What Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission does

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) is Central Ohio's regional council of governments, serving as the federally-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Columbus urbanized area since 1964. It is an association of counties, cities, villages, townships, and regional organizations — 98 local government members across a 15-county region (Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, and Union). MORPC conducts the federally required 3C (continuous, cooperative, comprehensive) transportation planning process, and provides nonpartisan data analysis, GIS/mapping services, long-range planning, grants access, and technical assistance to its members.

Operationally, MORPC delivers a portfolio of planning and community programs rather than a single commercial product. Transportation planning products include the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, Active Transportation Plan, and the LinkUS Mobility Initiative (a partnership with COTA, City of Columbus, and Franklin County to build 500+ miles of sidewalks, bikeways, and trails by 2050). Environmental and residential offerings include the CLEAN air-quality monitoring network (PurpleAir sensors and the Ramboll Shair Model), Sustainable2050 certification, and free home weatherization and repair programs for income-eligible Franklin County residents. Data and mapping tools — Mid-Ohio Open Data (M.O.O.D.), MORPC Insights, Population Resource Hub, and Columbus Metro Bike Map — are built on ArcGIS Hub, Experience Builder, and Story Maps platforms; residential applications run through Neighborly Software.

As a public government agency, MORPC does not operate on commercial revenue mechanics. It is funded through local government membership dues, federal transportation planning grants, state funding, and program fees (e.g., a $675 host fee per summer intern). Residential weatherization and home repair services are provided free to qualifying households. Its go-to-market is a committee-based, sales-led governance model: the Executive Director and membership services officers conduct annual visits with each member government, supplemented by quarterly regional collaboration meetings, educational forums, and the annual State of the Region event. The organization employs an estimated 101–250 staff and is led by Executive Director William Murdock, supported by a chief-officer structure spanning mobility, strategy, operations, planning, and residential services.

Name

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

Legal name

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

Website

https://morpc.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MORPC is Central Ohio's regional council and federally-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, serving 98 local government members across 15 counties with transportation planning, GIS/data tools, grants access, sustainability programs, and free residential weatherization and home-repair services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Infrastructure Planning, Capital Programs & Project Delivery Offices (PMOs) (BPAIALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK), Regional Intergovernmental Organizations (BPADAAAB)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Transportation planning
• GIS mapping services
• Community development programs
• Government consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Membership Dues: Local government members pay dues to participate in MORPC services, receiving access to advisory services, grants, GIS services, and the local government summer internship program
2. Federal Transportation Funding Administration: As the MPO for Central Ohio, MORPC conducts transportation planning that makes the region eligible for federal transportation funding for highways, transit, bikeways, and sidewalks
3. Residential Program Grants: Weatherization and home repair programs are funded through federal and state grants for low- and moderate-income households
4. Grant Finder Service: MORPC provides members access to a grant database tracking over 10,000 grants from federal, state, foundations, and corporate sources

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MORPC is the federally-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Central Ohio, serving as a regional council for 98 local government members across 15 counties. It conducts continuous, cooperative, and comprehensive (3C) transportation planning to maintain federal funding eligibility, and delivers GIS data services, grant administration, sustainability programming, residential weatherization and home repair services, and community research such as the Leaders Listen survey series.

Product overview

MORPC operates as a regional planning organization offering a portfolio of planning services, data platforms, and community programs rather than a unified commercial product. The core offerings include: transportation planning products (Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Active Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, LinkUS Mobility Initiative); environmental programs (CLEAN Air Quality Network with PurpleAir sensors, Sustainable2050 Certification); residential services (Home Weatherization, Healthy Homes Repair); data and mapping tools (Mid-Ohio Open Data/M.O.O.D., MORPC Insights, Population Resource Hub, Columbus Metro Bike Map); and member services (Grant Finder database, Summer Internship Program, Gohio Commute platform). These offerings connect through ArcGIS-based mapping platforms and the Leaders Listen survey series that informs regional decision-making.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Long-range 20-year transportation planning document identifying deficiencies, policies, strategies, and projects for Central Ohio. Updated on a four-year cycle to maintain the region's eligibility for federal transportation funding. Used by member local governments and federal/state transportation agencies.
• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Four-year transportation improvement program that allocates MORPC-attributable federal funds to specific transportation projects within the MPO area. Used by member governments, transit authorities, and state DOT partners.
• Active Transportation Plan (ATP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 98 local government members served across 15 Central Ohio counties
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026COTA is the lead agency for LinkUS, Central Ohio's comprehensive transportation and development plan. COTA and MORPC presented $2.2 million check for Hoover Road Pedestrian Bridge project. COTA Board approved funding for 83 transit-supportive infrastructure projects including sidewalks, bikeways, and trails.
• City of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partner in LinkUS initiative alongside COTA, Franklin County, and MORPC. Collaborating on multi-decade plan to invest in 500+ miles of sidewalks, bikeways, and trails.
• Franklin County Board of CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partner in LinkUS initiative. County sales tax expansion (Issue 47) approved by voters funds pedestrian infrastructure. Supporting first 83 projects with 2026-2030 funding commitments.
• Columbus PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Business leadership organization partner in LinkUS transportation initiative. Part of coalition working to transform mobility in Central Ohio.
• City of Grove CitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Host of first LinkUS groundbreaking ceremony for Hoover Road Pedestrian Bridge reconfiguration project. Project serves as vital connection across Interstate 71 for neighborhoods, schools, parks, and businesses.
• Franklin County Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in establishing the Community Led Enhanced Air Quality Network (CLEAN) to measure air pollution neighborhood-by-neighborhood in Franklin County. Jointly developing air quality dashboard.
• Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions, Inc.majorTechnology or IntegrationEngineering firm working with MORPC to put air sensor data into the Shair Model for Franklin County, showing major sources of particulate matter pollution categorized by background, area, traffic, point, and uncategorized sources.
• Ohio State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for inaugural Mobility Exchange summit at Vitria on the Square. Event merged Transportation Innovation Forum and Safe Streets Central Ohio into unified action plan for regional growth and roadway safety.
• City of WestervilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMORPC partnered with Westerville to develop the Westerville Home Repair Program, providing funding and execution of home repair projects. First partnership of its kind between MORPC and a member community.
• Regional Partners (Survey Collaboration)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurvey collaboration with regional partners to poll 2,000+ residents across 15-county area on transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental sustainability topics through Leaders Listen series.
• Capital UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partnership offering $5,250 discount per calendar year for 3 years in Capital's MBA Cohort, 15% discount on other graduate programs, and $1,500 scholarship per academic year for dependent children of member government employees.
• Franklin UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partnership with 20% tuition discount for all undergraduate and graduate programs, 10% for doctoral programs, and free textbooks for member government employees.
• Ohio State University - John Glenn College of Public AffairsminorGTM or Marketing Partner20% discount on Management Advancement for the Public Service (MAPS) courses for public and nonprofit employees. MORPC partner price of $250 per course.
• Ohio University - Voinovich School of Leadership and Public ServiceminorGTM or Marketing Partner15% off tuition for eligible programs including Executive MPA and Masters in Sustainability, Security, and Resilience. Includes YWCA Columbus Justices Equity & Belonging Program partnership with 10% discount.
• Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD)minorGTM or Marketing Partner$15,300 discount for member government employees to complete MPS programs in UX Design or Retail Design over 6 semesters (3 years).
• Otterbein UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEstimated $20,000 award for dependent children and 15% discount on undergraduate and graduate credit hour rate for member employees and spouses/domestic partners.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC): DVRPC is the MPO for the greater Philadelphia region across nine counties in PA and NJ. Like MORPC, it is a regional council of local governments conducting federally-required 3C transportation planning, administering TIP funds, and providing data/mapping services to member governments - making it one of the closest direct comparables in size and structure.
• Mid-America Regional Council (MARC): MARC is the MPO for the Kansas City region serving nine counties across Missouri and Kansas. Comparable to MORPC in mid-size MPO scale, MARC similarly delivers transportation planning, data services, and member programs to local governments in its region.
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG): SACOG is the MPO for the six-county Sacramento region. It mirrors MORPC's role in administering federal transportation funds, producing a Metropolitan Transportation Plan, and convening local governments on regional planning issues including active transportation and air quality.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC): PSRC is the MPO for the central Puget Sound region serving King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. Like MORPC, PSRC provides regional data products, growth forecasts, and transportation planning services to member cities and counties.
• Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA): NOACA is Ohio's other major MPO, serving the Cleveland region across five counties. It is highly comparable to MORPC in that both operate within Ohio under the same state/federal regulatory framework, administer TIP funds, and provide planning/data services to member governments.
• Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC): SPC is the MPO and economic development district for the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region including Pittsburgh. Like MORPC, it serves as the federally-designated transportation planning body with member local governments and administers TIP funds.

Broad incumbents

• Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG): SCAG is the largest MPO in the United States, serving six counties and 191 cities across Southern California. It performs the same federally-required transportation planning function as MORPC but at much larger scale, with a more extensive data and modeling infrastructure (e.g., regional travel demand modeling).
• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): ARC is the MPO for the 11-county Atlanta region, combining transportation planning with broader community development, aging services, and workforce programs. Comparable to MORPC's blended transportation plus residential/community programs model, but at larger scale.
• Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO): AMPO is the national membership association for MPOs across the United States. While not a peer in the operational sense, AMPO directly engages with MORPC on federal MPO policy and serves as a coordinating body across the MPO community that MORPC belongs to.

Others

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): NARC is the national membership organization for regional councils and planning commissions like MORPC. It is thematically adjacent as an ecosystem participant rather than a direct operational peer, but serves as a key federal advocacy and best-practice sharing body for organizations of MORPC's type.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/morpc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/morpc
• Facebookfacebook.com/MORPC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-ohio-regional-planning-commission
• Instagraminstagram.com/morpc_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission