Ica International Council On Archives

What Ica International Council On Archives does

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is a non-profit international professional association founded on 9 June 1948 under the auspices of UNESCO and headquartered in Paris, France. It promotes the efficient and effective management and use of records, archives, and data in all formats, and their preservation as cultural and evidentiary heritage of humanity. The organization serves a global membership of approximately 2,350 individual and institutional members spanning 140 countries and territories, including national archives, professional archival associations, educational institutions, and individual archivists and records managers.

ICA's core offerings are organized around a platform-plus-services model. The primary digital platforms include the public website (www.ica.org), the members-only portal (members.ica.org), and an Online Learning Platform (online-learning.ica.org). Core products and programmes include the Comma journal, Flash digital magazine, the bi-monthly ICA Newsletter, the Online Resource Centre (containing 337 resources), and structured programmes such as the Training Programme, New Professionals Programme, Africa Programme, FIDA grants (up to €10,000 per project), PCOM Project Funding (up to €5,000 per project), and the Disaster Relief Fund. The organization also runs quadrennial Congresses (Barcelona 2025, Abu Dhabi 2023, Seoul 2016), biennial Conferences, and the annual International Archives Week. Governance and content production are coordinated through 12 Regional Branches, 11 Professional Sections, 11 Expert Groups, and 2 Forums.

ICA's business model is membership-funded and event-funded, with three primary revenue streams: (1) recurring annual membership dues across four categories (A: National Archives, B: Professional Associations, C: Institutions, D: Individual Members), billed annually from January to December; (2) registration fees for Congresses, Conferences, and events, with member discounts; and (3) recurring and one-time revenue from publications (Comma, Flash) and training courses on the Online Learning Platform, with member pricing advantages. ICA is governed by a General Assembly and Executive Board, with a small volunteer-supported Secretariat of 1–10 staff in Paris. The organization has no parent company, no venture capital or private equity backing, and is not publicly traded; it also operates with no disclosed debt or equity instruments.

Name

Ica International Council On Archives

Legal name

International Council on Archives

Website

https://ica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is a Paris-headquartered, UNESCO-founded non-profit association that promotes archives and records management worldwide, serving 2,350 members across 140 countries through standards, training, publications, funding programmes, and quadrennial congresses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association - Archives and Records Management

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

National Archives, Records & Information Governance (BPAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)

Keywords

• Professional association
• Archives management
• Records management
• Professional development
• Membership organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: ICA generates revenue through annual membership fees from institutional members (Categories A, B, C) and individual members (Category D). Membership runs from January 1 to December 31 annually.
2. Events and Conferences: Revenue generated from registration fees for ICA Congresses (quadrennial), Biennial Conferences, and various professional events. Members receive reduced rates compared to non-members.
3. Publications and Training: Revenue from professional publications including Comma journal and training programme courses offered through the Online Learning Platform. Members receive complimentary or discounted access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is a non-profit international professional association that promotes the efficient and effective management and use of records, archives and data in all formats. Its core deliverables are professional publications (Comma journal, Flash magazine, ICA Newsletter), professional development programmes (New Professionals Programme, Training Programme via Online Learning Platform, Africa Programme), grant funding mechanisms (FIDA, PCOM Project Funding, Disaster Relief Fund), and global convening events (quadrennial Congresses, biennial Conferences, International Archives Week).

Product overview

The International Council on Archives operates as a professional membership organization with a platform-plus-services model, combining a members-only portal (members.ica.org) with a public website offering resources, publications, and programmes. Core offerings include professional publications (Comma journal, Flash magazine, ICA Newsletter), professional development programmes (New Professionals Programme, Training Programme with Online Learning Platform, Africa Programme), funding mechanisms (FIDA grants, Disaster Relief Fund, PCOM Project Funding), and global events (Congresses, Biennial Conferences, International Archives Week). The organization also maintains a network of 12 Regional Branches, 11 Professional Sections, and 11 Expert Groups, supported by an Online Resource Centre containing 337 resources on archival topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FIDA - Fund for International Development of Archives: A grant programme supporting the development of archives and archivists in countries where archival activities are suboptimal
• PCOM - Programme Commission
• New Professionals Programme
• Africa Programme
• Training Programme
• International Archives Week
• Comma
• Flash

Products and services

• Online Resource Centre Comprehensive repository of professional archival materials organized by thematic categories, providing case studies, standards, tools, and reference documents for archivists and records managers worldwide.
• Comma Journal Leading periodical journal of the ICA featuring proceedings from Congresses, reports from ICA Groups, and special thematic issues on archival research, management, and development.
• Flash Digital Magazine Bi-annual digital publication highlighting ICA activities and professional developments, offering concise summaries of achievements and key events. Exclusive to members.
• ICA Newsletter Bi-monthly newsletter compiling updates from the Council and global archives community, providing news on professional content produced by ICA and its partners, reaching over 2,300 readers.
• New Professionals Programme (NPP) Bursary scheme for new professionals with less than 5 years of archive and records management experience, supporting attendance at ICA Conferences/Congresses, mentorship pairing, networking, and professional development activities.
• Training Programme Professional development programme providing high-quality training opportunities covering the full range of archive and recordkeeping skills through online learning, virtual, and in-person events.
• Online Learning Platform Digital learning platform offering curated courses and continuing education resources covering records management, digital preservation, and collection care with member-only pricing.
• Africa Programme Programme designed to deliver ICA's Africa Strategy focusing on advocacy and training, consolidating regional branch networks, promoting national archives' role, and supporting university-level recordkeeping curriculum development.
• Fund for International Development of Archives (FIDA) Grant system supporting projects for developing archives and supporting individual archivists in countries where resources or training opportunities are inadequate, providing funding of up to €10,000 per project.
• Disaster Relief Fund Fund supporting stabilization and recovery of archival institutions affected by catastrophic events, providing grants, expert advice, and deployment assistance.
• ICA Congresses Quadrennial flagship events bringing together archivists, records managers, researchers, and cultural heritage professionals for high-level discussions, workshops, and networking. Recent editions: Seoul 2016, Abu Dhabi 2023, Barcelona 2025, Kuching 2027.
• ICA Biennial Conferences Professional gatherings held every two years focused on current archival challenges, emerging trends, and specialized discussions, smaller in scale than Congresses.
• Programme Commission (PCOM) Project Funding Annual funding programme providing financial support of up to €5,000 per project for projects contributing to archival theory and practice, professional capacity building, and international collaboration.
• ICA Membership Annual membership programme with institutional categories (A - National Archives, B - Professional Associations, C - Institutions) and individual members (Category D). Membership runs January 1 to December 31 and provides access to reduced-rate events, training, and publications.
• International Archives Week (IAW) Annual week-long celebration (8-12 June) promoting the value and importance of archives, with global participation sharing events and activities worldwide. International Archives Day (9 June) commemorates ICA's founding in 1948.

Quantifiable outcome

• Funding of up to €5,000 per project through PCOM and up to €10,000 through FIDA for qualifying archival initiatives
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2026ALIPH partnered with ICA on the Emergency Digitisation and Preservation project supporting Ukrainian archival institutions affected by the ongoing war. The project was conducted in partnership with the State Archival Service of Ukraine (SAS).
• State Archival Service of Ukraine (SAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019SAS partnered with ICA and ALIPH on the Emergency Digitisation and Preservation project supporting Ukrainian archives affected by war.
• Society of American Archivists (SAA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018ICA's Disaster Relief Fund was inspired by SAA's Disaster Relief Fund model. The ICA Expert Group on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness (EGEMDP) provided advice and training to CARBICA in establishing a regional fund following Hurricanes Irma, Jose, and Maria.
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1948ICA was created under the auspices of UNESCO in 1948. International Archives Day (9 June) commemorates this founding date. UNESCO declared 27 October as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage in 2005.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• UNESCO Memory of the World Programme: UNESCO programme that uses ICA-aligned standards and connects ICA to intergovernmental funding; an enabling ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor but central to ICA's positioning.

Direct peers

• International Council of Museums (ICOM): UNESCO-affiliated sister 'International Council' covering museums; shares the same NGO status, UNESCO founding legacy, membership structure, congress cadence, and global advocacy role for cultural heritage.
• International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF): Global association of film archives with a comparable NGO governance model, regional structure, and overlapping audiovisual archives Expert Group; targets a narrower but adjacent professional community.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA): Global umbrella body for library and information associations with a similar UNESCO-rooted international remit, comparable membership/funding model, and overlapping audiences of cultural heritage professionals.
• Society of American Archivists (SAA): The leading US-based professional association for archivists and records managers, with overlapping membership demographics and a parallel set of sections, standards, and a Disaster Relief Fund that ICA explicitly modelled its own on.
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS): UNESCO-associated advisory body for cultural heritage sites, with a comparable membership model, professional sections, and standards-setting mandate that overlaps with ICA's role on archives and documentary heritage.

Broad incumbents

• National Archives (UK): A national-level archival institution that is both a Category A member and a de facto standard-setter in its own jurisdiction, illustrating the kind of large incumbent that shapes ICA's agenda and competes for member mindshare.
• International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM): Intergovernmental UNESCO organisation for cultural heritage conservation with a much larger institutional mandate and budget; covers adjacent preservation themes and competes for heritage funder attention.

Emerging players

• Open Preservation Foundation (OPF): Membership-based organisation supporting open-source digital preservation tooling; competes with ICA's training and standards role specifically in the digital preservation segment of the membership base.
• Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC): Specialised international coalition focused on digital preservation, competing for the same institutional members (national archives, libraries) on a higher-value technical agenda; represents a credible next-generation peer for digital-first archivists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/icarchiv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ICArchives
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICAInternationalCouncilonArchives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-council-on-archives
• Instagraminstagram.com/ica.councilarchives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ica International Council On Archives