Rockingham Planning Commission

What Rockingham Planning Commission does

Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) is a regional planning commission and political subdivision of the State of New Hampshire, headquartered in Exeter, that provides coordinated planning services to 27 member municipalities across Rockingham County in southeastern New Hampshire. RPC operates as one of nine regional planning commissions in the state and holds the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) designation for the New Hampshire portions of the Portsmouth and Boston Urbanized Areas, giving it exclusive responsibility for federally required regional transportation planning. Its service portfolio spans land use planning, transportation planning (Long-Range Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, Regional Safety Action Plan), GIS and mapping services, climate adaptation and coastal resiliency, hazard mitigation, natural resource inventories, housing needs assessment, and an annual household hazardous waste collection program. RPC also runs the Transportation Data Collection initiative and publishes interactive web maps such as its Traffic Count Viewer and Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress analysis.

RPC's technology backbone is a GIS-centric data platform built on ESRI ArcGIS with QGIS as a secondary tool and TransCAD for transportation modeling. The organization maintains an extensive GIS library with decades of aerial imagery, zoning, and land use data, and integrates with NH GRANIT, the statewide GIS clearinghouse. Revenue is composed of approximately 70% federal funding (largely pass-through from state agencies supporting the MPO), 20% contracted planning services billed to communities, 4% municipal member dues calculated on a per-capita formula, 5% other grants, and 1% direct state funding. RPC is governed by representatives appointed by its member municipalities and is supported by the independently governed Rockingham Planning Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Its go-to-market is relationship-driven and regional: municipalities join voluntarily under RSA 36, pay annual dues, and purchase additional contract services at cost (or at a higher rate if non-members). Distribution flows through the MPO Policy Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, public hearings, the commission's website, monthly newsletters, social media channels, and direct engagement with municipal staff.

Name

Rockingham Planning Commission

Legal name

Rockingham Planning Commission

Website

https://therpc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rockingham Planning Commission is a New Hampshire regional planning commission and federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization serving 27 municipalities in Rockingham County with land use, transportation, GIS, and climate adaptation planning services funded primarily through federal pass-through grants, municipal dues, and contracted services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Transportation planning
• GIS mapping services
• Land use planning
• Metropolitan planning organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

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. Municipal Member Dues: Annual dues assessed to each community on a per capita basis at $1.00 per capita up to population of 10,000. Population above 10,000 assessed at half that rate, and above 20,000 at one-quarter of that rate. Represents approximately 4% of budget. Important as base funding and pays for local match required by federal funding sources.
2. Contracted Services: RPC generates funding by providing planning services directly to communities such as shared 'circuit rider' planning support, master plan updates, zoning and capital improvement planning, natural resource inventories, and GIS mapping. Represents approximately 20% of budget.
3. Federal Funding: Federal funds, often passed through state agencies, represent the largest source of funding at approximately 70% of budget. Supports the region's federally required transportation planning through the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Additional grants may support hazard mitigation, coastal planning, and water quality initiatives.
4. State Funding: Direct state funding is limited. RPC receives a small annual Targeted Block Grant from the Office of Strategic Initiatives. Represents approximately 1% of budget.
5. Other Funding: Occasional grants and service-based funding from partner organizations. Represents approximately 5% of total funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rockingham Planning Commission is a regional public planning organization that provides professional planning assistance, transportation planning (as the federally designated MPO), GIS and mapping services, and data services to 27 member municipalities across Rockingham County in southeastern New Hampshire. Its deliverables include regional master plans, housing needs assessments, long-range transportation plans, transportation improvement programs, regional safety action plans, climate adaptation and coastal resilience planning, and circuit-rider municipal planning support. The organization is funded primarily through federal pass-through funding, with the balance from municipal member dues and contracted planning services.

Product overview

Rockingham Planning Commission is a regional public planning organization serving 27 member communities across southeastern New Hampshire. It operates as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and provides professional planning services including regional planning coordination, transportation planning, GIS and mapping services, and data services. The organization produces planning documents such as the Regional Master Plan, Long-Range Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, Regional Housing Needs Assessment, and Regional Safety Action Plan. Related services include a Document Library, Climate Adaptation Planning, Household Hazardous Waste Collection, and the Rockingham Planning Foundation nonprofit. The portfolio represents an integrated approach to regional planning rather than a single software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Planning Services Professional planning assistance and coordination across 27 member communities in Rockingham County, including land use planning, natural resources, conservation, and regional coordination. Provided as a core membership service funded by municipal dues and augmented by contracted project work.
• Transportation Planning (MPO Services) Metropolitan Planning Organization services including Long-Range Transportation Plan development, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) administration, and coordinated transportation planning across 27 municipalities in southeastern New Hampshire. Includes corridor studies, congestion management, and federally required planning products.
• GIS and Mapping Services Geographic Information System services including map creation, spatial data analysis, custom mapping for municipalities, aerial imagery, zoning and land use data, and GPS data collection. Backed by the RPC GIS Library with decades of imagery and the use of ESRI ArcGIS, QGIS, and TransCAD.
• Data Services Data collection and analysis including traffic counts, transportation asset inventory, population projections, and access to NH GRANIT statewide GIS clearinghouse. Includes interactive web maps such as the Traffic Count Viewer and Transportation Project Data Map.
• Contracted Planning Services (Member and Non-Member) Project-based contracted planning services including shared 'circuit rider' planning support, master plan updates, zoning and capital improvement planning, natural resource inventories, and GIS mapping. Available to member communities at cost and to non-member communities at a higher rate.
• Climate Adaptation Planning Services Climate-related planning efforts including coastal vulnerability assessments, community outreach, technical guidance, and collaboration with coastal and adaptation-focused working groups for member municipalities.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program Annual household hazardous waste collection program organized for member communities including Exeter, Stratham, Newfields, East Kingston, Epping, Seabrook, and South Hampton.
• Document Library Online resource library with maps, plans, reports, meeting materials, and other documents searchable by keyword, community, committee, or topic, providing public access to RPC planning outputs.

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOAST is the public transportation provider in the Seacoast region providing fixed route transit service in 11 communities including Exeter, Stratham, Portsmouth, Newington (NH) and Dover, Newmarket, Somersworth, Rochester, Farmington and South Berwick (Maine). RPC works closely with COAST on transit planning.
• Greater Derry-Salem Cooperative Alliance for Regional Transportation (CART)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCART provides demand response and flex route transit service in the RPC communities of Salem and Hampstead, as well as Derry, Londonderry and Chester outside the RPC region.
• Transportation Assistance for Seacoast Citizens (TASC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer driver program based in Hampton serving communities of Brentwood, Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, North Hampton, Rye, Seabrook and Stratham for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.
• University of New Hampshire Wildcat TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNH Wildcat Transit system provides extensive student and employee transportation connecting the UNH Durham campus with neighboring communities of Newmarket, Dover, Madbury, Rochester, Newington, and Portsmouth.
• New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPC collaborates with NHDOT on transportation planning, corridor studies, TIP development, and federal funding programs including CMAQ, HSIP, and TAP.
• NH GRANIT (Statewide GIS Clearinghouse)coreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary data source for RPC GIS operations. NH GRANIT is New Hampshire's statewide GIS clearinghouse offering geospatial data and services.
• Rockingham Planning FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created to support community planning efforts across the RPC region. Focuses on funding to help communities access resources they need to plan, prepare, and move ideas forward.
• Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders (SABR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for bicycle and pedestrian planning initiatives. RPC staff collaborate with SABR and Bike/Walk Alliance of NH to improve safety and expand walking and biking options.
• Southeast NH Regional Coordinating Council (Region 10)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPC staff involved in this RCC undertaking cooperative planning and transit service expansion for the region.
• Greater Derry-Salem Regional Coordinating CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPC is a member of this coalition of organizations with shared goal of expanding affordable and efficient community transportation in 10 communities including Atkinson, Chester, Danville, Derry, Hampstead, Londonderry, Plaistow, Salem, Sandown, and Windham.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lakes Region Planning Commission: NH regional planning commission serving lakes-region municipalities with regional planning, GIS, and transportation support. Directly comparable on statutory mandate, services, and revenue model.
• Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission: One of the other nine regional planning commissions in New Hampshire, providing the same suite of regional planning, GIS, and transportation services to member municipalities in southern NH. Directly comparable in scope, funding model (federal pass-through, dues, contracts), and statutory basis under RSA 36.
• Southwest Region Planning Commission: NH regional planning commission covering southwestern communities with similar land use, transportation, and GIS service offerings. Functions as a direct peer within the same nine-commission system.
• Nashua Regional Planning Commission: Another NH regional planning commission serving municipalities in the greater Nashua area. Comparable mandate, member-funded and federally funded revenue mix, and MPO-adjacent responsibilities in southern New Hampshire.
• Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission: NH regional planning commission providing regional planning, GIS mapping, and transportation coordination to member towns. Operates under the same RSA 36 framework and revenue mix, making it a direct institutional peer.
• North Country Council: NH regional planning commission serving the northern part of the state. Comparable in services, statutory basis, and federal/state/dues funding model as one of the nine NH regional planning commissions.
• Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission: NH regional planning commission serving communities in the central part of the state. Operates with the same statutory framework, GIS, transportation, and land use service mix, making it a directly comparable public-sector peer.

Regional players

• Greater Portland Council of Governments: Regional planning and MPO organization serving the greater Portland, Maine area. Comparable on regional planning, MPO functions, and GIS services, but operating in a different state with its own funding dynamics.
• Merrimack Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization: Adjacent MPO serving the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts with federally required transportation planning. Directly comparable on the MPO/transportation planning function, though operating in a different state and geography.

Others

• NH Office of Strategic Initiatives: State-level agency providing planning assistance, block grants, and GIS coordination that supplements NH regional planning commissions like RPC. Comparable as a funder/partner and indirect competitor for certain grant pools, but not a direct service provider to municipalities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RPC_NH
• Facebookfacebook.com/RockinghamPlanning
• Instagramx.com/rpc_nh
• TikToktiktok.com/@rockinghamplanningcommnh

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 Rockingham Planning Commission