Council for Interior Design Accreditation

What Council for Interior Design Accreditation does

The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is a U.S.-based non-profit, founded in 1970 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that serves as the recognized national accreditor for interior design programs in higher education. CIDA evaluates and accredits interior design degree programs at universities and colleges worldwide, with over 170 accredited programs enrolling more than 18,000 students. Its core products are the Program Accreditation Services and the CIDA Professional Standards, which cover 13 areas of emphasis under Knowledge Acquisition and Application, and set the competency bar that graduates must meet for NCIDQ certification and state-level interior design licensure. Accreditation is delivered through a structured, human-driven process of self-assessment, peer team visits, and commission decisions, supported by a network of approximately 200 volunteer reviewers drawn from practice and education.

CIDA's go-to-market is event-driven and direct: programs initiate contact for candidacy, complete self-study, undergo peer review, and receive commission decisions on a recurring cycle (Spring and Fall decision rounds in recent years). The organization supplements this with Virtual Accreditation Workshop Sessions, the Future Vision 2021 strategic research initiative, the 2024 Future Scan, student and faculty resources, and the annual Keith Hooks Volunteer Excellence Award. Revenue is generated through two streams: program accreditation fees (structured under a published 2025-2030 fee schedule) and a growing fundraising operation that includes tiered donations from $5 to $15,000 Premier Partner contributions and the 50 for 50 anniversary campaign. CIDA explicitly states that program fees only partially cover the cost of maintaining quality assurance standards, making donations a structural component of the funding model. Its primary customer segment is interior design academic programs; secondary stakeholders include students, employers, and regulators across 29 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and all Canadian provinces. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capability, and no API surface; operations are executed through a small 1-10 employee staff supported by volunteer labor.

Name

Council for Interior Design Accreditation

Legal name

Council for Interior Design Accreditation

Website

https://accredit-id.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIDA is a U.S. non-profit that accredits interior design programs at colleges and universities, serving over 170 accredited programs and 18,000 students worldwide. It sets professional standards, conducts peer reviews, and prepares graduates for NCIDQ certification and state licensure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Accreditation Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ)

Keywords

• Interior design accreditation
• Education quality assurance
• Professional standards
• Program accreditation services
• Higher education certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Accreditation Fees: Fees charged to interior design programs seeking and maintaining accreditation. The announcement page references a 'Notice of Program Fee Schedule 2025-2030' indicating a structured fee structure for accreditation services.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Community donations through the 50 for 50 fundraiser and other campaigns. The organization states that program fees only partially cover the costs of maintaining quality assurance standards and conducting accreditation reviews.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is a non-profit accreditation body that evaluates and accredits interior design programs at colleges and universities worldwide. It maintains professional standards covering 13 areas of emphasis, supports over 170 accredited programs serving more than 18,000 students, and provides volunteer-driven peer review to ensure graduates are prepared for professional practice and the NCIDQ examination.

Product overview

CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation) is a non-profit accreditation body dedicated to advancing the interior design profession through educational standards and quality assurance. The organization operates primarily as an accreditation service for interior design programs in higher education, with over 170 CIDA-accredited programs serving over 18,000 students worldwide. Its core offerings include Program Accreditation Services, CIDA Professional Standards (covering 13 knowledge areas), an Accredited Programs Directory, Future Vision strategic research reports, the Keith Hooks Volunteer Excellence Award, and Virtual Accreditation Workshop Sessions. CIDA's standards development work informs how interior design education prepares graduates for NCIDQ certification and professional practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program Accreditation Services CIDA evaluates interior design programs at colleges and universities to ensure they meet professional standards, granting accreditation status that signals educational quality to students, employers, and regulatory bodies.
• Virtual Accreditation Workshop Sessions Virtual training workshops that guide interior design programs through CIDA's accreditation standards, policies, and procedures, supporting schools preparing for candidacy, initial accreditation, or renewal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates of CIDA-accredited programs perform stronger on the NCIDQ examination
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Unwritten LabscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Facilitation partner for Future Vision 2020-21 initiative. Founder Jeff Leitner served as lead facilitator across four strategic sessions exploring the future of interior design.
• AllsteelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Jan Johnson, Vice President of Workplace Strategy at Allsteel, served on the Future Vision 2020-21 Working Group contributing to strategic planning for interior design education standards.
• Stantec ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Jacqui McFarland, Senior Associate in Interior Design at Stantec Architecture, served on the Future Vision 2020-21 Working Group and Session 3 team.
• Silverman Trykowski AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Felice Silverman, Principal at Silverman Trykowski Associates, served on the Future Vision 2020-21 Working Group and Board of Directors.
• Illinois Math and Science AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Stephanie Pace Marshall, Founding President and President Emerita, served as Session 1 facilitator for Future Vision 2020-21.
• The Converge NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Zach Anderson, Partner at The Converge Network, served as Session 2 facilitator and provided expert insights on social networks and ecosystem disruption.
• Applied Brand SciencesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ethan Decker, Founder of Applied Brand Science, served as Session 3 facilitator and branding expert, contributing insights on narrative strategy.
• Stanford d.schoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Lisa Kay Solomon, Designer in Residence at Stanford d.school, served as Session 4 facilitator exploring the future of interior design.
• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)supportingOthersCIDA references ASID industry data regarding salary premiums for NCIDQ-certified professionals and hiring manager preferences for CIDA-accredited degree holders.
• Council of Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ)coreOthersCIDQ develops the NCIDQ examination and definition of interior design that CIDA accreditation prepares graduates for. The two organizations work together on professional competency standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD): Accredits art and design schools and programs in the US, including interior design programs. Most direct functional peer as a higher-education accreditation body covering overlapping disciplines.
• Council of Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ): Develops and administers the NCIDQ examination that CIDA-accredited graduates take. Closely intertwined ecosystem partner that issues the credentialing standard CIDA's curriculum prepares students for.
• Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB): Accredits landscape architecture programs, paralleling CIDA's role in interior design. Operates with a similar volunteer-reviewer model and standards-development approach for an adjacent built-environment discipline.
• Planning Accreditation Board (PAB): Accredits planning programs using a peer-review framework analogous to CIDA's accreditation process. Functionally similar accreditation body for an adjacent discipline.
• Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC): Organization of interior design educators with whom CIDA co-hosts the IDEC International Conference. Overlapping audience of faculty and program leadership in accredited interior design programs.
• National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB): Accredits professional architecture degree programs using a similar peer-review and standards-based framework. Comparable organizational structure and mission to CIDA in an adjacent built-environment profession.

Broad incumbents

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA): National umbrella body that recognizes accrediting organizations including specialized bodies like CIDA. Operates at the meta-accreditation level rather than directly accrediting individual programs.
• International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI): Global body representing interior architecture/designers worldwide. Sets international practice standards and could eventually provide a global accreditation alternative to CIDA in markets outside North America.

Emerging players

• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID): Professional society for interior designers that provides industry data referenced by CIDA. Complementary rather than directly competitive—represents practitioners while CIDA accredits their educational pathways.

Others

• National Council for Interior Design Qualification Foundation: Foundation arm of CIDQ supporting research and education in interior design qualification. Shares ecosystem with CIDA around credentialing pathways but does not directly compete.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cidaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIDAorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-for-interior-design-accreditation
• Instagraminstagram.com/cida_org

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 Council for Interior Design Accreditation