National Placement & Referral Alliance

What National Placement & Referral Alliance does

National Placement & Referral Alliance (NPRA) is a Colorado-based nonprofit national trade association founded in 2017 to professionalize and protect the senior placement industry. The organization operates with a lean staff of 5 and serves a membership approaching 1,000, comprising individual senior placement agents, placement agencies and groups, senior living communities, and companies supporting seniors. NPRA's core product is the CPRS (Certified Placement & Referral Specialist) credential — a nationally accredited testing designation positioned as the only such certification in the senior placement industry — complemented by a 17-article Code of Ethics, Best Practices guidelines, a formal Grievance Policy, and consumer protection tools including a 'Don't Represent Me' form.

The association's technology stack is built on standard association SaaS rather than proprietary platforms: a MemberClicks self-service portal handles membership enrollment, CPRS exam registration, and directory access, while a SmallWorldLabs-powered online community provides discussion boards and forums for member engagement. Public-facing directories (Find a Placement Agent, CPRS Agent Directory, Senior Living Communities, Companies Supporting Seniors) drive inbound family demand and generate organic leads for member agents. Distribution is supplemented by 11 chapters across 9 states (including Austin, Boise, Hartford, and Columbus) that provide local leadership, grievance committees, and grassroots engagement.

Revenue derives from three streams: recurring membership dues (individual and group, pricing not publicly disclosed), recurring CPRS certification fees, and voluntary Eagle Fund contributions at three tiers ($195 annual, $1,950 life, $3,900 double life) earmarked for state-level advocacy. NPRA contracts professional lobbyists in five states and has secured a notable legislative win in Texas lifting caps on senior placement referral fees. Operating geographies are national within the United States, and the organization is governed by a Board of Directors and a National Ethics and Best Practices Committee under the leadership of President John Benbrook.

Name

National Placement & Referral Alliance

Legal name

National Placement and Referral Alliance

Website

https://npralliance.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NPRA is a Colorado-based nonprofit national trade association serving nearly 1,000 members in the senior placement industry across 11 chapters in 9 states, delivering the CPRS certification, ethical and best-practices standards, and state-level legislative advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual and group membership fees providing access to best practices, code of ethics, online community, chapter networks, webinars and education, and advocacy representation.
2. CPRS Certification Fees: Fees for the Certified Placement and Referral Specialist certification designation, which requires passing accredited testing and maintaining continuing education requirements.
3. Eagle Fund Contributions: Voluntary advocacy contributions at three tiers: Annual ($195), Life ($1,950 one-time), and Double Life ($3,900 one-time) to support state-level lobbying efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

National Placement & Referral Alliance (NPRA) is a nonprofit national trade association that delivers professional membership, the Certified Placement & Referral Specialist (CPRS) accreditation, and standardized Code of Ethics and Best Practices frameworks for the U.S. senior placement industry. It also operates online directories of placement agents and senior living communities, an exclusive online community platform, continuing education webinars, and the Eagle Fund advocacy program supporting state-level legislative lobbying on behalf of members.

Product overview

NPRA is a membership-based national trade association for the senior placement industry, offering a portfolio of certification, professional standards, and member services. The core offerings include the CPRS (Certified Placement & Referral Specialist) certification program - an accredited testing and designation for placement agents - alongside membership with access to best practices guidelines, a code of ethics, and member resources. NPRA operates online directories for finding placement agents and CPRS-certified agents, plus an online community platform. The association also provides policy tools including a grievance procedure and a 'Don't Represent Me' form for client protection, and the Eagle Fund for Advocacy initiative for state-level lobbying. All offerings are interconnected through NPRA's mission to professionalize and protect the senior placement industry through standardized practices and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Placement & Referral Specialist (CPRS) Certification

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Civica ManagementcoreOthersCivica Management provides administrative services for NPRA, including mailing address services (P.O. Box 3406, Englewood, CO) and form management for membership and contact activities. They support operational infrastructure for the association.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Council on Aging (NCOA): National nonprofit advocating for older adults through policy, programs, and partnerships. Comparable to NPRA in senior-focused advocacy and member/partner engagement, though NCOA operates at much greater scale and is mission-focused rather than trade-focused.
• American Health Care Association (AHCA): Largest national association representing long-term and post-acute care providers with extensive federal advocacy and member programs. Comparable to NPRA in advocacy and standards-setting role, but AHCA is a substantially larger incumbent focused on care delivery rather than referral services.

Direct peers

• LeadingAge: National association of nonprofit aging-services providers offering advocacy, education, and professional credentials. Comparable to NPRA in mission, advocacy footprint, and standards-setting role, though LeadingAge focuses on nonprofit providers rather than placement intermediaries.
• American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA): Trade association for senior housing executives and providers that conducts federal advocacy and member education. Comparable to NPRA as a senior-housing-focused trade body with lobbying and professional standards, but oriented to operators rather than referral agents.
• National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL): Affiliate of AHCA representing assisted living communities through advocacy, education, and quality standards. Comparable to NPRA as a senior-care trade association with member standards and state-level lobbying, but focused on provider-side assisted living operations.
• Argentum: National trade association serving the senior living industry, providing advocacy, education, and professional development. Highly comparable to NPRA in mission and member-service model, though Argentum focuses on senior living operators rather than placement agents.
• Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA): Organization that certifies senior advisors (CSA) through accredited testing and continuing education. Closely comparable to NPRA's CPRS model as a credentialing body for senior-services professionals, though SCSA covers a broader advisory scope.
• National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM): Membership organization for senior move managers providing education, ethics standards, and consumer referral directories. Comparable to NPRA as a niche senior-services trade association with ethics framework and consumer-facing member directory.
• Aging Life Care Association (ALCA): Professional association for geriatric care managers and aging life care specialists with code of ethics, standards, and member directories. Comparable to NPRA in offering credentials, ethics oversight, and a public-facing directory for families seeking qualified professionals.

Emerging players

• Case Management Society of America (CMSA): Professional association for case managers with certification, ethics standards, and continuing education. Comparable in professional association structure and credentialing, though focused on healthcare case management rather than senior housing placement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61554577006146
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-placement-referral-alliance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Placement & Referral Alliance