Pro Board

What Pro Board does

Pro Board, formally the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NBFSPQ), is a U.S. non-profit corporation founded in 1972 and incorporated in 1990 that operates the original third-party accreditation system for fire service certification agencies in the United States. It accredits state, provincial, federal, and international certification bodies against the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Professional Qualification standards, covering more than 120 levels across 19 fire service competency standards. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with seats reserved for major fire service associations (IAAI, IAFC, IAFF, NASFM, NFPA, NAFTD) and operates through a Committee on Accreditation that conducts document review and on-site visits of applicant agencies.

Its core technology consists of a Web-Based Application System through which agencies submit and track accreditation applications, a public Certification Search portal that functions as a registry of certified fire service professionals, and an Assessment Methodology Matrices (AMM) Development Tool that helps accredited agencies build NFPA-aligned testing instruments. Pro Board does not sell to end consumers; its direct customers are governmental certification agencies, fire training academies, and national/international fire service organizations that, in turn, certify individual firefighters.

Pro Board generates revenue through two streams: per-certificate registration fees of $7.00 to $20.00 for North American accredited agencies (non-North American pricing is available on request) and accreditation/reaccreditation fees. The organization reinvests all funds back into the program, operates with a small staff (an Accreditation Manager and Executive Secretary), and supplements its reach through an annual conference and a Virtual Presentation Series for accredited agencies.

Name

Pro Board

Legal name

National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications

Website

https://theproboard.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Board (National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications) is a U.S. non-profit that accredits fire service certification agencies against NFPA Professional Qualification standards. It serves state, provincial, federal, and international governmental certification bodies and training academies through a web-based accreditation system and public certification registry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Accreditation Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Regulatory Authorities & Commissions (Cross-Sector) (EDADAAAD)

Keywords

• Fire service accreditation
• Professional certification services
• NFPA qualification standards
• Certification registry management
• Emergency responder credentialing

Headquarters

HQ city

Quincy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certificate Registration Fees: The cost of registration including a Pro Board certificate ranges from $7.00 to $20.00 for North American accredited agencies depending on the certificate distribution plan selected by the accredited agency. Non-North American agencies have pricing available upon request.
2. Accreditation Fees: Fees for the accreditation process including initial accreditation, reaccreditation, and extension applications. Detailed in the 'Pro Board Services and Fees' document.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pro Board provides third-party accreditation of public-sector agencies that certify fire and emergency service professionals against NFPA Professional Qualification standards. Accredited agencies gain access to a web-based accreditation management platform, an Assessment Methodology Matrices (AMM) Development Tool for building compliant testing instruments, and a public Certification Registry/Search portal. Pro Board also issues nationally recognized National Certificates to individuals certified through accredited agencies.

Product overview

Pro Board operates as a single, unified accreditation and certification management system for the fire service industry. The core offering is the Pro Board Accreditation service, through which public sector agencies become accredited to certify emergency responders against NFPA standards. This accreditation framework is supported by the Web-Based Application System for agencies seeking accreditation, the Assessment Methodology Matrices (AMM) Development Tool for creating compliant testing instruments, and the Certification Registry, which maintains a public search portal (Certification Search) for verifying certified individuals. Pro Board also issues National Certificates to certified individuals and administers three award programs: the Johnny G. Wilson Memorial Award, the Chief V. Kenneth Elmore Memorial Award, and the Chief Jim Estepp Scholarship Award. A Virtual Presentation Series provides educational content supporting agencies through the accreditation process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pro Board Accreditation Third-party accreditation service for public-sector agencies that certify fire and emergency service responders against the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Professional Qualification standards.
• Certification Registry Web-based accessible registry of fire services professionals who have been certified by Pro Board accredited agencies, enabling verification and portability of credentials across jurisdictions.
• Web-Based Application System Online platform that allows eligible agencies to submit applications for initial accreditation, reaccreditation, or extension of current accreditation through the Committee on Accreditation review process.
• Assessment Methodology Matrices (AMM) Development Tool Spreadsheet-based tool for Pro Board Accredited Agencies to develop certification testing instruments and associated training materials aligned with NFPA Professional Qualification standards.
• Certification Search Public search portal for verifying certified individuals and accredited agencies within the Pro Board certification system.
• Pro Board National Certificate Certificate issued to individuals certified by Pro Board accredited agencies, affirming their entry into the Pro Board's certification registry. Certificate registration cost ranges from $7.00 to $20.00 for North American agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Certifications are recognized by departments across states and provinces which are accredited by the Pro Board, enabling portability for certified professionals.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)coreOthersIAAI has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors, contributing to governance and policy direction for the accreditation system.
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)coreOthersIAFC has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors. The Chair of the Board of Directors represents IAFC.
• International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)coreOthersIAFF has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors, representing the career and volunteer fire fighter perspective in accreditation governance.
• National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM)coreOthersNASFM has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors, contributing to fire service professional qualifications standards.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFPA has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors and develops the professional qualification standards used in the accreditation process. NFPA also serves as a certifying agent under Pro Board accreditation.
• North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD)coreOthersNAFTD has one member on the Pro Board Board of Directors, representing fire training directors across North America.
• University of Illinois Fire Service InstitutecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides leadership through COA Chair Brian Brauer who serves as Executive Director of Emergency Management. Hosts video presentations and training resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theproboard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Pro Board