Lake Chapala Society

What Lake Chapala Society does

Lake Chapala Society (LCS) is a private non-profit membership organization headquartered in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico, serving the English-speaking expatriate community and local Mexican residents in the Lake Chapala area. Its flagship offering is one of the largest English-language libraries in Latin America, holding approximately 22,000 donated books along with a media library of videos, music CDs, jigsaw puzzles, and magazines. The Ajijic campus at 16 de Septiembre 16-A also houses a cafe, gardens, classrooms, and activity spaces; a secondary Spanish-language library operates at the Wilkes Center in Galeana. The organization runs educational classes, organized trips, social activities (line dancing, board games, pottery, concerts), an annual art camp for lakeside children, a Student Aid Program for local students, Open Circle for social connection, and a Reaching Out network for members living alone. Operations are delivered primarily by volunteers under a single Executive Director.

The underlying technology stack is lightweight and entirely composed of third-party SaaS or open-source tools: a Wix-hosted public website, a Koha-based online catalog (LCS.koha.theke.io) for searching and renewing library materials, a Givecloud integration for membership enrollment and donations, and an embedded Google Calendar for activity scheduling. No proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML components are disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led: acquisition is driven by word-of-mouth, community engagement, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and US Consulate information sessions, with Givecloud providing the online conversion path.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring membership dues (annual billing, with tier pricing not publicly disclosed), charitable donations processed via a dedicated portal, and transaction-based fees from cafe sales and paid classes/activities/trips. The society is governed by a board of directors that publishes a Transparency Plan and meeting minutes. There are no funding rounds, M&A events, subsidiaries, or institutional investors; the organization is community-owned and supported.

Name

Lake Chapala Society

Legal name

Lake Chapala Society

Website

https://lakechapalasociety.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lake Chapala Society is a non-profit membership organization in Ajijic, Mexico, serving English-speaking expatriates and local residents with one of Latin America's largest English-language libraries, educational classes, community activities, and outreach programs including student aid and a children's art camp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Center Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAI

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYTHAAAGAK

Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access)

SECONDARYEDAAAFAO

Community Language Conversation & Exchange Groups

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

Keywords

• Community center services
• Membership organization
• English language library
• Expat community services
• Community outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ajijic

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual or periodic membership dues that provide access to facilities, libraries, activities, and community programs. The dues also fund community outreach and student aid programs.
2. Donations: Charitable donations from members and supporters to support community programs, student aid, and general operations. Dedicated donation portal available online.
3. Cafe and Activity Fees: Revenue from cafe services and potentially fees for specific classes, trips, and activities offered to members and visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lake Chapala Society is a non-profit membership community organization that provides a comprehensive community center in Ajijic, Mexico, for expatriate and local residents. Its core offerings include English-language and Spanish-language lending libraries (with approximately 22,000 English-language books), a media library, educational classes, organized trips, social events and activities (line dancing, board games, pottery), social-support programs (Open Circle, Reaching Out), an annual children's art camp, a student aid program, a volunteer program, on-site gardens, and a cafe, delivered through a physical campus plus an online membership/donation portal.

Product overview

Lake Chapala Society is a community organization serving expatriates and residents in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico. The organization offers a unified platform of services including: an English language library (main campus with ~22,000 books), a Spanish language library (off-campus at Wilkes Center), a media library with books/videos/music, educational classes, community events and activities, organized trips, an annual art camp for children, volunteer programs, student aid, and social programs like Open Circle and Reaching Out for those living alone. The organization also maintains gardens and a cafe for member use. Services are delivered through a combination of physical facilities and online systems for membership, donations, and program registration via Givecloud.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• English Language Library One of the largest English language libraries in Latin America, offering approximately 22,000 donated books for lending to members, including extensive fiction and non-fiction collections, Mexican-themed materials, and works by local authors, with an online catalog for search and renewal.
• Media Library Library located near the LCS main entrance offering used books, videos to borrow or buy, music CDs for sale, jigsaw puzzles, and magazines, with volunteer assistance available to help members locate materials.
• Spanish Language Library Off-campus Spanish language library located at the Wilkes Center in Galeana, Ajijic, serving the local Mexican community with Spanish-language lending materials.
• Education Programs (Classes) Educational classes and skill-building programs offered to members, including language learning, arts, and other courses, with registration via the Givecloud education portal.
• Activities and Events Community activities and social events offered to members, including events, concerts, board games, line dancing, pottery, and social gatherings, with registration via the Givecloud activities portal.
• Trips Organized trips and excursions offered to members, with registration handled through the Givecloud trips portal.
• Art Camp Annual art camp program for lakeside children that provides creative art activities and fun for kids while engaging community volunteers.
• Open Circle Community social program designed to encourage members to join, meet new friends, and build social connections within the LCS community.
• Student Aid Program Financial aid program that provides financial assistance to local students in the Lake Chapala area to support their educational pursuits.
• Reaching Out

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ books available in the main English-language library
• +1 more outcomes

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

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• US ConsulatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLCS collaborates with the US Consulate to host information sessions for US citizens living in the Lake Chapala area. Sessions cover emergency services, passport services, notarial services, and voting assistance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• International Community Foundation: Larger US-based foundation supporting US expat and binational community initiatives in Mexico. Comparable as a funding/intermediary peer for expat-focused community programs around Lake Chapala and Baja.
• Rotary International: Global membership-based civic service organization with local clubs running community programs and charitable projects. Directly comparable in membership dues + donations funding model and community-outcome orientation.
• Elks Lodge (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks): US-fraternal membership organization with lodge-based recreation, social programs, and community charity. Operates a comparable membership-plus-facility-plus-community-service model.
• YMCA (Global): Large-scale membership-based community organization offering recreation, classes, social programs, and youth services. Comparable operating model (membership dues + donations, classes/events, volunteer-driven) at vastly larger scale.
• Lions Clubs International: International service-club organization structured around local chapters, dues, donations, and volunteer-driven community programs — a strong structural peer to LCS's membership/community model.
• Kiwanis International: Service-club organization running local chapters focused on community programs, often youth-focused (similar to LCS's art camp and Student Aid). Comparable membership dues + donations model.
• American Legion: Membership-based service organization offering community programs, advocacy, and benefits to a defined member population. Strong structural peer for membership dues + community programs funding model.

Direct peers

• Lake Chapala Guild: Fellow non-profit membership organization serving the Lake Chapala expat community. Directly comparable in mission (community service), customer base (English-speaking expats), and funding model (dues, donations), though focused more on charitable fundraising than library/community-center operations.

Regional players

• Royal British Legion: UK-based membership charitable organization providing community welfare, social support, and programs for a defined member base. Comparable as an ex-pat-style community support organization, though UK-focused rather than Mexico-focused.
• San Miguel de Allende Community Foundation: Community foundation serving another major Mexican expat hub (San Miguel de Allende). Operates a comparable mix of charitable programs, grants, and community services for expats and locals, making it a strong regional peer in the same model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lake-chapala-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Lake Chapala Society