Growth was eminent for the newly formed ABA. In 1936, the ABA merged with the Eastern Bridge League, a group of New York City bridge clubs. Since this time the ABA has evolved into eight sections: Eastern, Great Lakes, Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, Northwestern, Southern, Southwestern, and Western.
Although highlighting the achievements of its own, the ABA also identifies with the larger social arena in which it functions. In 1963, the ABA established the F. Alberta Peterson Scholarship Award. This program has now been incorporated into a broader arm of the American Bridge Association Education and Charitable Foundation, established in 2002. The Foundation mission is to engage in educational and charitable activities, provide scholarships, and facilitate learning opportunities for young and adult citizens.