The Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada)

What The Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada) does

The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is a nonprofit literary organization founded in 1979 and incorporated in Maryland, dedicated to fostering the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen's works, life, and legacy. The society serves over 5,000 members across 79 regional groups spanning North America (Hawaii to Nova Scotia, Alberta to Florida) and more than a dozen additional countries, ranging from amateur enthusiasts to professional scholars. JASNA is staffed entirely by volunteers and is governed by an elected Board of Directors with separate officers for JASNA Canada.

JASNA's core products include three publications — the peer-reviewed annual journal Persuasions (in print since 1979), the open-access Persuasions On-Line (launched 1999), and the quarterly JASNA News newsletter (launched 1985) — supplemented by the monthly Austen Chat Podcast (launched July 2023), the Austen's World Up Close video series, and the Austen Table recipe collection. Its flagship events are the Annual General Meetings (three-day conferences attended by 750–850 members) and members-only tours to Jane Austen sites in England, operated in partnership with British travel agency Pathfinders since 1996. Additional programs include an annual essay contest (200+ student submissions per year), a Young Filmmakers Contest, the International Visitor Program grant, and the Jane Austen Book Box.

The business model is nonprofit subscription-based: membership dues (set by the Board of Directors), AGM registration fees, and tour participant fees (approximately $5,200–$5,900 per person plus a $200 required contribution) form the core revenue streams. Distribution occurs primarily through jasna.org, the online member portal, the regional group network, and direct partnerships with heritage organizations including Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton House, Hampshire Cultural Trust, and Goucher College. The go-to-market motion is community- and event-driven, with word-of-mouth among the Austen enthusiast community complemented by content marketing through publications, podcasts, and social media.

Name

The Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada)

Legal name

The Jane Austen Society of North America, Inc.

Website

https://jasna.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

JASNA is a volunteer-staffed nonprofit literary society serving over 5,000 Jane Austen enthusiasts across 79 North American regions through peer-reviewed publications, an annual conference, members-only England tours, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Society Membership Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups (EDAMAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ)

Keywords

• Literary society membership
• Scholarly journal publication
• Literary conference services
• Educational travel tours
• Nonprofit cultural community

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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: Annual membership dues provide core operational funding. Categories and amounts are established by the Board of Directors. Life membership was historically available at $50.
2. AGM Registration Fees: Registration fees for Annual General Meetings cover plenary speakers, meeting room costs, audiovisual technology, registration materials, and included meals. Fees reflect costs of staging the conference.
3. Tours to England: Members-only tours to Jane Austen sites in England, priced at approximately $5,200-$5,900 per person for 10 nights, including accommodation, meals, sightseeing, and transportation. Tour participants must also be JASNA members and make a $200 tax-deductible contribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is a volunteer-staffed nonprofit literary society that publishes scholarly journals (Persuasions, Persuasions On-Line, JASNA News), produces a podcast and video content, hosts an Annual General Meeting (AGM) conference, organizes curated Tours of England, and runs educational programs such as an essay contest centered on the life and works of Jane Austen.

Product overview

The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is a nonprofit literary organization offering a portfolio of scholarly publications, educational content, events, and member programs. The core offerings include three publications (*Persuasions*, *Persuasions On-Line*, and *JASNA News*), the monthly *Austen Chat Podcast*, the video series *Austen's World Up Close*, and the culinary resource *The Austen Table*. JASNA's flagship events are the Annual General Meeting (AGM) conferences and members-only Tours of England. Additional programs include an Essay Contest, Young Filmmakers Contest, International Visitor Program, Jane Austen Book Box, and Regional Groups that organize local activities. The Society serves over 5,000 members across 79 regions in the United States, Canada, and more than a dozen other countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual General Meeting (AGM) Conference An annual multi-day conference bringing together members and scholars for presentations, workshops, and social events centered on Jane Austen's life and works.
• Persuasions (Print Journal) Annual peer-reviewed scholarly print journal containing selected papers and essays from the AGM, distributed to members.
• Persuasions On-Line Online scholarly journal publishing additional peer-reviewed essays and articles on Jane Austen topics beyond what appears in the print Persuasions journal.
• JASNA News Quarterly newsletter distributed to members covering society news, regional chapter reports, book reviews, and Jane Austen-related updates.
• Austen Chat Podcast Audio podcast featuring conversations with Jane Austen scholars, authors, and enthusiasts about Austen's works and historical context.
• Austen's World Up Close Videos Short-form video series exploring Regency-era history, culture, and daily life referenced in Jane Austen's novels.
• Tours of England Cultural travel program taking members to Jane Austen-associated sites, homes, and museums across England, organized in partnership with travel providers.
• Essay Contest Annual writing competition for students and adult members submitting essays on topics related to Jane Austen's works, with prizes awarded at the AGM.
• JASNA Membership Annual membership providing individuals access to JASNA publications, conference discounts, regional chapter activities, and member-only content.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ essay submissions annually from students worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pathfinders (British Travel Agency)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1996Pathfinders is a British travel agency that has arranged custom tours for JASNA since 1996. They provide exclusive members-only tours to Jane Austen sites in England, including accommodation, transportation, and sightseeing. Contact: Caroline Coe at [email protected].
• Jane Austen Society (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe original Jane Austen Society based in Britain. JASNA members attend the UK society's AGM when touring England, and the two societies maintain collegial relationships for scholarly exchange.
• Chawton HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChawton House (Edward Austen Knight's 'Great House') is home to a unique collection of women's writing in English from 1600-1830. JASNA tours include visits and self-guided tours of Chawton House.
• Jane Austen's House MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum at Chawton where Jane Austen wrote and revised her beloved novels. JASNA has supported the restoration and maintenance of this site since 1979. Tours include private visits and 'opening up' of the house.
• Hampshire Cultural TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJASNA tours include visits to the Trust for talks and opportunities to view their extensive costume collection. The Trust preserves cultural heritage related to Jane Austen's era.
• Goucher College (Jane Austen Collection)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouses the Jane Austen collection bequeathed by Alberta H. Burke, wife of JASNA co-founder Henry G. Burke. Contains books, letters, and ephemera from their extensive collection.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PEN America: A major literary and free-expression organization with membership programs, events, awards, and publications. Comparable to JASNA in mission (promoting literary engagement) but operates at much larger scale, across all authors and genres, and is professionally staffed rather than volunteer-run.
• Modern Language Association: The largest academic organization in the humanities, with membership, scholarly publications, and an annual convention. Comparable to JASNA in offering scholarly publications, an annual conference, and a member base interested in literature, but operates at vastly larger scale across many authors and disciplines with professional staff.
• The Folger Shakespeare Library: A research library and cultural institution dedicated to Shakespeare and early modern English literature, with public programs, exhibitions, and scholarly resources. Comparable to JASNA as a single-author (or near single-author) literary institution but operates at significantly larger scale with professional staff and a major physical collection.

Emerging players

• National Book Critics Circle: A US-based nonprofit organization of book critics and literary professionals with membership, awards, and events. Comparable to JASNA as a literary membership organization with publications and events, but focused on contemporary criticism rather than a single historical author.
• The Gaskell Society: A literary society dedicated to Elizabeth Gaskell, with journal publications, branch meetings, and AGM events. Smaller and more regionally concentrated than JASNA but structurally identical: single-author focus, scholarly journal, regional groups, and member events.

Direct peers

• Jane Austen Society (UK): The original Jane Austen Society based in Britain, founded in 1940. It is JASNA's closest direct peer: same single-author focus, same scholarly publications and AGM structure, and the two societies maintain mutual relationships where JASNA members attend the UK AGM when touring England.
• The Dickens Fellowship: An international literary society devoted to Charles Dickens, founded in 1902, with branches worldwide, an annual conference, and scholarly publications. Mirrors JASNA's structure of author-focused scholarly society with regional branches, journals, and AGM-style gatherings.
• The Brontë Society: A UK-based literary society dedicated to the Brontë sisters, operating a museum, membership program, and scholarly journal. Directly comparable to JASNA in structure: single-author literary focus, volunteer-staffed nonprofit, peer-reviewed publications, regional events, and member travel offerings.
• Historical Novel Society: An international organization for authors, editors, agents, and readers of historical fiction, including Regency-era literature central to Austen's works. Comparable to JASNA as a membership organization with conferences, reviews/journal content, and regional activities, though focused on the broader historical-fiction category rather than a single author.

Others

• Jane Austen's House Museum: The museum at Chawton where Austen wrote and revised her novels, with which JASNA has a core strategic partnership. Not a direct peer (it is a museum rather than a membership society), but is the most thematically aligned adjacent organization and a key partner for JASNA tours and research grants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jasnaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/JaneAustenSocietyofNorthAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jane-austen-society-of-north-america-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada)