Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
ADST is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories, serving Foreign Service officers, educators, researchers, and the public through a digital archive, podcasts, books, and educational programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersArlington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training does
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training (ADST) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and based in Arlington, Virginia. It operates the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories, comprising approximately 2,500-3,000 firsthand narrative accounts from retired and current Foreign Service officers documenting American diplomatic experiences. The organization serves multiple stakeholder segments including Foreign Service personnel, educators and students, academic researchers, historians, documentary filmmakers, and the general public interested in U.S. foreign policy history. ADST is independent and receives no government funding.
ADST's core product is the Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection, a digital archive accessed freely via its website and through the Library of Congress. The collection is amplified through multiple distribution channels: four active podcast series (Modern American Diplomacy, Partners in Diplomacy, Cold War series, and In Their Own Voices) distributed on Spotify, iTunes, and Google Podcasts; the ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series (77+ volumes); the 'Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History' online series; a biweekly newsletter; education programs with curriculum resources and internships; a Distinguished Speaker Series; and special initiatives including Century of Service: Portraits of Diplomacy and the America 250 Diplomatic History Exhibit. The organization has developed an AI-driven archival tool called 'Negottor' to enhance search and accessibility of the oral history collection.
ADST's revenue model relies on a three-tier membership structure (Associate up to $199, Standard $200-$999, Benjamin Franklin Circle $1,000+ with Gold tier at $5,000+), tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, book sales, podcast and event sponsorships (notably from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation and State Department Federal Credit Union), and cooperative agreements with partner organizations. The pending U.S. Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act (S. 2229 / H.R. 6126), if enacted, would create an additional funding stream via commemorative coin surcharges. Key partnerships include DACOR for the book series and event hosting at DACOR Bacon House, the Library of Congress for archival deposit, and various documentary productions (PBS, NPR, Sony Classics) that license oral history audio.
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
- Legal name
- Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
- Website
- https://adst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ADST is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories, serving Foreign Service officers, educators, researchers, and the public through a digital archive, podcasts, books, and educational programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Diplomatic History Archives & Education
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (519210), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), National Security and International Affairs (928)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications (BPAIAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK), Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL), Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Reference (Public Administration, Regulatory Guidance) (EDAGAGAK)
Keywords
Where Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Three-tier membership structure: Associate ($0-199), Standard ($200-999), and Benjamin Franklin Circle ($1,000+) with Benjamin Franklin Circle Gold at $5,000+. Associate members receive non-voting status.
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, including checks and online contributions. ADST is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that receives no government funding.
- Commemorative Coin Program: Proposed U.S. Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act (S. 2229 and H.R. 6126) would mint $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar clad coins. Revenue after U.S. Mint reimbursement would benefit ADST's oral history program.
- Book Sales: ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series (77 volumes published), including memoirs and oral history compilations available for purchase.
- Cooperative Agreements and In-Kind Support: Partnership arrangements with foundations and organizations providing financial and operational support, including Una Chapman Cox Foundation sponsorship of the Modern American Diplomacy podcast.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership - up to $199 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Membership - $200-$999 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Benjamin Franklin Circle - $1,000+ annually |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training (ADST) curates and operates the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories — approximately 2,500 to 3,000 firsthand personal accounts from American diplomats — and makes this archive freely accessible globally through its website and the Library of Congress. The collection is amplified through a portfolio of podcast series (Modern American Diplomacy, Partners in Diplomacy, Cold War, In Their Own Voices), the 77-volume ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series, a biweekly newsletter, education programs for teachers and students, the "Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History" online series, special themed collections, and live events including a Distinguished Speaker Series.
Product overview
The Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training (ADST) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization that operates primarily as a content and archival platform rather than a software product. Its core offering is the Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection—the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories with over 2,500 personal accounts. This core collection is distributed and amplified through multiple channels: podcast series (Modern American Diplomacy, Partners in Diplomacy, Cold War series, and In Their Own Voices), the ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series (77+ volumes), the 'Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History' online series, biweekly newsletters, and live events including a Distinguished Speaker Series. Additional initiatives include education programs for teachers and students, the Century of Service: Portraits of Diplomacy initiative, and traveling exhibits such as the America 250 Diplomatic History Exhibit. The organization does not offer a commercial software product but rather educational content, archival services, and public programming related to U.S. diplomatic history.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection: The world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories managed by ADST
- ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy Series
- Century of Service: Portraits of Diplomacy
- Negottor
Products and services
- Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection The world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories, comprising over 2,500 personal accounts from American diplomats documenting firsthand experiences implementing U.S. foreign policy. Free global access via adst.org and the Library of Congress.
- Modern American Diplomacy Podcast Podcast series providing in-depth stories and personal experiences about the lessons and inner workings of modern American diplomacy, featuring guests from diplomatic leaders to emerging experts.
- Partners in Diplomacy Podcast Podcast exploring the life and stories of families of Foreign Service members, highlighting the contributions of Foreign Service spouses to U.S. diplomacy.
- Cold War Podcast Series Podcast produced by ADST interns exploring U.S. involvement in the post-World War II period as the Cold War defined international relations.
- In Their Own Voices Podcast Audio storytelling series (formerly Poor Richard's Podcasts) bringing different moments in diplomatic history to life through oral history excerpts.
- ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy Book Series Book publication series containing diplomatic memoirs and scholarly works, currently at over 77 volumes, including titles like 'Representing America' and 'Dealing with Dragons, Bears, and Some Nice People Too.'
- Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History Online series featuring short narratives documenting significant moments and events in U.S. diplomatic history, based on oral history excerpts.
- ADST Biweekly Newsletter Biweekly electronic newsletter delivering stories, expert insights, and educational resources on the past, present, and future of American diplomacy to subscribers.
- ADST Education Programs Educational resources and programs designed for teachers and students, including classroom materials and curriculum resources related to U.S. diplomatic history.
- Century of Service: Portraits of Diplomacy Initiative to attract new audiences to ADST's diplomatic oral history archive, featuring visual and narrative portraits of American diplomats.
- America 250 Diplomatic History Exhibit Exhibit celebrating U.S. diplomatic history as part of America's 250th anniversary, featuring historical displays in the Russell Rotunda.
- ADST Special Collections Themed oral history collections including those on Afghanistan, the Dayton Peace Accords, Fascinating Figures, Fulbright Association, AFSA history, Life After Foreign Service, and USIP Projects.
- ADST Distinguished Speaker Series Annual in-person events featuring renowned journalists, scholars, and diplomatic leaders discussing foreign policy topics, including Steve Coll, Evan Thomas, and Philip Zelikow.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,500 oral histories available for free globally
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired)coreOngoing partnership for the ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series (77 volumes published). Joint hosting of events at DACOR Bacon House (1801 F Street NW, DC). DACOR Foundation is a sponsor of ADST.
- Library of CongresscoreArchive partner where ADST oral histories are deposited and available to researchers. Joint events including the Society for History in the Federal Government Annual Meeting held at Library of Congress.
- DACOR Bacon HousecoreVenue partner for ADST events, book launches, and distinguished speaker series. Located at 1801 F Street NW, Washington, DC.
- U.S. Department of State / Foreign Service InstitutecoreRelated government institution; oral histories document Foreign Service careers and FSI training programs. ADST's collection originates from the Foreign Affairs Oral History program.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Foreign Policy Association: Nonprofit educational organization producing foreign-policy content, programming, and educational resources for the general public—comparable educational nonprofit operating adjacent to ADST's audience.
- American Academy of Diplomacy: Honorary organization of senior U.S. diplomats that supports education and oral history-style documentation of diplomatic careers; directly comparable membership-based diplomatic nonprofit.
- National Security Archive (George Washington University): Archival repository of declassified U.S. government documents with similar primary-source research mission; comparable archival and educational use cases even though its medium is documents rather than oral histories.
- DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired): Retired U.S. Foreign Service membership organization co-located with ADST at DACOR Bacon House and a publishing/operational partner on the Diplomats and Diplomacy book series. Directly comparable mission, membership structure, and donor base.
- American Foreign Service Association (AFSA): Professional association representing active and retired U.S. Foreign Service personnel; overlapping member base with ADST and source of the Lifetime Contributions Award granted to ADST's founder.
- Fulbright Association: Alumni organization of Fulbright program participants that maintains an oral history collection (hosted by ADST) and runs member-based educational programming; directly comparable alumni-focused nonprofit with archival content.
Broad incumbents
- Wilson Center (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars): Large federally-funded think tank producing foreign policy research, oral history interviews, and educational programming; overlaps with ADST on diplomatic history content and educational programming.
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan foreign policy think tank producing podcasts, publications, and educational programming with overlapping foreign affairs audience and content distribution model.
- Council on Foreign Relations: Established foreign policy institution producing research, podcasts, and educational programming; comparable in mission to inform the public about U.S. foreign policy though with much broader resources.
- Library of Congress (Veterans History Project): Federal archive operating the Veterans History Project and other oral history collections with similar archival, educational, and free-public-access models; direct depository for ADST content.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training social profiles
Digital presenceAssociation for Diplomatic Studies & Training financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training 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 Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training
What does Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training do?
The Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training (ADST) curates and operates the world's largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral histories — approximately 2,500 to 3,000 firsthand personal accounts from American diplomats — and makes this archive freely accessible globally through its website and the Library of Congress. The collection is amplified through a portfolio of podcast series (Modern American Diplomacy, Partners in Diplomacy, Cold War, In Their Own Voices), the 77-volume ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy book series, a biweekly newsletter, education programs for teachers and students, the "Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History" online series, special themed collections, and live events including a Distinguished Speaker Series.
Is Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training a public or private company?
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training founded?
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training based?
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training is headquartered in Arlington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, commemorative Coin Program, book Sales and cooperative Agreements and In-Kind Support.
Who are Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Foreign Policy Association, American Academy of Diplomacy, National Security Archive (George Washington University), DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired), American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and Fulbright Association. Broad incumbents are Wilson Center (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars), Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Council on Foreign Relations and Library of Congress (Veterans History Project).
Does Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training have an API?
No public API is recorded for Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training.
What industry is Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training in?
Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training's product category is Diplomatic History Archives & Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAIAE, Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications, with a secondary code of MPAJABAK, Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing. Its NAICS code is 519210 and its SIC code is 8200.