We would like to share with our members the ICA Membership Benefits presented as a grid so you can find the benefits offered to each member depending on their category.
Membership Type |
Description |
Category A |
Central archive directorates or national archival institutions |
Category B |
National or International professional Associations |
Category C |
Institutions concerned with the administration or preservation of records and archives or in archival training and education |
Category D |
Individual Members |
The ICA Membership Benefits Grid(*) is a reference document developed and updated by the ICA Secretariat and validated by the Executive Board. The Membership benefits package will be regularly updated depending on the strategic orientations of the organisation and will be added as an appendix to the Membership scale of dues presented at the governance meetings.
The following grid lists the membership benefits for each category of member.
An institutional member (category A, B or C) can be:
- In good standing: dues of the year paid
- In good standing with a 9-month grace period (1 January – 30 September)
- In arrears (1 October of the current year to 31 December of the following year)
- Lapsed
An individual member (category D) can be:
- In good standing
- In good standing with a 3-month grace period (1 January – 30 March)
- Lapsed
On 1 January, institutional members (categories A, B and C) are given a grace period of nine (9) months to renew their membership. During this time, they are considered as being in good standing with grace period. If bureaucratic procedures prevent an institutional member from paying within this period, a request explaining the situation should be sent to the Secretariat so that the Elected Officers may consider the possibility of extending this grace period.
On 1 January, individual members (Category D) are given a grace period of three (3) months to renew their membership. During this time, they are considered as in good standing with grace period.
Definition of a rights holder: They can answer call for proposals and projects for his/her institution and participate in the governance of ICA bodies, in this capacity, he/she is entitled to a member profile on the ICA website. The suspension of their institution will result in the suspension of their profile.
Definition of a learner: An individual from the institution registered as ICA member, who gets a member preferential rate for ICA events and/or online courses
Membership Benefits Grid
We invite you to check below the benefits offered for our members in all categories. In the “Description” row, you will find the benefits depending on your current membership status.

In good standing |
In good standing with a 9-month grace period
(1 January – 30 September)
|
In arrears
(1 October of the current year to 31 December of the following year) |
Lapsed |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
|
Institutional members are considered lapsed after 2 years without payment. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
|
They will not have access to members benefits unless they renew their membership and settle their arrears. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Access Comma issues online. |
They regain access to the full membership benefits package as soon as the membership is renewed and the arrears settled. |
Apply for funding or other programmes |
Apply for funding or other programmes (payment needs to be received at the time the application is examined). |
|
|
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
|
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
|
|
Benefit from special rates to access online courses. |
Benefit from special rates to access online courses (only for rights-holders). |
|
|
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
|
|
Join the Forum of National Archivists (FAN). |
Join the Forum of National Archivists (FAN). |
|
|
Number of rights holders
8
|
Number of rights holders
8
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of learners
20
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|

In good standing |
In good standing with a 9-month grace period
(1 January – 30 September)
|
In arrears
(1 October of the current year to 31 December of the following year) |
Lapsed |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
|
Institutional members are considered lapsed after 2 years without payment. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
|
They will not have access to members benefits unless they renew their membership and settle their arrears. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Access Comma issues online. |
They regain access to the full membership benefits package as soon as the membership is renewed and the arrears settled. |
Apply for funding or other programmes |
Apply for funding or other programmes (payment needs to be received at the time the application is examined). |
|
|
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
|
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
|
|
Benefit from special rates to access online courses. |
Benefit from special rates to access online courses (only for rights-holders). |
|
|
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
|
|
Join the Forum of Professional Associations (FPA). |
Join the Forum of Professional Associations (FPA). |
|
|
Number of rights holders
4
|
Number of rights holders
4
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of learners
10
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|

In good standing |
In good standing with a 9-month grace period
(1 January – 30 September)
|
In arrears
(1 October of the current year to 31 December of the following year) |
Lapsed |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
|
Institutional members are considered lapsed after 2 years without payment. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
|
They will not have access to members benefits unless they renew their membership and settle their arrears. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched and access issues online. |
Access Comma issues online. |
They regain access to the full membership benefits package as soon as the membership is renewed and the arrears settled. |
Apply for funding or other programmes |
Apply for funding or other programmes (payment needs to be received at the time the application is examined). |
|
|
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
|
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
|
|
Benefit from special rates to access online courses. |
Benefit from special rates to access online courses (only for rights-holders). |
|
|
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
Become a member (**) of up to 2 sections for each rights holder. |
|
|
Number of rights holders
4
|
Number of rights holders
4
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of rights holders
0
|
Number of learners
10
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|
Number of learners
0
|

In good standing |
In good standing with a 3-months grace period
(1 January – 31 March)
|
Lapsed |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
Vote at General Assemblies and applicable elections. |
Individual members are considered lapsed following the 3 month of grace period allowed to all individual members at the beginning of the year. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
Stand for election or appointment to any office of the ICA. |
They will not have access to members benefits unless they renew their membership. |
Access Comma issues online and if hard-copy subscriber, receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched. |
Access Comma issues online and if hard-copy subscriber, receive the hard copy of Comma when dispatched. |
This is to prevent them from having to pay arrears and to lessen the administrative burden. |
Apply for funding or other programmes. |
Apply for funding or other programmes (payment needs to be received at the time the application is examined). |
They regain access to the full membership benefits package as soon as the membership is renewed. |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
Use resources that are limited to members (resource center). |
|
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
Benefit from special rates to access events. |
|
Benefit from special rates to access online courses. |
Benefit from special rates to access online courses. |
|
Become a member (**) of up to 3 sections. |
Become a member (**) of up to 3 sections. |
|
(*) EB 13-14/03/2023 updated with comments from Chair of Chairs of Sections.
(**) ICA members can take part in the activities of different sections and branches as appropriate but they must be affiliated to a section to have certain privileges such as holding office in that section (for example as a bureau member) or voting at an annual general meeting of that section.