What Tri-County Regional Planning Commission does

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is a public planning agency established in 1956 that serves Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties in Mid-Michigan, operating from its headquarters at 3135 Pine Tree Rd., Suite 2C, Lansing, MI. The agency holds the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) charter for the Lansing/East Lansing Metropolitan Area and a U.S. Economic Development Administration Economic Development District (EDD) designation — designations that grant exclusive access to federal transportation planning funds and EDA grant eligibility, respectively. It convenes and administers multi-jurisdictional bodies including the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (17 member communities spanning cities, townships, county drain commissions, school districts, and Michigan State University), the Groundwater Management Board, and the Regional Economic Collaborative.

The commission's core products and services center on regional planning programs and data infrastructure. Service programs include the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP, titled "Moving Mid-Michigan" with over $5.2 billion in proposed 25-year transportation investments), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), the Groundwater Management Program, and Stormwater Management. Data and mapping products include the MI Capital Region Data Dashboard (demographic, economic, workforce, education, and equity data across the Lansing Metro and Tri-County Region), an interactive Wellhead Protection Viewer, the Tri-County Virtual Trail Explorer (360-degree panoramic mapping of 87+ miles of waterways and 49 miles of trails in partnership with Terrain360), and a library of interactive GIS maps. Notable recent initiatives include ArtStorm 2025 (17 murals installed across Greater Lansing municipalities to fuse placemaking with stormwater education) and active RFPs for a Regional Traffic Safety & Operations Program and a Community Engagement Campaign leveraging an acquired century-old Lansing-built passenger bus.

Tri-County's revenue model is non-commercial and consists of five streams: (1) federal planning funds channeled through its MPO designation, (2) EDA grant eligibility derived from its EDD designation, (3) state and regional grants (e.g., the $11,985 Michigan Arts and Culture Council Experience Support Grant), (4) funding for the Rural Transportation Planning Work Program (RWP) outside urban areas, and (5) member dues and program fees from local governments. The agency employs 11-50 staff on a hybrid schedule, delivers services at no direct cost to end users, and reaches constituents through its website, electronic newsletters, social media (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube), public meetings, and school-based environmental outreach aligned with Michigan Science Standards. The commission is governed by a Board of Commissioners with representation from member jurisdictions.

Name

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

Legal name

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

Website

https://mitcrpc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is a public planning agency serving Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties in Michigan. It operates as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization and Economic Development District, coordinating regional transportation, economic development, and environmental planning across 17 member communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Other Urban Transit Systems (485119), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB)

Keywords

• Regional transportation planning
• Metropolitan planning organization
• Economic development strategy
• Watershed management programs
• Government planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Planning Funds (MPO Designation): Tri-County serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Lansing/East Lansing Metropolitan Area, which requires development of a Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) governing urban transportation planning activities. Federal transportation planning funds flow through this designation, matched with local funds.
2. Federal Economic Development District (EDD) Designation: Tri-County maintains Economic Development District designation and U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) program eligibility, enabling access to federal economic development grants and programs.
3. State and Regional Grants: The agency receives grant funding from state agencies (e.g., Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Michigan Arts and Culture Council) and administers regional grant-funded programming for member communities.
4. Regional Transportation Planning Work Program (RWP): Rural transportation planning activities outside designated urban areas, funded through state and federal rural transportation programs.
5. Member Dues and Program Fees: Tri-County coordinates with local governments and organizations, administering programs and services funded through member contributions and fee-based technical assistance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is a public planning agency that delivers regional transportation planning, economic development strategy, environmental program administration, and data/mapping resources for Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties in Mid-Michigan. It serves as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Economic Development District (EDD) for the Lansing/East Lansing region, developing long-range plans such as the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The agency also administers the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (GLRC), the Groundwater Management Board, and the MI Capital Region Data Dashboard.

Product overview

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is a public planning agency offering a portfolio of planning programs and data tools. The core products include the MI Capital Region Data Dashboard for regional data visualization, along with interactive mapping tools (Wellhead Protection Viewer, Virtual Trail Explorer, Interactive Maps). Service programs encompass Transportation Planning (MTP, TIP), Economic Development (CEDS), Environmental Programs (Groundwater Management, Stormwater Management), and Work Programs (UPWP). The agency serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization and Economic Development District for Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MI Capital Region Data Dashboard: A data dashboard providing the latest demographic, economic, and workforce data for Michigan's capital region, including industry, labor and employment, wages and income, education, demographics and population, and equity and social patterns.
• Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (GLRC)
• Groundwater Management Board (GMB)

Products and services

• MI Capital Region Data Dashboard

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $5.2 billion in proposed transportation projects planned over 25 years under the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Arts Council of Greater LansingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2025The Arts Council partnered with Tri-County and GLRC on ArtStorm 2025, helping to hire local artists (Victoria Taava Ericks and Maricela Tapia) to paint the murals, advancing the Arts Council's mission of creating vibrant communities through the arts.
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMACC provided an $11,985 Experience Support Grant to Tri-County and the GLRC to fund the ArtStorm 2025 public arts initiative, which installed 17 murals around storm drains across Greater Lansing communities to educate residents about stormwater pollution prevention.
• Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (GLRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County administers the GLRC, a 17-member intergovernmental body comprising cities, townships, county drain commissions, school districts, and Michigan State University that works collaboratively to reduce stormwater pollution and improve watershed health in the Grand River, Red Cedar River, and Looking Glass River watersheds. The GLRC facilitates National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) MS4 permit compliance for member communities.
• Groundwater Management Board (GMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County oversees the Groundwater Management Board, a regional body that addresses groundwater quality and quantity issues for Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties. Residents in these counties depend exclusively on groundwater for drinking water. GMB develops educational resources, wellhead protection plans, and coordinates with the East Lansing-Meridian Water & Sewer Authority.
• East Lansing-Meridian Water & Sewer Authority (ELMWSA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County supports the East Lansing-Meridian Water & Sewer Authority, maintaining and updating the Wellhead Protection Viewer and developing wellhead protection plans for the authority on behalf of its constituents.
• Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County, as the region's MPO, develops the Unified Planning Work Program in cooperation with MDOT, coordinating urban transportation planning activities and allocating federal transportation funds for the region in partnership with the state.
• Middle Grand River Organization of Watersheds (MGROW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County collaborates with MGROW on water trail development, signage, and the Middle Grand River Water Trail designation (87 miles, one of Michigan's first state-designated water trails). MGROW co-hosts the annual MGROW meeting and public hearings on water trail planning.
• Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham County Drain CommissionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe three county drain commissioners serve as GLRC members, collaborating on stormwater management, installing ArtStorm murals, and contributing to watershed health initiatives across the region.
• Michigan Infrastructure CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-County participates in state-led Communication and Coordination Summits and Asset Management Summits organized by the Michigan Infrastructure Council to facilitate collaborative infrastructure asset management strategy across transportation, water, utilities, and communications sectors.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC): Federally designated MPO for the Pittsburgh region, providing long-range transportation planning, economic development strategy, and regional data. Comparable as a multi-county MPO/EDD.
• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG): Michigan's largest regional planning agency and MPO, serving the Detroit-Ann Arbor region. SEMCOG performs the same MPO, EDD, transportation, and data dashboard functions as Tri-County at a larger scale.
• Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC): MPO covering the Greater Philadelphia region with transportation, land use, economic, and environmental planning programs. Comparable in scope and multi-disciplinary regional planning mandate.
• West Michigan Regional Planning Commission (WMRPC): Michigan regional planning commission providing transportation planning, community development, and data services to Muskegon-area counties. Comparable as a fellow Michigan MPO/EDD.
• Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission (GCMPC): Flint-area MPO handling transportation planning, GIS, and community development for Genesee County. Directly comparable in mandate, scale, and Michigan MPO context.
• Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study (KATS): MPO for the Kalamazoo urbanized area performing transportation planning, modeling, and public engagement. A close small-MPO peer to Tri-County.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP): Regional planning agency for northeastern Illinois operating ON TO 2050 long-range plan, CMAP Data Hub, and MPO functions. Comparable as a broader-incumbent MPO with advanced data tools.
• Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT): State DOT that partners with and partially funds Tri-County's MPO activities via the UPWP. Comparable as the state-level incumbent that MPOs coordinate with on transportation planning.

Others

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): National membership and advocacy association for regional councils and MPOs. Comparable as the umbrella trade body that supports Tri-County's peer network and federal funding advocacy.

Regional players

• Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) - Albuquerque: MPO/RPO for central New Mexico providing transportation, water resource, and data services. Comparable as a multi-county MPO with similar program mix, but in a different state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MI_TCRPC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbaaojs2bOetVMFY4uZ_4ow
• Facebookfacebook.com/TriCountyPlanning
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tcrpc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Tri-County Regional Planning Commission