Society Of California Archivists

Name

Society Of California Archivists

Legal name

Society of California Archivists

Website

https://calarchivists.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Society of California Archivists is a volunteer-run non-profit professional membership organization serving archivists and cultural heritage institutions across California through the Annual General Meeting, Western Archives Institute training program, workshops, publications, awards, scholarships, and the West_Arch Listserv.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils) (EDAAAFAD), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Archival professional development
• Professional membership services
• Archival education programs
• Professional networking events
• Archival publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue for the organization. Members receive access to events, publications, awards, scholarships, and professional development resources.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from Annual General Meeting (AGM) registrations, workshops, and educational programming. Tiered pricing for members, students, and non-members.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships for events including the AGM and Western Archives Institute.
4. Western Archives Institute Tuition: Tuition fees for the intensive two-week WAI program offering basic archival practices instruction.
5. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support scholarships and organizational activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Society of California Archivists is a non-profit professional membership organization that provides continuing education, networking, and professional development services to archivists in California. Its core offerings include the Western Archives Institute (WAI) intensive training program, the Annual General Meeting conference, workshops, publications (SCA Newsletter, Journal of Western Archives, Directory of Archival and Manuscript Repositories in California), awards and scholarships, and a mentorship program.

Product overview

The Society of California Archivists is a non-profit professional membership organization serving archivists in California. Rather than a unified software product, SCA offers a portfolio of services including the Western Archives Institute (WAI), a flagship intensive two-week online training program in basic archival practices; professional publications including the SCA Newsletter and Journal of Western Archives; a directory of California archival repositories; educational workshops and the Annual General Meeting conference; an awards and scholarships program; and a mentorship program. The organization is powered by Wild Apricot membership software and provides member-only access to resources, events, and professional networking through its website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Western Archives Institute (WAI) An intensive two-week online program providing integrated instruction in basic archival practices, designed for individuals with diverse professional goals including those with little or no prior archival training, those assuming increased archival responsibility, practicing archivists without formal education, and those pursuing an archives career.
• Annual General Meeting (AGM) Annual conference featuring sessions, workshops, tours, and networking opportunities for archivists, with the 2026 theme 'Shifting Ground: Preserving Memory Amid Upheaval' held virtually April 15-17, 2026.
• SCA Workshops Professional development workshops offering practical training in archival skills and practices, including pre-conference workshops preceding the AGM.
• Journal of Western Archives Scholarly journal publication focused on archival theory, practice, and research relevant to the western United States.
• SCA Newsletter Regular newsletter publication keeping members informed about organizational news, events, and developments in the archival profession.
• Directory of Archival and Manuscript Repositories in California Comprehensive directory listing archival and manuscript repositories throughout California, helping researchers locate relevant collections.
• Preserving Your History Brochures providing introductory guidance on preserving historical materials, including guidelines for preserving photographs and papers and instructions for historical research about individuals and communities.
• Awards and Scholarships Program Multiple awards recognizing outstanding archival work in California including Career Achievement Award, Archival Award of Excellence, Sustained Service Award, Archives Appreciation Award, and several scholarships for graduate education and continuing education funding.
• SCA Membership Organizational membership providing access to professional resources, networking opportunities, events, publications, and the archival community in California.
• SCA Mentorship Program Mentorship initiative connecting experienced archivists with emerging professionals for career guidance and professional development.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Society of American Archivists (SAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026SAA is the premier national professional organization for archivists in the United States. SAA registered as a sponsor for the 2026 Western Archives Institute, demonstrating a collaborative relationship in archival education. SCA leadership includes individuals with SAA committee service, and the organizations share programming and professional development resources.
• Western Archives Institute (WAI) Management CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026The WAI program is co-managed by SCA with involvement from the WAI Management Committee including SCA Board Liaison Sue Luftschein. The program offers integrated instruction in basic archival practices and attracts participants from across the Western United States.
• Strategic Planning Task Force (2023-2025)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025A two-year strategic planning initiative that surveyed and interviewed SCA members to identify professional needs. Led by Co-Chairs Alix Norton and Leilani Marshall, the task force submitted its final report to the SCA Board in June 2025.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northwest Archivists: Regional archival association for archivists in the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington). Closest direct peer to SCA in mission, services, and member profile, serving an adjacent U.S. region.
• Midwest Archives Conference: Regional professional archival organization serving archivists across the Midwestern United States with annual meetings, workshops, and publications. Closely analogous to SCA in structure, scale, and member services, but serving a different geography.
• National Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators: U.S.-based professional association for government archivists and records administrators offering conferences, training, and advocacy. Comparable professional membership model to SCA with a specialized government/institutional focus.
• Society of Southwest Archivists: Regional archival professional organization serving archivists in the Southwestern United States. Provides meetings, workshops, and awards analogous to SCA, and operates as a peer regional chapter under the broader U.S. archival association landscape.
• Academy of Certified Archivists: U.S.-based nonprofit administering the Certified Archivist (CA) credential for archival professionals. Highly comparable professional membership model, with a narrower, credentialing-centric value proposition compared to SCA's broader programming.

Emerging players

• Digital Preservation Coalition: International nonprofit focused on digital preservation of cultural heritage, with strong overlap to SCA's emerging digital archives focus area. Provides training, advocacy, and resources in a more specialized, technically focused subset of the archival profession.

Broad incumbents

• Society of American Archivists: National professional association for archivists in the United States, offering continuing education, advocacy, publications, and the Certified Archivist credential. Directly comparable to SCA's mission at a national scale, and an existing strategic partner/sponsor of SCA's WAI program.
• American Library Association: Large national professional association serving librarians and information professionals, including those working in archives and special collections. Overlaps with SCA's audience and continuing-education mission but operates at much greater scale across a broader profession.
• International Council on Archives: Global professional organization for archivists and record keepers, offering congresses, training, and standards. Operates at a vastly larger international scale than SCA but addresses the same professional development and advocacy needs for the archival workforce.

Regional players

• Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York: Regional professional organization serving archivists in the New York City metropolitan area. Operates with a similar volunteer-led, event-and-programming-driven model as SCA but in a denser, more institutionally concentrated geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/calarchivists.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEi9K46vrx7Vbu3jwjKOM0g
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Society-of-California-Archivists/100083226736072
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-of-california-archivists
• Instagraminstagram.com/calarchivists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Society Of California Archivists