United States Distance Learning Association

What United States Distance Learning Association does

USDLA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association founded in 1987 as the first U.S. organization dedicated to distance learning research, development, and practice. It serves distance education leaders, practitioners, and institutions across K-20 education, corporate training, military and government, and telehealth through five core revenue streams: individual and institutional memberships ($30-$1,000 annually), tiered corporate sponsorships ($3,000-$20,000), a Quality Certification program based on approximately 91 standards ($3,500-$6,000 initial, $1,000-$3,000 renewals), consulting services billed at $225/hour, and a job board ($150-$200 per posting).

Its core products are events and content rather than technology: the 39th National Conference (June 22-25, 2026, Cleveland), National Distance Learning Week, Public Policy Week, Friday Free Webinars, the USDLA Distance Learning Journal (2015-2025), the 'Education Without Boundaries' podcast series, and USDLAtv on YouTube. The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary — membership management runs on MemberLeap, with events hosted through standard virtual event platforms and distribution through email, social, and podcast networks. USDLA does not develop or sell software products.

The association's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: it acquires and retains members through conferences, weekly programming, state chapters in Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, Northeast, DelMarVa, and Missouri, and global partner organizations including EDEN (covering 55 countries), ABED (Brazil), ICDE, and ICEF. Corporate sponsors include Google and Chen (Platinum), plus Emerald Publishing, Instructure, VDO360, Verizon, Visla, and BroadbandBreakfast (Gold). The organization is governed by an unpaid volunteer board chaired by Dr. Shana Garrett, with Pat Cassella serving as Executive Director/CEO and Dr. Farah Bennani as President. USDLA reports supporting 100,000+ distance education professionals and operates without parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

Name

United States Distance Learning Association

Legal name

United States Distance Learning Association

Website

https://usdla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

USDLA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association, founded in 1987, that serves more than 100,000 distance education practitioners and institutions through memberships, conferences, certification, policy advocacy, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from individual, student, retired, and institutional members (both for-profit and non-profit organizations). Individual memberships range from $30 (student) to $125 (individual), institutional memberships from $500-$1,000.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple tiers: Bronze ($3,000), Silver ($5,000), Gold ($7,500), Platinum ($10,000), and 21st Century ($20,000). Sponsors receive year-round marketing exposure, conference benefits, and access to key influencers in the distance learning community.
3. Program Certification: Quality certification fees for institutions based on enrollment: Initial application fee of $500, then $3,500-$6,000 depending on size, plus annual renewals of $1,000-$3,000.
4. Consulting Services: Customized consulting services for institutions seeking guidance on distance learning programs at $225/hour with a minimum of 3 hours required.
5. Job Board Posting: Fees for posting distance learning related job opportunities: $150 for members and $200 for non-members for 90-day postings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

USDLA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association that delivers distance learning services through tiered individual and institutional memberships, an annual National Conference, a Quality Certification program, weekly webinars, an awards program, and a quarterly research journal. Its membership, sponsorship, certification, and consulting revenue lines serve distance education practitioners across K-20, corporate, military, government, and telehealth sectors nationally and internationally.

Product overview

USDLA is a premier professional membership organization serving distance education leaders. The core offering includes membership with access to the USDLA Journal (quarterly, 2015-2025), weekly E-Newsletter, webinars (including Friday Free Webinars), and the International Distance Learning Awards. Key programs encompass the annual National Conference (June 22-25, 2026 in Cleveland) and Virtual Conference, National Distance Learning Week, and Public Policy Week. The organization provides Quality Certification for institutions and offers Consulting Services as an add-on. Additional offerings include USDLA Podcasts (Education Without Boundaries Series), USDLA TV YouTube channel, a Job Board, State Chapters network, and Global Partners program. The association connects members through research resources and the Distance Learning Resources portal with member-only content through the USDLA Asset Archive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USDLA Membership Tiered professional membership for distance education leaders and practitioners across individual, student, retired, and institutional segments, including access to journal archives, newsletter, member portal, event content, free webinars, directory, voting rights, and job board access.
• National Conference Annual conference bringing together leaders in distance and digital learning with networking, sessions, and professional development opportunities.
• USDLA Journal Quarterly research journal providing distance learning research and best practices for member access, with archived copies available electronically.
• Quality Certification Certification program for institutions and educational providers meeting USDLA Quality Standards for distance learning, with approximately 91 standards highlighting best practices at all levels of education and training.
• Webinars Friday Free Webinars and member-only webinars providing professional development and industry insights, with certificates of completion for attending select events.
• USDLA Podcasts Education Without Boundaries Series podcast featuring discussions on distance learning topics, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart platforms.
• USDLA TV YouTube channel featuring video assets and select conference recordings for members, with members-only content accessible through the USDLA Member Leap portal.
• International Distance Learning Awards Annual awards recognizing outstanding achievements in digital/distance learning, open to members and non-members globally. Presentations are streamed live to a global audience.
• National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) Week-long free digital and distance learning programming presented globally, attracting multiple participating institutions over its 18-year history through affiliate partners including state chapters, schools, colleges, universities, and corporations.
• Public Policy Week (PPW) Annual event focused on public policy topics shaping digital and distance education, held in January. Members receive representation in Washington on various public policy topics.
• E-Newsletter Weekly newsletter highlighting USDLA activities, current news, trends, and best practices across constituencies including K-12, Higher Ed, Corporate, Government, Military, Telehealth, and Home Schooling.
• Virtual Conference Online conference component offering virtual sessions and participation opportunities, included with National Conference registration.
• Consulting Services Customized consulting services to assess readiness and enhance distance learning programs, including strategic planning, quality enhancement, and alignment with USDLA Quality Standards. Priced at $225/hour with minimum three hours required.
• Job Board Platform for posting distance learning related job opportunities for 90 days at $150 for members and $200 for non-members, with postings also featured in the electronic newsletter.

Quantifiable outcome

• USDLA supports over 100,000 members in the distance education professional community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, platinum and gold.

• European Distance and Elearning Network (EDEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDEN is a professional community of experts and practitioners of electronic distance education representing 55 countries and over 430 institutions from Europe and other continents. USDLA and EDEN have partnered to expand the network of professionals worldwide to share knowledge and expertise while growing collaborative opportunities. Both organizations celebrate National Distance Learning Week and European Distance Learning Week featuring joint webinars.
• Brazilian Association for Distance Education (ABED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABED is a non-profit society promoting diffusion of open, flexible and distance education since 1995. Founded by academics interested in distance education and new learning technologies. Partners with USDLA for global distance learning initiatives.
• International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICDE is a leading global membership organization for open, distance, flexible and online education, including e-learning. ICDE has consultative partner status with UNESCO and shares UNESCO's key value of the universal right to education for all. Secretary General Torunn Gjelsvik leads the organization.
• International Consultants for Education and Fairs (ICEF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICEFA is at the heart of the international education industry, facilitating access to relationships, insight, and training to drive growth for educational institutions, student recruitment agents, and connected service providers.
• GoogleplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of USDLA providing support for the association's work in the distance education community.
• Chen (CEO John Chen)platinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of USDLA supporting distance education initiatives.
• Emerald PublishinggoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. For 2026, Emerald Publishing is making both the USDLA and QRDE journals free to all members and publishing a special edition distance learning journal in Fall 2026.
• InstructuregoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor, provider of Canvas LMS platform for distance learning.
• VDO360goldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor specializing in video collaboration solutions for education.
• VerizongoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor providing business solutions for public sector education.
• VislagoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor supporting USDLA events and programs.
• BroadbandBreakfastgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor covering distance learning news and policy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Brazilian Association for Distance Education (ABED): ABED is a non-profit Brazilian association promoting distance education since 1995 and a USDLA global partner. It is a regional peer serving the same member archetype (educators, institutions, vendors) in Latin America.

Broad incumbents

• EDUCAUSE: EDUCAUSE is a large, well-funded nonprofit association for higher education IT and instructional technology — a broader incumbent that overlaps with USDLA on distance learning audiences, sponsorships, and policy influence but serves a much wider portfolio.
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): ISTE is a large nonprofit membership organization for educators using technology, including K-12 and online learning — a broader incumbent with overlapping K-12/higher-ed distance learning audiences and similar conference/sponsorship revenue model.

Direct peers

• WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies): WCET is a nonprofit cooperative of higher education institutions focused on educational technology and state authorization policy — directly comparable to USDLA on the policy-advocacy and higher-ed regulatory dimensions.
• Online Learning Consortium (OLC): OLC is a U.S.-based nonprofit membership consortium for online learning professionals, directly comparable to USDLA in mission, member base (faculty, instructional designers, administrators), and product mix (membership, conferences, workshops, research). Both compete for the same institutional sponsors and members.
• Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT): AECT is an international nonprofit association for educational communications and technology professionals with conventions, publications, and member divisions — comparable to USDLA on the educational technology professional society dimension.
• European Distance and Elearning Network (EDEN): EDEN is USDLA's European counterpart and explicit global partner, representing 55 countries and 430+ institutions. EDEN is directly comparable as a distance learning professional association with conferences, webinars, and policy engagement.
• International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE): ICDE is the leading global membership organization for open, distance, flexible and online education with UNESCO consultative status — directly comparable to USDLA at the international level and an explicit USDLA global partner.
• Quality Matters: Quality Matters is a nonprofit specializing in quality assurance and peer review for online education — the closest direct competitor to USDLA's Quality Certification program. Both serve higher education institutions seeking to validate online program quality.
• UPCEA (University Professional and Continuing Education Association): UPCEA is a membership association serving professional, continuing, and online education leaders in higher education — directly comparable to USDLA in member base, conferences, and institutional membership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USDLA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@USDLAtv
• Facebookfacebook.com/USDistanceLearningAssoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/us-distance-learning-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United States Distance Learning Association