Virginia Forestry Association
Virginia Forestry Association is a Richmond-based nonprofit trade association, founded in 1943, that advocates for Virginia's forestry community through lobbying, publications, and annual events serving landowners, forest products companies, loggers, and natural resource professionals statewide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Virginia Forestry Association does
Virginia Forestry Association (VFA) is a membership-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1943 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, that advocates on behalf of Virginia's forestry community before state and federal policymakers and promotes the sustainable use and conservation of forest resources. Its members include private forest landowners, forest products manufacturers, forest management and consulting firms, logging and transportation companies, and individual natural resource professionals. VFA delivers value through five functional areas: advocacy and lobbying (including the VAForestPAC political action committee and a dedicated Advocacy Fund established in December 2021), events (the annual Virginia Forestry Summit co-hosted with the Virginia Chapter of ACF and Virginia Division of SAF, Sporting Clays Tournament, Virginia Wood Cup golf tournament with Virginia Forest Products Association, and Legislative Day on the Hill), publications (the quarterly Virginia Forests Magazine and biweekly VFA Voice e-newsletter), annual recognition awards (Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Member of the Year since 1949, and Logger Merit Award), and an affiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Virginia Forestry Foundation (VFF), founded in 2024 to advance conservation, education, and workforce knowledge. VFA's core technology stack is not technology-focused; operations run on a MemberClicks membership portal, a WordPress-based public website, and standard email and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).
VFA monetizes primarily through annual membership dues (tiered across Individual/Family, Company/Organization, Forest Products with $500 minimum, Forest Management/Consulting, and Forest Harvesting/Transportation categories, plus a $90 Sustaining Individual add-on), event registrations and sponsorships (Summit exhibitor registration at $795, sponsorship tiers from $500 to $2,500, several of which have sold out for the 2026 cycle), advertising in Virginia Forests Magazine and the Membership Directory, Summer Raffle ticket sales ($100 each, capped at 350 tickets), and VAForestPAC contributions from individuals, corporations, and associations. Geographic scope is regional, focused exclusively on the Commonwealth of Virginia, where the forest industry generates more than $21 billion in annual economic impact and employs more than 108,000 people across a footprint covering 63% of the state's land area.
VFA is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Terry Lasher, with Steven Peter serving as President. The organization maintains strategic partnerships with over 20 state, regional, and national entities including the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Agribusiness Council, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, National Alliance of Forest Owners, American Forest Foundation, and Outdoor Underwriters (which provides member insurance discounts). The association is member-supported, independent (no parent company or external capital backing), and operates as a 501(c)(6)-style trade body alongside its 501(c)(3) foundation affiliate.
Virginia Forestry Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virginia Forestry Association
- Legal name
- Virginia Forestry Association
- Website
- https://vaforestry.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Virginia Forestry Association is a Richmond-based nonprofit trade association, founded in 1943, that advocates for Virginia's forestry community through lobbying, publications, and annual events serving landowners, forest products companies, loggers, and natural resource professionals statewide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virginia Forestry Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Forestry Trade Association Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Virginia Forestry Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Virginia Forestry Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual, family, company/organization, forest products manufacturer, forest management/consulting, and forest harvesting/transportation company members. Additional sustaining individual memberships available for $90 each.
- Event Registrations and Sponsorships: Revenue from Virginia Forestry Summit registration ($795 for exhibitors), event sponsorships at various levels (Name Badge Lanyard $2,500, Summit Bag $2,500, Keynote Session $2,500, Awards Banquet $2,000, Welcome Happy Hour $2,000, Tour Bus $1,000), and general event participation fees.
- Advertising: Advertising revenue from Virginia Forests Magazine (quarterly publication), VFA Voice eNewsletter, annual Membership Directory, and website advertising placements.
- Raffle Sales: Summer Raffle with $100 tickets, limited to 350 tickets, with prizes totaling $4,075 including $1,000 grand cash prize.
- VAForestPAC Contributions: Political Action Committee receives contributions from individuals, corporations, unions, associations, and partnerships to support candidates for statewide office who favor Virginia's forestry community.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Summer raffle tickets supporting VFA advocacy efforts |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Summit Exhibitor registration |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Summit sponsorship levels |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Summit supporter levels |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Legislative Day on the Hill registration |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Legislative Day sponsorship levels |
| Subscription | Annual | Sustaining Individual membership add-on |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Sporting Clays Tournament registration |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Virginia Forests Magazine subscription advertising |
| Subscription | Annual | Library sponsorship |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Virginia Forestry Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Virginia Forestry Association is a nonprofit trade association that represents Virginia's forestry community through membership services, legislative advocacy, publications, networking events, and educational programs. It operates the Virginia Forests Magazine, the VFA Voice e-newsletter, the annual Virginia Forestry Summit, member-only events, the VFA Summer Raffle, and the VFA Awards Program, while also administering the Virginia Forestry Foundation and the VAForestPAC.
Product overview
The Virginia Forestry Association operates as a membership-based trade organization offering advocacy, events, publications, and professional development services to Virginia's forestry community. The organization provides a portfolio of programs including the quarterly Virginia Forests Magazine, biweekly VFA Voice e-newsletter, and organizes major events such as the annual Virginia Forestry Summit conference, VFA Sporting Clays Tournament, Virginia Wood Cup golf tournament, and Legislative Day on the Hill. Additional offerings include the VFA Summer Raffle fundraising program, annual awards recognizing forestry excellence, the Virginia Forestry Foundation nonprofit (established 2024), and VAForestPAC political action committee. The association also offers multiple membership categories with tiered benefits for individuals, companies, forest products manufacturers, consultants, and forest landowners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VFA Membership Program Annual membership program for forest landowners, forestry professionals, and forest products industry businesses in Virginia, providing access to advocacy, publications, events, networking, and industry recognition.
- Virginia Forests Magazine Quarterly magazine covering Virginia forestry news, policy updates, member profiles, and industry analysis, distributed to members and advertisers.
- VFA Voice (Biweekly E-newsletter) Biweekly email newsletter providing members with timely updates on Virginia forestry policy, association events, and industry news.
- Virginia Forestry Summit Annual statewide conference convening Virginia's forestry community for education, networking, and policy discussion, with registration fees and sponsorship opportunities.
- VFA Sporting Clays Tournament Annual member-only shooting event held by VFA for networking and fundraising within the forestry community.
- Virginia Wood Cup (Golf Tournament) Annual golf tournament hosted by VFA providing networking opportunities for members across Virginia's forest products industry.
- Legislative Day on the Hill Annual advocacy event in which VFA members travel to Richmond to meet directly with Virginia state legislators on forestry policy priorities.
- VFA Summer Raffle Annual member raffle program that generates fundraising revenue for the association through ticket purchases by members and supporters.
- VFA Awards Program Industry recognition program that honors outstanding contributions to forestry by individuals and organizations across Virginia.
- Virginia Forestry Foundation (VFF) Affiliated foundation supporting forestry education, outreach, and community engagement initiatives in Virginia.
- VAForestPAC Affiliated political action committee that channels member contributions to state-level candidates supporting forestry industry priorities in Virginia.
Quantifiable outcome
- Virginia's forest industry generates $21 billion in economic impact and employs 108,000+ people annually
Companies that use Virginia Forestry Association
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Virginia Forestry Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Virginia Forestry Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Virginia Project Learning TreecoreVFA supported program providing environmental education resources. Part of the national PLL network serving Virginia educators and students.
- Virginia SFI Implementation CommitteecoreVFA supported program promoting sustainable forestry through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) in Virginia.
- Virginia Tree Farm FoundationcoreVFA supported program focused on the American Tree Farm System in Virginia, promoting forest management for landowners.
- Virginia Forestry FoundationcoreFounded in 2024, VFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainable use and conservation of Virginia's forest resources. Shares office address with VFA at 3808 Augusta Ave, Richmond, VA.
- Outdoor UnderwriterscoreInsurance partner providing member discounts on Hunt Lease and Timberland Liability insurance through VFA.
- Virginia Department of ForestrycoreState agency partner providing forest management resources and regulatory coordination.
- Virginia Agribusiness CouncilminorState organization partner representing agricultural and forestry business interests.
- Virginia Chamber of CommerceminorStatewide business advocacy organization partnership.
- Virginia Forest Products AssociationcoreCo-hosts Virginia Wood Cup golf tournament with VFA. Shares advocacy mission for Virginia's forest industry.
- Virginia Loggers AssociationcoreState organization partnership for logging industry representation.
- Association of Consulting ForesterscoreNational organization partner. Co-hosts Virginia Forestry Summit with VFA and Virginia Division of SAF.
- Society of American Foresters (Virginia Division)coreCo-hosts Virginia Forestry Summit with VFA and Virginia Chapter of ACF.
- Sustainable Forestry InitiativecoreNational organization partnership promoting sustainable forest management standards.
- National Alliance of Forest OwnersminorNational organization advocacy partnership for private forest landowners.
- American Forest FoundationminorNational organization partner focused on forest conservation and education.
- Virginia Urban Forest Council (Trees Virginia)minorState organization partnership for urban forestry issues.
- Forest Landowners AssociationminorNational organization partnership representing forest landowners.
- Forest Resources AssociationminorNational organization partnership for forest resource management.
- Virginia SHARP Logger ProgramminorState program partnership for logger safety and training.
- Virginia Forestry Educational FoundationminorEducational foundation partnership for forestry education in Virginia.
- Ward Burton Wildlife FoundationminorConservation organization partnership focused on wildlife habitat.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Virginia Forestry Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Alliance of Forest Owners: National 501(c)(4) trade association representing private forest landowners on federal policy. Direct functional peer to VFA in advocacy and policy engagement for forestry interests, and an existing partner per the data.
- Forest Landowners Association: National association serving private timberland owners with advocacy and educational programming. Direct peer in landowner membership model and policy advocacy mission, and an existing VFA partner.
- American Forest Foundation: National nonprofit advancing sustainable forestry through family-owned forests, also operating the American Tree Farm System. Direct functional peer and VFA partner, covering overlapping landowner education/membership missions.
- Virginia Forest Products Association: Virginia-based trade association specifically for forest products manufacturers, co-hosts the Wood Cup with VFA. Direct regional peer serving overlapping Virginia industry members but with a narrower products-manufacturer focus.
- Society of American Foresters: National scientific and educational society of forestry professionals. Co-hosts the Virginia Forestry Summit with VFA — comparable membership-model professional association structure with overlapping member base.
Broad incumbents
- American Forests: National conservation organization focused on forest restoration and urban forestry. Broader nonprofit in the conservation/advocacy space — adjacent mission of forest protection but not membership-model trade body.
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative: National nonprofit setting sustainability standards for forest-based supply chains. Broader incumbent that VFA interfaces with at the Virginia SFI Implementation Committee level; comparable nonprofit advocacy/certification space.
- National Association of State Foresters: National association representing state forestry agency directors. Broader incumbent in the state-level forestry governance space, interfacing with VFA through the Virginia Department of Forestry partnership.
Others
- Virginia Department of Forestry: Virginia state agency responsible for forestry protection and management. Not a peer organization per se (government agency), but a core partnership counterpart and primary public counterpart in Virginia's forestry ecosystem.
Regional players
- Virginia Loggers Association: Virginia state association focused on logging industry advocacy and education. Regional peer serving an overlapping subset (loggers/harvesters) of VFA's Virginia membership base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Virginia Forestry Association social profiles
Digital presenceVirginia Forestry Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virginia Forestry Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Virginia Forestry Association subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Virginia Forestry Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Virginia Forestry Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Virginia Forestry Association
What does Virginia Forestry Association do?
Virginia Forestry Association is a nonprofit trade association that represents Virginia's forestry community through membership services, legislative advocacy, publications, networking events, and educational programs. It operates the Virginia Forests Magazine, the VFA Voice e-newsletter, the annual Virginia Forestry Summit, member-only events, the VFA Summer Raffle, and the VFA Awards Program, while also administering the Virginia Forestry Foundation and the VAForestPAC.
Is Virginia Forestry Association a public or private company?
Virginia Forestry Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Virginia Forestry Association founded?
Virginia Forestry Association was founded in 1949. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Virginia Forestry Association based?
Virginia Forestry Association is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Virginia Forestry Association make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are event Registrations and Sponsorships, advertising, raffle Sales and VAForestPAC Contributions.
Who are Virginia Forestry Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Alliance of Forest Owners, Forest Landowners Association, American Forest Foundation, Virginia Forest Products Association and Society of American Foresters. Broad incumbents are American Forests, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and National Association of State Foresters. Virginia Department of Forestry is listed as an others. Virginia Loggers Association is listed as a regional player.
Does Virginia Forestry Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virginia Forestry Association.
What industry is Virginia Forestry Association in?
Virginia Forestry Association's product category is Forestry Trade Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAD, Forestry & Reforestation, with a secondary code of AFAMAAAJ, Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.