Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
APLU is a 501(c)(3) membership association founded in 1887 representing 254 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican public research universities and land-grant institutions. It funds its federal policy advocacy, council/commission convening, awards programs, and annual meetings primarily through recurring institutional dues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Association of Public and Land-grant Universities does
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership association founded in 1887 in Washington, D.C., serving as the coordinating body for 254 public and land-grant universities, university systems, and affiliated higher education organizations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The association operates a membership-funded model in which dues from accredited public research universities, land-grant institutions (designated under the 1862, 1890, and 1994 Morrill Acts), and state university systems form the primary revenue stream, supplemented by event and conference revenue from the Annual Meeting and a portfolio of council and commission gatherings. APLU's core functions are federal policy advocacy on research funding and higher education regulation, member convening through nine councils and six commissions, awards programs such as the Degree Completion Award, and publications including resources on OMB Uniform Guidance, F&A reimbursement, and the Innovation & Economic Prosperity designation. The association does not operate a technology platform or sell discrete products; its distribution relies on direct engagement with university presidents and chancellors, digital channels (website, email newsletter, social), and an employment opportunities job board portal listing 476 active positions across member campuses.
The association is governed by a member-driven Board of Directors and is led by President Waded Cruzado, who assumed the role on July 1, 2025, succeeding Mark P. Becker. APLU's strategic activity in 2025-2026 has centered on legal and policy battles over federal research funding — co-plaintiff status with AAU and ACE in lawsuits challenging F&A reimbursement cuts, public comment on GSA's anti-DEI certification proposal, and successful advocacy for $125 million in USDA/Department of Education grants for agricultural research facility deferred maintenance. Member institutions collectively enroll 5.4 million undergraduates, employ 1.4 million faculty and staff, award 1.5 million degrees annually, and conduct $73 billion in university-based research, making APLU the principal collective voice for the largest segment of North American higher education.
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Legal name
- The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Website
- https://aplu.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- APLU is a 501(c)(3) membership association founded in 1887 representing 254 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican public research universities and land-grant institutions. It funds its federal policy advocacy, council/commission convening, awards programs, and annual meetings primarily through recurring institutional dues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (81391)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)
Keywords
Where Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: APLU operates as a membership-funded organization with dues from member institutions including universities, university systems, and affiliated organizations. Member institutions maintain good standing through financial obligations to APLU.
- Events and Conferences: APLU generates revenue through annual meetings and special events, including the Annual Meeting (November 15-17 in San Antonio for 2026) and council/commission meetings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Institutional membership for U.S. accredited universities (automatic for land-grant institutions, R1/R2 Carnegie classified doctoral universities, or current members in good standing) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
APLU is a nonprofit membership association that provides federal policy advocacy, research funding representation, and peer collaboration programs for public and land-grant universities across North America. It convenes higher education leaders through councils, commissions, and an Annual Meeting, and runs recognition programs such as the Degree Completion Award and the Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) designation to advance student success, research, and community engagement at member institutions.
Product overview
APLU is a membership organization and higher education association, not a product or technology company. It provides membership services, advocacy, councils, commissions, awards programs, events, and publications for public and land-grant universities. No distinct product offerings, modules, or technology platforms are offered.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- APLU Institutional Membership Institutional membership for U.S. accredited public universities and systems, providing federal policy advocacy, peer councils and commissions, awards, and convenings. Automatic for land-grant institutions and R1/R2 Carnegie-classified doctoral universities; discretionary for institutions meeting research expenditure, doctoral degree, enrollment, or community engagement thresholds. Annual billing cadence.
- APLU Annual Meeting Annual convening of higher education leaders to explore research, workforce development, student success, and community engagement; the 2026 meeting is held November 15-17 in San Antonio.
- APLU Member Job Board
Quantifiable outcome
- Member campuses award 1.5 million degrees annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. RollinscoreAPLU President Cruzado applauded the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon for $125 million in grants to address decades of deferred maintenance at agricultural research facilities. The announcement followed a meeting the cabinet secretaries hosted with APLU leaders and more than two dozen land-grant university presidents.
- Joint Associations Group (JAG)coreAPLU participates in the Joint Associations Group (JAG) with Association of American Universities (AAU) and American Council on Education (ACE) to collectively advocate for scientific research funding and infrastructure. JAG expressed gratitude to Congress for supporting FY26 appropriations including the FAIR model for transparent research cost coverage and indirect costs in research funding.
- U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahoncoreJoint engagement with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on hosting land-grant university presidents and announcing $125 million investment in agricultural research facilities.
- Association of American Universities (AAU)coreAPLU joined with AAU and American Council on Education (ACE) as plaintiffs in lawsuits challenging federal agencies limiting Facilities and Administrative cost reimbursements. APLU has developed resources on the legal action contesting cuts to F&A reimbursement rates.
- American Council on Education (ACE)coreAPLU, AAU, and ACE jointly filed lawsuits against federal agencies over F&A reimbursement rate cuts. The three associations are leading higher education's legal response to proposed changes in research funding cost coverage.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Association of American Universities (AAU): Association of 71 leading U.S. and Canadian research-intensive universities. Direct peer: shares the research-university advocacy mission, is a co-plaintiff in F&A reimbursement litigation, and is a member of the Joint Associations Group (JAG) with APLU.
- American Council on Education (ACE): Umbrella higher education association representing all accredited U.S. institutions. Direct peer: joint federal advocacy partner and co-litigant with APLU; provides the broader lens while APLU specializes in public research and land-grant institutions.
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU): Represents nearly 400 public regional and state colleges and universities. Direct peer: nearly identical membership-organization business model serving public higher education with parallel federal advocacy and member-service offerings.
- American Association of Community Colleges (AACC): Represents over 1,000 community colleges. Direct peer: comparable membership-association model with federal policy advocacy, council/commission structure, and event-driven engagement serving a distinct public higher education segment.
- National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU): Membership association representing private nonprofit colleges and universities. Direct peer: parallel advocacy-and-member-services model targeting a different institutional segment, often co-signing joint higher education policy letters alongside APLU.
- Council of Independent Colleges (CIC): Membership association for private, nonprofit colleges and universities. Direct peer: similar dues-funded, event-driven model focused on leadership development, policy advocacy, and shared services for member institutions.
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU): Represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and emerging HSIs. Direct peer: APLU's membership includes 47 HSIs and HACU uses the same membership-advocacy-program structure but for a specific subset of higher education institutions.
- American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC): Represents 36 tribal colleges under the 1994 Morrill Act. Direct peer: listed as an APLU affiliate member; operates under the same policy advocacy framework for a specific land-grant subgroup APLU also serves.
Others
- EDUCAUSE: Nonprofit association advancing technology in higher education. Adjacent peer: serves the same member institutions on a specific functional dimension (IT/EdTech) rather than competing for general policy advocacy or institutional representation.
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA): Membership association for financial aid administrators across higher education. Adjacent peer: serves specific administrative professionals within the same universities rather than the institutions themselves; useful comparison for member-services delivery model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities social profiles
Digital presenceAssociation of Public and Land-grant Universities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities 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 Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
What does Association of Public and Land-grant Universities do?
APLU is a nonprofit membership association that provides federal policy advocacy, research funding representation, and peer collaboration programs for public and land-grant universities across North America. It convenes higher education leaders through councils, commissions, and an Annual Meeting, and runs recognition programs such as the Degree Completion Award and the Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) designation to advance student success, research, and community engagement at member institutions.
Is Association of Public and Land-grant Universities a public or private company?
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Association of Public and Land-grant Universities founded?
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities was founded in 1887. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Association of Public and Land-grant Universities based?
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Association of Public and Land-grant Universities make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are events and Conferences.
Who are Association of Public and Land-grant Universities's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Association of American Universities (AAU), American Council on Education (ACE), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). Others are EDUCAUSE and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
Does Association of Public and Land-grant Universities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
What industry is Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in?
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities's product category is Higher Education Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAN, Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit), with a secondary code of BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.