National Wildlife Control Operators Association

What National Wildlife Control Operators Association does

National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) is a U.S. national non-profit trade association founded in 2000 and headquartered in Amelia, Ohio, representing the professional wildlife control industry. It serves wildlife control operators (WCOs) through a multi-tiered membership program (Individual Professional, Business Professional, Corporate Professional, and Vendor tiers at $288/year for individual membership with automatic renewal), providing professional certifications in areas such as Structural Bat Management, Bird Management, Rodent Standards, and Zoonotic Disease, as well as hands-on training courses, a Code of Ethics, and a public Find a Professional consumer referral directory. The association is governed by a Board of Directors and operates through committees including an Advocacy Committee that lobbies to protect trapping methods, monitoring equipment, and members from government competition, supported by the Wildlife Control Defense Fund.

The underlying technology is minimal: NWCOA runs on Wild Apricot membership management software that handles member enrollment, course registration, event sign-ups, and newsletter distribution. Its quarterly NWCOA NEWS reaches nearly 5,000 industry professionals, and its annual Wildlife Expo convention, held regionally around the U.S., draws 350+ attendees with multi-tiered sponsor exhibits (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Educational) and à la carte advertising packages. The organization also operates an online merchandise store selling branded apparel, decals, patches, and medical cards.

NWCOA generates revenue from six streams: membership dues (subscription), training courses and certifications (pay-as-you-go fees), event sponsorships and exhibits (advertising), newsletter advertising ($75-$350 per placement), merchandise sales, and donations to the Wildlife Defense Fund. Its go-to-market is sales-led, combining website presence, the Wildlife Expo, and partnerships with InterNACHI (home inspectors), Baton (referral marketplace), and a network of vendor sponsors (Wildlife Control Supplies, HY-C, Tomahawk Live Trap, Bird Barrier, Skyhawk, AAC Distributing, Target Specialty Products, Liphatech, ATS, InOvate, Veseris, Viking Product Supply, Forshaw, VM Products). No AI/ML capabilities, outside funding rounds, or acquisition activity are present.

Name

National Wildlife Control Operators Association

Legal name

National Wildlife Control Operators Association, Inc.

Website

https://nwcoa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) is a U.S. non-profit trade association founded in 2000 that provides membership, professional certifications, training, advocacy, and a consumer referral directory for wildlife control operators and vendor members across the country.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Wildlife control services
• Pest management training
• Professional certification programs
• Trade association membership
• Industry advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amelia

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from Individual Professional, Business Professional, Corporate Professional, and Vendor members form the core revenue stream. Individual Professional membership is $288/year with automatic renewal.
2. Training Courses and Certifications: Fee-based training courses including the Elevated Tasks SSRPT Course ($795 for members, $995 for non-members) and Get Bent Academy courses ($1,000 members, $1,200 non-members). Additional certification programs and on-demand training available.
3. Event Sponsorships and Exhibits: Annual Wildlife Expo convention features vendor exhibits with discounted rates for vendor members. Various sponsorship packages including Platinum, Gold, Silver levels, plus à la carte options for course lunch sponsorships, after-hours events, and website advertisements.
4. Advertising: Quarterly newsletter NWCOA NEWS distributed to approximately 5,000 industry professionals with advertising options: full page ($200-350), half page ($120-200), quarter page ($75-125).
5. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling NWCOA branded apparel, decals, patches, and medical cards. Items include t-shirts, baseball jerseys, certification decals, and embroidered uniform patches.
6. Donations/Defense Fund: Wildlife Control Defense Fund accepts donations to support lobbying initiatives, legal defenses, and advocacy campaigns for the industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NWCOA is a non-profit national trade association that sells tiered memberships (Individual Professional at $288/year, Business Professional, Corporate Professional, and Vendor), professional certifications, hands-on training courses (Get Bent Academy, Elevated Tasks SSRPT), an annual Wildlife Expo convention, on-demand training modules, a public Find a Professional consumer referral directory, and the Wildlife Control Defense Fund for industry advocacy. Members receive access to a quarterly newsletter, vendor discount programs, trademark usage rights, and a Code of Ethics framework for wildlife control operators.

Product overview

NWCOA offers a membership-based non-profit trade association focused on supporting the wildlife control industry through training, certifications, and professional development. The core product is its multi-tiered membership program (Individual Professional, Business Professional, Corporate Professional, Vendor) which provides access to certifications, on-demand training, the Find a Professional directory, and vendor discount programs. Supporting offerings include the annual Wildlife Expo convention, quarterly NWCOA News newsletter, merchandise store with branded decals and apparel, sponsorship packages, and the Wildlife Control Defense Fund for advocacy. The organization also partners with InterNACHI for cross-referrals between home inspectors and wildlife control operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NWCOA Membership Tiered membership program providing wildlife control operators and vendors with access to training, certifications, networking, Code of Ethics framework, consumer referrals via the Find a Pro directory, vendor discounts, and trademark/logo usage rights.
• Professional Certifications Industry-recognized certification programs for wildlife control operators covering specialty areas including Structural Bat Management, Bird Management, Rodent Standards, and Zoonotic Disease.
• Get Bent Academy Two Day Basic Course Intensive two-day hands-on training in metal fabrication and structural exclusion techniques for wildlife and pest control professionals, featuring real-world fabrication exercises on a modular training building. Priced at $1,000 for members and $1,200 for non-members, limited to 20 registrants.
• Elevated Tasks SSRPT Course Two-day Steep Slope Roof Pitch Traversing certification course teaching ladder positioning, lifeline rope positioning, anchoring, traversing pitches, harness points, OSHA regulations, and working at heights skills. Priced at $795 for members and $995 for non-members, limited to 12 attendees.
• Wildlife Expo Annual Convention Annual in-person convention and tradeshow featuring vendor exhibits, educational sessions, and networking opportunities for wildlife control professionals, held regionally around the country and attended by over 350 professionals annually.
• Find a Professional Directory Public directory allowing property owners to search for certified wildlife control operators by city or zip code with advanced search filters for specialized services. Members are listed as 'For Hire' professionals.
• On-Demand Training Online training modules and courses available to members for continuing education and professional development in wildlife control techniques, accessed on-demand via the NWCOA website.
• NWCOA Merchandise Store Online store selling NWCOA-branded merchandise including apparel, certification decals, embroidered uniform patches, and medical cards for members to promote their NWCOA certification and membership.
• Sponsorship Packages Tiered sponsorship packages (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Educational) plus a la carte options including training course sponsorships, website advertisements, and newsletter ads for vendors seeking access to NWCOA members. Silver Level starts at $2,500/year.
• Wildlife Control Defense Fund Advocacy fund supporting lobbying efforts, legal defenses, and outreach campaigns to protect trapping methods, monitoring equipment, and professional standards for wildlife control operators. Donations fund regulatory advocacy against government competition.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership combining NWCOA's wildlife control expertise with InterNACHI's home inspection training and certification resources. InterNACHI members receive 10% off first-year NWCOA membership. NWCOA members receive one free month trial membership to InterNACHI. Home inspectors can refer wildlife damage findings to certified NWCOA operators through the Find an Operator page.
• Wildlife Control SuppliescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor vendor sponsor and partner offering discount programs to NWCOA members. Provides product support and sponsors training courses including Elevated Tasks SSRPT and Get Bent Academy courses. Wildlife Expo tradeshow participant.
• HY-C CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of NWCOA training programs including Elevated Tasks SSRPT courses. Major supporter of industry education and professional development.
• TrapmatemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational sponsor for webinars and training courses. Provides product support and promotional opportunities for NWCOA members.
• SkyhawkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor sponsor providing raffle prizes for webinar attendees including Kiwi or Kiwi Plus products and free subscriptions.
• Tomahawk Live TrapmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor sponsor offering exclusive discount programs for NWCOA members. Long-time supporter of the wildlife control industry.
• Bird BarriermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor sponsor providing product discounts to NWCOA members and supporting industry events and training.
• BatonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeer-to-peer referral marketplace for home service companies. Receives consumer calls and directs them to NWCOA members in their area for wildlife control services.
• AAC DistributingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor sponsor offering RIDGE-GUARD and RODENT-SHIELD products through weekly member drawings. Supports NWCOA membership engagement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Critter Control: Critter Control is the largest US franchise network of wildlife and animal removal operators, with national service coverage. It is a broad incumbent to NWCOA's member base: many NWCOA members are independent operators competing with or affiliated with Critter Control franchises, and the franchise sets de facto service standards the association's training addresses.
• Terminix (Rentokil Terminix): Terminix, now part of Rentokil Initial, is one of the largest pest and wildlife control providers in the US, with a national technician network that competes directly with NWCOA member businesses. It is a broad incumbent whose scale and consolidation strategy is a key structural factor for independent WCOs and the association.
• Orkin (Rollins, Inc.): Orkin, a subsidiary of Rollins, is the largest US pest control company and operates a dedicated wildlife control service line. It is a broad incumbent in the same end-customer market (residential/commercial pest and wildlife services) and its expansion into wildlife control pressures independent NWCOA members, shaping the association's advocacy priorities.

Direct peers

• National Pest Management Association (NPMA): NPMA is the largest US trade association for the pest management industry, offering membership, certification (QualityPro), advocacy, and an annual PestWorld convention. It is a direct peer to NWCOA: both are non-profit trade associations serving professional pest/wildlife control operators with overlapping certification, training, and member-benefit models.
• QualityPro: QualityPro is NPMA's certification arm, providing third-party accreditation for pest management companies. It is a direct peer to NWCOA's certification programs (Structural Bat Management, Bird Management, Rodent Standards), since both bodies monetize industry-recognized credentials for pest and wildlife control operators.
• National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA): NACA is the national trade association for animal care and control professionals, including wildlife handlers in the public sector. It is a direct peer in association structure (membership, training, certification, advocacy) and overlaps NWCOA in dealing with wildlife handling, public-sector animal services, and member credentialing.

Others

• Bat Conservation International (BCI): BCI is a non-profit conservation organization focused on bat preservation that produces best-practice guidance and trains exclusion professionals. It is an adjacent, ecosystem participant to NWCOA: its exclusion protocols inform NWCOA's Structural Bat Management certification and it represents the conservation-side perspective on wildlife management tools the association defends.
• Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO): ASPCRO is the association of state regulators that license and oversee structural pest control, including wildlife. It is an adjacent organization to NWCOA: it does not represent operators but shapes the licensing framework that drives demand for NWCOA's training and certification products.
• Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA): AFWA is the national association of state fish and wildlife agencies, representing the public-sector side of wildlife management. It is an adjacent organization to NWCOA: it does not serve private operators, but its members draft the rules on trapping, monitoring, and wildlife control licensing that NWCOA's advocacy work engages with directly.

Emerging players

• The Wildlife Society (TWS): TWS is a professional association for wildlife biologists and managers, offering certifications, publications, and an annual conference. It is comparable to NWCOA as a membership association built around wildlife professionals, but its members are scientists and biologists rather than private-sector control operators, making it an emerging/adjacent player rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NWCOA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Expowild
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-wildlife-control-operators-association

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 National Wildlife Control Operators Association