BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF GENEALOGISTS

What BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF GENEALOGISTS does

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) is an independent, not-for-profit certifying body incorporated in 1964 and headquartered in Washington, DC, that establishes and maintains professional standards for the genealogical field. It is nationally and internationally recognized as the primary credentialing organization for professional genealogists in the United States, awarding three distinct credentials: the Certified Genealogist (CG) for core research and analysis competence, the Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL) for teaching specialization, and the newer Certified Genetic Genealogist (CGG) for DNA-based evidence expertise, introduced in 2024. BCG operates through a small core staff of approximately 7 employees supported by a 15-member elected Board of Trustees, and serves individual professional genealogists, family historians, and end clients seeking qualified practitioners through a public Associate Directory. The organization does not develop or sell technology products; instead, it manages a portfolio-based evaluation process in which 3-4 independent evaluators assess applicant work samples against codified standards (Genealogy Standards, second edition revised 2021) and a Genealogist's Code of Ethics.

BCG generates revenue through three primary streams: certification application fees (preliminary application at $80, two-part CG portfolio at $400 total effective July 1, 2025), the OnBoard quarterly newsletter subscription ($15/year), and royalties/affiliate commissions from the sale of its Genealogy Standards publication on Amazon. Distribution is fully digital-first via bcgcertification.org, using HikaShop for e-commerce and Stripe for payments, with educational reach extended through a partnership with Legacy Family Tree Webinars and skillbuilding sessions at National Genealogical Society conferences. Content distribution channels include the SpringBoard blog, OnBoard newsletter, the BCG Application Guide (free download), a Learning Center with DNA resources and recommended reading, and a public directory enabling client referrals to certified associates. The GTM motion is sales-led and education-driven: prospective applicants are funneled through thought-leadership content, webinars, and conferences before submitting a preliminary application and then a multi-part portfolio for evaluator assessment.

Name

BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF GENEALOGISTS

Legal name

Board for Certification of Genealogists

Website

https://bcgcertification.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Board for Certification of Genealogists is an independent nonprofit certifying body, founded in 1964, that awards the Certified Genealogist (CG), Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL), and Certified Genetic Genealogist (CGG) credentials to professional genealogists worldwide, supported by publications, webinars, and a public Associate Directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Credential, Education & Professional License Verification (BPAKAEAI)

Keywords

• Genealogical certification
• Professional credentials
• Genealogy standards
• Genetic genealogy
• Genealogical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Application Fees: BCG charges application fees for certification processing. The preliminary application fee is $80, the two-part CG portfolio application costs $200 per part ($400 total), and renewals are processed on a tiered schedule. This is the primary revenue stream supporting the organization's operations.
2. OnBoard Newsletter Subscription: BCG publishes OnBoard, a quarterly newsletter, available by annual subscription for $15 per year. Single issues and back volumes are also available for purchase through the shop.
3. Genealogy Standards Publication: BCG publishes 'Genealogy Standards, second edition revised (2021)' through Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, BCG earns commission from purchases made through their affiliate links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BCG is an independent, not-for-profit certifying body that awards the Certified Genealogist (CG) credential, plus the specialized Certified Genetic Genealogist (CGG) and Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL) credentials, to individual professional genealogists who pass a portfolio-based evaluation against published genealogical standards. It also publishes the Genealogy Standards reference manual, the BCG Application Guide, the OnBoard newsletter, and the SpringBoard blog, and maintains a public directory of certified practitioners.

Product overview

BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF GENEALOGISTS operates as a certification organization offering professional credentialing for genealogists rather than a software product company. The core offering is the Certified Genealogist (CG) credential, a research certification requiring portfolio-based evaluation against established genealogical standards. Supporting credentials include the Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL) for teaching specialization and the Certified Genetic Genealogist (CGG) for DNA expertise. The organization provides educational resources through the Learning Center, publishes the OnBoard newsletter and SpringBoard blog, and offers publications including the free BCG Application Guide and the book Genealogy Standards (second edition revised, 2021). A public Associate Directory enables clients to locate certified genealogists. Revenue is generated through certification fees, publication sales, and newsletter subscriptions rather than software licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OnBoard: BCG's newsletter publication
• SpringBoard

Products and services

• Certified Genealogist (CG) Credential

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Legacy Family Tree WebinarscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBCG partners with Legacy Family Tree Webinars to deliver free monthly webinars to the genealogical community. BCG associates prepare and present these webinars, which cover genealogical methodology, DNA evidence analysis, and research techniques. This partnership extends BCG's educational reach and brand visibility to a broader audience of family historians.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists: ICAPGen is the other major genealogy-specific professional accreditation body, offering portfolio-based credentials in genealogical research - making it BCG's closest direct competitor.
• National Board for Certified Counselors: NBCC is an independent non-profit that certifies counselors through examination-based credentialing - a similarly structured professional certification body with comparable governance and operating model.
• International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners: IBLCE is a similarly structured small non-profit professional certification body for lactation consultants, with portfolio-based credentialing - a strong operational comparable for BCG.

Others

• Legacy Family Tree Webinars: Legacy Family Tree Webinars is BCG's strategic education partner, providing webinar delivery infrastructure that extends BCG's educational reach - a key enabling partner rather than competitor.
• National Commission for Certifying Agencies: NCCA accredits certification programs across professions, providing governance standards relevant to organizations like BCG seeking third-party validation of their credentialing processes.

Broad incumbents

• National Genealogical Society: NGS is the largest U.S. genealogical society, hosting the national conferences where BCG runs skillbuilding sessions - a key industry partner and overlapping audience organization.
• Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com is the dominant consumer genealogy platform and a major employer of BCG-certified genealogists, generating downstream demand for credentialed professionals.
• FamilySearch: FamilySearch is a major genealogy records platform where BCG's President previously led Asia-Pacific content strategy, representing a significant industry incumbent and potential partnership channel.
• Association of Professional Genealogists: APG is the leading U.S. professional association for genealogists, providing membership, advocacy, and continuing education - a broader industry incumbent serving the same certificant base as BCG.

Emerging players

• International Society of Genetic Genealogy: ISOGG serves the genetic genealogy community with education and Y-DNA/mtDNA resources, directly overlapping with BCG's newer CGG credential focus area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/board-for-certification-of-genealogists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 →

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