The Council of State Governments

What The Council of State Governments does

The Council of State Governments (CSG) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership association of state governments, founded in 1933 and headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. The organization serves as a convening and policy-coordination body for state and local government officials across the United States, operating regional offices (including a Western Office in Sacramento covering 13 Western states and three Pacific territories) and maintaining a headcount in the 101-250 range. CSG's core offerings center on policy research, in-person convenings (annual National Conference, regional workshops), and the development of interstate regulatory frameworks — most notably the Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact, which has been enacted in 12 states and is overseen by a standing compact commission.

CSG's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, anchored by two revenue streams: recurring membership dues from state and local government members, and conference/workshop revenue from national and regional programming. The organization's distribution runs through direct relationships with governors, state legislators, and municipal officials, augmented by its role in the Big Seven coalition of nonpartisan state and local government associations (alongside the National League of Cities, National Governors Association, and others). Recent programmatic activity includes a 1.5-day AI policy workshop hosted with the AAAS EPI Center for approximately 30 state legislators in October 2025 and the 2025 National Conference held in Chicago in December 2025, where state officials and industry partners such as Gainwell Technologies convened on Medicaid modernization, HR1 implications, and rural health transformation. CSG does not operate a proprietary technology product or platform; its "technology" is fundamentally a convening, research, and interstate policy-design capability.

Name

The Council of State Governments

Legal name

The Council of State Governments

Website

https://csg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership association founded in 1933 that convenes state and local government officials, develops interstate policy frameworks such as licensure compacts, and hosts national and regional policy conferences and workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Membership Services

NAICS

Legislative Bodies (92112), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (9211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

State Legislature/Regional Assembly Administration (BPAIABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector) (BPAIABAO), Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ)

Keywords

• Intergovernmental policy services
• State government membership association
• Interstate licensure compacts
• Policy research and convening
• Federalism and shared governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CSG operates as a membership organization for state and local governments, with revenue derived from membership dues and fees for participation in programs and events.
2. Conference and Event Revenue: The organization generates revenue through annual national conferences and regional workshops, where government officials and industry partners participate as panelists and attendees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership association that serves U.S. state and local government officials through policy research, annual and regional convenings, and the development of interstate regulatory frameworks. Its primary deliverables include the annual National Conference, regional policy workshops (such as the AI policy workshop for state legislators), coalition coordination through the Big Seven, and interstate licensure compacts such as the Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact.

Product overview

The Council of State Governments operates as a nonpartisan association serving state and local government officials. Its offerings include policy-focused programs such as the AI Policy Workshop conducted through its Western Office in partnership with AAAS, and regulatory compacts like the DDH Compact developed collaboratively with dental industry associations to facilitate interstate professional licensure mobility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact
• CSG Membership Program

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Gainwell TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 December 2025Gainwell Technologies participated as a panelist at the CSG 2025 National Conference in Chicago, discussing Medicaid policy, HR1 implications, and rural health transformation. Gainwell positioned itself as a trusted partner for state Medicaid modernization efforts.
• AAAS EPI CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025CSG's Western Office partnered with the AAAS EPI Center to host a one-and-a-half day AI policy workshop for state legislators in Sacramento, October 2025. The workshop aimed to demystify AI technologies, explore real-world use cases, and provide evidence-based strategies for responsible AI deployment in state government.
• American Association of Dental BoardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG partnered with American Association of Dental Boards, American Dental Hygienists' Association, and American Dental Association to develop the Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact, an interstate licensure compact active in 12 states with a commission overseeing operations.
• American Dental Hygienists' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG collaborated with American Dental Hygienists' Association on the DDH Compact development for dental professional mobility across state lines.
• American Dental AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG partnered with American Dental Association in developing the DDH Compact for interstate dental and dental hygiene licensure.
• National League of CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG is part of the Big Seven coalition of nonpartisan state and local government associations, including the National League of Cities, working together to improve information-sharing, coordinate engagement on federal over-reach, and advance shared priorities on Capitol Hill.
• National Governors AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG participates in the Big Seven coalition with NGA, with the 2026 meeting hosted by NGA Chair Governor Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma City. The coalition brings together governors, mayors, state legislators, and local government leaders.
• Big Seven CoalitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Big Seven is a coalition of the seven major nonpartisan state and local government associations including CSG. The coalition meets annually to examine how federal, state, and local governments can exercise shared power in partnership and affirm commitment to coordinated action.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Council on State Governments (US-only) - The Council of State Governments itself: Not a peer; anchor company (CSG) listed for reference only.

Direct peers

• National Conference of State Legislatures: NCSL is the most direct peer to CSG, serving state legislators through research, convening, and policy support. Both organizations focus on state legislative issues and compete for the same government-official audience and similar membership dues.
• National Governors Association: NGA is a fellow Big Seven coalition member and serves governors with policy development, training, and convening. It is a direct comparable because it targets the same state government ecosystem with similar nonpartisan convening and program offerings.
• National League of Cities: NLC is a core Big Seven partner that serves municipal government leaders. It is directly comparable because it is a nonpartisan membership association convening local government officials and coordinating on federalism and intergovernmental policy.
• U.S. Conference of Mayors: The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a Big Seven coalition partner serving U.S. mayors with policy advocacy and convening. It operates a similar membership-driven, nonpartisan model targeting elected local officials.
• National Association of Counties: NACo is a Big Seven coalition partner serving county officials with policy research, training, and advocacy. It is directly comparable to CSG as a nonpartisan association serving government officials across a defined subnational geography.

Broad incumbents

• International City/County Management Association: ICMA is a broader professional association for local government managers and administrators. It is comparable because it serves the same intergovernmental ecosystem with education, credentialing, and research, though it focuses on career administrators rather than elected officials.

Emerging players

• American Legislative Exchange Council: ALEC is a membership association of state legislators focused on policy model legislation. While not a Big Seven member, it is a comparable convener of state legislators and developer of model interstate frameworks, though operating from a more ideological stance.
• National Academy for State Health Policy: NASHP is a nonpartisan forum of state health policy leaders. It is comparable to CSG because it convenes state officials around a specific policy domain (health) and produces research and convening that state governments rely on, similar to CSG's policy workshop model.
• National Association of State Budget Officers: NASBO is a membership organization for state budget officers. It is comparable because it serves a narrow state government professional audience with research, convening, and peer learning, mirroring CSG's structure but at a single-function specialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSGovts
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSGovts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/29024

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 The Council of State Governments