Forbes Councils · Requirements

Forbes Councils membership requirements

Every criterion Forbes Councils publishes, with its source, the date it was verified and how confident we are in it, plus superseded figures, so you can see how the tests have moved.

A gallery space with cocktail tables and low light before guests arrive — Illustration

Read a requirement as the organization's published floor, not as a promise. A revenue test may have alternative versions for different business types, chapters can set stricter local tests, and invitation-only bodies publish criteria that describe members rather than admit them.

Current published criteria

8 rows

Criterion	Published requirement	Note	Provenance
Minimum company revenue	"Your business generates a minimum of $1M USD in revenue"	Applies to the Agency, Business Development, Communications, Finance, Human Resources and Technology Councils	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum capital raised	"Your business has received a minimum of $1M USD in financing"	Alternative to the revenue test for the senior-level councils	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum company revenue	"Your business must generate at least $500,000 USD in annual revenue" (Forbes Business Council)	The Business Council page states the alternative test is "received $500,000 USD in funding to date"	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum capital raised	"received $500,000 USD in funding to date" (Forbes Business Council)		Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum company revenue	501(c) organisation with "at least $500,000 USD in annual donor contributions and/or annual revenue" (Forbes Nonprofit Council)	Political organisations, lobbying firms and organisations supporting narcotics-related causes are excluded	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Role or title	Owner, founder, partner, C-level executive, or vice president and above leading a region or division, in the council's field	The Technology Council specifies "founders, partners, and CEOs of technology companies, C-level technology executives such as CTOs and CIOs, and VPs of technology teams"	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum tenure in role	"at least 3 years of experience as a publicly recognized leadership, career, or executive coach" (Forbes Coaches Council)		Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Industry restriction	"No MLM/direct sales, gambling, adult entertainment, adult websites, adult products, or cannabis companies are allowed"	Certain marketing agencies (link sellers, guaranteed media placements) and some cryptocurrency companies, such as those attached to initial coin offerings, are also excluded	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗

Criteria differ by council; the qualification page groups the senior-level councils under a single US$1m test and lists separate rules for the Business, Coaches and Nonprofit Councils.

How admission works

Application process

Candidates apply online to a specific council. A selection committee reviews the application against the published criteria and, if approved, issues a membership invitation. Payment is taken after acceptance, for a one-year or two-year term. Applications are made in an individual's own name, not a company's, even where an employer pays the fee.

Invitation required

Sponsor required

Selectivity

Not publicly disclosed. Forbes Councils states that applications are vetted by a selection committee and that acceptance is at the company's sole discretion, but publishes no acceptance rate.

Membership term

One-year or two-year terms, renewing automatically for equal periods

Primary audience

Owners, founders, partners and senior executives who want a bylined publishing platform on Forbes.com alongside a vetted online peer network

Typical member

Members are owners, founders, C-level executives, partners and vice presidents who lead a region or division, drawn from the industry each council covers. The financial test is set at the company level rather than personal wealth: US$500,000 or US$1,000,000 in annual revenue or capital raised, depending on the council.

Do you appear to meet them?

The qualification tool reads these rows against a profile you give in ranges and explains which criteria appear met, unclear or unmet. Check your profile

If not: alternatives to Forbes Councils (Fast Company Executive Board, Young Entrepreneur Council, Entrepreneur Leadership Network, The PEER 150).

Last verified: 6 September 2026 Report an error on this page

Sources

Forbes Councils, Forbes Councils, LLC. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
Professional Communities of Influence | Community.co, Community.co. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
Qualifications - Forbes Councils, Forbes Councils, LLC. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Meet Our Councils, Forbes Councils, LLC. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Forbes Business Council, Forbes Councils, LLC. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Forbes Technology Council, Forbes Councils, LLC. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Terms of Use / Membership Agreement, The Community Company. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Internet Archive CDX index for forbestechcouncil.com, Internet Archive. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 8

Source tiers follow the published hierarchy: 1 official site · 2 official membership materials · 3 application documents · 4 annual reports · 5 government filings · 6 reliable business publications · 7 credible interviews · 8 other reputable secondary sources. Sources and data policy.