National Association of Corporate Directors

What National Association of Corporate Directors does

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), founded in 1976-1977 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional association serving corporate directors and board members. The organization functions as a membership-based knowledge and credentialing body rather than a technology product company, providing governance research, director education, certification, and peer community. It reports over 24,000 individual members and relationships with 1,750+ boards, with members representing 94% of Fortune 1000 companies. Its membership base skews toward public company directors (72% of full-board members), with private company (17%) and nonprofit (9%) directors comprising the balance.

NACD's core assets are intangible: governance research frameworks (Blue Ribbon Commission reports, Director's Handbooks), director education curricula, and credentialing programs. Its flagship offering is the NACD Directorship Certification, a U.S.-based director qualification program owned by an independent sister organization, the NACD Corporate Directors Institute. Supporting products include specialized certificates (CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight, Effective AI Oversight Certificate), the quarterly Directorship Magazine, the BoardVision podcast, NACD Board Advisory Services (custom governance reviews, assessments, and in-boardroom education), the annual NACD Directors Summit, and a Chapter Network spanning 20+ local chapters across 35 locations. The organization employs 100+ professionals.

Revenue is generated through a sales-led, membership-based model with recurring revenue mechanics: annual individual and corporate membership dues, certification and credentialing fees, event and education registration fees, and fee-based board advisory consulting engagements. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based with tiered individual and corporate plans. Go-to-market is direct (website enrollment, B2B corporate membership sales, national and chapter events) and supported by an extensive content marketing engine and a roster of strategic content partners and sponsors including the Big Four accounting firms, McKinsey, BCG, Russell Reynolds, Nasdaq, AWS, Google, and CrowdStrike.

Name

National Association of Corporate Directors

Legal name

National Association of Corporate Directors

Website

https://nacdonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NACD is a U.S. nonprofit professional association serving corporate directors and boards, providing governance research, director education, certification, and peer community to 24,000+ members representing 94% of Fortune 1000 companies through membership dues, credentialing, events, and advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Governance Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory (BPAHAFAC)

Keywords

• Corporate governance
• Director certification
• Board advisory
• Governance education
• Board leadership

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership: Annual membership dues for individual corporate directors providing access to governance resources, education, certification, chapter events, and peer community.
2. Corporate Membership: Annual membership dues for corporate boards and companies providing access for multiple directors with group resources and benefits.
3. Director Certification and Credentials: Fees associated with NACD Directorship Certification, Board Leadership Fellowship, CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight, and Effective AI Oversight Certificate programs.
4. Education Programs and Events: Registration fees for NACD Directors Summit, certificate programs, Board Leader Exchanges, industry roundtables, chapter events, and on-demand eLearning courses.
5. Board Advisory Services: Custom consulting and advisory services for boards including governance reviews, assessment services, ongoing advisement, and in-boardroom education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

NACD is a nonprofit professional association that delivers corporate governance products and services to corporate directors. Its core offerings include annual individual and corporate memberships, the NACD Directorship Certification program, specialized certificates (CERT in Cyber-Risk Oversight and Effective AI Oversight), a Board Leadership Fellowship, custom Board Advisory Services, the NACD Directors Summit flagship event, Blue Ribbon Commission research reports, Director's Handbooks, Directorship Magazine, the BoardVision Podcast, and a coast-to-coast chapter network.

Product overview

NACD is a membership-based professional association serving as the premier resource for corporate directors. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of governance products and services built around its core certification and education offerings. The flagship product is the NACD Directorship Certification, a premier U.S.-based director qualification program. Supporting this are two specialized certificate programs: the CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight and the Effective AI Oversight Certificate. NACD Board Advisory Services provides custom consulting including governance reviews, assessments, and boardroom education. The organization publishes Directorship Magazine (quarterly) and the BoardVision Podcast for ongoing thought leadership, alongside authoritative Blue Ribbon Commission Reports and Director's Handbooks on key governance topics. Education is delivered through flagship events (NACD Directors Summit), on-demand eLearning (Director Professionalism), certificate programs, Board Leader Exchanges, and a network of 20+ local chapters. The offerings form an integrated governance ecosystem supporting directors across their entire career lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NACD Directorship Certification: The premier US-based certification program designed to qualify corporate directors for effective boardroom performance.
• Directorship Magazine
• NACD Directors Summit
• NACD Board Advisory Services
• Blue Ribbon Commission
• BoardVision Podcast
• NACD Accelerate
• CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight
• Effective AI Oversight Certificate

Products and services

• NACD Directorship Certification The premier U.S.-based director certification program designed to qualify corporate directors for effective boardroom performance, including an examination and ongoing recertification requirements. Aimed at directors seeking the leading director credential in the United States.
• CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Specialized certificate program providing directors with the knowledge and tools to oversee cyber risk effectively at the board level, developed with the Internet Security Alliance.
• Effective AI Oversight Certificate Certificate program designed to help directors understand and oversee artificial intelligence in the boardroom context.
• NACD Board Leadership Fellowship Fellowship credential for experienced directors, advancing board leadership skills and peer engagement within NACD.
• NACD Board Advisory Services Custom consulting engagements for corporate boards including governance reviews, board and committee assessments, ongoing advisement, cyber risk reporting, AI strategy and governance support, and customized in-boardroom education.
• NACD Directors Summit Flagship annual national conference bringing together corporate directors for keynotes, panel discussions, education sessions, and networking on governance thought leadership.
• Director Professionalism On-demand eLearning course covering the definitive boardroom fundamentals and practices most in demand for today's governance.
• Blue Ribbon Commission Reports Authoritative research publications developed by Blue Ribbon Commissions of governance leaders and experts representing over 70 boards, providing recommendations on technology leadership, board-CEO relationships, and other governance topics.
• Director's Handbooks Comprehensive handbooks providing practical guidance on core board oversight topics, including the Director's Handbook on Cyber-Risk Oversight co-developed with the Internet Security Alliance.
• Directorship Magazine Quarterly digital magazine featuring original articles, news, and expert commentary on leadership, business governance, and technology, published for NACD members.
• BoardVision Podcast NACD's podcast covering governance issues, boardroom practices, and interviews with leading directors and governance experts.
• NACD Accelerate Board readiness program designed to prepare aspiring and emerging corporate directors for corporate board service, including curriculum and peer support.
• Change the Board Game Initiative Board readiness initiative in partnership with e.l.f. Beauty designed to double the rate at which women and people of color are added to U.S. public company boards by 2027, combining NACD's Accelerate program with e.l.f. Beauty's commitment to advancing diversity in corporate leadership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58% of Change the Board Game graduates from e.l.f. Beauty partnership are now serving on corporate boards.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, strategic content partner and partner.

• e.l.f. BeautyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD partners with e.l.f. Beauty on the Change the Board Game initiative, an accelerator program designed to double the rate at which women and people of color are added to U.S. public company boards by 2027. The third NACD cohort welcomed 22 executives in June 2026, the largest class since the program's 2024 inception, with 58% of graduates now serving on corporate boards. The partnership combines NACD's governance expertise and Accelerate board readiness program with e.l.f. Beauty's commitment to advancing diversity in corporate leadership.
• Internet Security AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and the Internet Security Alliance co-developed the Director's Handbook on Cyber-Risk Oversight, now in its fifth edition as of April 2026. The handbook provides corporate boards with six core principles for cyber-risk oversight and 15 practical toolkits covering ransomware preparedness, quantum computing, and third-party risk. The partnership produces authoritative, widely cited cybersecurity governance guidance for board directors.
• McKinsey & CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACD and McKinsey co-convened a panel of chief information security officers and board directors on AI oversight, identifying four board priorities: strengthening governance and accountability, balancing innovation with risk, building real-time risk-management capabilities, and improving AI fluency in the boardroom. The collaboration highlights the widening gap between organizations scaling generative AI rapidly and their risk governance models.
• KPMGstrategic content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG is listed as a Strategic Content Partner of NACD, collaborating on governance research and thought leadership content for corporate directors.
• Pearl Meyerstrategic content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPearl Meyer & Partners is listed as a Strategic Content Partner of NACD, contributing to director compensation and governance research.
• Sidley Austin LLPstrategic content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSidley Austin LLP is listed as a Strategic Content Partner of NACD, providing legal and governance expertise to NACD's research and educational content.
• Russell Reynolds Associatesstrategic content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRussell Reynolds Associates is listed as a Strategic Content Partner of NACD, contributing executive search and governance expertise to NACD content programs.
• AccenturepartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAccenture is listed as a Partner of NACD, collaborating on technology and digital transformation governance content.
• Alvarez & MarsalpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAlvarez & Marsal Holdings is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing turnaround and governance expertise to NACD programming.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)partnerTechnology or IntegrationAWS is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing cloud and technology governance perspectives to NACD content and events.
• CrowdStrikepartnerTechnology or IntegrationCrowdStrike is listed as a Partner of NACD, providing cybersecurity expertise for NACD's cyber-risk governance programming.
• DeloittepartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerDeloitte is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing audit, risk, and governance expertise to NACD's thought leadership.
• GooglepartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing technology and AI governance perspectives.
• NasdaqpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerNasdaq is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing capital markets and corporate governance expertise to NACD programming and events.
• PwCpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPwC is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing audit, risk, and governance expertise to NACD's research and events.
• RubrikpartnerTechnology or IntegrationRubrik is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing data security and cyber resilience expertise.
• Boston Consulting GrouppartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerBoston Consulting Group is listed as a Partner of NACD, contributing strategy and governance expertise.
• GalluppartnerOthersGallup is cited as the prior employer of Mohamed Younis, NACD's Senior Vice President for Content, bringing public opinion research and strategic communications capabilities informed by Gallup's methodology.
• Brunswick GrouppartnerOthersBrunswick Group is cited as the prior employer of Mohamed Younis, NACD's Senior Vice President for Content, bringing strategic communications expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Emerging players

• DirectWomen: Nonprofit focused on identifying and preparing distinguished women attorneys and executives for corporate boards. Overlaps with NACD's board-readiness mission (especially Change the Board Game), though smaller in scale and more narrowly focused on women lawyers and executives.
• Chief Executive Group / Corporate Board Member: Media and events company targeting corporate board members and CEOs with Corporate Board Member magazine and custom events. Comparable to NACD in audience (sitting directors) and channels (publications, events), but commercial rather than nonprofit and narrower in scope.

Broad incumbents

• The Conference Board: Large, established business membership organization that publishes research, runs conferences, and convenes CEOs and senior executives. Comparable to NACD as a subscription-based research/events association serving senior business decision-makers, but with a much broader scope beyond governance.
• Deloitte Center for Board Effectiveness: Big 4 governance advisory practice providing research, board education, and governance consulting. Comparable to NACD in producing authoritative governance research and serving corporate boards, but operates as part of a much larger professional services firm rather than a standalone association.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated board of directors practice. Comparable to NACD in serving corporate boards with leadership and governance insights, but through a search-led business model rather than a membership association.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with one of the most recognized board practice and Board Index franchises. Comparable to NACD in serving board recruitment, benchmarking, and governance best-practice needs, though its primary business model is retained search.
• PwC Corporate Governance: Big 4 governance and board advisory practice. Comparable to NACD in providing research, director education, and governance insights to U.S. public-company boards, though delivered through a global audit/consulting platform.
• KPMG Board Leadership Center: Big 4 practice providing governance resources, research, and education to corporate directors. A Strategic Content Partner of NACD itself; produces overlapping governance content and serves a similar Fortune 1000 board audience from inside the audit/advisory firm.

Direct peers

• Society for Corporate Governance: National membership association serving corporate secretaries, in-house counsel, and governance professionals. Directly comparable to NACD in its membership-association model serving U.S. corporate governance functions, though with a more operational/compliance focus.
• WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD): Peer-to-peer membership organization of women corporate directors. Directly comparable to NACD in mission and member model for U.S. corporate directors, with overlap on board-readiness programming and chapter/peer engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nacd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NACDVideos1
• Facebookfacebook.com/NACDVoice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/83473

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 National Association of Corporate Directors