What Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association does

Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit nursing specialty organization incorporated in 1992 and headquartered in Denton, Texas. It serves nurses, LPNs/LVNs, students, associates, and corporate groups who practice in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) nursing, uniting what the organization describes as thousands of DD nurses, student nurses, and supporters. Its mission centers on advocacy, education, and certification for the IDD nursing specialty, with the explicit goal of improving health outcomes for persons with developmental disabilities. DDNA is the only organization offering IDD-specific professional certification for both RNs and LPN/LVNs.

DDNA's product surface comprises four interconnected pillars: (1) tiered membership (Nurses, Associates, Students, Corporate Groups) providing access to community forums, employment classifieds, publications, and educational resources; (2) IDD nursing certification via experience, examination, and continuing education with recurring renewal; (3) education programs including an annual in-person conference (Phoenix 2026, Kansas City 2027 — the 35th annual), webinars, online courses such as the newly launched Practice Standards of DD Nursing and Medication Management for Persons with IDD, and a peer-reviewed scholarly publication, the International Journal of Nursing in IDD nursing; and (4) regional affiliate chapters providing in-person networking across the United States. Distribution is multi-channel: a self-serve web platform for global 24/7 access, regional affiliates for local engagement, the annual conference for national in-person convening, and reciprocal partnerships with organizations such as the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD).

The revenue model is a mix of recurring membership dues (annual billing), conference registration and sponsorship fees, one-time certification application and renewal fees, and revenue from educational programs and publications. Five pharmaceutical companies — Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Neurelis, Neurocrine Biosciences, SK Life Science, and Tarrytown — serve as 2026 Annual Partners underwriting conferences and educational initiatives. The organization operates with 11-50 employees, is governed by an elected Board of Directors, and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investment backing.

Name

Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association

Legal name

Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association, Inc.

Website

https://ddna.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DDNA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit nursing specialty association founded in 1992 that advocates, educates, and certifies nurses caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It offers IDD-specific certification, continuing education, an annual conference, and a peer-reviewed journal to thousands of nurse members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denton

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DDNA generates revenue through membership dues from nurses, associates, students, and corporate groups. Membership provides access to publications, community forums, employment classifieds, certification programs, and educational resources.
2. Conference Revenue: The organization hosts annual education conferences (35th annual conference planned for Kansas City April 23-26, 2027) generating revenue through registration, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees.
3. Certification Fees: DDNA offers certification in the specialty of IDD nursing to both RNs and LPN/LVNs via experience, examination, and continuing education, with associated application and renewal fees.
4. Publications and Education: Revenue from educational materials, online courses, webinars, and access to the International Journal of Nursing in IDD nursing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DDNA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit nursing specialty organization that advocates, educates, and supports nurses caring for persons with developmental disabilities (DD). It sells membership subscriptions across Nurses, Associates, Students, and Corporate Groups categories, offers a professional certification in IDD nursing for both RNs and LPN/LVNs, and delivers continuing education through annual conferences, webinars, online courses, and the peer-reviewed International Journal of Nursing in IDD nursing.

Product overview

The Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) is a professional nursing membership organization incorporated in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, offering multiple interconnected services for nurses practicing in developmental disabilities nursing. The core offerings include membership for nurses, associates, students, and corporate groups; professional certification for RNs and LPN/LVNs in developmental disabilities nursing via experience, examination, and continuing education; and high-quality education through conferences, online learning, webinars, and resources. Additional services include the peer-reviewed International Journal of Nursing, Practice Standards of DD Nursing, medication management education for persons with IDD, online community forums, employment classifieds, and student scholarships for the annual conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DDNA Membership Annual professional membership subscription for nurses practicing in developmental disabilities nursing, as well as associates, students, and corporate groups. Provides access to publications, community forums, employment classifieds, certification resources, and educational materials.
• DDNA Certification Professional certification in the specialty of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) nursing offered to both Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses / Licensed Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVNs) through experience, examination, and continuing education, with associated application and renewal fees.
• DDNA Education Continuing education service offering conferences and online IDD-specific learning for developmental disabilities nurses, including webinars, courses, and other professional development resources.
• International Journal of Nursing Peer-reviewed scholarly online journal in IDD nursing providing access to research, clinical knowledge, and scholarly content dedicated specifically to developmental disabilities nursing.
• DDNA Annual Conference Annual in-person education conference for DD nurses including speakers, poster presenters, student scholarships, and sponsors & exhibitors; upcoming editions include Phoenix 2026 and Kansas City 2027 (35th annual).
• Practice Standards of DD Nursing Standards of practice and performance guidelines for developmental disabilities nursing, based on a core curriculum, designed to define professional expectations for DD nursing practice.
• Medication Management for Persons with IDD Educational course/training resource on medication management for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), targeted at DD nurses and care providers.
• Community & Forums Online community platform for professional networking among DDNA members through forums, discussion boards, and regional affiliate connections.
• Employment Classifieds Job board and employment classifieds service for DD nursing professionals, accessible to DDNA members seeking positions or employers posting DD nursing roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of DD nurses, student nurses, and supporters united through DDNA membership

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDNA actively collaborates with AADMD, a non-profit membership organization of interdisciplinary health professionals committed to improving healthcare quality for people with IDD. DDNA offers discounts on AADMD annual membership and conference registration to active DDNA members. AADMD reciprocates by offering discounts to their members for DDNA's annual conference and membership.
• Jazz PharmaceuticalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJazz Pharmaceuticals is a 2026 Annual Partner of DDNA, providing sponsorship support for the association's educational programs and annual conferences.
• NeurelisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeurelis is a 2026 Annual Partner of DDNA, supporting the association's mission through annual partnership sponsorship.
• Neurocrine BiosciencesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeurocrine Biosciences is a 2026 Annual Partner of DDNA, providing sponsorship for educational initiatives and conferences.
• SK Life ScienceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSK Life Science is a 2026 Annual Partner of DDNA, supporting the organization's programs and events.
• TarrytownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTarrytown is a 2026 Annual Partner of DDNA, providing sponsorship support for annual activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma Nursing): Sigma is the international nursing honor society with a scholarly journal and continuing-education programming. It overlaps with DDNA on publishing, advocacy, and specialty membership engagement but at a broader, more academic scale.
• American Academy of Nursing (AAN): AAN is an invitational nursing organization focused on leadership, policy, and recognition. It overlaps with DDNA on advocacy and publications but serves a senior leadership audience rather than rank-and-file IDD nurses.
• American Nurses Association (ANA): ANA is the broad umbrella professional association for all US registered nurses. It overlaps with DDNA on member benefits, certification, advocacy, and continuing education but is a generalist body rather than an IDD-nursing specialty organization.
• American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD): AAIDD is the broader interdisciplinary professional association serving the IDD field. It overlaps with DDNA on the population served (people with IDD) but operates across disciplines (researchers, educators, clinicians) rather than focusing on nursing credentialing and certification.

Direct peers

• American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN): AANN is a specialty nursing association offering certification, conferences, publications, and advocacy. It shares DDNA's business model — professional membership, certification exam, annual conference, peer-reviewed journal — making its operating economics and partnership patterns directly analogous.
• Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA): HPNA represents nurses in hospice/palliative care with a similar mix of membership tiers, specialty certification, annual conference, and journal. It is a near structural analog to DDNA within a different clinical specialty.
• American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD): AADMD is explicitly described in DDNA's data as a reciprocal cross-promotion partner for IDD clinicians. It serves physicians and dentists working with people with IDD, directly mirroring DDNA's mission for the nursing segment and competing for the same conference sponsorships and memberships.

Emerging players

• National Association of School Nurses (NASN): NASN is a nursing specialty association delivering certification, CE, and advocacy for school nurses. It is comparable to DDNA as a specialty-focused membership association with similar revenue streams (dues, conference, certification, publications).

Others

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): NCSBN oversees nursing licensure and exam standardization in the US. It is adjacent rather than competitive but relevant as the upstream credentialing body whose framework DDNA's specialty certification is built upon.

Regional players

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): CEC is a US-based professional association serving special educators and related service providers working with individuals with disabilities. It is thematically connected to DDNA's IDD workforce mission but addresses the education rather than nursing segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ddnanational
• Facebookfacebook.com/ddnanational

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 Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association