM Magazine subscriptions, online courses through Learning Lab, and research reports.
5. 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.
6. Job Center: Featured job postings and employer recruitment services for local government positions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic partner, corporate partner, annual sponsor, affiliate, core and strategic ally.

• Cignastrategic partnerStrategic or Co-development 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 or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner providing home repair and utility service solutions through partnership programs.
• MissionSquare (formerly ICMA-RC)strategic partnerStrategic or Co-development 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 or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner supporting procurement excellence and shared services for state and local governments.
• OpenGovstrategic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner providing cloud-based budgeting, permitting, licensing, procurement, and asset management software for 1,600+ governments.
• CPSM (Certified Public Supply Manager)corporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner offering supply management certification and professional development for public procurement.
• Granicuscorporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing government technology solutions for digital engagement, transparency, and compliance.
• IBTS (Institute for Building Technology and Safety)corporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing building safety, energy, and sustainability consulting services.
• onCoursecorporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner offering course and event management solutions for associations.
• Republic Servicescorporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing environmental services and waste management solutions.
• The Ferguson Group (tfg)corporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing government affairs and consulting services.
• Tyler Technologiescorporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing integrated software solutions for local government management, courts, financial services, and data services.
• Zencitycorporate partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing community insights and resident engagement platform for local governments.
• FirstNet (AT&T)annual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing public safety broadband network solutions for first responders.
• Citibotannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing AI-powered civic engagement and constituent communication platform.
• CivicPlusannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing government website and digital services platform.
• eScribeannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing meeting management and agenda solutions.
• GovAIannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing AI solutions for government operations.
• Harvard Kennedy Schoolannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing executive education and research collaboration.
• Skydioannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing autonomous drone solutions for public safety and infrastructure inspection.
• Unite Usannual sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sponsor providing care coordination and referral network platform for government health and human services.
• American Public Works Association (APWA)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization relationship for collaboration on public works professional standards and practices.
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization for government finance professionals, joint professional development activities.
• International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization for municipal clerks, collaboration on professional standards.
• International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators (I-NAPA)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting Asian Pacific Islander public administration professionals.
• National Association of County Administrators (NACA)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization for county administrators, collaboration on professional development.
• National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting Black public administrators, joint diversity initiatives.
• State-Based Associations of Local Government ProfessionalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of state associations with formal affiliation agreements, regional relationship management through regional vice presidents and directors.
• Federation of Sri Lankan Government Authorities (FSLGA)strategic allyStrategic or Co-development PartnerICMA strategic ally coordinating Tranter-Leong Fellowship projects in Sri Lanka including planning assessments and revenue generation initiatives.
• Urban Management Center (India)strategic allyStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia-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 allyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial advisory body of Gujarat state government seeking ICMA member expertise on technology and AI solutions for city transformation.
• Municipal Council of Manzini (Eswatini)strategic allyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for 2025 Global Exchange program, working on sustainable urban development initiatives.
• South African Local Government Association (SALGA)strategic allyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for 2025 Global Exchange, collaborating on local government professionalization and talent management.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/icma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ICMAvideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICMAORG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icma
• Instagraminstagram.com/icmaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 ICMA