American Planning Association
The American Planning Association is a Chicago-based independent nonprofit professional membership organization serving nearly 40,000 urban and regional planners in the United States through AICP certification, peer-reviewed publications, annual conferences, applied research, and federal policy advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What American Planning Association does
The American Planning Association (APA) is an independent, not-for-profit professional membership organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, serving approximately 40,000 urban and regional planners across the United States. APA operates as the recognized representative body of the planning profession, providing AICP professional certification, peer-reviewed publications including the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA) and Planning magazine, applied research through its national centers (Green Communities, Hazards Planning, Planning and Community Health), foresight products such as the Trend Report for Planners, and a portfolio of special-topic PAS Reports, Memos, and QuickNotes. Its offering stack also includes annual conferences (the National Planning Conference), continuing-education delivery via Passport, a Career Center job board, awards programs, and advocacy infrastructure including the Planners' Advocacy Network and amicus participation.
APA's technology footprint is conventional for a modern professional association: a primary web platform at planning.org, a member portal at account.planning.org, email communications, a multimedia program (blog, podcast, video), and structured publication delivery — there is no proprietary platform architecture or technical moat beyond standard membership and content management.
APA generates revenue through six primary streams: recurring membership dues across professional, student, and retired tiers; conference and learning event revenue (NPC and ancillary programs); publication sales; AICP certification exam and maintenance (CM) fees; career services transaction fees; and advertising and sponsorship across publications, events, and digital properties. Distribution is executed through direct member channels, a 25-chapter domestic network, the annual conference, and its online platforms; the organization markets primarily through owned content, events, email, policy-driven earned media, and student/new-planner outreach programs.
American Planning Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Planning Association
- Legal name
- American Planning Association
- Website
- https://planning.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The American Planning Association is a Chicago-based independent nonprofit professional membership organization serving nearly 40,000 urban and regional planners in the United States through AICP certification, peer-reviewed publications, annual conferences, applied research, and federal policy advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Planning Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE) (EDAAALAG), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)
Keywords
Where American Planning Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Planning Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: APA generates primary revenue through membership subscriptions, with different membership tiers and categories including professionals, students, and retired planners. Members receive access to publications, the Knowledge Center, certification programs, and networking opportunities.
- Conference and Learning Events: Revenue from the National Planning Conference (NPC), Planners' Day on Capitol Hill, Passport professional development program, and upskilling courses. Events like NPC26 in Detroit draw nearly 4,000 attendees.
- Publications and Products: Sales of Planning magazine, Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA), PAS Reports, Zoning Practice, and other professional publications. APA also operates the APA Shop for planning-related products and merchandise.
- Certification Fees: AICP certification exam registration, certification maintenance (CM) program fees, and credential management for planning professionals seeking professional recognition.
- Career Center Services: Job posting fees for employers and recruitment services through APA's Career Center, connecting planning professionals with employers.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from advertising opportunities across APA publications, website, and events, as well as sponsorships from allied organizations and corporate partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Student Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Retired Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
American Planning Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The American Planning Association operates a professional membership organization that delivers member benefits, AICP professional certification, paid publications and research, the annual National Planning Conference, applied research centers, and policy advocacy for urban, regional, and land-use planners across the United States. Revenue is generated through tiered individual membership dues, certification and exam fees, conference registrations, paid publication subscriptions, advertising, sponsorships, and employer-paid job postings.
Product overview
The American Planning Association operates as a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for urban and regional planners. The core offerings include peer-reviewed publications (Planning Magazine, JAPA, PAS Reports, Zoning Practice), professional AICP certification and credentials, and annual conferences (National Planning Conference). APA also provides applied research through national centers (Green Communities, Hazards Planning, Planning and Community Health), foresight products (Trend Report for Planners), career services, awards programs (National Planning Awards, Great Places in America), and advocacy networks. The organization supports planners through all career stages with tools including Passport (learning), Career Center (job board), and the Research KnowledgeBase.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AICP: American Institute of Certified Planners - the professional certification arm of APA providing credentials for planners
- Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA)
- Planning Magazine
- APA Foundation
- Planning Advisory Service (PAS)
Products and services
- Planning Magazine
Quantifiable outcome
- APA advocacy contributed to the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest federal housing package in a generation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use American Planning Association
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
American Planning Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
American Planning Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Smart Growth AmericacoreSmart Growth America and APA jointly endorsed the Build HUBS Act, bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate to amend TIFIA and RRIF infrastructure loan programs to include transit-oriented development projects. Both organizations advocate for planning-led approaches to housing and transportation challenges.
- Lincoln Institute of Land PolicycoreAPA partnered with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to produce the 2026 Trend Report for Planners. The fifth edition of this foresight publication identified nearly 100 trends and signals shaping communities, developed through a foresight community of over 50 thought leaders including planners, sociologists, and public health professionals.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
American Planning Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Urban Land Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization focused on land use and real estate, with membership, conferences, publications, and policy work — overlapping with APA on urban planning advocacy and content audiences.
- American Society of Landscape Architects: Adjacent design and planning profession's professional association offering L.A. licensure, conferences, publications, and advocacy — same operating model and member persona (licensed design/planning professionals) as APA.
- American Institute of Architects: Direct structural peer: a nonprofit professional membership organization representing architects, providing member certifications, continuing education, advocacy, publications, and an annual convention (A'24). Comparable membership scale and revenue model architecture to APA.
- Royal Town Planning Institute: UK-based chartered body for planners offering professional membership, accreditation, conferences, publications, and policy advocacy — the international counterpart to APA's AICP-certified planner community in the geography dimension.
- American Society of Civil Engineers: Peer professional membership association offering credentialing (P.E.), peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and infrastructure policy advocacy, closely comparable to APA's planner certification, JAPA, NPC, and federal legislative work.
Broad incumbents
- National Association of REALTORS: Massive real estate industry trade association with membership, certifications (ABR, SRS), publications, advocacy, and events. Relevant as a scaled professional membership/credential model with diversified revenue analogous to APA's structure.
- Society for Human Resource Management: Large HR professional association with credentialing (SHRM-CP/SCP), conferences, publications, and advocacy. Useful comparable for membership-led revenue with heavy certification monetization at meaningfully larger scale than APA.
- American Bar Association: Large professional association providing membership benefits, peer-reviewed publications, conferences, accreditation, and policy advocacy. Comparable structure and revenue diversification as a mature professional membership model.
- Project Management Institute: Large-scale professional membership organization monetizing through PMP certification, member chapters, publications, and conferences. Relevant comparable for APA's AICP-led credentialing and learning revenue architecture at much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Congress for the New Urbanism: Smaller, advocacy-led professional organization in the urbanism and planning space running an annual congress and producing publications. Overlaps with APA's planning-audience membership but with a narrower, advocacy-forward agenda.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Planning Association social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Planning Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Planning Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
American Planning Association subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
American Planning Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Planning Association 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 American Planning Association
What does American Planning Association do?
The American Planning Association operates a professional membership organization that delivers member benefits, AICP professional certification, paid publications and research, the annual National Planning Conference, applied research centers, and policy advocacy for urban, regional, and land-use planners across the United States. Revenue is generated through tiered individual membership dues, certification and exam fees, conference registrations, paid publication subscriptions, advertising, sponsorships, and employer-paid job postings.
Is American Planning Association a public or private company?
American Planning Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was American Planning Association founded?
American Planning Association was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is American Planning Association based?
American Planning Association is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Planning Association make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are conference and Learning Events, publications and Products, certification Fees, career Center Services and advertising and Sponsorship.
Who are American Planning Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Urban Land Institute, American Society of Landscape Architects, American Institute of Architects, Royal Town Planning Institute and American Society of Civil Engineers. Broad incumbents are National Association of REALTORS, Society for Human Resource Management, American Bar Association and Project Management Institute. Congress for the New Urbanism is listed as an emerging player.
Does American Planning Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Planning Association.
What industry is American Planning Association in?
American Planning Association'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 EDAAALAG, Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.