Association of California Nurse Leaders
Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) is a Sacramento-based nonprofit professional membership organization serving 1,500+ nurse leaders across California through 16 regional chapters, membership dues, an annual leadership conference, leadership development programs, and educational partnerships with 17+ universities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersSacramento, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Association of California Nurse Leaders does
The Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) is a nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sacramento, California. It serves nurse leaders across clinical practice, academia, corrections, and systems leadership through a statewide network of 1,500+ members organized into 16 regional chapters and 12 standing committees. ACNL's core product is membership, priced at $225/year for Regular members, $120 for Emeritus, $180 for Affiliate, and $1,200 lifetime, offering voting privileges, networking, mentorship matching, advocacy, continuing education access, scholarships, journal discounts, and a career center. Beyond membership dues, ACNL generates revenue from its 47-year-running Annual Nursing Leadership Conference, the Foundation for Leadership Excellence (a five-day intensive plus virtual finance course), the C. Duane Dauner Health Policy Certificate Program (seven asynchronous courses), and the newly launched Executive Leadership Academy co-developed with UCSF School of Nursing (October 2025 to February 2026). The organization operates an official chapter relationship with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and maintains 17+ university educational partnerships, a MentorLead-powered mentorship community, an ACNL in Action podcast, and the Circles of Giving philanthropic program providing scholarships and emergency relief such as the Nurse Support and Emergency Fund for natural disaster-affected nurses. GTM is sales-led through direct membership recruitment, chapter events, October membership drives, and the annual conference, with marketing distributed across social channels, email blasts, and webinars.
Association of California Nurse Leaders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Association of California Nurse Leaders
- Legal name
- Association of California Nurse Leaders
- Website
- https://acnl.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) is a Sacramento-based nonprofit professional membership organization serving 1,500+ nurse leaders across California through 16 regional chapters, membership dues, an annual leadership conference, leadership development programs, and educational partnerships with 17+ universities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Association of California Nurse Leaders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Nursing Leadership Association
- NAICS
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Business Associations (813910), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategic Leadership & Business Acumen (EDABAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF), C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA)
Keywords
Where Association of California Nurse Leaders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sacramento
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Association of California Nurse Leaders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from Regular, Emeritus, Affiliate, and Lifetime members. Regular membership is $225/year, Emeritus is $120/year, Affiliate is $180/year, and Lifetime is $1,200 one-time.
- Conference and Event Fees: Revenue generated from the Annual Nursing Leadership Conference, certificate programs, and professional development courses including the Foundation for Leadership Excellence and Health Policy Certificate Program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Regular Membership for registered nurses in leadership roles |
| Subscription | Annual | Emeritus Membership for long-term members age 62+ working less than 25% |
| Subscription | Annual | Affiliate Membership for non-RNs connected to nurse leaders |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Lifetime Membership for members age 65+ with 10+ consecutive years |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels13 records
Association of California Nurse Leaders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACNL is a nonprofit professional membership organization that delivers nurse leadership development in California through tiered memberships, 16 regional chapters, 12 standing committees, and structured programs including the Foundation for Leadership Excellence, Executive Leadership Academy with UCSF, C. Duane Dauner Health Policy Certificate Program, mentorship via MentorLead, scholarships, recognition awards, and the annual Nursing Leadership Conference. Its products and services combine networking, continuing education, advocacy resources, and career support for nurse leaders across clinical, academic, corrections, and systems settings.
Product overview
ACNL is a professional nursing membership organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs for nurse leaders across California. The core offering includes membership with networking opportunities through 16 regional chapters and 12 standing committees, plus continuing education through the Foundation for Leadership Excellence (5-day intensive) and Executive Leadership Academy (in partnership with UCSF). Supporting programs include the Circles of Giving scholarship initiative, mentorship through MentorLead and the new Mentoring and Networking Community, the C. Duane Dauner Health Policy Certificate Program (7 asynchronous courses), annual recognition awards, and the flagship Annual Nursing Leadership Conference. ACNL also provides career resources, COVID-19 resources, healthy work environment tools, nursing research support, health policy resources, and partners with over a dozen universities for educational discounts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ACNL Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,000 emerging nurse leaders prepared through Foundations for Leadership Excellence program
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Association of California Nurse Leaders
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Association of California Nurse Leaders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Association of California Nurse Leaders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, supporting and minor.
- AONL (American Organization for Nursing Leadership)coreACNL operates as an official AONL chapter. ACNL maintains independence in governance, finances, and operations while agreeing to promote AONL initiatives, submit annual reports, and designate a primary AONL contact. Officers must be AONL members. On federal issues, both work in good faith; on state issues, each maintains separate positions.
- RQI PartnersflagshipYearlong sponsorship focused on supporting and celebrating nurse leaders across California. Collaboration represents shared belief in leadership, education, and connection to shape the future of healthcare. RQI Partners contributes to initiatives expanding access to learning, sparking meaningful conversations, and highlighting nurse leaders' vital role.
- UCSF School of NursingcorePartnership for Executive Leadership Academy, a premier professional development program for senior and newly appointed executive-level nurse leaders. Program combines three multi-day in-person sessions, personalized executive coaching, and project-based learning. Scheduled October 2025 to February 2026.
- Azusa Pacific UniversitysupportingEducational partner offering ACNL members partial tuition scholarships: 10% for RN to BSN; 15% for MSN programs (Nursing Education, Healthcare Administration & Leadership, Clinical Nurse Specialist); 15% for DNP or PhD programs.
- Grand Canyon UniversitysupportingEducational partner offering ACNL members 10% scholarship off tuition across 25+ nursing and healthcare programs to cultivate new skill sets and build knowledge for leadership roles.
- Loma Linda University School of NursingsupportingEducational partner offering 5% tuition discount for undergraduate programs (BSN, RN to BS, LVN to BS) and 10% discount for graduate programs (MS, DNP, PhD), excluding CRNA program. Established 1905.
- University of PhoenixsupportingEducational partner offering ACNL members a waived course for every 5 completed in a calendar year, plus Prior Learning Assessment at no cost ($150 savings). CCNE-accredited nursing programs.
- University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health ProfessionssupportingEducational partner offering 20% tuition discount for RN-MSN program and 20% tuition discount for DNP in Health Systems Leadership program. Jesuit tradition informed by Caring Science.
- American Sentinel UniversityminorEducational partner offering ACNL members and household members 20% tuition discount through Partnership Scholarship program.
- Chamberlain College of NursingminorEducational partner offering ACNL members special group tuition rate (15% savings) and waived application fees. 125+ year history preparing nursing graduates.
- Concordia University IrvineminorEducational partner offering 10% ACNL Tuition Discount for ABSN, MHA, and MPH programs.
- OpusVisupportingOnline education provider partner offering ACNL members 10% off all degree programs and 20% off certificate programs including MS in Nursing (Strategic Systems Leadership) and Nurse Leadership Certificate.
- National UniversitysupportingEducational partner offering ACNL members 15% tuition reduction scholarship and waiver of application fee. One course per month format.
- Southern New Hampshire UniversityminorEducational partner offering discounted tuition rates of $288 per undergraduate credit hour and $565 per graduate credit hour. CCNE-accredited RN-BSN and MSN programs.
- Touro University CaliforniaminorEducational partner offering application fee waived upon request for ADN to MSN (17 months) and BSN to MSN (12 months) tracks, plus FNP Certification program.
- Unitek LearningminorEducational partner offering ACNL members 10% tuition discount, waived application fee, and ability to start classes every month through Unitek College and Eagle Gate College.
- Vanguard UniversityminorEducational partner offering 25% tuition discount for undergraduate nursing programs and 10% discount for graduate programs including RN to BSN, MSN (Educational Leadership, Post-Master's CNS).
- Walden UniversitysupportingEducational partner offering 10% tuition reduction for life of program for all new students enrolling in bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree programs. 45+ years serving working professionals.
- West Coast UniversityminorEducational partner offering waived application fees and 10% grant for RN to BSN, RN to MSN and MSN programs. Programs designed by nurses, for nurses.
- Western Governors UniversityminorEducational partner offering 5% tuition discount for up to 4 terms plus eligibility for healthcare partners scholarships.
- MentorLeadcoreTechnology platform partner for ACNL's mentorship and networking community. Partnership spanning over a decade through CNO Mentorship and Foundations Mentorship Programs, now expanded to include new Mentorship and Networking Community platform.
- HealthImpact MentorssupportingPartnership providing mentorship for nursing students and new graduate nurses through the be1support1 program.
- Nurses On Boards CoalitionsupportingNational coalition partnership focused on getting nurses on boards to improve health and communities. Listed under ACNL Partners for nursing resources.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Association of California Nurse Leaders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National League for Nursing (NLN): National association for nurse educators and nursing education programs. Comparable as a membership-based nursing organization offering leadership and faculty development, though oriented toward academic nursing rather than executive practice.
- American Nurses Association (ANA): National professional association for the entire nursing profession. While broader than ACNL (which focuses on nurse leaders), ANA competes for the same nurses' dues dollars and offers overlapping advocacy, continuing education, and credentialing.
- Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma Nursing): Global nursing honor society offering membership, leadership development, research grants, and conferences to nurse leaders and scholars. Competes for the same nurse-leader membership wallet and offers analogous professional development programs.
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): National organization representing baccalaureate and graduate nursing education programs. ACNL's UCSF partnership and educational partner ecosystem put it adjacent to AACN's membership base of deans and faculty.
- AONL (American Organization for Nursing Leadership): National professional association for nurse leaders; ACNL operates as an official state chapter of AONL. Comparable in mission (developing and connecting nurse executives) but operates at the national rather than state level, offering overlapping membership, advocacy, and conference products.
Regional players
- Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (TONL): Texas-based state-level nursing leadership association serving nurse executives in Texas. Closely analogous to ACNL in structure (state chapter of AONL, membership dues, annual conference, leadership development programs), differing only in geography.
- Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership (FONL): Florida state-level nursing leadership association for nurse leaders across care settings. Operates as an AONL affiliate analogous to ACNL, providing membership, education, advocacy, and an annual conference for nurse executives in its state.
- Healthcare Leadership Network of the Delaware Valley (HLNDV): Regional AONL-affiliated nursing leadership association in the Delaware Valley. Comparable as a smaller AONL chapter providing local networking, education, and recognition for nurse leaders in its region.
Direct peers
- NWONL (Northwest Organization of Nurse Leaders): State/regional nursing leadership association serving the Pacific Northwest. ACNL itself links to NWONL events on its website. Directly comparable as a sister state association providing membership, conferences, and professional development to nurse leaders.
Others
- American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Foundation: The philanthropic and research arm of AONL offering scholarships, research grants, and awards to nurse leaders. Comparable through its funding of nurse leader development, mentorship, and recognition programs that overlap with ACNL's Circles of Giving, scholarships, and awards portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Association of California Nurse Leaders social profiles
Digital presenceAssociation of California Nurse Leaders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Association of California Nurse Leaders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Association of California Nurse Leaders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Association of California Nurse Leaders 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 California Nurse Leaders
What does Association of California Nurse Leaders do?
ACNL is a nonprofit professional membership organization that delivers nurse leadership development in California through tiered memberships, 16 regional chapters, 12 standing committees, and structured programs including the Foundation for Leadership Excellence, Executive Leadership Academy with UCSF, C. Duane Dauner Health Policy Certificate Program, mentorship via MentorLead, scholarships, recognition awards, and the annual Nursing Leadership Conference. Its products and services combine networking, continuing education, advocacy resources, and career support for nurse leaders across clinical, academic, corrections, and systems settings.
Is Association of California Nurse Leaders a public or private company?
Association of California Nurse Leaders is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Association of California Nurse Leaders founded?
Association of California Nurse Leaders was founded in 1978. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Association of California Nurse Leaders based?
Association of California Nurse Leaders is headquartered in Sacramento, United States, in the North America region.
How does Association of California Nurse Leaders make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are conference and Event Fees.
Who are Association of California Nurse Leaders's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National League for Nursing (NLN), American Nurses Association (ANA), Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma Nursing), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and AONL (American Organization for Nursing Leadership). Regional players are Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (TONL), Florida Organization for Nursing Leadership (FONL) and Healthcare Leadership Network of the Delaware Valley (HLNDV). NWONL (Northwest Organization of Nurse Leaders) is listed as a direct peer. American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Foundation is listed as an others.
Does Association of California Nurse Leaders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Association of California Nurse Leaders.
What industry is Association of California Nurse Leaders in?
Association of California Nurse Leaders's product category is Professional Nursing Leadership Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAAAC, Strategic Leadership & Business Acumen, with a secondary code of EDABANAF, Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams). Its NAICS code is 8139 and its SIC code is 8600.