California Association, FFA

What California Association, FFA does

California Association, FFA is a non-profit student organization embedded within the California Department of Education, serving over 103,000 FFA members across 374 chapters in six geographic regions (Central, North Coast, San Joaquin, South Coast, Southern, and Superior). Founded in 1928 as part of the national Future Farmers of America movement, the organization operates under California Education Code Section 52453 and is governed by the State Agricultural Education Advisory Committee, the FFA Adult Board, and the FFA Foundation Board of Directors. Its core mission is preparing students for careers in and outside agriculture through a three-component model: classroom instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), and FFA leadership development.

The organization delivers a progressive leadership conference continuum spanning all four high school years — Greenhand Leadership Conference (freshmen, $45/student across 28 regional sites), Made for Excellence (sophomores, $110/student across 9 sites), Advanced Leadership Academy (juniors, $110/student), Change Makers Summit at CSU Fresno (incoming seniors), and Sacramento Leadership Experience (seniors, $375/student). The annual State Leadership Conference in Ontario, CA draws 7,000+ attendees from 374 chapters, and the organization coordinates participation in the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis (70,000+ attendees). Supporting technology includes the Agricultural Education Tracker (AET) for SAE record-keeping and the Judging Card platform for event registration.

Revenue is generated through membership dues, conference and event registration fees, and donations/foundation support from sponsors including Boswell Foundation (flagship), JS West, Uniform Tire, Raley's, Farm Credit, and USDA-NRCS. The California FFA Foundation operates as the fundraising arm, with ~25 employees at the FFA Center in Galt, CA and regional offices hosted at Cal Poly SLO, CSU Fresno, CSU Chico, and Cal Poly Pomona. Student leadership is provided through the elected FFA Executive Committee representing each region.

Name

California Association, FFA

Legal name

California Agricultural Education

Website

https://calaged.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

California Association, FFA is a non-profit student organization under the California Department of Education, serving over 103,000 members across 374 high school chapters through agricultural education, leadership conferences, and career development programs in six regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education and Youth Leadership Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKACAF

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

Keywords

• Agricultural education
• Youth leadership development
• Supervised agricultural experience
• Career development events
• Student organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: FFA chapters and individual members pay dues to participate in the organization, supporting state and national FFA operations
2. Conference and Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for leadership conferences including State Leadership Conference, Sacramento Leadership Experience, and Integrated Leadership Development conferences
3. Donations and Foundation Support: California FFA Foundation raises funds through donations, fundraising events, and corporate sponsorships to support awards, scholarships, and leadership development programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

California Association, FFA provides school-based agricultural education and leadership development programs to over 103,000 high school members across 374 chapters in California. Its core offerings include a progressive continuum of leadership conferences (Greenhand, Made for Excellence, Advanced Leadership Academy, Change Makers Summit, Sacramento Leadership Experience), the annual State Leadership Conference, Career and Leadership Development Events (CDEs/LDEs), Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs, proficiency awards, scholarships, and member services supported by the Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET) record-keeping platform.

Product overview

California Association, FFA operates as a student-led intra-curricular organization embedded within agricultural education, serving over 103,000 members across 374 chapters. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of programs built around its three-component model: Classroom Instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), and FFA Leadership Development. The primary digital product is the California FFA website and member portal, complemented by the Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET) for SAE record-keeping. Leadership development is delivered through a progressive continuum including the Greenhand Leadership Conference (freshmen), Made for Excellence (sophomores), Advanced Leadership Academy (juniors), and Change Makers Summit (seniors), culminating in the Sacramento Leadership Experience capstone. The organization also hosts the annual State Leadership Conference (March 2026 in Ontario, CA) and coordinates participation in the National FFA Convention. Competitive opportunities include Career and Leadership Development Events (CDEs/LDEs), agriscience fairs, and proficiency awards. Supporting infrastructure includes the FFA Foundation for fundraising and scholarships, the FFA Alumni network, and resources for agricultural educators including job opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• California FFA Website and Member Portal
• Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET) Online record-keeping system for Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects, allowing California FFA students to track and document their agricultural work experiences and proficiency awards.
• Career and Leadership Development Events (CDEs/LDEs) Competitive team events focused on public speaking, technical agricultural skills, and career preparation, allowing FFA members to compete at regional, state, and national levels.
• State Leadership Conference Annual premier leadership conference held in Ontario, CA (March 21-24, 2026) attracting over 7,000 high school students from 374 chapters for skill development and recognition.
• National FFA Convention & Expo Participation Coordination of California FFA delegate participation at the annual national convention in Indianapolis, Indiana (October 21-24, 2026) with over 70,000 attendees featuring career expo, workshops, and competitive events.
• Sacramento Leadership Experience (SLE) Capstone four-day conference where senior FFA members step into legislator roles, assigned to California districts for learning government, agricultural policy, and advocacy (February 16-19, 2027, Sacramento, CA).
• Greenhand Leadership Conference (GLC) One-day freshman leadership conference with 28 regional sessions in September-October, introducing new FFA members to agricultural education and leadership fundamentals ($45 per student, $20 per advisor).
• Made for Excellence (MFE) Conference Two-day sophomore leadership conference with 9 regional sessions in January and February, focusing on personal values, relationship building, and leadership truths ($110 per student, $80 per advisor).
• Advanced Leadership Academy (ALA) Junior leadership conference focused on team development, chapter event improvement using SWOT analysis, and enacting change within chapters and communities ($110 per student, $80 per advisor).
• Change Makers Summit Two-day incoming seniors conference at California State University, Fresno focusing on career pathways, agricultural issues, and leveraging personal abilities for workplace success.
• FFA Foundation Scholarships and Awards Recognition program providing awards and scholarships to FFA members, including state proficiency awards, scholarships, SAE Star Awards, and agriscience fair recognition.
• Agricultural Education Curriculum and Resources Comprehensive educational resources including program management tools, curriculum materials, and professional development resources for agricultural educators.
• FFA Delegate Program Grassroots governance structure bringing together over 750 student delegates from 375 chapters to share ideas and ensure organizational progress.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 108,000 FFA members actively engaged in awards and scholarship programs annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Boswell FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 March 2026Premier sponsor of the State Leadership Conference, providing significant financial support for the annual event that attracts over 7,000 FFA members.
• JS WestcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial project sponsor of the Greenhand Leadership Conference as a special project of the California FFA Foundation. JS West supports freshman leadership development across 28 conference locations.
• Uniform Tire (UTI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor for State Leadership Conference supporting career exploration opportunities for FFA members.
• Raley'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor supporting the State Leadership Conference and agricultural education initiatives.
• Farm CreditcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor supporting the State Leadership Conference as part of agricultural financial services network.
• USDA-NRCScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor supporting FFA agricultural education and natural resource conservation initiatives.
• California State University FresnocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for Change Makers Summit and San Joaquin Region Office. Provides university facilities and academic connection for FFA leadership programs.
• California Polytechnic State University San Luis ObispocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for South Coast Region Office at the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences. Cal Poly SLO supports regional FFA operations.
• California State University ChicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for Superior Region Office, supporting FFA operations in Northern California.
• The AET (Agricultural Education Tracker)coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline platform used by California FFA members to record Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects, track activities, and manage FFA records and achievements.
• Judging CardcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial registration and results platform for California FFA conferences and events, used by advisors to register students for leadership conferences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SkillsUSA: A national Career and Technical Student Organization serving middle school, high school, and college students across multiple career pathways. As a fellow CTSO, SkillsUSA competes with California FFA for school program slots, teacher advisors, and student engagement within California's CTE framework.
• DECA: A national CTSO focused on emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA shares the same CTSO governance structure, conference-based engagement model, and chapter-based delivery as California FFA, competing for student time within California high schools.
• FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America): A national CTSO focused on family and consumer sciences education, with a parallel state-chapter structure and conference-based programming. FCCLA is a peer CTSO competing with California FFA for California high school CTE enrollment and teacher advisor time.
• National FFA Organization: The national parent organization of California FFA, operating the same agricultural education and youth leadership mission at the national level. Comparability is direct: California FFA is a chartered state association within the National FFA structure, sharing the three-circle model, blue corduroy jacket brand, and SAE program.
• National 4-H Council: The national youth development organization operated through the Cooperative Extension system, with comparable focus on agricultural education, leadership development, and career exploration for K-12 students. 4-H is the most direct competitor in agricultural youth development, with significant state-level affiliate presence.
• HOSA-Future Health Professionals: A national CTSO serving students in health sciences and biomedical pathways, with parallel state-chapter structure, conference-based engagement, and California state presence. HOSA is a peer CTSO competing with California FFA for California high school CTE program resources.
• California Agricultural Teachers Association (CATA): The professional association for California agricultural educators, sharing administrative leadership and co-located offices with California FFA. CATA Executive Director also manages the FFA Center in Galt, making it the closest operational partner and direct peer in agricultural education delivery.

Regional players

• Texas FFA Association: The Texas chartered state association of the National FFA Organization, operating the same model as California FFA but in a different state. Texas FFA is the largest state FFA association by membership, providing a useful peer benchmark for California FFA's scale and program design.

Others

• National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE): The national professional association for agricultural educators, with state-level affiliate presence. NAAE provides the teacher workforce pipeline that California FFA depends on, making it an enabling ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Boy Scouts of America: A national youth development organization with overlapping leadership, character development, and career exploration mission for K-12 students. While not a direct CTSO competitor, Scouting competes with California FFA for student time and parental engagement in California's extracurricular landscape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/californiaffa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-ffa-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California Association, FFA