Comparison · 17 material differences
The Economic Club of New York vs Urban Land Institute
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining: The Economic Club of New York: Associate membership: 45 years of age or under; Urban Land Institute: Under 35 qualifies for a reduced dues rate.
- Role or title: The Economic Club of New York: Full membership: senior leaders, typically C-suite, distinguished in finance, technology, law, government, academia, healthcare, real estate or another economic sector; Urban Land Institute: No published role or title.
- Geographic restriction: The Economic Club of New York: Full and associate membership is drawn from the New York City metro area; non-resident members must live and work outside New York, New Jersey and Connecticut; Urban Land Institute: No published geographic restriction.
- Industry restriction: The Economic Club of New York: No published industry restriction; Urban Land Institute: Open to professionals across the real estate and land use industry.
- Annual dues: The Economic Club of New York: $1,400 a year; Urban Land Institute: $1,332 a year.
Side by side
| The Economic Club of New York | Urban Land Institute | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Invitation-only community | Professional association |
| Founded | 1907 ("Founded in 1907 by J.W. Beatson with the mission of facilitating thoughtful discussion and debates on the issues of the day.") | 1936 (Founded 14 December 1936; the Urban Land Institute name was adopted in 1939 per Wikipedia's history of the organisation.) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Washington, United States |
| Geographic footprint | New York City metropolitan area, with a virtual non-resident class for members living and working outside New York, New Jersey and Connecticut | Members in 80+ countries; district councils across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with separate ULI Europe and ULI Asia Pacific regions |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed. The Club publishes a member login and membership classes but no membership total. | 45,000as of August 2026 |
| Chapters | No chapters. The Club runs a reciprocity programme with the Economic Clubs of Chicago and Washington, D.C., which lets members attend those clubs' events. | 57 |
| Primary audience | Senior executives, typically C-suite, in the New York metropolitan area across finance, technology, law, government, academia, media, healthcare and real estate | Professionals across the land use and real estate industry: developers, investors, lenders, architects, planners, public officials and academics |
| Typical member | Full members are senior leaders, typically C-suite, distinguished in finance, technology, law, government, academia, healthcare, real estate and other sectors. A separate associate class is open to people aged 45 or under in mid-level or more senior leadership positions with roughly seven years of professional experience. | ULI's own materials describe a cross-disciplinary membership of developers, investors, designers, builders, buyers, sellers, urban planners and public officials. Wikipedia's breakdown of the membership puts developers at 28 percent, capital sources at 13 percent, service providers at 10 percent and the public sector at 10 percent. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Associate membership: 45 years of age or underApplies only to the five-year associate class, not to full membership.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Under 35 qualifies for a reduced dues rateULI's membership FAQ states it offers 50–75 percent savings for individuals under age 35, for professionals in non-profit organisations, government or academia, and for students. Under-35 members are also the constituency for the Young Leaders Group. This is a discount band, not a barrier to joining.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Role or title | Full membership: senior leaders, typically C-suite, distinguished in finance, technology, law, government, academia, healthcare, real estate or another economic sectorNo revenue or company-size test is published.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published role or title |
| Geographic restriction | Full and associate membership is drawn from the New York City metro area; non-resident members must live and work outside New York, New Jersey and ConnecticutNon-resident members have limited access and pay guest ticket prices for in-person events.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Industry restriction | No published industry restriction | Open to professionals across the real estate and land use industryULI describes itself as "a diverse network of private and public professionals spanning the real estate and land use industry, including developers, investors, designers, builders, buyers, sellers, urban planners, and public officials". No revenue, seniority or wealth test is published.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | Yes | No |
| Sponsor required | Yes | No |
| Application process | Two current members in good standing must propose a candidate for full membership; associate and non-resident candidates need one proposer. The candidate completes an application with a current biographical statement and photo, and each proposer confirms support to the Club by email or letter. The Membership Committee meets monthly to review and select candidates, and initiation fees fall due on acceptance. | Applicants create a ULI account and join online, or join by email, phone or post using a printed application with payment. Membership is open on application; ULI's published materials describe no sponsor, interview or committee review. Dues can be paid in one annual payment, on annual auto-renewal, or in twelve monthly instalments, which require a twelve-month commitment. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. The Club publishes its process and fees but no acceptance rate or membership total. | Not publicly disclosed; ULI publishes no acceptance rate and its published joining route is open enrolment rather than selection. Invitation-based selection applies within ULI to product councils, not to membership itself. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $1,400 a yearFull membership standard dues package for 2026. Dues are prorated by month and are stated to be fully tax-deductible. Events are charged separately unless a higher package is bought.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | $1,332 a yearFull membership, United States standard rate ($111 per month on the instalment plan). From ULI's own US individual membership application; the form states rates were valid for payments received by 30 June 2023, so the current rate may differ.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | $1,450 one-timeOne-time initiation fee for full membership, payable on acceptance by the Membership Committee.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Local chapter dues | The Club publishes a full 2026 fee schedule across three membership classes. Annual dues and initiation fees are stated to be fully tax-deductible; guests may be invited to events for an additional fee. | Not publicly disclosed. District council participation is included in national dues in ULI's published materials; no separate district council fee is advertised.verified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Annual renewal for full and non-resident members; associate membership runs for a five-year term after which members may apply for full membership with no guarantee of admission | 12 months, expiring on the last day of the anniversary month; annual renewal, with auto-renewal and monthly instalment options |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | A programme of speaker events through the year, in person in New York and online | District council events year-round plus ULI Spring Meeting and Fall Meeting; ULI cites 2,900+ events worldwide each year across in-person and online formats |
| Peer forums | Speaker events rather than standing peer forums | ULI Forums and Product Councils are topic-specific member groups that meet regularly; district councils run local committees and a Young Leaders Group |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed; the Club publishes speaker transcripts and a podcast drawn from its events | Not publicly disclosed as a general membership rule; ULI publishes a Code of Ethics rather than a confidentiality regime |
| Time commitment | Associate members are encouraged to attend a minimum of three Club events a year | Not documented |
| Organized as | Event-focused | Chapter-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | Yes |
| Local chapters | No | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | No |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | Partial |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Yes | Yes |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: The Economic Club of New York · Urban Land Institute