Mid America Regional Council

What Mid America Regional Council does

Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) is a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the bistate Kansas City region, operating across nine counties in Missouri and Kansas (Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray in Missouri; Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte in Kansas). Founded in 1968 and headquartered at 600 Broadway, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri, MARC serves as the convening and coordinating body for cross-jurisdictional issues through eight focus areas: Aging and Adult Services, Early Learning, Economy and Housing, Environment, Health, Local Government Services, Safety and Security, and Transportation. The organization is governed by a 33-member Board of Directors composed of locally elected leaders from member counties and the six largest cities.

MARC's product and technology stack includes the regional Next Generation 911 (NG911) system serving 11 counties and 40 public safety answering points, handling more than 4.2 million 911 and administrative calls annually; the Operation Green Light regional traffic signal coordination system; GIS-based regional planning and mapping infrastructure; the Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative (KCRPC); PulsePoint AED Registry integration; the Government Training Institute; and consumer-facing tools including KCRainKeepers.org, PrepareMetroKC.org, the Regional Trails & Bikeways Map, and the WAY TO GO commuter platform. The organization is staffed by 200+ personnel across specialized departments and is led by Executive Director David Warm (1990-2026), with Geraldine Ide Gardner selected as his successor.

MARC's revenue and operating model is non-commercial: core planning and coordination services are not priced to end users. Operating funds derive from member government dues, federal MPO transportation allocations (Surface Transportation Block Grant, Carbon Reduction Program, CMAQ, TAP), targeted federal grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance for co-responder programs, USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, FTA Section 5310 mobility funding), state grants, and administrative fees from cooperative purchasing contracts routed through KCRPC and HGACBuy. Major recent funding awards include approximately $80 million in federal World Cup 2026 public safety support, a $10 million USDA Double Up Food Bucks grant, $2.2 million in FTA Section 5310 funding, and $1.3 million for the Planning Sustainable Places program. Customer concentration lies with the constituent member governments (counties, cities, public safety agencies) and federal funders (US DOT, USDA, DOJ), with no traditional churn risk given the MPO's mandated role, but with material exposure to federal funding cycles and political governance dynamics.

Name

Mid America Regional Council

Legal name

Mid-America Regional Council

Website

https://marc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MARC is a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the bistate Kansas City region, coordinating transportation, emergency 911, aging, health, housing, and environmental programs across nine counties in Missouri and Kansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Transportation Funding: As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the bistate Kansas City region, MARC administers federal transportation funds including Carbon Reduction Program, CMAQ, Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, and Transportation Alternatives Program.
2. Public Safety Communications Services: MARC coordinates the regional 911 system and emergency communications for 11 counties, providing training and support to telecommunicators.
3. Federal and State Grants: MARC administers various grants including Bureau of Justice Assistance grants for co-responder programs, Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program grants, and solid waste management district grants.
4. Cooperative Purchasing Administration: MARC leads the Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative (KCRPC) and partners with HGACBuy, generating administrative fees from cooperative purchasing contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MARC is the nonprofit association of city and county governments and the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the bistate Kansas City region, delivering regional planning and coordination across transportation, emergency services, aging, early learning, environment, health, economy and housing, and local government services. It administers federal and state grants, operates the regional 911 and interoperable communications system, runs the Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative, and provides shared services, training, and public education resources to local governments and residents across nine (planning) and eleven (911) counties.

Product overview

Mid America Regional Council (MARC) is a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bistate Kansas City region. MARC offers a diverse portfolio of programs and services organized into eight interrelated focus areas: Aging and Adult Services, Early Learning, Economy and Housing, Environment, Health, Local Government Services, Safety and Security, and Transportation. The organization provides various tools and resources including the Government Training Institute, Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative, Regional Trails and Bikeways Map, and public safety communications systems. MARC does not operate as a traditional product company but rather as a regional planning and coordination agency delivering government services to the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Government Training Institute (GTI) Provides training opportunities for local government employees, including select-and-schedule courses and virtual instructor-led courses delivered in partnership with the LANTEC Corporate Training center, covering a variety of technical and professional skills.
• Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative (KCRPC) Cooperative purchasing program helping local governments increase purchasing power and decrease administrative costs through collective buying; partnered with HGACBuy (30+ year cooperative purchasing program) for higher-ticket capital-intensive products such as heavy equipment, ambulances, fire trucks, buses, and mowers.
• Small Cities Program Provides administrative, planning, and informational resources to 90 smaller local governments (population under 10,000), including grant writing, planning techniques, and mapping support for cities with limited staff.
• Regional 911 Public Safety Communications System Coordinates ongoing enhancement and operation of the regional 911 and interoperable communications systems serving 11 counties and 40 public safety answering points (PSAPs), handling more than 4.2 million 911 and administrative calls each year with Next Generation 911 (NG911) capabilities.
• Operation Green Light Traffic Signal Coordination Regional traffic signal coordination system managed by MARC to improve traffic flow and safety across the Kansas City region.
• Co-Responder Mental Health Crisis Response Program Embeds mental health clinicians (from partners including Burrell Behavioral Health, ReDiscover Mental Health, and University Health Behavioral Health) within police departments to respond to 911 calls involving mental health, substance use, or related crises; since October 2023, clinicians have conducted 2,080+ field assessments, connected 1,339 individuals to behavioral health services, and helped 95%+ of clients avoid arrest.
• Regional Trails and Bikeways Map Interactive map covering the Kansas City region's growing network of trails, on-street bikeways, and greenways, enabling residents to discover and plan bicycle and pedestrian trips across the region.
• KCRainKeepers.org Public Education Website Public education website teaching Kansas City area residents how to reduce stormwater pollution and protect local waterways through simple, everyday actions.
• WAY TO GO Commuter Trip Planner Free commuter trip planner and carpool match program helping metro residents plan trips across the region, with trip logging and rewards features.
• Home Plus One: ADU Design Competition Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) design competition incorporating universal design and age-friendly features to expand affordable housing options for aging in place; run in collaboration with Communities for All Ages, the Greater Kansas City Regional Housing Partnership, and the R.L. Mace Universal Design Institute, with support from the William J. Brace Charitable Trust.
• Reloop KC Regional Plan for Material Recovery Regional plan informing solid waste planning, increasing public awareness of solid waste issues, and serving as a resource to local cities and counties for waste reduction and recycling; awards grants through the Solid Waste Management District.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 95% of co-responder calls resulted in clients avoiding arrest
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• KC2026coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKC2026 is a nonprofit organization comprising public and private leaders in Kansas and Missouri tasked with planning and implementing World Cup matches and events in Kansas City. MARC works with KC2026 to deliver a world-class experience, providing support for emergency preparedness, housing, public information, sustainability, and transportation.
• Institute of Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBTS supports MARC's regional approach to shared services through certified code professionals, inspectors, planners, grant managers, and energy and resiliency experts offering shared services including planning, grant management, accessibility and fire code, flood plain, energy management, and building department services.
• LANTEC Corporate TrainingsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMARC's Government Training Institute partners with LANTEC Corporate Training to offer virtual, instructor-led courses in a variety of technical and professional skills for local government employees.
• Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGACBuy)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKCRPC is affiliated with HGACBuy through their cooperative buying program. HGACBuy has been in the cooperative purchasing business for more than 30 years and provides significant savings for local governments on major equipment purchases including heavy equipment, ambulances, fire trucks, buses, and mowers.
• Mo-Kan Council of Public Procurement (MKCPP)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKCRPC is a partnership between MARC, MKCPP, and local governments to help increase purchasing power and decrease administrative costs through cooperative contracting.
• Burrell Behavioral HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurrell Behavioral Health partners with MARC on co-responder programs, embedding mental health clinicians within police departments to respond to 911 calls involving mental health, substance use, or related crises. Also partners on 988 Mobile Crisis Response.
• ReDiscover Mental HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReDiscover Mental Health partners on co-responder programs in Raytown and Eastern Jackson County, providing mental health professionals who respond alongside officers to 911 calls involving mental health crises.
• R.L. Mace Universal Design InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Home Plus One ADU Design Competition providing expertise on universal design principles.
• War Horses First Responder ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWar Horses First Responder Program provides emotional support and therapy services to first responders through their War Horses for Veterans program adapted for first responders, helping people heal from depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG): MWCOG is the regional association of governments for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with transportation, housing, public safety, and environment programs delivered to a multi-jurisdiction membership similar in structure to MARC's 33-member board.
• Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG): DRCOG is the MPO and council of governments for the Denver region, offering transportation planning, aging services, and regional coordination functions structurally analogous to MARC's portfolio.
• Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA): NOACA is the MPO and regional planning agency for the greater Cleveland region, providing transportation, environmental, and community planning services to member counties and cities comparable to MARC's scale and governance.
• Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG): MAG is the MPO and council of governments for the Phoenix metro region, providing transportation, environmental, and human services planning to a comparable county-and-city membership.
• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG): NCTCOG is the MPO and regional council of governments for the Dallas-Fort Worth region, with a comparable portfolio covering transportation planning, public safety, aging services, environment, and cooperative purchasing for member cities and counties.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC): PSRC is the MPO and regional council for the Seattle/Tacoma region, providing transportation, economic, and growth-management planning across a multi-county membership with comparable governance and program structure to MARC.
• Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC): H-GAC is the MPO and regional council for the Houston-Galveston region and operates the HGACBuy cooperative purchasing program that MARC's KCRPC is directly affiliated with. It is the closest functional peer in scope, including transportation, public safety, and cooperative purchasing.
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG): SACOG is the MPO and council of governments for the Sacramento region, offering transportation planning, regional services, and cooperative programs to a comparable county-and-city membership structure.
• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): ARC is the MPO and regional planning agency for metro Atlanta, delivering transportation, aging, workforce, and community development programs to a member-county and member-city constituency similar to MARC's governance model.
• Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG): SCAG is the largest MPO in the U.S. and the regional planning body for six Southern California counties. Its transportation, housing, and sustainability planning functions overlap directly with MARC's broader focus-area portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MARCKCMetro
• Facebookfacebook.com/MARCKCMetro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-america-regional-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 America Regional Council