Association of Licensed Architects

What Association of Licensed Architects does

The Association of Licensed Architects (ALA) is a non-profit professional membership association founded in 1999 and headquartered at 21200 South La Grange Rd., Suite 163, Frankfort, Illinois. It serves licensed architects, architectural firms, students and interns, and architecture employers across the Midwest/Illinois region, providing professional development, design recognition, career resources, and standardized legal documentation. ALA generates revenue across five streams: tiered membership dues (Professional, Senior, Emeritus, and Affiliate), transaction-fee job postings on its career center, one-time and subscription contract document sales, event and conference registrations, and fee-based services including career coaching and reference checking.

ALA's product portfolio centers on five core offerings: (1) ALA Contract Templates, a library of 17 short-form legal documents designed by architects for architects covering Architect-Owner Agreements, Architect-Consultant Agreements, Residential Project Agreements, Short Form Agreements, and Construction Administration Documents, free to members and sold individually or by subscription to non-members; (2) the ALA Career Center, an employment marketplace with job postings priced at $110-$165 by duration, plus resume database access; (3) the Design Awards Program, an annual showcase including Design Awards, Service Awards, Student Merit Award Program, and Napkin Sketch Contest; (4) signature spring and fall conferences plus an Annual Meeting and Design Awards Gala; and (5) supplementary services such as Career Coaching ($224 members/$280 non-members for three sessions), Resume Writing via TopResume, Reference Checking, the Career Learning Center with video presentations, and the eMentor online mentorship platform. The YALA sub-brand specifically targets young architects and licensure candidates through quarterly 'Coffee with an Architect' meetups.

The organization's technology footprint is modest. Its main website (alatoday.org) and career center subdomain (careers.alatoday.org) are hosted on Naylor Association Solutions' association management software, with a CareerJet job-search aggregation integration and Vimeo-based video delivery. Marketing is conducted through the website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Houzz), the Licensed Architect magazine (which includes quizzes for CEU credit), email/newsletter, and in-person/virtual events. Sponsorship partners include WickRight, TOTO, Concrete Masonry Checkoff, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, Mapei, BAC District Council Training Center, Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove, and Medinah Country Club.

Name

Association of Licensed Architects

Legal name

Association of Licensed Architects

Website

https://alatoday.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Association of Licensed Architects (ALA) is a non-profit professional membership association founded in 1999, headquartered in Frankfort, Illinois, serving licensed architects and architecture firms in the Midwest. It generates revenue through membership dues, job board postings, contract document sales, conferences, and career coaching services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAG

Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

Keywords

• Architectural association
• Professional membership
• Contract templates
• Continuing education
• Design awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

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: ALA generates revenue from annual membership dues across Professional, Senior, Emeritus, and Affiliate membership tiers. Members receive free access to 17 short-form legal contract documents as a membership benefit.
2. Job Posting Fees: The career center charges employers for job postings. Member pricing: $110 for 30-day, $140 for 45-day, $165 for 60-day postings. Student internship postings are free. Additional featured job and targeted distribution services available for purchase.
3. Contract Document Sales: Non-member contracts are available for individual purchase or annual subscription through the ALA Store. Prices vary by document type (e.g., $50 for Certificate of Substantial Completion, $75 for Architect/Consultant agreements). Members receive free unlimited access to contracts.
4. Event Registrations: Revenue from conference and event registrations including the Fall Conference, Spring Conference, Design Awards Gala, and Annual Meeting. Events offer CEUs for professional development.
5. Coaching Services: Career coaching sessions are available with member pricing at $224 for three 30-minute sessions and non-member pricing at $280. Reference checking services also available at $79.20-$124 depending on level and membership status.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Association of Licensed Architects (ALA) is a non-profit professional membership organization for architects founded in 1999. It provides membership benefits, 17 architect-developed contract templates, an online career center, career coaching and resume services, design awards, spring/fall professional development conferences, an online mentorship network (eMentor), a Career Learning Center with video presentations, and the Licensed Architect magazine with continuing education quizzes.

Product overview

The Association of Licensed Architects (ALA) is a professional membership organization established in 1999 offering a unified platform of services for architects. The core offerings include: (1) ALA Contract Templates - 17 architect-friendly legal document templates available to members for free and sold to non-members; (2) ALA Career Center - employment marketplace connecting architecture job seekers with employers; (3) Design Awards Program - annual recognition of architectural excellence; (4) ALA Conferences - spring and fall professional development events; and (5) supplementary services including Career Coaching, Resume Writing Services, Reference Checking, Career Learning Center with video presentations, and the eMentor online mentorship platform. The association also supports young architects through YALA and publishes Licensed Architect magazine with continuing education content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YALA: Young Architects and Licensure Candidates - a program welcoming architects, professionals, and students to connect and grow
• Licensed Architect Magazine
• ALA Career Center

Named customers4 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WickRightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of ALA programs and events. Logo displayed in sponsors section of the website.
• Mid-America Carpenters Regional CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of ALA programs and events. Union organization representing carpenters in the Midwest region.
• TOTOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of ALA programs and events. Manufacturer of plumbing fixtures and architectural products.
• Concrete Masonry CheckoffminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of ALA programs and events. Industry organization promoting concrete masonry products.
• Naylor Association SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides association management software and hosts the careers.alatoday.org subdomain. Powers the main website and career center platform functionality.
• BAC District Council Training CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining facility venue provider for ALA Fall Conference events. Provides hands-on environment tied directly to construction and building systems.
• Sub-Zero, Wolf, and CoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppliance manufacturer whose showroom hosts the ALA Annual Meeting. Provides venue space and culinary experiences for networking events.
• Medinah Country ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium venue host for the annual ALA Design Awards Gala celebrating member excellence in architecture.
• MapeiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturer hosting the Inside the Mortar Plant event on August 27, 2026 featuring stone veneer tour, demonstration, and seminar for ALA members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Project Management Institute (PMI): Global professional association for project managers across industries, with strong architectural and construction project manager membership. Demonstrates the scale ceiling that a well-run professional association can achieve through certification programs.
• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA): The UK's chartered body for architects, offering membership, continuing education, validation of courses, and a globally recognized credential. Comparable in mission to ALA but operating internationally with a much larger member base.

Emerging players

• Society of Architectural Historians (SAH): International scholarly organization focused on architectural history, providing publications, conferences, and member resources. Less directly competitive than AIA but serves a subset of the same architect audience ALA targets with continuing education.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Global research and education organization focused on land use and real estate development. Membership spans architects, developers, planners, and investors, partially overlapping with ALA's architect audience on commercial real estate topics.
• Construction Specifications Institute (CSI): National association for construction specifiers and building product professionals, offering certifications (CCCA, CCS), continuing education, and MasterFormat standards. Adjacent to ALA's audience and provides complementary technical training.

Direct peers

• American Institute of Architects (AIA): The dominant national professional membership association for licensed architects in the US, offering continuing education, contracts (AIA contract documents are industry-standard), advocacy, and conferences. ALA competes directly with AIA for architect memberships in the Midwest.
• AIA Illinois (AIA Illinois Chapter): The Illinois state chapter of AIA, directly competing with ALA for the same regional architect member base. Both organizations provide local continuing education, networking events, and advocacy for architects in Illinois.
• NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards): National organization that develops and administers the architectural licensure process (ARE exam) and facilitates interstate reciprocity. ALA's YALA program supports candidates navigating NCARB's licensure path, making them complementary rather than strictly competitive.
• American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS): National student organization for architecture students, serving the same pipeline that ALA's YALA program targets. Both organizations recruit architecture students and licensure candidates into their respective communities.

Others

• American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC): National trade association for engineering firms offering similar member services (advocacy, continuing education, contracts, networking) in an adjacent design profession. Provides a useful structural comparison for how ALA's association model could scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ALALicensedarch
• Facebookfacebook.com/associationoflicensedarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-licensed-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/alaarchitects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association of Licensed Architects