What California Business Roundtable does

The California Business Roundtable (CBRT) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit business advocacy association founded in 1976 and headquartered in Sacramento, California. Its membership is restricted to chief executive officers and senior operating executives of leading companies doing business in California, making it a closed-network convening body for the state's largest employers across virtually every major industry segment. CBRT does not develop or sell commercial products; its primary outputs are policy research, economic analysis (via the affiliated Center for Jobs and the Economy), and political action (via the CBRT Issues PAC).

The organization's core activities are three: collective advocacy on California legislation and ballot measures, publication of data-driven policy research at legislative and congressional district granularity, and direct voter engagement through ballot campaigns. It tracks a nearly 50-year record of influencing California policy outcomes, including the defeat of Propositions 10 (2018), 15 and 21 (2020), support for Proposition 1 (2024), and qualification of the Local Taxpayer Protection Act for the 2026 ballot. It also maintains the 'The California Brief' Substack and President Rob Lapsley's personal Substack as owned-media channels.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues on a recurring basis; PAC and coalition activity generate additional fundraising that has totaled 'millions of dollars' over the past decade. There is no publicly disclosed pricing or membership roster. CBRT is supported operationally by a small executive team (President Rob Lapsley, Chair Mike Vomund, EVP Brooke A. Armour) plus a Senior Policy Advisor, Operations Manager, and General Counsel, with no evidence of external investment, parent-company ownership, or private-equity backing.

Name

California Business Roundtable

Legal name

California Business Roundtable

Website

https://cbrt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The California Business Roundtable is a Sacramento-based, nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1976 that convenes CEOs and senior executives of California's largest employers to advocate for pro-business policy through research, coalition-building, and ballot-box political action.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Revenue is generated through membership fees from chief executive officers and senior operating executives of leading companies doing business in California. Membership provides access to advocacy, research, and political action resources.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The California Business Roundtable is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership association of chief executive officers and senior operating executives from leading companies doing business in California. It sells membership access that bundles collective policy advocacy, original economic and policy research, and political action through its affiliated Issues PAC. The organization is not a product or technology vendor; its deliverables are advocacy influence, research publications, ballot measure campaigns, and member briefings.

Product overview

The California Business Roundtable is a nonpartisan business advocacy organization composed of senior executives of major California employers. It is not a product or technology company. The organization engages in policy research, economic analysis through the Center for Jobs and the Economy, political action via its Issues PAC, and advocacy efforts to influence California state policy. The organization publishes Substack content (The California Brief) and economic reports, but does not offer commercial products or technology services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The California Brief: Substack publication providing deep dive analysis of policies, regulations, and legal challenges driving cost of living in California
• Center for Jobs and the Economy

Products and services

• Executive Membership in the California Business Roundtable

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully defeated Proposition 15 (split-roll property tax) in 2020 with business coalition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Golden State PromisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Strategic partnership for 2026 election cycle to coordinate on priority issues and ballot measures, with initial focus on opposition to proposed wealth tax measure. Collaboration brings together two proven, results-driven organizations with shared commitment to protecting California's economic competitiveness. Joint voter education, coalition expansion, and targeted campaign execution.
• Center for Jobs and the EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated research organization providing comprehensive data and policy insights. The Center provides well-researched economic analysis, data, and policy white papers at legislative and congressional district level. First-ever data organization to dissect economic data down to the legislative and congressional district level.
• Goods Movement AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition including California Business Roundtable, California Business Properties Association, and Inland Empire Economic Partnership. Underscores vital role of trade, transportation, and warehousing sectors in supporting California's economy, national supply chains, and global competitiveness.
• California Hotel and Lodging AssociationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed letter supporting Insurance Commissioner Lara's sustainable insurance strategy following 2025 LA fires. Joint advocacy on insurance market stability.
• California Business Properties AssociationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed letter supporting Insurance Commissioner Lara. Partnership on retail theft legislation, insurance market issues, and business advocacy.
• California Building Industry AssociationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed letter supporting Insurance Commissioner Lara. Partnership on insurance and housing policy issues.
• California Hispanic Chamber of CommercesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-authored statement supporting retail theft legislative package. Broad coalition of business organizations working together.
• Southern California Leadership CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-authored statement supporting retail theft legislative package and other business advocacy efforts.
• Bay Area CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-authored statement supporting retail theft legislative package.
• Inland Empire Economic PartnershipsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in Goods Movement Alliance and co-authored statements on retail theft, insurance, and trade issues.
• Orange County Business CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-authored statement on retail theft legislation. Joint op-eds on cost-of-living issues with OC Business Council President Jeffrey Ball.
• Howard Jarvis Taxpayers AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition co-chair on Local Taxpayer Protection Act. Campaign to reaffirm voter protections against higher local taxes. Joint advocacy for taxpayer protections.
• California Taxpayers Association (CalTax)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition co-chair on Local Taxpayer Protection Act. Partnership on fiscal discipline and taxpayer advocacy.
• California Business Properties AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition co-chair on Local Taxpayer Protection Act. Long-standing partnership on business and property tax advocacy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the largest national business advocacy federation, engaging in lobbying, ballot advocacy, and policy research at the federal level, providing a broader-incumbent comparison to CBRT's state-focused advocacy work.
• National Association of Manufacturers: NAM is the largest U.S. manufacturing trade association, conducting policy advocacy, research, and political action in Washington, D.C. — a broader incumbent to CBRT's state-level advocacy model for California's manufacturer members.

Direct peers

• Bay Area Council: The Bay Area Council is a Bay Area business leadership organization that conducts policy advocacy, research, and political action on behalf of major regional employers — comparable as a senior-executive-led business advocacy group working California policy.
• Orange County Business Council: OCBC is a regional business leadership organization that convenes executives and advocates on California policy affecting Orange County employers — directly comparable given CBRT's documented joint op-eds and retail-theft coalition work with OCBC President Jeffrey Ball.
• California Retailers Association: California Retailers Association is a Sacramento-based trade association for the retail industry, lobbying on tax, labor, and theft legislation — a directly comparable state-level business advocacy peer, especially relevant given CBRT's retail theft coalition work.
• California Manufacturers & Technology Association: CMTA is a Sacramento-based industry association advocating for California manufacturers and technology companies on regulatory, energy, and tax policy — a directly comparable state-level advocacy peer with overlapping member base and policy agenda.
• California Chamber of Commerce: The California Chamber of Commerce is California's largest broad-based business advocacy association, representing cross-industry employers in Sacramento lobbying, ballot measure activity, and policy research — directly comparable to CBRT's mandate and senior-executive membership model.
• Business Roundtable (national): The national Business Roundtable is composed of CEOs of major U.S. corporations and advocates for pro-business policy, sharing CBRT's exact name, membership structure (CEO-only), and advocacy thesis, but operating at the federal level rather than state.

Regional players

• Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce: The L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce is a regional business advocacy organization representing Greater Los Angeles employers on policy, workforce, and economic issues — comparable in membership structure and advocacy mission, though Los Angeles-anchored rather than Sacramento-based.
• Southern California Leadership Council: The Southern California Leadership Council is a regional business leadership organization that convenes senior executives and advocates on issues affecting Southern California's economy — directly comparable as a senior-executive member association, though region-specific to SoCal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calroundtable
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-business-roundtable
• Facebookfacebook.com/california-business-roundtable-260828210668198

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 California Business Roundtable