What Alliance for Innovation does

Alliance for Innovation (AFI) is a 501c(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Keller, Texas, dedicated to strengthening the innovation capacity of local government organizations across the United States. AFI operates an integrated portfolio of services including the TransformGov.org digital platform, the Alliance Member Circle online community (launched 2026), the annual Transforming Local Government (TLG) Conference, regional member meetups, webinars, a Cooperative Contracts Program, and the Civic Marketplace public API that provides programmatic access to cooperative contract and supplier data. Premium services include Custom Strategic Foresight research, training, and on-site consulting workshops (using frameworks such as Three Horizons and Causal Layered Analysis), Innovation Consulting Services across strategy, technology, and leadership, and a Speakers Bureau.

The organization's business model combines recurring subscription revenue from annual membership dues with professional services revenue from consulting engagements available to both members and non-members, plus transaction-related revenue from cooperative contracts facilitated through its lead-entity and partner network (including City of Denton, Michigan Municipal Services Authority, and COG works). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. AFI is governed by a Board of Directors composed of city and county administrators from municipalities across the US and operates with strategic and technical support from Strategic Government Resources (SGR), whose CEO serves as an Ex-Officio board member.

Name

Alliance for Innovation

Legal name

Alliance for Innovation, Inc.

Website

https://transformgov.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alliance for Innovation is a 501c(3) nonprofit membership organization, founded in 1979, that serves US local governments with peer networking, an online community platform, strategic foresight consulting, cooperative purchasing contracts, and a public contracts API.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Membership and Consulting Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech (Connectivity, GovTech for Social Good) (BPAGALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days) (THAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Local government innovation
• Strategic foresight consulting
• Cooperative purchasing contracts
• Municipal membership services
• Public sector training

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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: Annual membership for local government organizations providing access to peer network, research, contracts program, events, and the Alliance Member Circle online platform.
2. Custom Strategic Foresight Research: Specialized research services helping local governments prepare for emerging trends, evolving conditions, and long-term community needs. Available to both members at preferred rates and non-members.
3. Custom Foresight Capacity Training: Virtual training programs for local government organizations to build shared understanding and practical skills in strategic foresight across leadership teams.
4. On-site Strategic Foresight Consulting Workshops: Facilitated consulting workshops introducing leadership teams to practical foresight principles and tools for local government environments.
5. Speakers Bureau: Expert keynotes, workshops, and presentations on foresight and innovation tailored to client audience needs. Includes strategic foresight workshops, innovation workshops, custom keynotes, conference sessions, council retreats, and strategic planning retreats.
6. Innovation Consulting Services: Consulting services for local governments including strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, financial planning, community engagement, technology planning, leadership development, and workforce strategy.
7. Cooperative Contracts Program: Provides access to pre-negotiated cooperative purchasing contracts for local governments. AFI acts as a lead entity for some contracts and connects members with contracts managed by other entities like City of Denton and Michigan Municipal Services Authority.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Alliance for Innovation is a 501c(3) nonprofit membership organization that equips local government organizations with ideas, connections, and tools to innovate. Its core offerings include an annual membership with access to the Alliance Member Circle online community, the annual Transforming Local Government (TLG) Conference, a Cooperative Contracts Program with pre-negotiated purchasing agreements, and a Civic Marketplace API providing programmatic access to contract and supplier data. Premium services such as strategic foresight research, consulting workshops, innovation services, and a Speakers Bureau are sold to both members and non-members.

Product overview

Alliance for Innovation operates as a 501c(3) nonprofit membership organization with a portfolio of interconnected services. The core digital platform is the Alliance Member Circle, an online community providing networking, knowledge resources, learning paths, and topic-based discussion channels. Adjacent to the Circle is TransformGov.org, the organization's public-facing website. AFI offers premium services including Strategic Foresight Premium (custom research, virtual training, and on-site consulting workshops) and Innovation Services (consulting across strategy, organizational effectiveness, technology, and leadership). The Speakers Bureau provides expert facilitation for events. The Cooperative Contracts Program offers a library of purchasing contracts with over 80 suppliers across categories like IT, public works, and transportation. The Civic Marketplace API provides public access to contract and supplier data. Events include the annual TLG Conference, Webinars, and virtual Member Meet Ups using Open Space Technology. Educational offerings include the Fundamentals of Foresight Certification Course.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alliance Member Circle: An online community platform designed to strengthen connection, shared learning, and innovation across the AFI membership network.
• Civic Marketplace
• TransformGov.org
• Transforming Local Government (TLG) Conference

Products and services

• Alliance Member Circle
• Transforming Local Government (TLG) Conference
• Webinars
• Member Meet Ups
• Strategic Foresight Premium
• Innovation Services
• Speakers Bureau
• Cooperative Contracts Program
• Civic Marketplace Partner API
• Fundamentals of Foresight for Local Government Certification Course

Quantifiable outcome

• City of Denver Peak Academy generated $80M+ in savings through continuous improvement training
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Strategic Government Resources (SGR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGR collaborates with the Alliance for Innovation on technology platforms and operations. The privacy policy is maintained by SGR in collaboration with AFI. Darin Atteberry, CEO of SGR, serves as Ex-Officio member of AFI's Board of Directors. SGR appears to provide technical infrastructure and operational support for AFI's digital ecosystem including TransformGov.org and Civic Marketplace.
• Civic MarketplacecoreTechnology or IntegrationCivic Marketplace is a cooperative purchasing platform powered by AFI. The platform provides API access to cooperative contracts for public agencies. AFI logo appears with 'powered-by-civic-marketplace' designation. The platform supports procurement platforms, government agencies, and consultants through programmatic contract data access.
• City of DentonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCity of Denton serves as Lead Entity for numerous cooperative contracts offered through AFI's Contracts Program. As Lead Entity, Denton competitively procures and manages contracts that other public agencies can access through the cooperative purchasing program.
• Michigan Municipal Services AuthoritymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMichigan Municipal Services Authority serves as Lead Entity for contracts including Third Party Payment Services and IT Managed Services. Enables Michigan-based and other public agencies to access competitively procured contracts through AFI's cooperative purchasing program.
• COG worksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCOG works serves as Lead Entity for childcare-related contracts (The Discovery Source, Lakeshore Learning, Schools In, Discount School Supply, Textbook Warehouse, Frog Street, Really Good Stuff) offered through the AFI Contracts Program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA): GFOA is a major professional association for state and local government finance officials, offering training, certification, and best-practice resources. It is a broader-incumbent peer that overlaps with AFI's performance management and innovation services in the local-government segment.

Emerging players

• Code for America: Code for America is a civic technology nonprofit that builds digital services for and with US state and local governments. It is an emerging-player peer with overlapping GovTech and digital-inclusion themes relative to AFI's Civic Marketplace and Member Circle digital initiatives.
• Civilla: Civilla is a nonprofit that partners with US state and local government agencies to redesign public services and improve user experience. It overlaps with AFI's innovation consulting and human-centered service-design work for local government.

Direct peers

• National League of Cities (NLC): NLC is a national membership organization serving city officials across the United States, providing training, advocacy, and networking programs that overlap directly with AFI's local government innovation and convening focus.
• Public Technology Institute (PTI): PTI is a membership organization serving local government IT and technology leaders, focused on technology strategy, cybersecurity, and innovation. It directly overlaps with AFI's technology planning, performance management, and Tech-related Member Circle channels.
• International City/County Management Association (ICMA): ICMA is the largest US professional association for local government managers and administrators, offering membership, research, training, and convening. It is the closest direct peer to AFI's local-government membership and professional development model.
• National Association of Counties (NACo): NACo is a national membership association representing county governments, offering research, training, and convening for county officials. It overlaps with AFI's local-government vertical, particularly through Sarasota County and other county members of AFI.

Others

• Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation (Harvard Kennedy School): The Ash Center at Harvard Kennedy School studies and advances democratic governance and innovation in government, including the Innovations in American Government Awards. It is thematically comparable to AFI's strategic foresight and innovation research programs serving local government.
• e.Republic / Government Technology magazine: e.Republic publishes Government Technology magazine and runs major US public-sector events and research including the GovTech 100. It is an adjacent ecosystem peer providing conferences, media, and market intelligence that intersect with AFI's TLG Conference and innovation content.
• Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation: The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins supports US mayors and city halls to deliver more effective public services. It is thematically aligned with AFI's local-government innovation mission, though funded by philanthropy rather than member dues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Alliance for Innovation