RI Hospitality Association & RI Hospitality Education Foundation

What RI Hospitality Association & RI Hospitality Education Foundation does

RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) is a private, nonprofit trade association founded in 1963 and headquartered in Cranston, Rhode Island, representing over 800 foodservice operators, hotels, vendors, and hospitality members across the state. Its core functional role combines industry advocacy (tracking 400+ pieces of legislation annually at the Rhode Island State House), workforce training and certification, and member services. The organization operates in tandem with the RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs ProStart and Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM) programs in over 10 Rhode Island high schools, scholarships, and the NextGen Hospitality Alumni Network.

RIHA's product portfolio centers on licensed ServSafe training programs (Food Safety Manager, Alcohol, Allergens, Unconscious Bias, Sexual Harassment Prevention) delivered in person across the state and online, plus Guest Service Gold / CGSP certification through AHLEI, Restaurant Ready workforce preparation, the Hospitality Training Academy, and a 10-month Leadership Academy. The technology backbone is Novi AMS, which powers the website, membership management, event registration, and online training delivery. The organization also operates Anchor Insurance, a captive insurance subsidiary offering hospitality-specific coverage, and a vetted Member Marketplace connecting operators with vendors such as ASCAP, BMI, Sprague Energy, and HealthSource RI.

Revenue is generated through five streams: recurring membership dues, pay-as-you-go training and certification fees, signature event ticket sales and sponsorships (The ANCHORS Awards, Golf Classic, Women in Hospitality, Hospitality on the Hill), Education Foundation donations, and marketplace vendor commissions / Anchor Insurance premiums. Pricing is published for training (ServSafe $30–$199, Leadership Academy $975) but not for membership dues. Customer segments span SMB restaurant operators, hotel and lodging businesses, vendors and suppliers, and high school students in ProStart/HTM programs, with advocacy and regulatory representation as the primary draw for the largest members.

Name

RI Hospitality Association & RI Hospitality Education Foundation

Legal name

RI Hospitality Association

Website

https://rihospitality.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) is a Rhode Island nonprofit trade association founded in 1963, representing over 800 foodservice operators, hotels, and vendors through advocacy, ServSafe and AHLEI training, workforce development, and the Anchor Insurance captive subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cranston

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: RIHA generates revenue through annual membership fees from foodservice operators, hotels, vendors, and hospitality businesses across Rhode Island.
2. Training and Certification Programs: Revenue from ServSafe Food Safety Manager training and certification, ServSafe Alcohol server training, re-certification exams, Guest Service Gold / CGSP certification, and other professional development courses. Pricing varies: ServSafe Food Safety online class is $199/person; ServSafe Alcohol online is $30/person; answer sheet replacement $38; leadership program $975/participant after initial free seats.
3. Events and Sponsorships: Signature events including The ANCHORS awards, Education Foundation Golf Classic, Women in Hospitality series, Hospitality on the Hill, and membership receptions generate revenue through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.
4. Education Foundation Donations: The RI Hospitality Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that accepts donations to fund scholarships, high school competition travel, and student support; a donation of $350 covers one student's national competition expenses.
5. Marketplace Vendor Commissions: The Marketplace connects member businesses with vetted vendors (insurance, technology, energy, food/beverage suppliers) who pay to be featured, generating referral and referral-like revenue for the association.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RIHA is a statewide hospitality trade association that provides industry advocacy, food-safety and alcohol-service certification training (ServSafe and Guest Service Gold / CGSP), workforce development programs, and a member marketplace to over 800 foodservice, hotel, and vendor members across Rhode Island. The affiliated RIHEF (501(c)(3)) delivers ProStart and HTM high school programs, scholarships, leadership academies, and competitions to build the hospitality talent pipeline.

Product overview

RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) and RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF) offer a comprehensive suite of training programs, professional development, workforce readiness, and advocacy services for Rhode Island's hospitality industry. The core portfolio includes ServSafe certification programs (Food Safety, Alcohol, Allergens, Unconscious Bias, Sexual Harassment Prevention), Guest Service Gold hospitality training, Restaurant Ready workforce preparation, and the Hospitality Training Academy. These are complemented by ProStart high school programming, HTM career education, leadership development (Leadership Academy, Coaching for Managers), signature events (ANCHORS awards, Golf Classic), advocacy services, membership directory, marketplace vendor program, and the RI Hospitality Employee Relief Fund. The organization represents over 800 foodservice, hotel, vendor, and hospitality members across Rhode Island since 1963.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ServSafe Food Safety Manager Training
• ServSafe Allergens Online Course
• ServSafe Unconscious Bias Training
• ServSafe Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
• Restaurant Ready Program
• Hemp THC-Infused Beverage Service & Sale Training
• ProStart High School Program
• Hospitality Tourism Management (HTM) Program
• Hospitality Education Foundation Scholarships
• RIHA Membership
• State-Level Advocacy and Legislative Representation
• RIHA Member Marketplace

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Restaurant Association (NRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIHA is the designated State Restaurant Association (SRA) partner for the National Restaurant Association. Through this partnership, RIHA delivers NRA programs including ServSafe food safety certification, ServSafe alcohol training, Restaurant Ready, and access to NRAEF curriculum, national competitions, and industry research.
• Anchor Insurance LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnchor Insurance is a hospitality-focused insurance company created by RIHA to protect hospitality businesses in Rhode Island. Coverage includes general liability, workers' compensation, property & equipment, liquor liability, cyber liability, commercial auto, and umbrella risks. Each policy protects the business and powers advocacy and education for Rhode Island's hospitality industry.
• American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIHEF offers the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute's Guest Service Gold training program, which addresses the service needs of all tourism businesses and leads to the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) designation upon successful completion.
• Rhode Island Department of Highway SafetymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Highway Safety, RIHA offers free ServSafe Alcohol Online Course and Exam sessions to Rhode Island businesses. The state partnership enables subsidized (free) alcohol server training to qualifying businesses.
• Justice AssistanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJustice Assistance partners with RIHA on justice-informed hiring initiatives, bringing returning citizens into the hospitality workforce through job readiness training, transportation assistance, case management, and ongoing hiring support. RIHA helps connect Justice Assistance clients with member employers.
• AMP Consulting GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRIHA partnered with AMP Consulting Group to host the 'Empower Rhode Island: Hospitality Financial Workshop,' a bilingual (English/Spanish) event explaining the RI Savers program and financial resources to the hospitality community.
• U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRIHA partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to offer free security training (active shooter, general security) to hospitality businesses ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Training covers threat identification, suspicious package recognition, and coordination with federal, state, and local security agencies.
• Rhode Island Department of Health (Center for Food Protection)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRIHA works with the RI Department of Health's Center for Food Protection to deliver food safety training that meets state licensing requirements. The Department recognizes RIHA's ServSafe Food Safety Manager training and re-certification exams as compliant with state regulations.
• Foster ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoster Forward is a Restaurant Ready Community Partner, working with RIHA and NRAEF to provide hospitality job training and employment pathways for people not currently connected to school or work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maine Restaurant Association: Maine's state restaurant trade association providing advocacy, training, and member services to foodservice operators in a smaller New England state. Direct regional structural analog to RIHA.
• Massachusetts Restaurant Association: A neighboring state-level restaurant trade association representing Massachusetts foodservice operators with legislative advocacy, ServSafe training, events, and member services. Operates a directly comparable state-restaurant-association model in an adjacent geography.
• New York State Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association serving New York operators with advocacy, training programs, and member services. Comparable in mission and structure to RIHA, scaled to a much larger state market.
• Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association: Pennsylvania's combined restaurant and lodging trade association providing advocacy, ServSafe training, events, and member services. Directly comparable state-level combined hospitality association model.
• Connecticut Restaurant Association: Connecticut's state-level restaurant and hospitality trade association offering advocacy, ServSafe training, events, and member benefits. Closest analog to RIHA in terms of state-size, structure, and service mix.
• Vermont Hospitality Council: Vermont's state-level hospitality industry trade association offering advocacy and member services to lodging, restaurant, and tourism businesses. Regional peer serving a similarly small New England state.
• New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association: Combined lodging and restaurant trade association for New Hampshire operators with advocacy, training, and member benefits. Comparable state-level combined hospitality model in a New England neighbor of Rhode Island.
• New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association: State trade association representing New Jersey's restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry. Offers legislative advocacy, training, and member benefits and is the structural analog to RIHA on the East Coast.

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA): National trade association for the hotel and lodging industry and parent of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), whose Guest Service Gold certification RIHA delivers in Rhode Island. Comparable in advocacy + training model but at the national level and on the lodging side.
• National Restaurant Association (NRA): The National Restaurant Association is the national trade body for the U.S. restaurant industry and the licensor of ServSafe and Restaurant Ready programs that RIHA delivers at the state level. It is the umbrella organization for which RIHA serves as the Rhode Island State Restaurant Association partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RIHospitality
• Facebookfacebook.com/RIHospitality
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ri-hospitality-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about RI Hospitality Association & RI Hospitality Education Foundation