DCBIA

What DCBIA does

DCBIA is a non-profit trade association representing the real estate development and building industry in Washington, DC. Founded in 1973 (per firmographic data; 1975 per the company's history timeline, with a 50th anniversary being observed in 2026), the organization serves real estate developers, builders, architects, engineers, contractors, attorneys, financiers, and design professionals operating in the DC market. Its stated mission is to build leaders, community, partnerships, and the local economy through content-rich programs, networking, and education.

The organization's core product is its membership program, which provides access to advocacy representation, networking events, a member directory, job bank, candidate bank, and industry resources. Core offerings also include a portfolio of recurring events — the RFK Campus Master Plan briefing, Community Improvement Day, and the Golf Classic — alongside two affiliated entities: the DCBIA Political Action Committee (PAC, FEIN 52-1180813), which channels industry contributions to support pro-development policy, and the DCBIA Community Services Corporation (CSC, FEIN 52-2051884), a 501(c)(3) established in 1997 that runs charitable initiatives including the East Capitol Urban Farm. DCBIA does not operate a technology product; its "platform" is its convening role, advocacy function, and event programming.

The business model is membership-dues-driven, supplemented by event registration fees, multi-tiered corporate sponsorships (Partner, Concrete, Mixed Use, Blueprint levels ranging from under $1,000 to $10,000+), PAC donations, and tax-deductible CSC contributions. Go-to-market is direct engagement with enterprise members and sponsors concentrated in the DC metro area, with a staff of 1–10 people and a single physical office at 700 K Street NW, Washington, DC. Leadership is currently anchored by interim CEO Liz DeBarros.

Name

DCBIA

Legal name

District of Columbia Building Industry Association

Website

https://dcbia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DCBIA is a Washington, DC non-profit trade association serving real estate developers, builders, and design professionals through membership programs, advocacy, recurring industry events, and a political action committee focused on DC development policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Trade association
• Real estate advocacy
• Industry networking events
• Community improvement programs
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: DCBIA operates as a membership-based trade association. Membership fees form a core part of the revenue model, with tiers for individual and corporate members.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from paid event registrations including the RFK Campus Master Plan event (DCBIA Member: $125, Non-Member: $200, Young Leaders: $50), Golf Classic, and Community Improvement Day participation.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: Sponsorships across multiple tiers (Partner Sponsor, Concrete Sponsor, Mixed Use Sponsor, Blueprint Sponsor) for events and the organization broadly.
4. PAC Donations: Political Action Committee donations collected to support causes that increase economic opportunity and real estate development in DC. PAC FEIN: 52-1180813.
5. Community Services Corporation Donations: Donations to the DCBIA Community Services Corporation (CSC), a 501(c)(3) established in 1997. CSC FEIN: 52-2051884. Sponsorship levels for Community Improvement Day: Title ($10,000+), Benefactor ($5,000–$9,999), Patron ($2,500–$4,999), Sponsor ($1,000–$2,499), Donor (under $999).

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DCBIA is a membership-based trade association serving real estate developers, builders, contractors, designers, and related professionals in Washington, DC. It sells individual and corporate memberships that grant access to advocacy representation before District agencies, networking events such as the RFK Campus Master Plan forum, Community Improvement Day, and Golf Classic, a member directory, job and candidate banks, and a member spotlight program. It also runs the District of Columbia Political Action Committee supporting pro-development policy and the DCBIA Community Services Corporation, a 501(c)(3) charitable arm established in 1997.

Product overview

DCBIA (District of Columbia Building Industry Association) is a membership-based professional organization serving the real estate development industry in Washington D.C. The organization operates as a unified platform combining advocacy, professional networking, community service, and industry events. The core offerings include DCBIA Membership providing access to advocacy representation and professional resources, regular industry Events such as the Community Improvement Day and Golf Classic, a Political Action Committee supporting development-friendly policies, and a Community Services Corporation 501(c)(3) for charitable initiatives. Additional membership services encompass sponsorship opportunities, a member spotlight program, job bank, candidate bank, and member directory. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform but provides in-person programming and advocacy services for its members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DCBIA Community Services Corporation: A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes, dedicated to encouraging and promoting volunteerism and community service.

Products and services

• DCBIA Membership

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DC Housing Authority (DCHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026DCBIA is collaborating with the DC Housing Authority on the 2026 Community Improvement Day project at the East Capitol Urban Farm, alongside UDC.
• University of the District of Columbia (UDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015DCBIA partners with UDC on the Community Improvement Day project at the East Capitol Urban Farm. The farm was originally built by DCBIA in 2015 as the city's largest-scale urban farm, and DCBIA is returning in 2026 to revitalize it in partnership with UDC.
• D.C. Policy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCBIA references the D.C. Policy Center as a key non-partisan think tank whose work is focused on the economy and demographics of Washington, DC. DCBIA directs members to the D.C. Policy Center for issue areas of interest to the DC real estate development industry and the DC business community.
• Eagle BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Sponsor of DCBIA in 2025. Eagle Bank is a financial institution serving the DC metro real estate market.
• HoffmancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Sponsor of DCBIA in 2025. Hoffman is a real estate development and construction company in the DC market.
• District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA/HFA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Sponsor of DCBIA in 2025. HFA provides housing finance in the District of Columbia.
• PepcocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Sponsor of DCBIA in 2025. Pepco is a utility company serving the DC metro area and a key stakeholder in DC development projects.
• GenslerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDCBIA hosts the RFK Campus Master Plan event at Gensler's offices (2020 K Street NW, Washington DC) in 2026.
• Perkins EastmanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerkins Eastman is a design partner for the Community Improvement Day 2026 project, with Barbara Mullenex (Principal) presenting at the RFK Campus Master Plan event.
• HITT ContractingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHITT Contracting serves as General Contracting Co-Chair for Community Improvement Day 2026, with Project Manager Nick Kemp leading.
• Washington DC Economic PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCBIA references highlights from the 2024/2025 Washington DC Economic Partnership Report as part of its industry impact communications.
• D.C. Office of PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCBIA is working with the D.C. Office of Planning on the RFK Campus Master Plan public comment initiative. Heba ElGawish (Associate Director of Neighborhood Planning) and Giles Stucker (Director of Planning and Real Estate with RFK PMO) are presenting at the DCBIA-hosted briefing.

Scale indicators4 records

Direct peers

• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Global research and education organization supporting responsible land use and real estate development. ULI's local district council structure and policy/membership model closely parallels DCBIA's convener role for DC real estate professionals.
• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA International): Trade association for commercial building owners, managers, and developers with local BOMA chapters. BOMA's advocacy, education, and networking model for building professionals directly mirrors DCBIA's service to DC's building industry.
• NAIOP: National commercial real estate development association with local chapters that advocate, network, and educate developers, owners, and investors. NAIOP is the most directly comparable national counterpart to DCBIA's mission of representing the building/real estate industry.

Regional players

• Virginia Building Industry Association (HBAV): Statewide home builders and building industry association for Virginia. Another neighboring-jurisdiction BIA peer covering Northern Virginia, where many DCBIA member firms also operate.
• Greater Washington Board of Trade: Regional business leadership organization serving the greater Washington, DC area. Overlaps with DCBIA on regional economic-development advocacy and cross-industry networking in the same DC metro geography.
• DC Chamber of Commerce: District-wide chamber of commerce representing DC businesses across sectors. Comparable as a DC-focused membership/advocacy organization that competes for the same local business members and policy influence.
• Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP): Public-private partnership that markets Washington DC for business and economic development. Already cited by DCBIA in its communications; complementary rather than competing, but represents the same DC economic-development ecosystem.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA) DC Chapter: Local chapter of the national architects' association serving the DC region. Comparable as a DC-based design and building industry membership body with overlapping member firms (architects who work with DCBIA's developer members).
• Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA): State-level home builders and building industry association serving Maryland. Directly comparable as a neighboring-jurisdiction BIA-style trade association serving developers and builders in the DC metro region.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): The dominant national trade association for the residential and commercial building industry, with affiliated state and local builder associations. NAHB is the broader umbrella against which DCBIA's local building-industry advocacy sits.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dcbia
• Facebookfacebook.com/DCBIA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dcbia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DCBIA