In 2003, there were about 7,954 regional, national, and international organizations within the state.
Irving is the home of one of the nation's largest organizations, the Boy Scouts of America. The national headquarters of Little People of America is in Lubbock. The National Temperance and Prohibition Council is in Richardson.
Important medical groups are the American Heart Association, in Dallas, and the National Association for Retarded Citizens, Arlington. Other national medical organizations based in Texas include the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Pediatric Society, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Board of Otolaryngology.
Professional societies include the American Association of Petroleum Landmen, Ft. Worth. The Noncommissioned Officers Association has its home office in San Antonio; the Airline Passengers Association is in Dallas. The Association of Space Explorers–U.S.A., based in Texas, is an international professional organization for astronauts who have made at least one orbit around the Earth.
Among the many organizations devoted to horse breeding are the American Quarter Horse Association, Amarillo; Palomino Horse Breeders of America, Mineral Wells; and the National Cutting Horse Association and American Paint Association, both in Ft. Worth. Ft. Worth is also the home of the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America.
The scholarly organization American Mensa is based in Arlington. National and state arts and cultural organizations include the American Cowboy Culture Association, the American Indian Arts Council, the Texas Folklore Society, the Texas International Theatrical Arts Society, the Texas Historical Foundation, and the Writers' League of Texas. National sports organizations based in Texas include the United States Professional Tennis Association and the United States Youth Soccer Association.