American Association for Adult and Continuing Education

What American Association for Adult and Continuing Education does

The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association headquartered at 2900 Delk Road, Suite 700, PMB 321, Marietta, Georgia. Founded in 1982 through the merger of the National Association for Public and Continuing Adult Education (NAPCAE) and the Adult Education Association (AEA), AAACE serves as the unifying professional body for adult and continuing educators in the United States, observing the 100th anniversary of the field's organized presence in 2025. The association serves adult education professionals across higher education, workforce development, community education, government programs, and adult basic education/literacy, with nine specialized commissions (CABEL, CCCEVE, CCMNFE, CDLT, CGS, CIAE, CLUW, CPAE, CWPD) providing sub-community structure.

AAACE's product surface consists of membership subscriptions (individual, student, retiree, affiliate/corporate tiers priced $35-$375 annually), an annual conference with a rotating geographic footprint (2026: Chattanooga, TN, with a hybrid virtual/in-person format), three peer-reviewed journals (Adult Education Quarterly, Adult Learning, Journal of Transformative Education) distributed through SAGE Publishing, the decennial Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, a Leadership Development Fellowship launched in April 2026, a quarterly newsletter, a member insurance program, complimentary webinar series, and a portfolio of named awards (Houle, Okes, Knowles, Outstanding Service Medallion, Presidential Award). The association operates with 11-50 staff and is managed by Managing Director Lisa Gardner, with rotating academic leadership drawn from major U.S. universities.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership dues (subscription model), one-time conference registration fees, journal subscriptions, and corporate sponsorship of the annual conference. Marketing and distribution rely on the association's website (aaace.org), social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), email newsletters, member testimonials, and commission-driven sub-community engagement. AAACE's strategic posture is that of a stable legacy professional association investing in programmatic renewal (fellowship launch, hybrid conference) rather than aggressive expansion, with no venture funding, no M&A history beyond its founding merger, and no parent/subsidiary structure.

Name

American Association for Adult and Continuing Education

Legal name

American Association for Adult and Continuing Education

Website

https://aaace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AAACE is a U.S. nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1982 that serves adult and continuing education professionals through membership tiers, annual conferences, peer-reviewed journals, nine specialized commissions, awards, and professional development programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta, Georgia

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 Dues: Annual membership fees from individual members, students, retirees, and affiliate/corporate organizations. Membership tiers range from $35-$375 depending on member type and print journal subscriptions.
2. Conference Registration: Revenue from annual conference registration fees. Members receive registration discounts.
3. Journal Publications: Revenue from print journal subscriptions (Adult Education Quarterly and Adult Learning) and potential royalties from Routledge book series.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorships from organizations for annual conferences and organizational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AAACE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association that provides membership services to adult and continuing education professionals, including tiered individual/student/retiree/corporate memberships, an annual conference, peer-reviewed scholarly journals, nine specialized commissions, awards and grants, and professional development programming. Its primary deliverable is organized community, content, and advocacy infrastructure for the adult education field in the United States.

Product overview

American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) is a professional membership organization and not a technology product company. It provides membership services, conferences, publications, awards, commissions, and professional development opportunities for adult educators. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform with the types of integrations, API capabilities, or AI features covered by this schema.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 100th anniversary celebration of adult education in the US observed in 2025

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• East Carolina UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026East Carolina University is a 2026 conference sponsor for AAACE's annual conference, supporting the organization's major annual event.
• University of TennesseecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026University of Tennessee is a 2026 conference sponsor, supporting AAACE's annual conference and the adult education community.
• HighlanderminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Highlander is a 2026 conference sponsor for AAACE's annual conference.
• COABE 2026coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education) is listed as both a sponsor and attending partner for AAACE 2026 conference, indicating a collaborative relationship between the two adult education organizations.
• Adult Learning ExchangeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Adult Learning Exchange is a 2026 conference sponsor for AAACE's annual conference.
• SDL GlobalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026SDL Global is a 2026 conference sponsor for AAACE's annual conference.
• SAGE PublishingcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAGE Publishing handles distribution of AAACE's scholarly journals including Adult Education Quarterly (AEQ), Adult Learning (AL), and Journal of Transformative Education (JTED). Members who elect to receive print copies have their information supplied to SAGE.
• Various Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAACE seeks partnerships with associations, institutions, and organizations based upon commonality of goals expressed in AAACE's mission, vision, and values. The organization has approximately a dozen partners representing connections with affiliated fields of research and practice.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Council on Education (ACE): ACE is the major coordinating body for US higher education institutions, with broad advocacy, leadership, and learning programs that overlap adult and continuing education. Comparable as a large incumbent operating in adjacent higher-education policy and adult learner spaces.
• League for Innovation in the Community College: The League is an established international organization supporting community college innovation and leadership. Comparable to AAACE as a professional association serving community-based and continuing education practitioners, though broader in scope.
• National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA): NASPA is the leading association for student affairs administrators in higher education, with overlapping higher-ed membership base and similar journal/conference programming model. Comparable to AAACE in operating as a higher-education professional association with publications, awards, and member communities.

Direct peers

• UPCEA (University Professional and Continuing Education Association): UPCEA is the leading US association for professional, continuing, and online education within higher education. Highly comparable to AAACE in serving continuing education administrators and offering conferences, publications, and member communities.
• Association for Continuing and Higher Education (ACHE): ACHE is a professional association for continuing and higher education administrators, particularly at smaller institutions. Directly comparable to AAACE in serving the continuing education professional community with conferences and publications.
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL): CAEL is a national nonprofit linking adult learners, employers, and higher education, with a focus on prior learning assessment and workforce credentialing. Comparable to AAACE in serving adult and continuing education professionals across institutional and workforce settings.
• National Council for Continuing Education & Training (NCCET): NCCET is a council of continuing education leaders focused on community, career, and technical colleges. Directly comparable to AAACE as a peer professional body serving continuing education practitioners with conferences and member resources.
• Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE): COABE is a national membership association for adult basic education practitioners, the closest direct peer to AAACE. AAACE lists COABE as both a 2026 conference sponsor and attending partner, reflecting overlapping membership and shared mission in adult literacy and basic education.

Regional players

• International Council for Adult Education (ICAE): ICAE is a global NGO promoting adult learning and lifelong learning, particularly in the Global South. Comparable to AAACE in mission but operates primarily internationally where AAACE is US-focused; partner or regional peer rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• ProLiteracy: ProLiteracy is a national nonprofit supporting adult literacy programs and practitioner training. Comparable to AAACE's CABEL commission in serving the adult basic education and literacy community with professional development resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AaaceTweet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aaace-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education