What ICSC Foundation Canada does

ICSC Foundation Canada is the Canadian arm of the ICSC Foundation, the talent-development arm of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) — a North American member association for professionals in the marketplaces (retail real estate) industry. The Foundation's core mission is developing the next generation of talent through scholarships, mentorship programs, the Launch Academy internship pipeline with select university partner schools, and the Mary Lou Fiala Fellowship program that pairs emerging leaders with senior-level women in the industry. It operates as part of an organization founded in 1957 and headquartered in New York, with a Washington, DC office supporting Government Relations & Public Policy work.

The broader ICSC platform that supports the Foundation's mission includes the ICSC Networking Platform for member matching and property listings, the ICSC 365 mobile app for event access, Marketplaces IQ (a data analytics product aggregating 15 sources for commercial real estate listings, site selection, and demographic research), and Talent HQ for job seekers and employers. Content assets include Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT), ICSC Insight, Government Relations & Public Policy News, and the Newsstand book catalog. Adjacent programs include the Industry Inclusion & Engagement Center, Sustainability & Impact Center, Small Business Center, ICSC PAC (the only federally registered PAC for retail real estate), and the Excellence in Community Advancement Awards, which recognize public-private partnerships.

The organization operates a hybrid non-profit/member-association business model funded by recurring membership dues (with tiers for professionals, public sector/academic, and students), event registration fees across 100+ annual events, and subscription-like revenue from publications and resources. Membership-based revenue is supplemented by advocacy, sponsorships, and content partnerships. Customers span retail real estate professionals (property owners, developers, brokers, retailers, service providers), public-sector officials, students, and employers — a horizontally segmented base of approximately 70,000 members concentrated in the United States and Canada.

Name

ICSC Foundation Canada

Legal name

International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc.

Website

https://icsc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ICSC Foundation Canada develops future talent in the marketplaces (retail real estate) industry through scholarships, mentorship, Launch Academy internships, and the Mary Lou Fiala Fellowship, operating as the Canadian arm of the 70,000-member International Council of Shopping Centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Foundation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Retail real estate association
• Industry scholarships programs
• Professional mentorship programs
• Marketplaces industry education
• Talent development foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ICSC operates as a membership organization offering various membership tiers for professionals, public sector officials, and students in the marketplaces industry.
2. Event Registration: ICSC hosts over 100 events annually including ICSC RETAIL FORWARD, ICSC@NEW ENGLAND, ICSC NEW YORK, and other regional events with registration fees.
3. Publications and Resources: ICSC publishes Commerce + Communities Today (C+CT), ICSC Insight newsletter, Government Relations & Public Policy News, and industry books like the Shopping Center Study Lease and Shared Parking publications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ICSC Foundation Canada provides scholarships, mentorship programs, and internship opportunities to college students preparing for careers in the marketplaces (retail real estate) industry. Operating as the Canadian arm of the ICSC Foundation, it cultivates the next generation of talent through programs such as Launch Academy, the Mary Lou Fiala Fellowship, and iPrep Internship, partnering with universities to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for professional careers in the marketplaces industry.

Product overview

ICSC Foundation Canada operates as part of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), a member organization for the advancement of the Marketplaces Industry. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected products and programs: the ICSC Networking Platform for member networking and property listings, Talent HQ for job seekers and employers, Marketplaces IQ for commercial real estate data analytics, and various publications including Commerce + Communities Today, ICSC Insight, and Government Relations & Public Policy News. The Foundation also supports talent development through scholarships, mentorship, Launch Academy internships, and the Mary Lou Fiala Fellowship. Additional offerings include the Industry Inclusion & Engagement Center, Sustainability & Impact Center, Community Advancement programs, ICSC PAC advocacy, and professional development through Virtual Series webinars and events like RETAIL FORWARD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ICSC Foundation Scholarships Scholarships offered by the ICSC Foundation to help students pay for college and gain access to tools and resources needed to succeed in the Marketplaces Industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Marketplaces contribute more than $120 billion annually in sales taxes to state and local governments

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Public Sector MunicipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICSC facilitates public-private partnerships between municipalities and developers through its Excellence in Community Advancement Award program, recognizing transformative retail and mixed-use projects that drive economic opportunity and enhance community well-being.
• University Partner SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICSC Foundation's Launch Academy partners with select university schools to prepare college students from diverse backgrounds for internship opportunities in the Marketplaces Industry.
• Project REAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject REAP (Real Estate Association Program) advances commercial real estate diversity through education, mentorship and partnerships, helping bring more people of color into C-suite positions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CCIM Institute: CCIM is a commercial real estate education and designation body offering coursework, networking, and scholarship support for emerging CRE professionals. Directly comparable to ICSC Foundation Canada in education and credentialing for CRE talent.
• CoreNet Global: CoreNet Global serves corporate real estate professionals with education, events, and leadership development programs. Comparable as a CRE-focused member organization with talent pipeline programs similar to Launch Academy and the Fiala Fellowship.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): ULI is a global research and education-supported real estate and land-use association with member programs, policy work, and a foundation track that develops industry leaders. Comparable in scope, mission orientation, and talent development activities.
• BOMA International: BOMA is the building owners and managers association with member events, advocacy, education, and credentialing. Comparable as a CRE industry trade association with education and professional-development functions that overlap with ICSC Foundation Canada's mission.
• Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM): IREM is an international association for real estate management professionals offering credentials, education, and a foundation that supports industry talent. Directly comparable to ICSC Foundation Canada as a CRE professional association with scholarship and education programs.
• The Real Estate Roundtable: The Real Estate Roundtable is a U.S. policy-focused real estate industry association representing CRE leaders. Comparable to ICSC's advocacy function (ICSC PAC) and provides context for how a CRE association sustains relevance through policy work, which in turn supports foundation funding.
• NAIOP: NAIOP is the principal U.S. commercial real estate development association, with similar member-driven event programming, advocacy, research, and foundation-supported scholarships and emerging-leader programs. It is the closest comparable association competing for the same CRE talent pipeline.
• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors): RICS is a global real estate professional body with credentials, education, and member advocacy. Comparable in operating model (membership, credentials, professional development, advocacy) and relevant for ICSC Foundation Canada as it considers international expansion of its talent programs.
• SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors): SIOR is a CRE professional designation body with member events, education, and a foundation supporting scholarships and emerging professionals. Comparable in providing scholarships, mentorship, and professional development to CRE talent, similar to ICSC Foundation programs.

Broad incumbents

• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC): ICSC Foundation Canada is the scholarship and talent-development arm of ICSC. ICSC itself is the parent member organization advancing the marketplaces industry and operates the events, networking platform, advocacy, and publications that the foundation's programs plug into. They are operationally inseparable for evaluation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icsc
• Facebookfacebook.com/MyICSC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icsc
• Instagraminstagram.com/icsc/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@myicsc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 ICSC Foundation Canada