American Australian Business Council

What American Australian Business Council does

The American Australian Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in New York (EIN 13-6151807) and founded in 1948. It is the largest privately funded non-profit exclusively dedicated to strengthening US-Australia bilateral relations, operating from headquarters at 600 Third Avenue, New York, with a secondary office at the University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre. The organization serves American and Australian individuals and institutions through a portfolio of programs: a Business & Innovation Council (the "American Australian Business Council" sub-brand) that runs invitation-only CEO Summits, roundtables, and benefit dinners for corporate members with US-Australia presence; scholarship funds awarding up to US$40,000 each for graduate education, post-9/11 veterans, and emerging/early-career artists; and a US Department of State-designated BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program administering J-1 visa sponsorship for Australian and New Zealand citizens under the Intern and Student Work and Travel programs. To date the organization has awarded nearly US$18 million in scholarships and grants and operates an alumni network connecting past participants across programs.

Revenue is generated through four streams: corporate membership fees (invitation-only, undisclosed pricing), J-1 visa administrative fees (US$1,200 per Intern, US$800 per Work & Travel participant, US$150 individual membership), event ticket sales and sponsorships (Australia Day galas, Benefit Dinners, ANZAC Day, BIO San Diego, SXSW, G'Day USA Arts Gala), and charitable donations. The technology stack is a WordPress-based CMS with member portal and alumni network functionality — no proprietary technology, AI/ML, or mobile applications are described. Marketing and member acquisition run primarily through events, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), and direct corporate outreach, with the Business Council distributed trans-Pacific through a channel partnership with AAA Ltd. (Sydney).

Name

American Australian Business Council

Legal name

American Australian Association, Inc.

Website

https://americanaustralian.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Australian Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1948, that strengthens US-Australia bilateral ties through an invitation-only Business Council, scholarship programs (graduate, veterans, arts), and US Department of State-designated J-1 visa exchange programs for Australian and New Zealand citizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bilateral Business Council & Nonprofit Exchange Programs

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customer/User Conferences & Client Advisory Boards (THAHAMAD), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Bilateral business council
• Cross-cultural scholarship programs
• J-1 visa sponsorship
• Corporate membership association
• Nonprofit exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Membership: Annual corporate memberships providing access to exclusive events, CEO Summit invitations, high-level roundtables, private speeches, and member-only newsletters for businesses with US-Australia presence.
2. J-1 Visa Sponsorship Fees: Administrative fees charged for Exchange Visitor Program sponsorship including Intern Program (US$1,200) and Student Work and Travel Program (US$800), plus individual membership fees (US$150).
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales and sponsorship revenue from events including benefit dinners, Australia Day Black Tie Galas, ANZAC Day events, and business roundtables throughout the United States and Australia.
4. Donations and Contributions: Charitable donations supporting scholarship programs, with nearly US$18 million awarded in scholarships and grants to date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The American Australian Association operates a Business Council providing invitation-only corporate membership, CEO Summits, roundtables, and exclusive networking events between US and Australian business leaders. It also funds and administers scholarship programs (Graduate Education, Veterans, Arts), J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Programs, and a cross-Pacific alumni network, supported by charitable donations and event revenue.

Product overview

The American Australian Association is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) dedicated to strengthening ties between Australia and the United States through cultural, educational, and business exchange programs. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including: the Business & Innovation Council providing exclusive networking and business development opportunities; Graduate Education, Veterans Fund, and Arts Scholarships supporting cross-Pacific study and artistic development; J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Programs (Intern Program and Student Work and Travel Pilot Program) facilitating work-based training for Australian and New Zealand citizens; and an Alumni Network connecting past participants. Total scholarship disbursement to date exceeds US$18 million.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• American Australian Business Council: A division of the American Australian Association focused on business and innovation, providing networking events, CEO Summits, and business roundtables for members with strong US-Australia connections.
• Business Council

Products and services

• Business & Innovation (Business Council) Invitation-only corporate membership program connecting institutions, businesses, and people between Australia and the United States, providing access to exclusive events, CEO Summits, roundtables, and networking receptions.
• Graduate Education Scholarships Scholarship awards of up to US$40,000 supporting graduate-level study (Masters, Ph.D., or Post-Doctoral Research) for Americans to study in Australia and Australians to study in the United States.
• Veterans Fund Scholarships Scholarship awards of up to US$40,000 supporting honorably discharged post-9/11 military veterans from America and Australia to pursue undergraduate and graduate-level study in each other's countries.
• Arts Scholarships & Grants Scholarships and grants supporting American and Australian emerging or early-career artists to pursue artistic development in each other's countries.
• Intern Program (J-1 Visa) J-1 visa sponsorship program for current or recently graduated Australian students providing structured work-based training and internship programs up to 12 months in fields including Public Policy & Law, Management/Business/Commerce/Finance, Sciences/Engineering/Architecture/Mathematics, and Arts & Culture.
• 12-Month Student Work and Travel Pilot Program (J-1 Visa) J-1 visa program providing foreign college and university students opportunities to work and travel in the United States for up to 12 months in seasonal or temporary jobs.
• Event Space (Murdoch Center) Event venue rental available at the organization's New York facility for corporate and private events.
• Alumni Network Network connecting past scholarship recipients and program participants for ongoing engagement and professional connections across the Pacific.

Quantifiable outcome

• US$18 million in scholarships and grants awarded to date

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• United States Studies CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization co-located at the University of Sydney. Provides academic support and research backing for US-Australia relations programming. The AAA Sydney office operates from this facility.
• The Perth USAsia CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization focused on US-Asia relations from Perth, Australia. Supports bilateral programming and research initiatives.
• Australian Women in New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting Australian women professionals in New York. Co-branded programming and networking opportunities.
• AFNGA (American Friends of the National Gallery of Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting arts programming and cultural exchange between the US and Australia through the National Gallery of Australia.
• AAA Ltd. (Sydney)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to bring events and programming to Australian-headquartered members. Coordinates activities and events for AAA Business Council members based in Australia.
• U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated sponsor for BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program, administering J-1 visa sponsorship for Australian and New Zealand citizens under the Intern Exchange Program and 12-Month Student Work and Travel Pilot Program. Authorized as EVP sponsor in October 2002.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: The largest US-based professional association for international education and exchange, including J-1 visa administration and scholarship programs. Highly comparable in exchange visitor, scholarship, and education-mission dimensions, though operating at significantly broader geographic and program scale.
• Asia Society: US-headquartered nonprofit advancing US-Asia engagement through policy, business, education, and arts programming. Comparable in operating multi-program (business + arts + education) bilateral cultural exchange at larger scale and broader regional scope.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): Major US nonprofit administering the Fulbright Program and a portfolio of bilateral scholarship and exchange initiatives analogous to the American Australian Association's scholarship and J-1 offerings. Comparable in scholarship and exchange execution, with much larger institutional scale.
• Alliance for International Exchange: US-based umbrella coalition of exchange visitor program sponsors, including J-1 visa administrators. Comparable in policy advocacy and exchange program administration, representing the broader ecosystem in which the American Australian Association's J-1 designation operates.

Direct peers

• British-American Business (BAB): The leading bilateral business organization linking the United States and the United Kingdom, with a comparable model of corporate membership, summits, and cross-border executive networking. Closely analogous in operating model, mission, and constituency to the American Australian Association's Business Council.
• Fulbright Australia: Binational commission administering US-Australia Fulbright scholarships and academic exchange. Directly comparable in supporting cross-Pacific graduate education, alumni community building, and bilateral academic relations.
• American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU): Bilateral US-Europe business association operating a similar corporate membership and executive engagement model. Comparable in mission (US-outbound business relationship-building), membership structure, and event-driven GTM motion.
• Australian American Association: Australia-headquartered sister organization promoting US-Australia cultural and business ties. Directly comparable mission and audience, serving as the reciprocal counterpart and natural partner for bilateral programming.
• American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham Australia): The principal bilateral business chamber linking US and Australian companies, headquartered in Australia with a mission parallel to the American Australian Association's Business Council. Directly comparable in serving cross-Pacific corporate networking, advocacy, and member events.

Regional players

• Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade): Australian government agency facilitating US-Australia trade and investment linkages. Comparable in advancing bilateral business connections, though operating as a government body rather than privately funded nonprofit and serving a different (government-led) GTM motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/americanaustralian
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-australian-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/_aaausa
• Xx.com/_aaausa

Compliance1 record

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 American Australian Business Council