NACA
NACA is a non-profit membership association, founded in 1960, that serves US higher education campus activities professionals by connecting colleges, student leaders, and entertainers through conferences, an online talent/vendor marketplace, professional development courses, a peer-reviewed journal, and regional volunteer networks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersColumbia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NACA does
NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) is a US-based non-profit membership association founded in 1960 and headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, that serves the campus activities profession within higher education. Its primary constituents are college and university student affairs offices (school members), entertainers, agents, and vendors (associate members), student leaders, and mid-career student affairs professionals. Core products span a marketplace platform (NACA 24/7, an online database matching schools with talent and vendors, with filtering by genre and diversity ownership categories), an annual event portfolio (four national conferences in Winston-Salem, Hartford, Santa Clara, and St. Paul; the NACA Live annual event in Columbus, OH; plus regional institutes, drive-ins, and meetups), professional development courses (Early Career Professionals, Mid-Level Professionals at $499/$649, Forum for Student Leaders at $50/$100), a peer-reviewed journal (JCAPS), the CAS+ standards platform, the NACA Connect collaboration tool, and the NACA Foundation scholarship and grant programs.
NACA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NACA
- Legal name
- National Association for Campus Activities
- Website
- https://naca.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NACA is a non-profit membership association, founded in 1960, that serves US higher education campus activities professionals by connecting colleges, student leaders, and entertainers through conferences, an online talent/vendor marketplace, professional development courses, a peer-reviewed journal, and regional volunteer networks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NACA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Association Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Organizations & Club Administration (EDALAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ)
Keywords
Where NACA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NACA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: NACA generates revenue through various membership categories including Associate Membership, School Membership, Affiliate Membership, Transitional Membership, and Retiree Membership. Members pay annual dues to access resources, conferences, and the NACA 24/7 database.
- Conference and Event Fees: Revenue from NACA Conferences (Winston-Salem, Hartford, Santa Clara, St. Paul), NACA Live (Columbus, OH), and regional events including registration fees, exhibiting fees, and sponsorship fees.
- Professional Development Programs: Fees for educational programs including Mid-Level Professionals Course ($499 members, $649 non-members), Early Career Professionals Course, Summer Essentials virtual program, and Forum for Student Leaders ($50 members, $100 non-members).
- NACA Foundation Donations: The NACA Foundation accepts donations to fund scholarships and grants for professional development and research in campus activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One-time | Forum for Student Leaders Pre-Conference |
| Subscription | One-time | Mid-Level Professionals Course |
| Subscription | Annual | NACA Summer Essentials 2026 |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | School Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
NACA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NACA is a non-profit membership association that provides schools, associate members (artists, agents, vendors), and student leaders with conferences, institutes, professional development courses, an online talent/vendor/school database (NACA 24/7), peer-reviewed research (JCAPS), and the CAS+ standards platform to plan, execute, and justify campus activities programs. Revenue is generated primarily through institutional and associate membership dues, conference/event registration and exhibit fees, paid professional development courses, and donations to the NACA Foundation.
Product overview
NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) is a non-profit membership organization serving as the central hub for campus activities professionals, student leaders, entertainers, agents, vendors, and other entities involved in planning and executing campus events. The organization offers a platform-and-services model consisting of: NACA 24/7, a comprehensive online database for matching schools with talent, vendors, and services; NACA Conferences and NACA Live for in-person professional development and networking; NACA Institutes (Programming Board Institute and Student Government Institute) for intensive training; NACA Connect for online collaboration; the Resource Library containing webinars, publications, and best practices; professional development courses (Early Career Professionals Course, Mid-Level Professionals Course, Summer Essentials); scholarships and grants through the NACA Foundation; The Case for Campus Activities research framework; and The Journal for Campus Activities Practice & Scholarship (JCAPS) for scholarly publishing. The organization also provides DEIA resources, hazing prevention programming, the CAS+ Platform for standards access, and the Employability Skills Assessment tool.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JCAPS (The Journal for Campus Activities Practice & Scholarship): The official peer-reviewed journal of NACA publishing scholarship related to postsecondary education co-curricular campus activities.
- NACA 24/7
- NACA Connect
- The Case for Campus Activities
Products and services
- School Membership Annual institutional membership for colleges and universities granting access to conferences, NACA 24/7 database, professional development, and member resources.
- Associate Membership Annual membership for entertainers, performers, agents, and vendors providing services to campus communities, with access to NACA 24/7 listings and conference exhibition opportunities.
- Affiliate Membership Affiliate membership category for entities affiliated with NACA's mission but outside the primary school or associate categories.
- NACA 24/7 Online Database Online database platform that matches users with talent, vendors, or schools and supports searching by act/service name, genre, diversity topics, and minority/woman/LGBTQIA+ owned businesses.
- NACA Conferences National conferences held across multiple U.S. cities (Winston-Salem, Hartford, Santa Clara, St. Paul) offering learning, networking, and engagement opportunities for campus activities professionals.
- NACA Live Annual flagship event in Columbus, OH featuring educational sessions, networking, talent marketplace, showcases, and professional development including Pre-Cons like the Forum for Student Leaders.
- NACA Institutes (Programming Board Institute & Student Government Institute) Intensive multi-day programs (Programming Board Institute and Student Government Institute) providing skills training, networking, and leadership development at host universities.
- Early Career Professionals Course Professional development course for higher education professionals early in their careers, helping them build foundational skills for campus activities work.
- Mid-Level Professionals Course Advanced professional development program featuring six seasoned professionals sharing expertise on topics aligned with Certified Student Affairs Educator domains, including strategic leadership, social justice, human resource management, and assessment. Priced at $499 (members) / $649 (non-members).
- NACA Summer Essentials Purchasable virtual summer program offering exclusive content and resources for schools covering student organizations, programming boards, student government, event planning, and leadership development.
- Forum for Student Leaders Pre-conference experience for student leaders focused on identity development, sense of belonging, decision making, and employability skills; priced at $50 for members and $100 for non-members.
- Hazing Prevention Program (One-Day Power Course) One-day power course and accompanying resources focused on hazing prevention education for campus communities, offered as a Pre-Con at NACA Live.
- NACA Foundation Scholarships & Grants Financial support programs funded by donations, including the Dr. Adam Peck Research Grants for scholarly research and Professional Development Grants for member professional growth.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students involved in Campus Activities have higher sense of belonging, which is a key factor in persistence and retention
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use NACA
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NACA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
NACA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Next Gen•TeamcoreNACA's Exclusive Marketing Partner connecting Next Gen Consumers to brands they love. Next Gen•Team sponsors NACA Live and other NACA events.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NACA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education): National association serving student affairs professionals in higher education with membership, conferences, and professional development. Directly comparable to NACA because both target the same institutional buyers and address overlapping competencies around student engagement, retention, and staff development.
- ACUI (Association of College Unions International): International association for college union and student activities professionals that runs conferences, institutes, and a marketplace for programs and services. Closely comparable to NACA in mission, membership model, and event-driven revenue mix.
- APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities): Campus activities association that connects schools with performers, agents, and vendors through regional conferences and showcases. A near-direct competitor to NACA's NACA 24/7 marketplace and conference portfolio, serving a similar school and talent buyer base.
Broad incumbents
- NIRSA (National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association): Long-established association serving collegiate recreation, intramural sports, and campus wellness professionals. Comparable to NACA as a higher-ed member-based association with conferences, certifications, and advocacy, though focused on recreational sports rather than campus activities programming.
- ASAE (American Society of Association Executives): Umbrella association for association professionals across industries. Comparable to NACA as a member-driven organization with conferences, professional development (CAE certification), and a peer-reviewed knowledge base, but operating at the meta level rather than in campus activities.
- ACPA (American College Personnel Association): Higher-ed association focused on student affairs and student development scholarship, with publications, conventions, and credentialing programs. Comparable to NACA in its research-led advocacy, journal publishing, and certification frameworks serving the same student affairs buyer.
Emerging players
- CampusLabs: Higher-ed technology vendor providing platforms for student engagement, involvement, and campus activities. Comparable to NACA 24/7 as a software-based engagement and involvement layer for the same institutional buyers, with a more tech-forward delivery model.
- Hubilo: Event technology platform for virtual and hybrid conferences, expos, and networking. Comparable to NACA's NACA Live and regional conference offerings as a technology-first alternative for member-based event delivery and marketplace engagement.
- Entourage Event Solutions: Vendor providing booking and event management software for campus entertainment and college programming boards. Directly comparable to NACA 24/7 as a talent marketplace and booking platform serving the same school and artist customer base.
- Higher Ed Talent (HET): Talent and entertainment booking service for colleges and universities, connecting campuses with performers and speakers. Comparable to NACA's associate membership and NACA 24/7 marketplace as an alternative channel for the same school-side buyer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NACA social profiles
Digital presenceNACA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NACA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
NACA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
NACA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NACA 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 NACA
What does NACA do?
NACA is a non-profit membership association that provides schools, associate members (artists, agents, vendors), and student leaders with conferences, institutes, professional development courses, an online talent/vendor/school database (NACA 24/7), peer-reviewed research (JCAPS), and the CAS+ standards platform to plan, execute, and justify campus activities programs. Revenue is generated primarily through institutional and associate membership dues, conference/event registration and exhibit fees, paid professional development courses, and donations to the NACA Foundation.
Is NACA a public or private company?
NACA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NACA founded?
NACA was founded in 1960. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NACA based?
NACA is headquartered in Columbia, United States, in the North America region.
How does NACA make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are conference and Event Fees, professional Development Programs and NACA Foundation Donations.
Who are NACA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), ACUI (Association of College Unions International) and APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities). Broad incumbents are NIRSA (National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association), ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) and ACPA (American College Personnel Association). Emerging players are CampusLabs, Hubilo, Entourage Event Solutions and Higher Ed Talent (HET).
Does NACA have an API?
No public API is recorded for NACA.
What industry is NACA in?
NACA's product category is Higher Education Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAHAB, Student Organizations & Club Administration, with a secondary code of EDADACAJ, Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.