Richelieu International

What Richelieu International does

Richelieu International is a non-profit Francophone service club organization founded in 1944 and headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, at 180 Boulevard Mont-Bleu, bureau 206. Its mission, captured in the motto "Impliquer la jeunesse. Promouvoir la francophonie." (Engage youth. Promote Francophony), is to promote the French language and culture and engage youth through social, educational, cultural, political (non-partisan), and economic actions at international, national, and local levels. The organization operates under the motto "Paix et fraternité" (Peace and Fraternity) and serves Francophone communities in minority situations, primarily across Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and broader Canada with a stated international footprint.

The organization delivers its mission through a decentralized network of local Richelieu clubs where individual members join and commit to a formal engagement formula. It also operates a wholly-owned charitable subsidiary, Fondation Richelieu International (led by President Jean-Claude Lavoie), which conducts fundraising and philanthropic activities under the motto "Aider c'est dans notre nature" (Helping is in our nature). Governance is exercised through an elected international board led by International President Théo Saulnier, with the 77th Annual General Assembly held in 2025 and the 82nd International Congress scheduled for May 2026 in Tracadie, New Brunswick.

Revenue is generated through individual membership participation and event registration fees — the 2026 Congress pricing shows $325 + tax for a 3-day member package, $225 + tax for a spouses/partners package, $90 + tax for the recognition gala, and $60 + tax for the reunion evening. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed. The technology footprint is minimal: a WordPress-based richelieu.org website and organic social media presences on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. There are no distinct commercial product lines, no AI/ML capabilities, and no paid marketing or venture funding evident in the available sources.

Name

Richelieu International

Legal name

Richelieu International

Website

https://richelieu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Richelieu International is a Gatineau, Quebec-based non-profit Francophone service club organization, founded in 1944, that engages youth and promotes French language and culture through a network of local clubs, an affiliated foundation, and annual congresses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Membership Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Social Integration Programs (Clubs, Events, Volunteering) (EDAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)

Keywords

• Francophone community clubs
• Nonprofit membership services
• International youth engagement
• French language promotion
• Congress event coordination

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Richelieu International is a non-profit Francophone association founded in 1944 and headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, that operates a network of local community clubs to promote the French language and youth engagement. Its primary sellable offerings are membership in local clubs and registration to the annual International Congress, with the Fondation Richelieu International channeling donations into youth-focused programs.

Product overview

Richelieu International is a non-profit international organization with a unified mission focused on engaging youth and promoting Francophone culture. The organization operates primarily through membership participation, an affiliated foundation (Fondation Richelieu-International), and periodic congress events. There are no distinct product lines, modules, or technology offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Congress
• Local Richelieu Club Membership
• Fondation Richelieu International Youth Engagement Programs

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Rotary International: Global service-club network with local clubs, structured membership, annual international conventions, and a dedicated foundation (Rotary Foundation). Closely mirrors Richelieu's club + foundation architecture and member-engagement ritual.
• Lions Clubs International: Largest traditional service-club network globally; directly comparable as a volunteer-driven, dues-funded membership organization running local chapters, international conventions, and youth programs. Most relevant structural peer for benchmarking membership economics and engagement model.
• Kiwanis International: Service-club network with an explicit youth-engagement mission (similar to Richelieu's "Impliquer la jeunesse"), local-chapter structure, and tiered membership dues. Highly comparable given the overlapping youth-development focus.
• Optimist International: Community service-club network organized around local clubs with a youth-optimism mission, similar club-based governance and convention cycle to Richelieu. Comparable volunteer-driven nonprofit service model.

Emerging players

• Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste: Historical French-Canadian heritage and Francophone-promotion society, comparable in cultural-preservation mission and Quebec-centric operating base. Smaller-scale and more heritage-focused than Richelieu's service-club model.

Regional players

• Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA): National umbrella organization coordinating advocacy for Canadian Francophone minority communities. Comparable mission of advancing Francophone minority interests, though operating as an advocacy network rather than a service-club movement.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Française: Global French-language and Francophone culture promotion network with local chapters in dozens of countries. Highly comparable mission to promote Francophony, though larger and more education- rather than service-club oriented.

Others

• Fondation Aga Khan (Canada): International development foundation supporting community initiatives including Francophone-cultural programming in Canada. Comparable as an institutional grantmaker and programming partner for the Francophone nonprofit ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=7pqgbohjM6A
• Facebookfacebook.com/277906642896
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richelieu-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/richelieuintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Richelieu International