Los Angeles World Affairs Council

What Los Angeles World Affairs Council does

The Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization founded in 1953 and headquartered in Los Angeles (445 S. Figueroa St., Ste. 2250). Its core function is convening: it hosts in-person evening seminars, live webinars, and panel discussions featuring international leaders, diplomats, business executives, and policy experts to foster informed discussion of global issues among Southern California civic audiences. Programs include a tiered individual and corporate Membership Program ($75 Young Professional to $5,500 International Circle Corporate), a Sponsorship Program, the Young Professionals Program (5–8 events per year for the 18–40 cohort), a High School Program partnering with 70+ Los Angeles-area schools to engage several hundred students annually, and an unpaid Internship Program across membership, events, marketing, R&D, community outreach, and high school program functions. Underlying delivery relies on standard web platforms (lawac.org, members.lawac.org built on GrowthZone CMS), in-person venues (Veterans Memorial Building in Culver City), email newsletters, and active social media channels — with no disclosed proprietary technology stack.

Revenue is generated across four streams: recurring membership dues across eight tiers ($75–$5,500 annually), event and corporate sponsorships, ticket and package revenue from the annual World Prize Gala (held September 29, 2026 at $500/ticket, drawing 300+ dignitaries and business leaders), and tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, foundations, and corporate partners. The Signature Travel Program adds delegation and study-tour revenue (e.g., 2026 Baltics Delegation October 10–21 and El Salvador Young Professionals Study Tour November 11–15) executed with travel partner Winding Way Travel, complementing past delegations to 18+ countries. Donor recognition tiers span $25,000 to $100,000+ and include Chevron, Edison International, KPMG, EY, Bank of America, Kaiser Permanente, East West Bank, Capital Group, Majestic Realty, and foundations such as Ahmanson, Ralph M. Parsons, and Steinmetz. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Peter Robertson, with notable members including former SBA Administrator Hon. Maria Contreras-Sweet and Robert J. Abernethy.

Name

Los Angeles World Affairs Council

Legal name

Los Angeles World Affairs Council

Website

https://lawac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at multiple tiers providing access to events, programming, and member benefits including discounts and exclusive networking opportunities.
2. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsors support events in exchange for visibility and brand alignment with the organization's nonpartisan international affairs platform.
3. Gala Revenue: Annual World Prize Gala generates revenue through ticket sales at $500 per attendee and sponsorship packages, with high-profile events bringing together over 300 dignitaries, business leaders, and diplomats.
4. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals, families, foundations, and corporate partners. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LAWAC operates a nonpartisan convening platform that delivers educational programming on international affairs through in-person events, webinars, international delegations, and an annual gala. It sells tiered annual memberships to individuals and corporations, sells corporate event sponsorships, and accepts tax-deductible donations to fund programs including the High School Program, Young Professionals Program, and Signature Travel Program.

Product overview

The Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that functions as a platform for global dialogue and international affairs education rather than a traditional software product. Its offerings include an Events Program featuring in-person seminars and webinars, a tiered Membership Program ranging from $75 to $5,500 annually, a Sponsorship Program for corporate partners, and a Young Professionals Program for members aged 18-40. The organization runs a High School Program partnering with over 70 schools, an Internship Program offering positions in various departments, a Signature Travel Program organizing international delegations, the annual World Prize Gala as its flagship fundraising event, and a Donor Recognition Program acknowledging supporters at various giving levels. These programs collectively serve to foster informed discussion on international affairs for the Los Angeles community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Professionals Program: A program for young professionals aged 18-40 with interest in international affairs, featuring networking events, discussions, and study tours.
• High School Program
• World Prize Gala
• Travel Program

Products and services

• Events Program In-person and webinar events featuring international leaders, diplomats, and policy experts discussing current global issues. Includes evening seminars, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for members and the public.
• Sponsorship Program Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities that provide visibility, networking, and impact for organizations aligning with LAWAC's mission of international understanding and civic engagement.
• Membership Program Tiered annual membership program with levels from $75 (Young Professional) and $100 (Individual) up to $5,500 (International Circle Corporate), providing event access, member discounts, networking, and benefits.
• Young Professionals Program Professional development and networking program for individuals aged 18-40 passionate about international affairs, featuring 5-8 social events, speaker programs, networking mixers, and volunteer opportunities annually.
• High School Program Quarterly educational events for high school students from public, private, charter, and magnet schools featuring international leaders, political figures, and business/technology experts. Partners with 70+ high schools across Los Angeles County and engages several hundred students annually.
• Internship Program Unpaid internship opportunities in nonprofit management, event planning, marketing, research, development, membership outreach, and the High School Program. Hybrid format with weekly in-office presence required.
• Signature Travel Program Curated international delegation experiences offering behind-the-scenes access to top diplomats, government officials, and global changemakers. Upcoming destinations include the Baltics (October 10-21, 2026) and El Salvador (November 11-15, 2026), with prior trips to Cuba, North Korea, UAE, Russia, and others.
• World Prize Gala Annual flagship fundraising event bringing together over 300 government dignitaries, business leaders, and thought influencers to celebrate individuals whose contributions have advanced global understanding and cooperation. Tickets priced at $500 per attendee.
• Donor Recognition Program Recognition program for supporters contributing $5,000 or more since January 2021, including individuals, families, foundations, and corporate partners, with giving levels at $100,000+, $50,000-$99,999, and $25,000-$49,999.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quay EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeverly Hills-based production firm supporting execution of the World Prize Gala. Portfolio includes Presidential Inaugural Balls, Formula 1 Paddock VIP Events, Super Bowl Halftime Shows, Olympic Games, and nationally televised award shows.
• Winding Way TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel partner handling logistics for delegations and study tours including Baltics and El Salvador programs.
• Taglyan Cultural ComplexminorOthersLuxury private ballroom venue in Hollywood hosting the World Prize Gala. Has hosted events attended by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, and Jeff Bridges.
• 70+ Los Angeles Area High SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of public, private, charter, and magnet schools partnering with LAWAC's High School Program to engage students in international affairs education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Affairs Council of Philadelphia: A city-based world affairs council with public programs, student engagement, and travel delegations. Closely comparable in mission, member-driven model, and programming pillars to LAWAC.
• World Affairs Councils of America: National umbrella network of more than 90 nonpartisan world affairs councils including LAWAC. Provides shared programming, speaker access, and convening infrastructure that directly enables the type of programming LAWAC delivers locally.
• Chicago Council on Global Affairs: A leading city-focused international affairs council offering public events, member programs, and policy research. Operates a similar model to LAWAC with a comparable mix of events, memberships, and corporate support, but at a larger scale in a comparable major US metropolitan market.
• World Affairs Council of Northern California: San Francisco Bay Area world affairs council running speaker programs, travel delegations, and global affairs education. Direct sister-city counterpart to LAWAC with overlapping programmatic offerings and donor base characteristics.
• Pacific Council on International Policy: Los Angeles-based nonpartisan organization focused on international affairs and foreign policy. Comparable in geography and mission to LAWAC, with similar convening and member engagement models serving the same LA civic and business community.
• WorldBoston: Boston-based world affairs council offering speaker programs, international exchanges, and civic engagement on global issues. Closely comparable in program mix and city-level nonpartisan mission to LAWAC.

Broad incumbents

• Council on Foreign Relations: National flagship foreign policy membership organization with far greater resources and brand prestige. Operates overlapping membership-driven dialogue on international affairs but at a national scale well beyond LAWAC's regional scope, and competes for the same corporate sponsorship pool.
• Atlantic Council: Major international affairs think tank with corporate engagement, public events, and policy programming. Competes for the same corporate sponsorship dollars and global affairs audience as LAWAC at a much larger scale and with global reach.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global think tank with offices in multiple countries focused on international affairs analysis and convening. Operates adjacent programming to LAWAC's mission at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic reach, with overlapping corporate donor relationships.
• Aspen Institute: Educational and policy studies organization with public programs, conferences, and policy convening on international affairs. Operates a broader civic education mandate but with overlapping event-driven programming and donor base characteristics to LAWAC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lawac
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LosAngelesWAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/losangelesworldaffairscouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lawacthevents
• Instagraminstagram.com/laworldaffairs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Los Angeles World Affairs Council