The Society for College and University Planning

What The Society for College and University Planning does

The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1966 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan (1330 Eisenhower Place, phone 734.669.3270). It serves higher education administrators and planners — including facilities planners, academic planners, strategic planners, campus architects, and institutional researchers at colleges and universities — by providing an integrated planning framework that connects strategic, academic, campus, and resource planning. SCUP's core products and services include a member-only digital collaboration platform (SCUP Exchange, at community.scup.org), a Learning Resources Library of research, example plans, tools, blog posts, and conference recordings, the Planning Institute workshop program, an annual flagship conference plus four regional conferences (North Atlantic, North Central, Pacific, Southern) and topical symposia, the peer-reviewed Planning for Higher Education Journal, the annual Trends for Higher Education Report, the Integrated Planning Competencies framework, an Integrated Planning Glossary, an Integrated Resource and Budget Planning Tool, a free Job Board, and one-on-one Integrated Planning Coaching. The organization also runs the SCUP Fellows research program and the Emerging Leaders Program, plus an SMS-based SCUP Alerts mobile notification service (opt-in via webform or text JOIN to 72871).

SCUP's business model is membership-led and community-driven. Revenue is generated across five streams: recurring annual membership dues providing access to SCUP Exchange and member content; event registration fees for the annual conference, regional conferences, and symposia; one-time sales of publications and journals through the SCUP Store; professional development workshop fees through Planning Institute; and corporate sponsorship dollars across tiers such as Sasaki (Grand Supporter) and DPR (Major Supporter). Go-to-market operates through the public scup.org website, the SCUP Exchange community platform, email newsletters, social media (Facebook and LinkedIn), and in-person events. Pricing for membership tiers and event registration is not publicly disclosed, and no consolidated revenue or membership count is disclosed in source materials. SCUP does not maintain a mobile app, public API, or announced AI/ML capabilities, and its technology stack is centered on community, content, and event-management systems rather than software products. The organization is tax exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(3) and incorporated in Michigan.

Name

The Society for College and University Planning

Legal name

Society for College and University Planning

Website

https://scup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SCUP is a nonprofit professional membership association serving higher education administrators and planners, providing integrated planning resources, conferences, publications, and a member-only digital collaboration platform (SCUP Exchange).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to SCUP Exchange, resources, and member-only content
2. Event Registrations: Revenue from annual conferences, regional conferences, symposia, and virtual events
3. Publications and Resources: Sales of publications including Planning for Higher Education Journal, Trends for Higher Education Report, and other learning resources
4. Planning Institute Workshops: Professional development workshops and coaching programs for integrated planning skills
5. Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorships including Grand Supporter and Major Supporter tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SCUP is a nonprofit professional association that sells membership access, integrated planning workshops, annual and regional conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and community engagement through the SCUP Exchange platform. Its products and services are designed for higher education administrators and planners seeking integrated strategic, academic, campus, and resource planning resources. The organization combines content publishing (journals, reports, toolkits), professional development (Planning Institute, Coaching), and a member-only digital platform for collaboration.

Product overview

The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services centered on integrated planning for higher education. The core offerings include the SCUP Exchange (a member-only digital collaboration platform), the Learning Resources Library (research, tools, conference presentations, and publications), Planning Institute (professional development workshops), and annual/regional conferences. SCUP publishes the Planning for Higher Education Journal and Trends for Higher Education Report, provides a Job Board for the higher ed community, and offers competency frameworks and glossary tools. The membership program provides access to all these resources, with additional programs for Emerging Leaders and SCUP Fellows. The organization also provides Mobile Alerts for member communications and Integrated Planning Coaching services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Planning for Higher Education Journal: A peer-reviewed journal published by SCUP covering topics related to higher education planning.
• Trends for Higher Education Report
• SCUP Exchange
• SCUP Fellows
• Emerging Leaders Program

Products and services

• SCUP Exchange A member-only digital platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing among higher education planning professionals, accessible at community.scup.org after login.
• Learning Resources Library A searchable online library of research, conference presentations, webinars, example plans, tools, blog posts, and publications focused on integrated planning in higher education.
• Planning Institute Professional development workshops and training programs that build integrated planning skills and leadership capabilities for higher education professionals.
• SCUP Annual Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together higher education planning professionals for networking, learning, and knowledge sharing; SCUP 2026 scheduled for Minneapolis, MN, July 19-21.
• Regional Conferences Regional conferences held across geographic areas including North Central (Columbus, OH, September 29-30), Southern (Nashville, TN, October 4-6), and Pacific regions.
• Planning for Higher Education Journal Peer-reviewed journal publishing research and analysis on planning topics relevant to higher education institutions.
• Trends for Higher Education Report Annual trend report providing analysis and insights on emerging patterns and challenges in higher education planning.
• Membership Program Membership community providing access to integrated planning resources, tools, connections, expertise, and the SCUP Exchange platform via annual membership dues.
• Job Board Free job posting service for higher education organizations seeking planning professionals in facilities, academic administration, budget, IT, and institutional research.
• Integrated Planning Coaching Coaching service to help colleges and universities implement and advance integrated planning practices.
• Integrated Resource and Budget Planning Tool Practical tool for streamlining campus planning projects, crafted by experienced practitioners with analyses and insights for resource and budget planning.
• Integrated Planning Competencies A competency framework that defines the skills and capabilities needed for integrated planning, transforming soft skills into a competitive advantage for campus communities.
• Integrated Planning Glossary Foundational reference establishing shared planning vocabulary to help institutions define their unique terminology for integrated planning.
• SCUP Fellows Program Fellowship program recognizing and engaging experienced higher education planning professionals in research and leadership on integrated planning topics.
• Emerging Leaders Program Program designed for newer professionals to develop leadership skills and advance their careers in integrated planning.
• SCUP Alerts (Mobile Alerts) SMS-based mobile text alert service allowing members to receive news and updates from SCUP via their mobile devices, with opt-in via web form or by texting JOIN to 72871.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EDUCAUSE: A nonprofit membership association serving the higher education IT and leadership community. Directly comparable as a higher ed-focused professional association offering conferences, publications, and member platforms.
• NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers): Membership association for higher education finance and business officers, closely aligned with SCUP's institutional resource and budget planning mandate.
• AGB (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges): Nonprofit membership association serving higher ed governing boards and trustees, addressing strategic planning and governance topics that overlap with SCUP's integrated planning framework.
• APPA (Leadership in Educational Facilities): International membership association for educational facilities professionals. Closely comparable to SCUP's campus planning audience and shared conference/membership model.
• AIR (Association for Institutional Research): Professional association for higher education institutional researchers, with overlapping planning, effectiveness, and accreditation themes central to SCUP's content.
• NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education): Leading higher education professional association for student affairs administrators, sharing SCUP's membership, conference, and publication business model.
• AASCU (American Association of State Colleges and Universities): Membership association for state colleges and universities, addressing strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and policy issues parallel to SCUP's integrated planning topics.
• ACUI (Association of College Unions International): International association for college union and student activities professionals, sharing SCUP's nonprofit membership, conference, and professional development model in the higher ed space.

Broad incumbents

• ACE (American Council on Education): Major higher education association representing presidents and senior leaders. Broader in scope than SCUP but operates with an overlapping institutional planning and leadership development mandate.
• EAB (formerly Education Advisory Board): Research and consulting firm serving higher education leaders with planning, enrollment, and student success services. Adjacent competitor offering paid advisory services that overlap with SCUP's coaching and workshops.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SCUPers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-for-college-and-university-planning
• Xx.com/Plan4HigherEd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Society for College and University Planning