INA
The International Nanny Association (INA) is a not-for-profit umbrella association founded in 1985 that provides credentialing, education, and advocacy services to nannies, newborn care specialists, placement agencies, and families across the in-home childcare industry in the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What INA does
The International Nanny Association (INA) is a not-for-profit umbrella association for the in-home childcare industry, founded in 1985 by Dr. Deborah Davis and headquartered in Homer Glen, Illinois, with a mailing address in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. INA provides professional credentialing, education, and advocacy services to nannies, newborn care specialists (NCS), nanny placement agencies, families, and educators across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia. Its product portfolio centers on four proprietary assessments — the Nanny Basic Skills Assessment, the NCS Basic Skills Assessment, the Nanny Credential Exam, and the NCS Credential Exam — supplemented by a Resource Library of 996+ articles, Recommended Practices documents, an annual industry Salary and Benefits Survey, monthly webinar series, an annual conference, a member directory, a job board, and Speed Recruiting matching events.
INA generates revenue through annual membership dues (across individual, business, and support group tiers), conference and event registration fees, sponsorships and exhibitor fees, credential exam fees ($100 per attempt for non-members), bundled agency assessment subscriptions (50–300 assessments per 12-month period), and sales of publications such as the Nanny Employer Handbook and Agency Marketing Tool-Kit. Distribution is primarily self-serve digital via nanny.org and a memberclicks.net portal, with go-to-market grounded in community-led growth: elected Board governance, a volunteer ambassador and chapter network, and earned media positioning INA as the recognized expert authority in tier-one outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Washington Post. The organization is governed by an annually elected Board of Directors and supported by a lean central staff.
INA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- INA
- Legal name
- International Nanny Association
- Website
- https://nanny.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The International Nanny Association (INA) is a not-for-profit umbrella association founded in 1985 that provides credentialing, education, and advocacy services to nannies, newborn care specialists, placement agencies, and families across the in-home childcare industry in the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
INA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association / Childcare Industry Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Training, Certification & Continuing Education for Nannies/Babysitters (HSAAALAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nanny Agency / Placement Services (HSAAABAN), Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) Placement (HSAAALAE)
Keywords
Where INA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
INA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide core operational funding. Support Group Membership available for $65 annually with discounts for members. Individual, Business, and various other membership categories available.
- Conference and Events: Annual INA Conference provides revenue through registration fees, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. Additional events include Speed Recruiting and webinars.
- Credential Exams and Assessments: INA offers 4 tests to evaluate child caregiver knowledge. Members receive free access to Basic Skills Assessments. Credential Exams are free for members during monthly proctored sessions, $100 for non-members.
- Publications and Resources: Resource library with 996+ articles, FAQ sheets, recommended practices documents, and publications including Nanny Employer Handbook, Agency Marketing Tool-Kit, and Exit Strategy Tool-Kit available for purchase or as member benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Support Group Membership - $65 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | INA Credential Exam - Free for Members, $100 for Non-Members |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Agency Assessment Subscriptions - 50, 100, 150, or 300 assessments available |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels13 records
INA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
INA is a not-for-profit professional association serving the in-home childcare industry. It delivers credentialing examinations (Certified Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist), continuing education, advocacy, networking events, and publishes industry standards for nannies, newborn care specialists, agencies, educators, and families.
Product overview
The International Nanny Association (INA) operates as a not-for-profit umbrella organization for the in-home childcare industry, offering a portfolio of credentialing assessments, educational content, and membership services. The core assessment products include four distinct exams: the Nanny Basic Skills Assessment and NCS Basic Skills Assessment (40-question multiple-choice evaluations), and the Nanny Credential Exam and NCS Credential Exam (comprehensive proctored exams). These assessments are complemented by a Resource Library containing 996+ articles across 11 categories, multiple webinar series (Professional, Collective Expertise, COVID Support, and Diversity), and an Annual Conference. INA also provides membership benefits including a Member Directory, Job Board, and Salary and Benefits Survey. The organization publishes Recommended Practices documents setting industry standards for various stakeholder categories. The portfolio does not include a unified software platform; rather, it consists of individual products and services unified under the INA brand and membership structure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- INA Membership Annual membership program offering individual nannies, newborn care specialists, agencies, educators, and families access to association benefits, publications, and community resources.
- Certified Nanny Credential Industry-recognized credentialing examination for professional nannies that validates competency in in-home childcare.
Companies that use INA
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
INA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
INA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- HomeWork Solutions, Inc.minorHomeWork Solutions provides content for INA's Employment Rights of Nannies section. Their information on labor law, tax law, and workplace protections is reprinted with permission on the INA website.
- HomePay (Care.com)minorHomePay is a sponsor for the INA Resource Library FAQ Sheets page and the 2022 INA Salary and Benefits Survey. Care.com HomePay is the Top Sponsor for the 2022 survey.
- HomeWork Solutions, Inc.minorHomeWork Solutions is advertised as an INA supporting member providing household payroll and tax services. They are recommended as a resource for nanny tax compliance and payroll handling.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
INA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sittercity: An online platform for finding nannies, sitters, and caregivers. Comparable to INA as a competing channel for nanny discovery, though platform-led rather than association-led; its paid background-check services overlap with INA's role setting quality standards.
- Care.com: The largest online marketplace connecting families with caregivers including nannies. Comparable as a touchpoint in the nanny hiring funnel that INA's job board, directory, and credentialing ultimately support, and an INA sponsor (via HomePay) that intersects with INA's employer-resource content.
- National Domestic Workers Alliance: A US-based advocacy coalition representing nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers. Comparable to INA as an industry-standards and advocacy body serving the in-home childcare workforce, though with a broader domestic-worker scope and a labor-activism orientation.
Regional players
- Nannies Incorporated: A US nanny placement agency providing in-home childcare staffing with screening and training programs. Comparable to INA's agency-segment customers on placement, screening, and training services, though operating as a regional placement firm rather than an umbrella association.
Direct peers
- Hello Nanny!: A WBENC-certified nationwide nanny and household staffing agency whose founder (Stephanie Fornaro) sits on INA's Board of Directors. Comparable as a high-end nanny placement agency that both consumes INA's services (membership, credentialing) and competes for the same agencies-and-families ecosystem.
- Crunch Care: A nanny placement agency and INA business member that uses INA membership to signal adherence to industry standards. Comparable as an agency-side customer and channel partner for INA's credentialing and recommended-practices content.
- Enginehire: A nanny placement agency and INA member that also operates as a community platform for caregivers. Comparable as a modern, tech-enabled agency that INA's credentialing and content support, and which competes for the same agency-side customers (e.g., agency owners on INA's board include Enginehire's Director of Community and Partnerships).
- Duchess Nannies & Domestics: A high-end nanny and domestic staffing agency whose founder also sits on INA's Board. Comparable as a placement agency operating in the same premium household-employment segment that INA supports through recommended practices, marketing toolkits, and business membership.
Emerging players
- GNI - Governess & Nanny Institute: A training and certification body for nannies and governesses offering its own credentialing programs. Comparable to INA as a competing credentialing provider for the in-home childcare workforce, with overlapping exam and continuing-education offerings.
- Bicultural Nanny Institute: A training organization for in-home childcare providers focused on multicultural competency. Comparable to INA as a credentialing/education provider serving nannies, with a narrower cultural-focus specialization that competes for INA's diversity-training and continuing-education audience.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
INA social profiles
Digital presenceINA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
INA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
INA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
INA 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 INA
What does INA do?
INA is a not-for-profit professional association serving the in-home childcare industry. It delivers credentialing examinations (Certified Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist), continuing education, advocacy, networking events, and publishes industry standards for nannies, newborn care specialists, agencies, educators, and families.
Is INA a public or private company?
INA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was INA founded?
INA was founded in 1985. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is INA based?
INA is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does INA make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are conference and Events, credential Exams and Assessments and publications and Resources.
Who are INA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sittercity, Care.com and National Domestic Workers Alliance. Nannies Incorporated is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Hello Nanny!, Crunch Care, Enginehire and Duchess Nannies & Domestics. Emerging players are GNI - Governess & Nanny Institute and Bicultural Nanny Institute.
Does INA have an API?
No public API is recorded for INA.
What industry is INA in?
INA's product category is Professional Association / Childcare Industry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAAALAO, Training, Certification & Continuing Education for Nannies/Babysitters, with a secondary code of HSAAABAN, Nanny Agency / Placement Services. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.