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 Each month, we profile a national organization with which ARS has partnered to reach a broader constituency. In profile this month is the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), which for more than three decades has represented multi-purpose regional councils of government that assist community leaders and citizens in developing common strategies for addressing cross-cutting transportation, economic development, air and water quality, social equity, growth, and other challenges.
Regional councils of government, of which there are more than 450 in the United States, are multipurpose, multi-jurisdictional, public organizations. Created by local governments to respond to federal and state programs, regional councils bring together participants at multiple levels of government to foster regional cooperation, planning and service delivery. They go by a variety of names, including councils of government, planning commissions and development districts, and typically are governed by boards of elected officials and other community leaders. Together with an executive director and staff, they provide forums on regional issues, conduct regional planning, provide information and technical assistance services to local governments, and administer federal, state and local programs of a regional nature, such as senior programs, job training, housing and community development, and disaster services.
Today, NARC also welcomes membership from other public, private, academic, nonprofit, and civic regional organizations and interests as it works to assist regional communities in organizing themselves for effectiveness. Additionally, NARC fosters regional cooperation and seeks to build regional communities through advocacy at the federal and state levels, the provision of direct training and technical assistance and research on timely regional topics.
In serving its members and developing its advocacy message, NARC takes positions and conducts research on such cross-cutting issues as transportation and traffic congestion, air and water quality, economic development and growth, inter-community disparities, workforce training, and housing, and information technology and the digital divide. The organization pursues its mission through a variety of strategies, including:
Advocacy. NARC represents the legislative and regulatory interests of regional councils, and advocates at the national and state level for regional initiatives that improve the quality of life in our regional communities. NARC advocates for regional approaches with federal and state governments--including campaigns such as "Regional Councils Make Growth Smart," and "Regional Councils Make Federal Programs Work." NARC monitors legislative developments impacting regions and advises member regional councils through the electronic bulletin, NARC Legislative Update.
Member education and services. NARC helps its members address tough regional challenges through an active program of conferences, publications, technical assistance and training. NARC provides training and technical assistance on the latest regional developments, conducts research on timely regional topics, and promotes regional cooperation through its conferences and publications--including the Regions newsletter, the eRegions electronic bulletin, electronic listserve bulletins, and its website. The annual Washington Policy Conference brings regional leaders together together to discuss federal legislation and policies impacting regions, and to set NARCs legislative priorities for the year. The annual National Regional Summit is held during the same week in Washington to explore regional initiatives and innovative approaches to regional issues. Both are sponsored jointly by NARC and the ITRC. Later in the year, to bring members up to date on the latest regional developments, NARC holds its Annual Conference and Exhibition, hosted each year by a different regional council. And, each fall, regional council executive directors meet for the annual Executive Directors Conference to network, take advantage of professional development offerings, and share information and ideas on the latest regional projects.
Regional outreach. NARC brings its members and other individuals and organizations together to promote regional cooperation. Through its Institute for The Regional Community (ITRC), NARC hosts a national Regional Agenda at its annual Regional Summits, prepares periodic national State of the Regions reports, and awards Regional Honors to individuals, organizations and regions that achieve regional excellence. NARC founded the Institute for The Regional Community in 1994 as a forum for exploring regional initiatives and bringing together different regional organizations and interests. The ITRC, which publishes the quarterly journal, The Regionalist, is currently studying the creation of an alliance of the regional community to strengthen regional cooperation in the new century, and is looking at the concept of a regional information clearinghouse--a national database to help communities address regional challenges.
Robert Sokolowski is the executive director of NARC. For more information on the National Association of Regional Councils, visit their website, www.narc.org or write them at 1666 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009 (telephone: ).
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