Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

What Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council does

The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) is a public regional planning council established in 1973 by interlocal agreement among six Florida counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota) and designated as Regional District 9 under Florida Statutes. It functions as the statutory bridge between state and local governments for the 6,663-square-mile region, providing comprehensive planning, intergovernmental coordination, technical assistance, and grant administration across 37 delegated duties spanning 11 chapters of Florida Statutes. Core programs include the Economic Development District (designated by EDA in 1992), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM), Southwest Florida Promise Zone (the only Promise Zone in Florida, covering Glades and Hendry Counties and Immokalee), Brownfields assessment, and a Resiliency Program supported by an ArcGIS-based SWF Resiliency Hub. Specialized services include the SWFL Fresh regional agricultural brand, the REMI Policy Insight+ economic modeling tool, the Filter Marsh Functional Assessment Method (FMFAM), and numerous municipal climate vulnerability and watershed restoration plans.

The Council's underlying technology stack is built around geospatial and economic-modeling tools rather than software products: an ArcGIS-based Resiliency Hub providing regional climate and resilience data, the REMI Policy Insight+ model that combines input-output, econometric, and economic base models for policy impact analysis, and a regional data clearinghouse maintained since the agency's founding. The Council is governed by a 36-member body composed of 25 county commissioners and municipal elected officials, 7 gubernatorial appointees, and 4 ex-officio state agency appointees.

The business model is that of a publicly funded government entity rather than a commercial operator. Revenue comes from member county dues under the 1973 interlocal agreement, recurring federal grants (EDA, USDA AMS, EPA), and state allocations (Florida Division of Emergency Management, Department of Economic Opportunity). No commercial pricing structure exists; services are delivered at no direct cost to member governments and communities. The go-to-market motion is direct government-to-government engagement via council meetings, committee meetings (LEPC, CEDS, ABM, Promise Zone), public forums, regional resiliency webinars, and direct technical assistance. Customer concentration is structurally high, anchored on the six member counties and supplemented by a portfolio of municipal governments served through specific planning engagements.

Name

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

Legal name

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

Website

https://swfrpc.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council is a public regional planning council established in 1973, serving six Florida counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Sarasota) with statutory duties spanning economic development, emergency preparedness, environmental planning, and climate resilience, funded by member dues and federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Regional Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Public Safety & Emergency Management (Police, Fire, EMS Oversight) (BPAIABAG), State/Provincial/Regional Education Departments (EDADAAAB)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Government planning council
• Economic development district
• Emergency preparedness planning
• Environmental planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Dues and Assessments: Funding from member counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota) through an interlocal agreement established in 1973. The Council is designated Regional District 9 under Florida Statutes.
2. Federal Grants: Grants from federal agencies including Economic Development Administration (EDA), USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, and Environmental Protection Agency for specific programs such as Brownfields assessment, COVID recovery, and agricultural development.
3. State Funding: Stateallocated funding including Florida Division of Emergency Management funding for Statewide Regional Evacuation Study Program, and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity grants.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council provides regional planning, intergovernmental coordination, economic development, emergency preparedness, environmental planning, and resilience services for the six counties of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota in Florida. It functions as a regional information clearinghouse, conducting research to develop and maintain area-wide goals, objectives, and policies, and assists in implementing local, state, and federal programs. Core deliverables include the Brownfields Assessment Program, Economic Development District services, Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) coordination, Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management, the Southwest Florida Promise Zone, and the Resiliency Program supported by the SWF Resiliency Hub and REMI economic modeling.

Product overview

The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council offers a comprehensive portfolio of regional planning services organized as multiple distinct programs and research initiatives. The core programs include: Brownfields Assessment (environmental site assessments and remediation planning), Economic Development District services (coordination and technical assistance), Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (environmental advisory), Local Emergency Planning Committee (hazardous materials planning), Southwest Florida Promise Zone (federal economic development initiative), and Resiliency (climate adaptation and disaster planning). Supporting these are specialized research and planning services including Ecosystem Services Projects, Master Wetland Mitigation Strategy, Filter Marsh Functional Assessment Method (FMFAM), and various municipal climate/flood adaptation plans. The organization also delivers digital tools including the SWF Resiliency Hub (ArcGIS-based platform) and REMI Policy Insight+ economic modeling. Programs like SWFL Fresh regional brand, Food Insecurity Initiative, and COVID Recovery & Resiliency extend the portfolio into community and economic development. The Evacuation Study program provides regional emergency preparedness data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brownfields Program A federal grant-funded assessment program facilitating redevelopment and revitalization of contaminated properties; performs Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments and develops Remedial Action Plans for sites in underserved communities. Aimed at member counties, municipalities, and Brownfields stakeholders in Southwest Florida.
• Economic Development District (EDD) A federally designated Economic Development District staffed by SWFRPC since 1992, providing coordination, technical assistance, grant support, and regional economic planning through the CEDS Committee. Serves member counties, municipalities, and economic development partners.
• Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM) A non-regulatory advisory committee to the Council that collects and maintains data on Estero Bay and its watershed, reviews and comments to regulatory agencies on watershed issues, and organizes the periodic 'Cela Tega' symposia series. Serves environmental stakeholders and the Council.
• Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) A federally mandated committee under SARA Title III/EPCRA establishing public/private partnerships for planning and reporting hazardous and toxic chemicals, developing emergency response plans, and conducting trainings. Serves local emergency management agencies, industry, and the community.
• Southwest Florida Promise Zone A federal Promise Zone designation covering Glades and Hendry Counties and the Immokalee portion of Collier County, providing priority access to federal grants and technical assistance for poverty alleviation, economic opportunity, educational improvement, crime reduction, and community infrastructure.
• Resiliency Program Regional planning, science-based decision support, and collaborative action for climate resilience including sea level rise, flooding, natural systems, and extreme weather; provides access via the SWF Resiliency Hub. Serves local governments, communities, and resilience partners.
• Ecosystem Services Projects Environmental planning research including climate change vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, watershed analyses, wetland impact assessments, salt marsh studies, and ecosystem services valuation for conservation lands. Serves local governments and environmental stakeholders.
• Master Wetland Mitigation Strategy A model watershed-scale wetland mitigation strategy for local governments addressing wetland preservation, water quality protection, watershed hydrologic restoration, and public project mitigation requirements. Serves local governments and the public.
• Filter Marsh Functional Assessment Method (FMFAM) A functional assessment method developed to evaluate water quality benefits of wetland restoration and designed freshwater/brackish water ecosystems for Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) addressing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Serves environmental planners and water management agencies.
• Spring Creek Restoration Plan A restoration planning document for the Spring Creek Watershed (approximately 10 square miles in southern Lee County) addressing hydrology, water quality, habitat, and navigation restoration. Serves the City of Bonita Springs and regional stakeholders.
• City of Cape Coral Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment & Resiliency Strategy Comprehensive climate change assessments for the City of Cape Coral evaluating sea level rise, temperature changes, rainfall patterns, storm intensity, waterbody chemistry, and general weather instability impacts on human and natural resources. Serves the City of Cape Coral.
• Pelican Cove Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan A community-level climate change adaptation plan addressing shoreline and water quality, drainage and erosion, and landscaping vulnerabilities with strategies for avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and adaptation. Serves the Pelican Cove community.
• City of Bonita Springs Flood Reduction & Watershed Restoration Plan A comprehensive flood reduction and watershed restoration plan covering the Imperial River Watershed, Spring Creek Watershed, and Coastal Island Watershed within the City of Bonita Springs. Serves the City of Bonita Springs.
• City of Clewiston Waterfront Master Plan A waterfront master planning project for the City of Clewiston providing comprehensive planning for waterfront development and revitalization. Serves the City of Clewiston.
• Statewide Regional Evacuation Study A comprehensive evacuation study program conducted in partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management covering behavioral analysis, shelter inventory, storm surge analysis, and demographic data for Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota Counties. Serves the Florida Division of Emergency Management and member counties.
• COVID Recovery & Resiliency Program An EDA CARES Act-funded two-year program providing technical assistance and capacity building for communities, businesses, and stakeholders impacted by COVID-19, including outreach to underserved populations. Serves regional communities and businesses.
• Food Insecurity Initiative A regional food system initiative addressing food insecurity through partnerships with local organizations, supporting local growers and improving access to nutritious food. Serves food-insecure populations and partner organizations.
• SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh A trademarked regional agricultural brand developed post-Hurricane Irma to showcase SWFL food producers, increase market opportunities for local growers, and promote local food consumption through various marketing platforms. Serves local growers and food consumers.
• REMI Policy Insight+ Economic Impact Analysis A regional economic modeling tool used to generate year-by-year estimates of total regional impacts of policy changes, combining input-output, econometric, and economic base models for economic impact analysis. Serves economic development planners and policy analysts.
• SWF Resiliency Hub An ArcGIS-based centralized platform providing regional resilience tools, maps, planning resources, reports, and partner information for Southwest Florida resilience planning. Serves local governments, communities, and resilience partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Designated as Economic Development District (EDD) by EDA in 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2021Three-year collaboration on the USDA AMS RFSP grant to implement the SWFL Fresh regional brand. UF/IFAS Cooperative Extension Service and Tropical Research and Education Center (UF/TREC) serve as key partners in supporting local growers and regional food system development.
• Florida Division of Emergency ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with Florida's ten Regional Planning Councils to update the Statewide Regional Evacuation Study. With funding from the State Legislature, RPC staff coordinates with local Emergency Management Directors, FDOT, National Hurricane Center, and others.
• Blue Zones Project Southwest FloridasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerContributing $108,926 of in-kind marketing services for SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh brand. Community-wide well-being improvement initiative helping make healthy choices easier in Southwest Florida.
• Florida Gulf Coast UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the USDA AMS RFSP grant project for regional food system development. Collaborates on food systems research and community engagement.
• Lee County Economic DevelopmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in the USDA AMS RFSP grant to implement the SWFL Fresh regional brand and support economic development in the region.
• Feeding Florida/Harry Chapin Food BanksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in regional food system partnership including collaboration with small/local food pantries and food banks to improve food security.
• Farm BureausecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural stakeholder partner in agricultural sustainability initiatives and studies following Hurricane Irma recovery.
• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on multiple ecosystem services and environmental planning projects including vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, and watershed analyses for the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system.
• South Florida Water Management DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner presenting on regional resiliency, rainfall statistics, and water management considerations at Regional Resiliency Forum.
• The Water InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner presenting on nature-based solutions, compound flooding, and project examples at Regional Resiliency Forum.
• TerraconminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented on Brownfields Program and SWFRPC project areas at Regional Resiliency Forum.
• Resilient JacksonvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented on compound flooding project for the City of Jacksonville at Regional Resiliency Webinar.
• Collier County Department of HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in USDA AMS RFSP grant project contributing to regional food system development and food security initiatives.
• MEANS DatabaseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in regional food system partnership to improve food distribution and reduce food waste.
• Healthy Lee CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in regional food system partnership promoting healthy food access and nutrition in Lee County.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• South Florida Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Monroe, Miami-Dade, and Broward Counties. Functions as a multipurpose regional entity under the same state statutory authorities as SWFRPC, providing regional data clearinghouse, economic development, and resilience services — fully comparable in mandate and delivery model, operating in a separate southeast Florida region.
• West Florida Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties. Holds analogous statutory authority for intergovernmental coordination, economic development district designation, and emergency planning; directly comparable in role and operating model, serving a separate panhandle geography.
• East Central Florida Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties. Holds analogous statutory duties for regional planning, EDD designation, and resilience coordination; comparable to SWFRPC in governance structure and statutory mandate scope, but focused on a separate east-central Florida region.
• Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council (First Coast RPC): Florida regional planning council serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties. Performs the same statutory functions as SWFRPC — regional data clearinghouse, EDD, emergency preparedness, environmental planning — under Florida Statute Chapter 186 authority, in a separate northeast Florida geography.
• Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties. Holds analogous statutory duties for regional coordination, economic development, and resilience planning under Florida Statutes Chapter 186; comparable in mandate and operating model to SWFRPC, though focused on a separate east-central coastal region.
• North Central Florida Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union counties. Provides regional planning, EDD services, and emergency preparedness under the same Florida statutory framework as SWFRPC; comparable in role and delivery, though serving a separate rural north-central Florida region.
• Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Marion, Levy, and Polk counties. Operates under the same statutory framework (Regional District, interlocal agreement, EDD and resilience mandates) as SWFRPC, but for a different geography with no direct overlap in member counties.
• Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council: Florida regional planning council serving Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Lake, Marion, and Levy counties. Functions as a regional information clearinghouse and EDD under the same Florida Statutes as SWFRPC, comparable in mandate and stakeholder model, though operating in a distinct north-central Florida region.

Others

• South Florida Water Management District: Regional water management agency that partners with SWFRPC on watershed, flooding, and resilience work and presents at the Council's Regional Resiliency Forum. Not a direct peer in statutory mandate, but a key adjacent regional government entity whose priorities (water supply, flood control, ecosystem restoration) directly shape SWFRPC's workload and grant pipeline.
• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program: Active collaborating partner with SWFRPC on Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM), vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, and watershed analyses. Operates as a complementary environmental planning partner under the National Estuary Program rather than a competing regional planning council, but addresses overlapping regional environmental issues in the same six-county service area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/swfrpc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council