LDA

What LDA does

LDA (Learning Disabilities Association of America) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1963 and headquartered in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, that provides advocacy, education, and support services to individuals with learning disabilities, their families, educators, and related professionals. Its core offerings include the annual LDACON international conference (in its 63rd year as of 2026), a membership program, the biweekly LDA Podcast, an archive of webinars on LD identification, IEP/504 accommodations, cognitive assessment, and assistive technology, the LDA Endorsed Evaluators credentialing program, and The LD Institute for professional development. The organization also operates the Healthy Children Project, an advocacy initiative focused on environmental toxins linked to learning disabilities, and maintains a network of 50+ state affiliates that deliver localized resources across the US.

LDA's product surface is content- and community-driven rather than technology-driven: it does not develop proprietary software, APIs, or AI-powered tools, and its 1-10 employee base operates alongside a much larger volunteer Board of Directors and Professional Advisory Board. The organization distributes through direct membership, state affiliates, online platforms (podcast on Apple, Spotify, Buzzsprout), email newsletters, and in-person conferences. Revenue is generated via individual/professional membership dues, donations, conference registration and sponsorship, and webinar fees (some webinars are free for members while non-members pay approximately $55), with specific pricing not publicly disclosed.

The business model is a classic member-supported nonprofit federation: a national umbrella organization with semi-independent state chapters (California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and others), supplemented by corporate and philanthropic donations. LDA maintains active federal-level policy advocacy, including public statements on the relocation of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and coalition participation with the Great Lakes Lead Elimination Network. Strategic partnerships include the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Emerging America, and Landmark College, with Board member Dr. Manju Banerjee serving in a VP role at Landmark.

Name

LDA

Legal name

Learning Disabilities Association of America

Website

https://ldaamerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1963 that delivers advocacy, education, and support services to individuals with learning disabilities, their families, educators, and professionals through membership, an annual international conference, a podcast, webinars, professional credentialing, and a network of 50+ US state affiliates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Learning disability advocacy
• Special education resources
• Professional disability training
• Nonprofit disability organization
• Educational support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Allison Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: LDA generates revenue through membership dues from individuals (parents, educators, professionals, adults with LD) and maintains state affiliates across the US.
2. Donations: LDA accepts donations to support their mission of creating opportunities for success for individuals with learning disabilities through support, education, and advocacy.
3. Conference Registration and Sponsorship: LDA holds annual international conferences (LDACON) with registration fees and sponsorship opportunities for organizations.
4. Webinar Fees: Some webinars are free for LDA members while non-members pay fees; recordings may be available exclusively to members.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Public charity founded in 1963 that supports individuals with learning disabilities, ADHD, and dyslexia through education, advocacy, professional training, conferences, webinars, podcasts, publications, and a national network of state affiliates serving individuals, families, educators, and professionals.

Product overview

LDA (Learning Disabilities Association of America) is a nonprofit advocacy organization offering a portfolio of educational resources, professional development programs, and community support services for individuals with learning disabilities. The core offerings include The LDA Podcast for ongoing education, a Webinar Archive Catalog of past training sessions, the LDA Endorsed Evaluators Program connecting individuals with qualified diagnostic professionals, The LD Institute for professional training, and the Healthy Children Project addressing environmental factors affecting brain development. LDA organizes an Annual International Conference (LDACON) as its flagship event, publishes Core Principles position papers on LD-related topics, maintains a State Affiliates Network for localized support, and provides Membership access to all resources and advocacy tools. LDA is not a technology product company and does not offer software products, APIs, or AI-powered solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healthy Children Project: An initiative of LDA that works to reduce chemical exposures harmful to brain development and health especially among pregnant women and children, and advocates for environmental justice and the right of all children to grow, learn and develop in toxin-free environments.
• The LD Institute
• The LDA Podcast

Products and services

• Annual Conference & Convention Multi-day national in-person professional development event for educators, professionals, parents, and adults with learning disabilities, featuring sessions, workshops, and networking on evidence-based LD topics.
• The LD Podcast Audio podcast series produced by LDA delivering conversations, interviews, and educational content on learning disabilities for individuals, families, educators, and professionals.
• LDA Webinar Archive On-demand library of recorded webinars providing education and training on learning disability topics, accessible to members and the broader public.
• Endorsed Evaluators Program Professional credentialing and listing program for licensed psychologists, neuropsychologists, and other evaluators who conduct learning disability assessments, providing families with access to qualified practitioners.
• LDA LD Institute Structured educational program offering in-depth training and instruction on learning disabilities for professionals, educators, and family members.
• Healthy Children Project Educational initiative providing resources and guidance to support the healthy development of children with learning disabilities.
• Core Principles of Children with Learning Disabilities Foundational publication articulating the core principles for understanding and supporting children with learning disabilities.
• Membership Program Structured membership offering with Professional, Parent, and Student tiers providing benefits such as conference discounts, access to webinars and resources, and engagement with the LDA community.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Smithsonian Science Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026LDA partnered with the Smithsonian Science Education Center for the Accessibility in STEM Education roundtable discussion. The partnership utilizes the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals Zero Barriers! guide, a free educational resource that supports students to investigate and address barriers to accessibility in their community using STEM and social science tools.
• Healthy Children ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDA operates the Healthy Children Project which works to reduce chemical exposures harmful to brain development and health especially among pregnant women and children, advocates for environmental justice and the right of all children to grow, learn and develop in toxin-free environments. The project addresses environmental toxins linked to learning disabilities and autism.
• Great Lakes Lead Elimination (GLLEN) PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDA is part of a coalition of organizations working to eliminate lead poisoning in the Great Lakes region. Lead exposure has long been linked to learning and attention disorders. Partners include Learning Disabilities Associations from multiple states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin), environmental organizations, health agencies, and community groups.
• Emerging AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDA partnered with Emerging America for a webinar on Empowering Students with Disability History, providing curriculum materials and strategies for special education professionals.
• Landmark CollegeminorOthersLDA Board Member Dr. Manju Banerjee serves as Vice President of Educational Research and Innovation at Landmark College, a college specializing in educating students with learning disabilities. LDA provides expertise and guidance related to college students with disabilities through this relationship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Understood.org: Understood.org is a digital-first resource hub for parents of children with learning and attention issues, supported by major nonprofit founders. It competes with LDA for parents and educators via free online content, representing a more modern, scalable model in the same audience.
• National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCASEAM): NCASEAM focuses on accountability and monitoring in special education, including LD identification and disproportionality — issues LDA addresses in its Core Principles publications. It is an adjacent peer in the LD/special education policy and assessment space.
• LD Online: LD Online is a long-running online resource on learning disabilities for parents, teachers, and other professionals. It directly competes with LDA's web resources and webinar archive, though it has a narrower scope and less advocacy activity.

Broad incumbents

• Autism Society of America: The Autism Society is a major national disability nonprofit with affiliates, conferences, advocacy, and information resources. While focused on autism, it parallels LDA's affiliate model and competes for similar donor and volunteer mindshare in the broader disability community.
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): CEC is the largest international professional organization for special educators. It overlaps with LDA's educator and professional development audience, offers conferences and publications, and competes for the same LD professional members, but covers all special education categories rather than LD specifically.

Direct peers

• National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET): NASET is a membership-based professional association for special education teachers that provides resources, publications, and professional development. It is a direct peer to LDA's educator-focused offerings, especially The LD Institute.
• International Dyslexia Association (IDA): IDA focuses on dyslexia specifically, providing educator training, credentialing, and advocacy. It directly parallels LDA's learning-disabilities focus with stronger emphasis on literacy and structured literacy instruction, making it a close category peer.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): NCLD is a leading national nonprofit focused on improving outcomes for individuals with learning disabilities through advocacy, policy, and resources. It is a direct peer to LDA, serving overlapping parent, educator, and policymaker audiences with comparable mission scope.
• Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) / Center for Parent Information and Resources: PTI centers are federally funded parent training and information hubs helping families of children with disabilities navigate special education. They are direct peers to LDA's parent-facing support resources, particularly around IEP/504 and disability rights advocacy.
• CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder): CHADD is a national nonprofit serving individuals affected by ADHD, frequently co-occurring with learning disabilities. It shares LDA's model of local chapters, professional resources, advocacy, and an annual conference, making it a near-direct peer in the learning/attention disability space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LDAofAmerica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LDAAmerica
• Facebookfacebook.com/LDAAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/learning-disabilities-association-of-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/ldaofamerica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 LDA