The Renaissance Society of America

What The Renaissance Society of America does

The Renaissance Society of America (RSA), founded in 1954 and headquartered at 365 Fifth Avenue in New York City, is the largest international membership organization devoted to the critical study of the world from 1300 to 1700. With approximately 17 employees, it serves thousands of scholars globally across academic, graduate-student, independent-scholar, museum/library, and high-school-teacher segments. Its mission is advanced through four interlocking pillars: publications (Renaissance Quarterly journal, the RSA Texts and Studies series via Brill, the RSA Reprint Text Series via University of Toronto Press, and the Digital Latin Library initiative), annual conferences and joint symposia, professional development programming (webinars, Works-in-Progress sessions, Days of Digital Learning, and Graduate Student Lightning Talks), and competitive funding mechanisms (RSA-Kress fellowships, Kristeller fellowships, the Virginia Fox Stern Residential Fellowship, Delmas Public Engagement Fellowship, multiple book and article prizes, and high-school teaching grants).

Revenue is generated through a mix of income-adjusted membership dues ($23 to $232 annually on a six-tier sliding scale, with a sustaining rate at $320), Renaissance Quarterly print subscriptions ($40 add-on), conference registration fees ($300–$350 standard, $150–$175 reduced for students, independent scholars, and adjuncts), and external foundation grants (Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, ACLS, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation). Members also receive publisher discounts via Brill, University of Chicago Press (new journal partner starting volume 79, 2026), JSTOR JPASS, ACLS Humanities E-Book, and PlumBenefits. Distribution is primarily digital via the rsa.org member portal, supplemented by in-person annual meetings rotated across major international cities (Philadelphia 2027, Rome 2028, Chicago 2029, Toronto 2030). In February 2026, the Board adopted amended bylaws and a three-year sustainability plan, and in March 2026 the organization launched RallyBoard, a new peer-group platform, while initiating the phase-out of the Brill monograph series.

Name

The Renaissance Society of America

Legal name

The Renaissance Society of America, Inc.

Website

https://rsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Renaissance Society of America is a 71-year-old nonprofit scholarly society serving thousands of members worldwide through Renaissance Quarterly journal, annual conferences, fellowships, and professional development programming for the study of the period 1300–1700.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scholarly Society / Academic Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK), Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Scholarly society
• Academic publications
• Professional development
• Renaissance studies
• Research fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The RSA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues, which are structured on an income-adjusted sliding scale ranging from $23 to $232 per year for regular members, with sustaining membership at $320 per year. Members receive access to Renaissance Quarterly, professional development webinars, fellowship eligibility, and discounted subscriptions as membership benefits.
2. Renaissance Quarterly Print Subscriptions: Members and non-members can purchase print subscriptions to Renaissance Quarterly for an additional $40 annually.
3. Conference Registration: Revenue generated from annual meeting registration fees, including standard registration ($300-$350), reduced rates for students and independent scholars ($150-$175), and day passes ($50-$100).
4. Publisher Discounts: RSA members receive publisher discounts from Brill and Cambridge University Press, which contribute to membership value and potentially generate referral or partnership benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Renaissance Society of America is a nonprofit membership-based scholarly society that serves as the largest international organization devoted to the critical study of the world from 1300-1700. It sells annual memberships to individual scholars (professors, faculty, graduate students, independent scholars, museum/library professionals, high school teachers) and provides access to its peer-reviewed Renaissance Quarterly journal, annual international conferences, professional development webinars, research fellowships and grants, awards and prizes, and scholarly publication series. Membership dues are structured on an income-adjusted sliding scale ranging from $23 to $232 per year.

Product overview

The Renaissance Society of America is a scholarly membership organization (not a technology company) offering a portfolio of academic products and services focused on the period 1300–1700. Its core offerings include publications (Renaissance Quarterly journal published by University of Chicago Press, Renaissance News newsletter, RSA Texts and Studies Series, RSA Reprint Text Series, and the Digital Latin Library initiative), professional development programming (Professional Development Webinars, Days of Digital Learning workshops, Works-in-Progress Sessions, and Graduate Student Lightning Talks), annual conferences (the RSA Annual Meeting), and funding opportunities (RSA Fellowships including Paul Oskar Kristeller Fellowships and RSA-Samuel H. Kress Fellowships, RSA Awards and Prizes, High-School Teaching Grants, and DHSI Scholarships). The organization also launched RallyBoard in 2026 as a new platform supporting structured peer groups. These products and services are delivered primarily as membership benefits rather than standalone commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Renaissance Quarterly: The leading international journal of Renaissance studies, published by the RSA and University of Chicago Press (as of 2026). Presents around twenty articles and 400 reviews per year, engaging all disciplines.
• Renaissance News
• RSA Texts and Studies Series
• RSA Reprint Text Series

Products and services

• Renaissance Quarterly The leading international journal of Renaissance studies, published by the University of Chicago Press starting volume 79 (2026), presenting approximately twenty articles and 400 reviews per year covering all disciplines related to the period 1300-1700.
• Annual Meeting The largest international conference dedicated to Renaissance studies, held annually in various locations, featuring paper sessions, seminars, lightning talks, roundtables, and workshops for scholars to share research.
• Renaissance News The RSA's monthly newsletter available to members and non-members, highlighting Renaissance studies and information about RSA activities, research grants, prizes, and annual meetings.
• Professional Development Webinars Online professional development programming covering topics including career talks, digital humanities, conference preparedness, publishing strategies, grant applications, and writing strategies for scholars of the period 1300-1700.
• Days of Digital Learning (DDL) An annual series of hands-on workshops sponsored by the RSA's Digital and Multimedia Committee, hosted by and for scholars of the premodern world to develop digital literacies and enhance pedagogies and research.
• Works-in-Progress Sessions Hosted by the RSA's Membership Committee, offering scholars at all career levels the opportunity to workshop their writing in a friendly and supportive environment through application-based seminars held three times a year.
• Graduate Student Lightning Talks Developed and hosted by the Graduate Student Advisory Committee, bringing together student members across the world to discuss field-pressing questions through short presentations.
• RSA Fellowships Competitive fellowships supporting individual research projects and publications advancing scholarly knowledge about the period 1300-1700, including Paul Oskar Kristeller Fellowships, RSA-Samuel H. Kress Fellowships in Art History, and RSA-Virginia Fox Stern Residential Fellowships.
• RSA Awards and Prizes Annual prizes recognizing achievements in Renaissance studies including the Renaissance Studies Article Prize, William Nelson Prize, First Book Prize (beginning 2026), Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation Book Prize, Michael J. B. Allen Book Prize, Phyllis Goodhart Gordan Book Prize, William J. Kennedy Prize, Digital Innovation Award, and Paul Oskar Kristeller Lifetime Achievement Award.
• High-School Teaching Grants Funding for secondary educators who propose innovative projects about the Renaissance (1300-1700) that promise to leave a lasting impact on students, with awards up to $3,000.
• DHSI Scholarships Partnership with the Digital Humanities Summer Institute (DHSI) offering tuition scholarships and discounted registration rates (40% discount) for RSA members to participate in digital humanities courses in Canada.
• RallyBoard A new platform that supports the creation of structured peer groups for RSA members, launched in March 2026.
• RSA Texts and Studies Series A peer-reviewed series focusing on Latin and vernacular cultures of late medieval and early modern Europe (ca. 1300-1700), including editions of primary sources, translations with critical editions, and thematic reference works. Published by Brill. Currently being phased out.
• RSA Reprint Text Series A reprint series of significant secondary works in Renaissance studies designed to keep valuable works in print for classroom use, distributed by University of Toronto Press.
• Digital Latin Library An online publications initiative in collaboration with the Digital Latin Library (DLL) at University of Oklahoma, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, creating an open-access Library of Digital Latin Texts comprising peer-reviewed critical e-editions.
• Renaissance Quarterly Newsletter A blog run by the editors of Renaissance Quarterly to share news and issues related to the journal and allow contributions from readers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 20 articles and 400 reviews published annually in Renaissance Quarterly
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Sixteenth Century Society (SCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026RSA co-sponsors the RSA-SCS Online Symposium (January 28-29, 2027) with the Sixteenth Century Society, exploring themes of precarity and public-making spaces in scholarly work. This joint virtual symposium addresses institutional shifts and professional uncertainty in Renaissance and early modern studies.
• Digital Humanities Summer Institute (DHSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026RSA partners with DHSI in Canada to offer five tuition scholarships annually for RSA members to attend the institute's week-long digital humanities courses. Additionally, all RSA members receive discounted registration rates (40% discount) for DHSI courses held at Université de Montréal.
• University of Chicago PresscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026University of Chicago Press publishes Renaissance Quarterly starting with volume 79 (2026). They handle institutional subscriptions, advertising, and distribution of the journal.
• American Trust for the British Library (ATBL)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Winners of RSA Fellowships are contacted by ATBL to invite them to apply for an additional $2,500 stipend to conduct research at the British Library. This partnership enhances fellowship award value for RSA members.
• Brill PublisherscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2012Since 2012, Brill has published the RSA Texts and Studies (RSA-TS) series, focusing on Latin and vernacular cultures of late medieval and early modern Europe (ca. 1300-1700). RSA members receive a 35% discount on Brill volumes.
• Digital Latin Library (DLL) / University of OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012RSA collaborates with the Digital Latin Library hosted by University of Oklahoma, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, to create an open-access Library of Digital Latin Texts. The project involves the RSA, Medieval Academy of America, and Society for Classical Studies.
• Virginia Fox Stern Center (Johns Hopkins University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe RSA-Virginia Fox Stern Residential Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University supports one-month research periods utilizing rare book and manuscript collections at the Sheridan Libraries, with emphasis on the Women of the Book Collection and Bibliotheca Fictiva Collection.
• JSTORsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRSA members can purchase discounted JPASS access providing entry to over 1,500 humanities, social science, and science journals in JSTOR's archival collections.
• ACLS (American Council of Learned Societies)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRSA members can purchase discounted subscriptions to ACLS Humanities E-Book (HEB) collection of approximately 6,000 high-quality books in the humanities.
• PlumBenefitssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRSA members receive access to PlumBenefits entertainment discount program featuring hotel bookings, preferred seating, tickets, and easy online ordering.
• Various Educational and Cultural InstitutionssupportingOthersRSA maintains partnerships with various institutions including The Newberry Library, The Huntington Library, The Folger Shakespeare Library, National Humanities Center, The Medici Archive Project, and The Met for sharing teaching resources and scholarly materials.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sixteenth Century Society (SCS): The Sixteenth Century Society is a direct peer: a North American scholarly society focused on the early modern period, with a membership-and-conference model that directly overlaps RSA's. RSA and SCS already co-sponsor a joint online symposium, evidencing direct comparability in scale, audience, and product mix.
• Medieval Academy of America: A scholarly society serving scholars of the medieval period immediately preceding RSA's scope; it publishes a flagship journal (Speculum), holds an annual conference, awards fellowships, and uses an income-adjusted membership structure. It is structurally identical to RSA and even co-publishes the Digital Latin Library initiative with RSA.
• Shakespeare Association of America: A scholarly society whose membership sits squarely inside RSA's core constituency (Renaissance / early-modern literary scholars). It runs a comparable annual conference, member journal, and fellowship program, making it one of the closest direct comparables for member scale and operating model.
• Society for Classical Studies: A scholarly society covering the classical period adjacent to RSA's scope. It publishes flagship journals, runs an annual meeting, distributes fellowships, and co-leads the Digital Latin Library with RSA. Its operating model, governance structure, and member value proposition are highly comparable to RSA's.
• History of Science Society: A small humanities-adjacent scholarly society with a similar membership-plus-journal-plus-conference-plus-fellowship model. Comparable in headcount, scale, and the kind of membership value proposition RSA delivers to its community.

Emerging players

• College Art Association: A scholarly society with significant overlap in Renaissance art history, one of RSA's core disciplines. CAA publishes an art-history journal, holds a large annual conference, and serves many of the same art-historical faculty members, partially overlapping with RSA's membership.
• Bibliographical Society of America: A small humanities scholarly society focused on bibliography and book history, a sub-discipline central to Renaissance textual scholarship. Its society-and-publication model and member base overlap meaningfully with RSA's Renaissance book-history constituency.

Broad incumbents

• American Historical Association: The largest general U.S. historical scholarly society, with a much broader period scope than RSA but overlapping in early-modern historians. AHA's operating model (membership, journal, annual meeting, fellowships, advocacy) is the broad incumbent reference point against which niche societies like RSA are benchmarked.
• Modern Language Association (MLA): The dominant U.S. humanities scholarly society for language and literature scholars, encompassing many of the same literary scholars who participate in RSA. Its much larger scale and broader scope make it the principal broad-incumbent comparator for humanities membership-society economics.

Regional players

• Renaissance Studies (journal / society ecosystem): Renaissance Studies is the leading European counterpart journal in the field and is affiliated with the UK-based Renaissance Studies network. It serves the same Renaissance-studies scholar community from a different geography and is the natural trans-Atlantic counterpart to Renaissance Quarterly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rsaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Renaissance Society of America