KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

What KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION does

Kansas Emergency Management Association (KEMA) is a Kansas-based private not-for-profit professional association founded in 1977 (originally as the Kansas Emergency Preparedness Association, KEPA) that serves the state's emergency management community across all 105 Kansas counties. KEMA delivers four core offerings: (1) the Kansas Certified Emergency Manager (KCEM) professional certification program — established in 1990 and designated by Kansas Division of Emergency Management as meeting Kansas Administrative Regulation 56-2-2 for county coordinators; (2) an annual September training conference drawing 200+ attendees and 20+ exhibitors with tiered sponsorships ranging from $350 to $1,500; (3) membership services at $75/year for individuals and $300/year for institutional bundles, covering ~240+ active members; and (4) supporting programs including scholarships, an annual awards program, and a free 60-day job postings board. The organization is governed by an elected board (President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President) plus six regional Vice Presidents aligned to KEMA's NW, NC, NE, SW, SC, and SE regions.

The association operates on Wild Apricot membership management software as its underlying technology platform, with no proprietary technology stack, AI capabilities, or data assets beyond member contact records. Revenue is generated entirely through three streams: recurring annual membership dues, one-time conference registrations ranging $125-$475, and one-time exhibitor booth/sponsorship sales. KEMA maintains a network of strategic partnerships with federal agencies (FEMA Region VII, CDC, NWS offices in Dodge City/Topeka/Wichita), the state-level Kansas Division of Emergency Management and Kansas Association of Counties, peer associations (IAEM, DRII), and disaster response organizations (American Red Cross, Kansas VOAD). The organization is volunteer-led by sitting county emergency managers, with only 6 paid employees supporting conference planning and operations from Belleville, Kansas.

KEMA's go-to-market motion is community-led: it acquires and retains members primarily through the annual conference, six regional meetings, the KCEM certification pathway, awards recognition, and partnerships with federal/state agencies. Customer concentration is structurally narrow — limited to Kansas-based government emergency management professionals — making revenue predictability dependent on Kansas municipal budgets and conference attendance trends.

Name

KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

Legal name

Kansas Emergency Management Association

Website

https://kema.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kansas Emergency Management Association (KEMA) is a Kansas-based nonprofit professional association, founded 1977, that delivers the state-recognized KCEM certification, an annual training conference, and membership services to ~240+ county and local emergency managers across all 105 Kansas counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)

Keywords

• Emergency management
• Professional certification
• Emergency management training
• Disaster preparedness
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Manhattan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: KEMA generates revenue through annual membership dues at $75 per year for active members and $300 for institutional memberships (up to 4 members). The membership year runs October 1 through September 30.
2. Conference Registration: The annual KEMA Conference generates revenue through attendee registration fees ranging from $125-$475 depending on membership status and conference pass type. Full conference passes include pre-conference access and awards banquet tickets.
3. Exhibitor Booths and Sponsorships: The annual conference generates revenue through exhibitor booth rentals ($450-$850) and tiered sponsorship opportunities ranging from $350 Bronze to $1,500 Platinum level. Additional sponsorship opportunities include meal sponsorships and lanyard/bag sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kansas Emergency Management Association (KEMA) is a nonprofit professional association that delivers the Kansas Certified Emergency Manager (KCEM) certification program, an annual individual and institutional membership program, an annual training conference with exhibitor expo, scholarships for emergency management students, an annual awards program, and a job postings board serving emergency management professionals across all 105 Kansas counties.

Product overview

KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION is a professional association (not a technology product company) offering membership services, professional certification (KCEM program), annual conferences, scholarships, awards recognition, and a job board. The core offerings are membership and the Kansas Certified Emergency Manager (KCEM) certification program, supplemented by annual conferences, scholarships for students, and awards recognizing excellence in the emergency management field.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Partnership for Emergency PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate industry group partner mentioned in KEMA's network of partner organizations including federal agencies and private industry groups dedicated to emergency planning.
• Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner providing emergency management coordination. KDEM designates KEMA's KCEM program as meeting state certification requirements per Kansas Administrative Regulation.
• Kansas Association of CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKEMA has a representative on the KAC Governing Board. Collaborative relationship for legislative advocacy and county emergency management issues.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner providing emergency management guidance, EMI courses, and national disaster response framework. FEMA Region VII serves Kansas.
• International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational professional association for emergency managers. KEMA members participate in IAEM activities and certifications.
• National Weather Service (Kansas offices)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeather service offices in Dodge City, Topeka, and Wichita provide severe weather updates, spotter training, and warning coordination for Kansas EMs.
• American Red CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster relief organization and KEMA member. Partners on shelter operations and disaster recovery coordination.
• Kansas Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of voluntary organizations active in disaster relief and recovery coordination.
• Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional certification organization for business continuity and disaster recovery professionals.
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal health agency partner for public health emergency coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• International Association of Emergency Managers: The national professional membership association for emergency managers. KEMA members participate in IAEM certifications (AEM/CEM), making IAEM the closest comparable peer in mission, certification programs, and conference-based member services, just at the national scale.
• Nebraska Emergency Management Association: Another neighboring state professional association for emergency managers offering conferences, training, and member services. Highly comparable to KEMA in serving county emergency managers in a rural Midwestern state.
• Texas Emergency Management Association: A larger but structurally analogous state-level professional association for emergency managers, offering annual conferences, regional chapters, and member certification. Highly comparable in operating model though operating at significantly larger scale than KEMA.
• Missouri Emergency Management Association: A neighboring state-level emergency management professional association with similar structure — annual conference, membership dues, regional chapters, and certification advocacy. Closely comparable in scope, size, and operating model to KEMA.

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: A national humanitarian organization with deep involvement in disaster response and a KEMA member/partner. Operates far more broadly than KEMA in disaster relief but overlaps on training, shelter operations, and emergency management professional development.
• National Emergency Management Association: The national association of state emergency management directors and officials. Comparable to KEMA in serving the emergency management profession but operates at the state-director level rather than county practitioner level, and is headquartered in Washington DC.
• FEMA Emergency Management Institute: The federal training arm of FEMA that delivers the EMI courses embedded in KCEM certification requirements. A core upstream content provider for KEMA's certification curriculum and a federal partner through FEMA Region VII.

Regional players

• Kansas Association of Counties: The statewide association of Kansas county governments that KEMA has a governing-board seat on. Comparable as a Kansas membership association serving county officials, with overlapping membership base among county emergency managers.
• Kansas Division of Emergency Management: The state government agency that designates KCEM as meeting KAR 56-2-2 for county coordinators. Closely tied to KEMA through statutory recognition and partnerships, but as a public-sector entity with regulatory authority rather than a membership association.

Emerging players

• Disaster Recovery Institute International: A professional certification organization offering the Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) credential. Comparable as a parallel professional certification body in adjacent emergency management / business continuity fields, and listed as a KEMA partner organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansas-emergency-management-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION