What Plain Language Association International does

Plain Language Association International (PLAIN), founded in 1997 and organized as a private nonprofit, is the international professional membership association for the plain language field. It brings together plain language supporters, practitioners, and professionals worldwide and promotes clear communication in any language, evidenced by more than 40 language versions of its plain language definition displayed on its site. The association is headquartered in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, and operates with 11-50 staff under the leadership of founder Cheryl Stephens.

PLAIN does not develop proprietary software products; its underlying technology is a Glue Up-backed membership platform serving as a member portal. Core offerings include an eJournal (launched in 2019), member-only webinars on specialized topics such as UX in insurance and iconography in health, the PLAIN Matters Newsletter, a searchable members directory, an annual international conference (highlight event), and private community forums. Two named industry awards — the Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award and the Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award — anchor the association's credibility and recognition programs.

The business model is membership-driven: annual membership dues across multiple tiers (pricing not publicly disclosed) generate recurring subscription revenue, supplemented by conference registrations and webinar access. GTM is community-led and event-driven, leveraging the website, LinkedIn, the newsletter, and the annual conference as primary acquisition and engagement channels. Customer segments center on individual plain language practitioners and supporters, with government and public sector organizations representing a secondary vertical for compliance-driven plain language initiatives.

Name

Plain Language Association International

Legal name

Plain Language Association International

Website

https://plainlanguagenetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plain Language Association International is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1997 that promotes clear communication through education, networking, conferences, and resources for plain language practitioners, supporters, and government entities worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Plain language advocacy
• Professional writing standards
• Clear communication training
• Language accessibility services
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: PLAIN generates revenue through annual membership fees. The association offers different types of membership with varying benefit levels, providing recurring subscription revenue from members worldwide who join to access resources, networking, and professional development opportunities.
2. Conference Revenue: The association organizes conferences where members and non-members can attend for registration fees. The conference is described as the highlight of the association, providing both revenue and member engagement.
3. Webinar Access: Webinars covering specialized plain language topics serve as both member benefits and potential revenue stream for the association.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PLAIN is a nonprofit professional membership association that brings together plain language practitioners, supporters, and professionals from around the world to promote clear communication in any language. Its core offerings are an annual tiered membership, an eJournal (since 2019), topical webinars, a members directory, a newsletter, private community forums, and an annual international conference. The association also acts as a steward of plain language standards, including the ISO Plain Language Standard.

Product overview

PLAIN is a professional membership association, not a product software company. The organization offers a unified membership platform with interconnected services: an eJournal (available since 2019) for sharing plain language expertise, webinars covering specialized topics, a newsletter for association news, a members directory for professional discovery, an annual conference, and private community forums. These services collectively support plain language professionals worldwide with knowledge sharing, networking, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PLAIN Membership Annual membership in the international professional association for plain language, offered in multiple tiers with varying benefits including access to the eJournal, webinars, newsletter, private community forums, conference discounts, and a directory listing. Available to practitioners, supporters, and organizations worldwide.
• PLAIN Annual Conference An annual international conference serving as the flagship in-person event of the association, where members and non-members meet for professional networking, sessions, and enrichment. Registration-based with discounted rates for members.
• PLAIN eJournal Digital publication where innovative plain language practitioners and campaigners share their experiences and case studies, available since 2019.
• PLAIN Webinars Online seminars covering specialized plain language topics such as iconography in health and UX in insurance, featuring community specialists and serving as both a member benefit and an event offering.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• In-Game LearningminorOthersIn-Game Learning is a sponsoring partner of PLAIN and this website. They are described as a pioneering venture bringing plain language principles into interactive gaming. This sponsorship supports PLAIN's operations and website maintenance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA): Membership association for freelance editors, writers, and proofreaders offering a member directory, educational resources, and networking. Highly comparable directory-and-education model.
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global membership association for business communication professionals. Comparable in professional development, events, and credentialing (ABC), though it serves a wider communications remit than plain language specifically.
• Center for Plain Language: US-based nonprofit focused on plain language advocacy, training, and the annual ClearMark Awards. Directly comparable to PLAIN in mission (promoting clear communication) though more US-centric and awards-driven rather than membership-driven.
• Society for Technical Communication (STC): International professional association for technical communicators, writers, and editors. Highly comparable membership model, but with a broader scope beyond plain language and a more developed certification program.
• Plain English Campaign: UK-based plain language advocacy organization running the Plain English Awards and Free Word Campaign. Directly comparable in advocacy and awards focus, but regionally scoped to the UK market.
• Clarity: International plain language association that grew out of the European plain language movement. Closest mission-aligned peer to PLAIN, holding biennial international conferences and offering a journal, though smaller in membership footprint.
• Association for Business Communication (ABC): International academic and professional association for business communication. Comparable in scholarly and professional development mission, though more academic-conference oriented.

Regional players

• Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP): UK-based professional body for editors and proofreaders offering training, accreditation, and a directory. Comparable in professional development and member directory model, but UK-focused and broader in editorial scope.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Science Editors (CSE): Professional organization for scientific editors with educational resources, short courses, and an annual meeting. Comparable in association-driven editorial education but specialized in scientific publishing.
• American Medical Writers Association (AMWA): US-based professional association for medical communicators with extensive educational programming, certification, and conferences. Comparable in professional association structure but specialized in medical/regulatory writing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plain-language-association-international
• Xx.com/plain_lang_intl
• Facebookfacebook.com/plainlanguageassociationinternational

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 Plain Language Association International