Southern California Genealogical Society

What Southern California Genealogical Society does

Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) is a nonprofit genealogical society founded in 1964 and headquartered in Burbank, California, serving family history researchers and genealogists primarily in the Southern California region. The organization operates the SCGS Family Research Library, a roughly 4,000 square foot physical facility housing books, periodicals, manuscripts, and subscription databases, supplemented by an online catalog (MLA Solutions) and access to platforms including FamilySearch, Fold3 Library Edition, MyHeritage Library Edition, History Geo, PRDH (French-Canadian records), and Newspaper Archives. SCGS delivers educational programming through webinars (GoToWebinar), monthly Lunch & Learn sessions, The 1890 Project research initiative, and a portfolio of Special Interest Groups spanning ethnic heritage (African American, Hispanic, German, Italian, Chinese, Nikkei, French-Canadian, British Isles), genealogy software (Legacy Family Tree, RootsMagic, TMG), DNA/genetic genealogy, and writing/storytelling. The society publishes The Searcher periodical and maintains a public blog and social media presence.

Revenue is generated through a $40 annual individual membership, voluntary donations, and merchandise/book sales from the library collection. There are no enterprise customers, no advertising revenue, and no disclosed commercial partnerships. The society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (currently led by President Louise Ratliff) and operates with substantial volunteer labor, including interest group facilitators and library staff. SCGS is a member organization of the National Genealogical Society and holds FamilySearch Affiliate Library status.

SCGS is currently in a transitional phase driven by an unaffordable lease at its Burbank location (expiring November 30, 2026), prompting a search for a new 4,000 square foot facility in the San Fernando Valley area, a streamlining of the physical library collection, and the transfer of over 40 boxes of manuscript files to the California Genealogical Society for digitization. The organization is also considering a rebranding to 'Southern California Genealogical Society Library and Resource Center' to better reflect expanded educational and resource distribution services.

Name

Southern California Genealogical Society

Legal name

Southern California Genealogical Society

Website

https://scgsgenealogy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Southern California Genealogical Society is a nonprofit founded in 1964 that operates a Burbank-based genealogical research library, educational webinars, Special Interest Groups, and member database access for individual family historians in Southern California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genealogical Society Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)

Keywords

• Genealogical society membership
• Family history library
• Genealogy research services
• DNA genealogy research
• Genealogy education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide core operating revenue for the nonprofit organization
2. Donations: Voluntary contributions from members and supporters to support SCGS mission and operations
3. Merchandise and Book Sales: Sale of withdrawn books, periodicals, and merchandise during library visits and events

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SCGS is a nonprofit genealogical society that provides members access to the SCGS Family Research Library in Burbank, CA, plus educational programming including webinars, special interest groups (ethnic, geographic, and software-focused), a DNA Interest Group, Lunch & Learn, Member2Member gatherings, and the 1890 Project research initiative. Members pay $40 in annual dues for library access, interest group participation, webinars, and remote access to genealogy databases including FamilySearch, Fold3, MyHeritage Library Edition, History Geo, PRDH, Black Freedom Struggle, and Newspaper Archives.

Product overview

The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) operates as a nonprofit genealogical society offering a portfolio of educational and research services. The core offering is the SCGS Family Research Library, a physical genealogical research facility in Burbank, CA. Supporting services include a Webinar Series for online education, Special Interest Groups (including ethnic, geographic, and software-focused groups), a DNA Interest Group for genetic genealogy support, Lunch & Learn programs, and The 1890 Project for specialized research. Member engagement is facilitated through Member2Member gatherings, the Annual Open House, and DAR Application Assistance. The society maintains a public-facing Blog and publishes The Searcher periodical. SCGS members receive external database access to platforms including FamilySearch, Fold3, MyHeritage Library Edition, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SCGS Family Research Library: The society's primary library facility located in Burbank, CA, offering genealogical resources, databases, and research assistance.

Products and services

• SCGS Family Research Library Physical genealogical research library in Burbank, CA, offering books, periodicals, manuscripts, databases, and volunteer research assistance for members and visitors conducting family history research.
• Webinar Series Online educational presentations hosted via GoToWebinar covering genealogy topics such as Civil War records, Italian parish records, Masonic connections, and DNA research, available to members and the public.
• Special Interest Groups Affiliated user groups focused on specific genealogical research areas including ethnic groups (African American, British Isles, Chinese, French-Canadian, Hispanic, German, Italian, Nikkei), genealogy software (Legacy Family Tree, RootsMagic, TMG), and general topics.
• DNA Interest Group Specialized group providing education and support for genetic genealogy research, including DNA testing guidance, ethnicity estimation interpretation, and integration of DNA results with traditional family history research.
• Lunch & Learn Monthly educational programs held at the SCGS library in Burbank covering various genealogy topics, providing in-person learning opportunities for members and visitors.
• The 1890 Project Research initiative focused on records from 1890, a year for which many US Census records were destroyed, helping genealogists reconstruct families affected by that loss.
• Member2Member Quarterly gatherings where SCGS members share research questions, brick walls, and expertise with one another in a peer-support format.
• DAR Application Assistance Support services helping female descendants of Revolutionary War Patriots complete Daughters of the American Revolution membership applications and lineage documentation.
• The Searcher SCGS's official periodical publication containing stories, columns, book reviews, and genealogical research content for members.
• Member Database Access Free external online access provided to SCGS members to genealogical databases including Black Freedom Struggle, FamilySearch, Fold3 Library Edition, History Geo, MyHeritage Library Edition, PRDH (French-Canadian), and Newspaper Archives.
• Annual Open House Annual public event welcoming members, guests, and newcomers to tour the SCGS Family Research Library, meet volunteers, and learn about SCGS resources and special interest groups.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Genealogical Society (CGS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026SCGS transferred over 40 boxes of manuscript files containing family history materials, surname files, and geographic research (compiled over 40-50 years) to CGS for digitization. Once digitized, these materials will become accessible to researchers worldwide through CGS.
• FamilySearchcoreTechnology or IntegrationSCGS operates as a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, providing members with access to FamilySearch databases and resources for genealogical research
• National Genealogical Society (NGS)minorOthersSCGS is a member organization of NGS, the National Genealogical Society, providing networking and educational resources for the genealogical community
• Zacuto Group (Real Estate Brokerage)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReal estate brokerage firm engaged to assist in the search for a new location for SCGS library and headquarters

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• FamilySearch: A free genealogy record and tree platform operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SCGS is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, making FamilySearch both a partner and a competing content resource for the same family history researchers.
• MyHeritage: A major commercial genealogy and DNA testing platform with global reach. SCGS provides members free access to MyHeritage Library Edition, indicating direct overlap in target audience and complementary positioning around library vs. consumer subscriptions.
• Ancestry.com: The dominant commercial genealogy platform with comprehensive record databases, family tree tools, and DNA testing services. SCGS competes for the same end users (family historians) and even provides members access to Ancestry-adjacent databases through its library partnerships.

Direct peers

• Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center: A public-library genealogy research center offering free access to extensive genealogical collections. Compare to SCGS's Family Research Library in terms of physical collection, on-site research assistance, and ethnic/geographic specialty holdings serving walk-in researchers.
• Federation of Genealogical Societies: An umbrella organization that historically supported regional and local genealogical societies (now merged with NGS). It served a similar membership-society constituency to SCGS, although focused on society-level rather than individual-member support.
• National Genealogical Society: The national umbrella membership organization for genealogists in the United States. SCGS is a member society of NGS, and NGS offers comparable educational programming, publications, and conferences targeted at the same family historian customer base.
• California Genealogical Society: A regional genealogical society based in Berkeley, California, with a similar nonprofit structure, library collection, and educational programming. SCGS has an active manuscript-digitization partnership with CGS, and the two organizations serve overlapping member audiences in California.
• New England Historic Genealogical Society: One of the largest and oldest genealogical societies in the United States, founded in 1845. NEHGS operates a research library, publishes scholarly content, and serves a paying membership of family historians using a similar nonprofit society model to SCGS.

Emerging players

• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR): A lineage-based membership organization that requires genealogical documentation. SCGS offers DAR Application Assistance as a member service, positioning DAR as both a downstream consumer of genealogical research services and an adjacent membership organization.
• Cyndi's List: A long-standing, widely-used online catalog of genealogy research resources and links. It overlaps with SCGS's role as a curated gateway to genealogical tools and databases, though delivered digitally rather than as a membership library.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/scgsgenealogy
• Facebookfacebook.com/SCGSGenealogy
• Instagraminstagram.com/scgsgenealogy
• Xx.com/scgsgenealogy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-california-genealogical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Southern California Genealogical Society