Evangelical Christian Publishers Associate

What Evangelical Christian Publishers Associate does

ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1974 by 22 Christian publishing companies and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. It operates as the primary industry association for evangelical Christian publishers, serving nearly 200 member companies across publishers, industry service providers (printers, distributors, software vendors), international publishers, and individual industry veterans. The organization is governed by a board drawn from member publishers and led by President Jeff Crosby, supported by a five-person staff based in Tempe.

The association's core offerings comprise a portfolio of award programs (Christian Book Awards® since 1978, The Christy Award® since 1999, Top Shelf Design Awards, Milestone Sales Awards, Pinnacle Award, Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award), three flagship annual events (Leadership Summit for management teams, C-Suite Symposium for executives, Publishing University/PubU for practitioners), and a network of international Global Collectives at major book fairs in Frankfurt, London, Krakow, Bangkok, Brazil, and Chicago. ECPA also operates market intelligence services integrating Circana BookScan point-of-sale data for bestseller lists, benchmark surveys (Financial & Sales Operating Performance, Salary & Benefits, Christian Publishers Audience Survey), member publications (Rush to Press weekly e-newsletter, E-Link monthly member newsletter, Legal Updates, AI Updates), and a member discount program with approved vendor partners.

ECPA generates revenue through annual membership dues (structured by publisher size tier and member category), event registration fees (C-Suite Symposium $995-$1,995; PubU $399-$699; Christy Award Gala $99-$179; Brazil Fair $59/$459), industry sponsorships, and sale of benchmark research reports. Its technology stack relies on YourMembership association management software for member database, event registration, and community features, with Circana BookScan providing point-of-sale data integration for bestseller reporting. The association serves the $1 billion Christian publishing industry worldwide, with named member companies including HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Tyndale House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group, Moody Publishers, Crossway, WaterBrook Multnomah, InterVarsity Press, and other major evangelical publishers.

Name

Evangelical Christian Publishers Associate

Legal name

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association

Website

https://ecpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ECPA is a non-profit trade association founded in 1974 that serves nearly 200 evangelical Christian publishers worldwide through awards programs, three flagship annual events, international Global Collectives at major book fairs, market intelligence services, and member publications from its Tempe, Arizona headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Publishing Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Certification Expos Organizers (THAHABAD)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Christian publishing industry
• Professional membership programs
• Industry awards programs
• Book market research

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

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 Dues: Annual membership dues from publishers (voting members with >$1M sales, small press associates <$1M, international associates), industry affiliates (service companies), and individual alumni. Dues information is provided upon application and requires board approval.
2. Event Fees: Registration fees for annual events including Leadership Summit, C-Suite Symposium, ECPA PubU, international rights fairs, and webinars. Event pricing varies by event type and membership status.
3. Sponsorships: Industry partners and vendors sponsor ECPA events, communications, projects and research to gain access to top executives and decision makers in the Christian publishing industry.
4. Research Reports: Sale of benchmark reports (Financial & Sales Operating Performance Report, Salary and Benefits Report) and consumer surveys (Christian Publishers Audience Survey) to members and participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ECPA is a non-profit trade association serving the Christian publishing industry, providing membership-based networking, professional development events, industry awards programs, market intelligence and benchmark research, and advocacy. It serves nearly 200 member publishers through annual events (Leadership Summit, C-Suite Symposium, PubU), the Christian Book Awards, the Christy Award for fiction, bestseller lists, international rights fairs, and member discount programs.

Product overview

ECPA is a trade association serving the Christian publishing industry through a portfolio of award programs, professional development events, market intelligence services, and member publications. The organization operates three flagship annual events (Leadership Summit for management teams, C-Suite Symposium for executives, and Publishing University for practitioners), manages prestigious award programs including the Christian Book Awards® and Christy Award® for fiction, and provides market research through Circana BookScan integration and benchmark surveys. ECPA supports members with a Career Center, Legal Hotline service, Emerging Leaders mentorship program, and publishes industry news through Rush to Press and E-Link newsletters. The association also coordinates international rights activities through Global Collectives at Frankfurt and London Book Fairs, as well as regional Rights Fairs across Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200 member companies served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CLC InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA partners with CLC International to host Global Collectives including the European Christian Rights Fair in Krakow and Asia Christian Rights & Export Fair in Bangkok, bringing the global Christian publishing community together.
• Circana (formerly NPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA collaborates with Circana to provide BookScan sales data for bestseller lists and discounted access packages for ECPA members with annual sales under $4 million.
• Flagler Law GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustry attorneys from Flagler Law Group provide legal updates to ECPA members and operate the Publishers Legal Hotline offering discounted legal counsel on publishing rights, copyright, trademark, and AI issues.
• JET MarketingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA commissioned JET Marketing to conduct the 2023 Christian Publishers Audience Survey to research reading and buying preferences of Christian book and Bible buyers.
• London Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA hosts annual Global Collectives at the London Book Fair, providing cooperative exhibit space and administrative services for member publishers to buy and sell international rights.
• Frankfurt Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA has represented Christian publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair for over 20 years through cooperative exhibits, providing comprehensive services for international rights sales.
• Moody Bible InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the International Christian Rights & Export Fair held each June on the Moody Bible Institute campus in Chicago.
• Association of American Publishers (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPA works with AAP to encourage member publishers to submit monthly sales data to StatShot, providing comprehensive statistical intelligence for the religious presses category.
• AdvantageCSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering 10% discount off setup costs for ECPA members on subscription and order-to-cash platform services.
• BookwireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering 10% discount on first 5 audiobook productions for ECPA members.
• Firebrand Group (including NetGalley and Supadu)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering reduced rates on metadata delivery, title management, NetGalley subscriptions, and Supadu website services.
• FriesensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering 5% discount on black and white offset web and digital inkjet book printing for ECPA publishing members.
• Ingram Lightning SourceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering free digital set-up on up to 5 titles and waived global market access fees on up to 5 titles for 12 months.
• IPG InkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering up to 20% off digital printing through IPG's Print-On-Demand program for ECPA members.
• MetaComet SystemsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount partner offering two months FREE plus free implementation on Royalty Tracker software for ECPA members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Publishers Association (IPA): The global federation of national publisher associations, including bodies similar to ECPA worldwide. ECPA's international rights fair activity and global member base place it within the IPA ecosystem as a U.S. evangelical-vertical member association.
• Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (Frankfurt Book Fair organizer): German trade body that organizes the Frankfurt Book Fair, where ECPA has hosted a Global Collective for over 20 years. Serves as the infrastructure partner and a comparable European trade association in scale and function.
• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI): The largest international organization for children's-book creators, with conferences, awards, and professional development analogous to ECPA PubU and the Christy Awards. ECPA's Children's Literature track at PubU and the children's book categories within the Top Shelf Awards show overlapping member interest.

Direct peers

• Association of American Publishers (AAP): The primary U.S. trade association for the broader book publishing industry. ECPA actually partners with AAP (StatShot) and competes for membership attention from the same large Christian publishers, making it the closest direct peer at the trade-association level.
• Evangelical Press Association (EPA): Trade association specifically serving evangelical publications including periodicals, news services, and content producers. Although focused on editorial/journalistic members rather than book publishers, it serves the same evangelical ecosystem and competes for the same organizational mindshare.
• Book Industry Study Group (BISG): U.S. book industry trade association that produces research, standards, and supply-chain intelligence. Like ECPA, it provides industry-level data and convening services to publishers, though at a secular-industry rather than evangelical-niche level.
• Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA): U.S. trade association serving independent publishers, including small evangelical presses that are also ECPA Small Press Associates. Both organizations offer educational events, awards recognition, and member discount programs to a partially overlapping small-publisher constituency.

Others

• American Booksellers Association (ABA): Trade association for independent bookstores in the U.S., many of which stock ECPA members' titles. While not directly comparable in focus, ABA serves the adjacent distribution channel that consumes ECPA bestseller data and publishes BookScan access through ECPA.

Emerging players

• Clavis Publishing / CLC International: CLC International is a core strategic partner of ECPA, co-hosting the European Christian Rights Fair in Krakow and the Asia Christian Rights & Export Fair in Bangkok. As a global Christian distributor, it operates in the same evangelical content ecosystem and provides complementary rights services.

Regional players

• Publishers Association (UK): The primary UK publishing trade association. ECPA partners with the London Book Fair (which the Publishers Association is closely linked to) to host its Global Collective, indicating direct organizational interaction in the same rights ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ecpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evangelical-christian-publishers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Evangelical Christian Publishers Associate