National Association of Regional Councils

National Association of Regional Councils
Name	National Association of Regional Councils
Abbreviation	NARC
Formation	1967
Type	Nonprofit association
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Membership	Regional planning organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, county commissions

National Association of Regional Councils is a U.S.-based membership association that serves regional planning organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, and councils of governments. Founded during the late 1960s, the organization coordinates technical assistance, policy advocacy, and information exchange among regional entities linked to federal agencies, state capitals, and national foundations. It acts as a hub connecting practitioners from agencies such as the Department of Transportation (United States), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development with elected officials from entities like the National League of Cities and the United States Conference of Mayors.

History

The association traces origins to conferences and initiatives spurred by the Great Society era, parallel to creation of the Economic Development Administration and the expansion of regional institutions such as the Metropolitan Planning Organization model codified by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962. Early convenings included leaders from the Council of Governments (United States), planners associated with the American Planning Association, and representatives from federal programs including the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964. Over subsequent decades the organization engaged with policy developments tied to the Interstate Highway System, the Clean Air Act, and regional responses to federal grant programs administered by the Department of Energy (United States) and the National Endowment for the Arts. It evolved during periods shaped by administrations from Lyndon B. Johnson through Ronald Reagan, responding to shifts in federal funding, metropolitan governance debates highlighted by the Kerner Commission legacy, and the growth of sustainable development initiatives promoted by entities like the United Nations programs active in the United States.

Mission and Programs

The association's mission centers on strengthening regional collaboration among councils, supporting implementation of federal statutes and programs such as transportation planning under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act and environmental compliance under the Clean Water Act. Programmatic areas include regional resilience aligned with frameworks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, economic development initiatives tied to the Economic Development Administration, workforce strategies coordinated with the Department of Labor (United States), and land-use coordination informed by standards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The organization runs peer networks that include participants from metropolitan organizations involved with the Community Development Block Grant program and regional climate networks influenced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change findings.

Membership and Governance

Members include regional planning organizations such as metropolitan planning organizations, councils of governments, regional development commissions, and state regional entities that collaborate with bodies like the National Governors Association and the National Association of Counties. Governance is typically exercised by a board composed of elected executives from member organizations, with bylaws modeled on nonprofit practices common to associations such as the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and the Urban Land Institute. Leadership cycles often reflect engagement with congressional delegations from states represented in groups like the National Conference of State Legislatures and coordination with policy experts from think tanks including the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute.

Advocacy and Policy Work

The association conducts federal advocacy on funding and statutory issues before committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It files comments and provides testimony on regulatory actions from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation (United States), and it collaborates with coalitions alongside the National Association of Development Organizations and the American Public Transportation Association. Policy priorities have included transportation funding under successive surface transportation reauthorization bills, regional approaches to air quality under Clean Air Act amendments, and resiliency funding aligned with Federal Emergency Management Agency grant programs.

Training and Technical Assistance

The association offers training curricula tailored to practitioners involved with programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Economic Development Administration. Workshops cover grant management tied to the Community Development Block Grant program, scenario planning used by metropolitan planners influenced by the Congress for the New Urbanism, and geographic information systems training related to standards from the United States Geological Survey. Peer-to-peer technical assistance leverages partnerships with universities such as University of California, Berkeley and Georgia Institute of Technology and professional certifying bodies including the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams for the association include membership dues, foundation grants from organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Surdna Foundation, and cooperative agreements with federal agencies including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation (United States). Strategic partnerships extend to nonprofit organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, philanthropic intermediaries like the Kresge Foundation, and research centers including the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Collaborative grant programs engage state agencies, regional utilities, and philanthropic initiatives that parallel work by the National Endowment for the Arts on placemaking.

Impact and Regional Initiatives

The association supports regional initiatives ranging from multimodal transportation projects coordinated with Amtrak corridors to brownfield redevelopment efforts tied to Environmental Protection Agency programs and workforce-readiness projects aligned with the Department of Labor (United States). Its convening role has influenced regional post-disaster recovery plans modeled on lessons from events such as Hurricane Katrina and collaborative economic resilience strategies following recessions discussed by the Federal Reserve Board. Through knowledge sharing with entities like the American Planning Association and implementation partners including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the association has helped standardize best practices in regional governance, transportation planning, and environmental stewardship.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Category:Regional planning organizations in the United States