Southern California Associations of Governments

What Southern California Associations of Governments does

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is a Joint Powers Authority established in 1965 under California state law and the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization (MPO). SCAG coordinates regional planning across six counties (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura) and 191 cities, serving approximately 19 million residents. It is governed by an 86-member Regional Council composed of local elected officials, supported by four policy committees and multiple technical advisory committees covering transportation, housing, environment, and emerging technologies.

SCAG's core offerings operate as an interconnected planning platform rather than discrete products. Connect SoCal is the long-range Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy guiding regional development. The Regional Data Platform (RDP) is a GIS-based system enabling interagency data sharing across jurisdictions. SoCal Greenprint is a web-based mapping tool (built in partnership with Arup) that consolidates environmental, ecological, and land use data for advance mitigation planning. The Green Region Initiative tracks sustainability progress across 12 categories and 29 indicators. Additional programs include RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment), REAP 2.0 (Regional Early Action Planning grants), the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP), and an annual Sustainability Awards program. SCAG also maintains 12 committees and 22+ subcommittees/working groups, supporting coordination for upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics regional mobility planning.

SCAG is funded by federal transportation planning grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration (per Section 104(f) of Title 23, U.S. Code), California state transportation funds, and member contributions from local governments. As a public agency, SCAG does not charge for planning services or publications and does not have shareholders or venture capital backing. Customer concentration is structural: all stakeholders are government entities (member cities, counties, transit agencies including Metrolink and LA Metro), with no commercial revenue diversification.

Name

Southern California Associations of Governments

Legal name

Southern California Association of Governments

Website

https://scag.ca.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization, coordinating regional transportation, housing, and sustainability planning across six counties and 191 cities serving 19 million residents under a Joint Powers Authority structure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (BPAHAKAF), State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

Keywords

• Regional transportation planning
• Metropolitan planning organization
• Sustainable communities strategy
• GIS data platforms
• Housing needs assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Transportation Planning Grants: SCAG receives funding from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration through the United States Department of Transportation, in accordance with metropolitan planning program requirements
2. State Transportation Funding: State transportation funding including support from the California State Transportation Agency and various state grant programs
3. Member Dues and Contributions: Contributions from member counties and cities to support regional planning activities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SCAG coordinates regional planning for Southern California across 6 counties and 191 cities, delivering long-range transportation and sustainability planning frameworks (Connect SoCal), GIS-based data platforms (Regional Data Platform, SoCal Greenprint), housing needs assessments (RHNA), and federal transportation project programming (FTIP). Its core deliverables are planning documents, decision-support tools, and grant administration services for member local governments, transit agencies, and regional stakeholders.

Product overview

SCAG is the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization serving Southern California's six counties, 191 cities, and 19 million residents. SCAG operates a platform of interconnected planning tools and programs rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings include SoCal Greenprint (a web-based mapping tool for land use and infrastructure decisions), the Regional Data Platform (RDP, a GIS system for interagency data collaboration), Connect SoCal (the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy), and the Green Region Initiative (a sustainability indicators tracking system). These tools support regional planning, climate adaptation, housing policy, and transportation planning across the SCAG jurisdiction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Connect SoCal: SCAG's long-range Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for Southern California.
• SoCal Greenprint
• Green Region Initiative
• Regional Data Platform
• REAP 2.0
• FTIP
• SCAG Sustainability Awards
• RHNA

Products and services

• SoCal Greenprint

Quantifiable outcome

• Transit agency land could support 240,000 homes according to Enterprise analysis
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• California State Transportation AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026The California State Transportation Agency provided support for the development of Metrolink's contactless payment pilot, working in coordination with SCAG to encourage transit use and improve regional mobility ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• California YIMBY, SPUR, and Abundant Housing LAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Coalition of housing, transit, and land-use advocacy organizations sent a letter to SCAG urging revision of proposed methodology for implementing Senate Bill 79, arguing SCAG's approach conflicts with state law and HCD guidance. Organizations include California YIMBY, SPUR, and Abundant Housing LA.
• Enterprise Community PartnersmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnterprise Community Partners released a report identifying 2,875 transit agency-owned parcels totaling 7,827 acres that could theoretically support nearly 240,000 housing units. This report serves as a baseline for transit-oriented development planning.
• ArupcoreTechnology or IntegrationArup hosts the SoCal Greenprint web-based mapping tool platform. Users need to create an Arup account as part of the onboarding process. Arup also published a user guide for the tool.
• Coachella Valley Association of GovernmentsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of 2026 SCAG Sustainability Award for Active and Clean Mobility for the Coachella Valley Link (CV Link), a 40-mile multi-jurisdictional active transportation corridor.
• San Gabriel Valley Council of GovernmentsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of 2026 SCAG Sustainability Awards for both Adaptation and Resilience (Regional Community Wildfire Protection Plan) and Green Region Initiative (FRESH SGV food recovery program).
• Imperial County Transportation CommissionmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of 2026 SCAG Sustainability Award for Economic Resilience for the Calexico East Port of Entry Bridge Widening Project, supporting cross-border freight efficiency.
• Federal Highway AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal funding agency for SCAG's metropolitan planning activities, providing grants through the United States Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 104(f) of Title 23 of the U.S. Code.
• Federal Transit AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal funding agency for SCAG's transportation planning activities, providing grants alongside FHWA through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• USC Sol Price School of Public PolicymoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner co-hosting the annual Southern California Demographic Workshop with SCAG. Partnership includes keynote speakers, panel discussions, and collaborative demographic research.
• South Coast Air Quality Management DistrictmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner2022 Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability award recipient for Volvo LIGHTS Project bringing together 14 organizations to develop zero-emission battery-electric trucks in disadvantaged communities.
• Orange County Transportation AuthoritymoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner2022 Green Region Initiative award recipient for City Parcel/2C Ranch Habitat Restoration Project in partnership with City of San Juan Capistrano.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• LA Metro (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority): LA Metro is a primary SCAG partner and the largest transit operator in the SCAG region. SCAG conducts regional planning while LA Metro executes transit service and capital projects — complementary roles rather than direct competition.
• Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink): Metrolink is a SCAG partner and regional transit operator that SCAG coordinates with on fare integration and transit planning. Adjacent rather than competitive — Metrolink operates the rail service that SCAG plans regionally.

Direct peers

• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG): SACOG is the MPO for the greater Sacramento region, performing the same federal metropolitan planning functions. Comparable in governance structure (member jurisdictions, board composition) and toolset (MTP/SCS, data platforms, RHNA).
• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG): NCTCOG is one of the largest councils of governments in the U.S., serving the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Comparable in scale to SCAG and similarly responsible for long-range transportation planning, air quality conformity, and regional coordination.
• Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG): DRCOG is the MPO for the Denver region, conducting regional transportation planning, air quality, and community development coordination. Comparable governance structure and tool portfolio to SCAG.
• Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG): ABAG is the regional planning body for the nine-county Bay Area, conducting comprehensive land use, housing, and resilience planning. It is structurally similar to SCAG as a JPA coordinating regional policy across multiple counties and cities.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC): PSRC is the MPO and regional planning body for the central Puget Sound region. It executes the same federal planning requirements, develops a Regional Transportation Plan, and coordinates growth, housing, and economic strategy across member jurisdictions.
• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): ARC serves as the MPO for the Atlanta region, coordinating transportation, land use, and community planning across metro Atlanta counties. Comparable in scale and statutory role to SCAG.
• San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG): SANDAG is California's other major MPO, serving the San Diego region with the same statutory role under federal metropolitan planning requirements. It operates analogous tools (Regional Transportation Plan, GIS data platforms) and faces similar SB 79, RHNA, and housing coordination challenges.
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC): MTC is the MPO for the San Francisco Bay Area, with overlapping responsibilities in transportation funding allocation, regional planning, and transit coordination. It serves a comparable scale and faces similar state housing and climate mandates under California law.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SCAGnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SoCalAssociationGov
• Facebookfacebook.com/SCAGmpo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-california-association-of-governments
• Instagraminstagram.com/scagnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Southern California Associations of Governments