Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham

What Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham does

The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) is a voluntary multi-jurisdictional public planning organization established in 1963 that serves six counties (Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker) and 84 communities in central Alabama. RPCGB holds the federally-conferred designations of Local Development District (LDD) through the Appalachian Regional Commission, Economic Development District (EDD) through the EDA, and provides staff to the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Its service portfolio spans five core programs: Transportation Planning (including MPO activities, TIP programming, and active transportation), Community Planning (comprehensive plans, zoning, subdivision regulations), Economic Development (CEDS coordination, IMPLAN-based economic impact analyses, grant development, and brownfields redevelopment), the Medicaid Waiver Program (in-home care for elderly and disabled Jefferson County residents), and Data & Maps (GIS services, ASDC-affiliated census data, and an open data portal). Two initiative programs - CommuteSmart (rideshare/vanpool) and Alabama Partners for Clean Air - extend the operational footprint.

Underlying technology is conventional rather than AI-driven: ESRI-based GIS for spatial analysis, IMPLAN for input-output economic modeling, and an ArcGIS-hosted open data portal and brownfields interactive map. The technical differentiator is breadth of integration across planning, demographic, environmental, and transportation datasets rather than algorithmic sophistication.

RPCGB's revenue model combines membership dues (per capita assessment from member governments), federal and state grants (ARC, EPA, USDA, EDA, CDBG), fee-based contract services to governments and non-profits, and Medicaid Waiver pass-through funding from the Alabama Department of Senior Services and Alabama Medicaid Agency. An affiliated nonprofit, the Birmingham Regional Development Corporation, accepts funding for economic development purposes. The customer base is almost exclusively local and county governments, with a non-commercial pricing structure tailored to public-sector procurement.

Name

Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham

Legal name

Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham

Website

https://rpcgb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RPCGB is a multi-jurisdictional public planning organization serving six counties and 84 communities in central Alabama. It delivers transportation planning, community planning, economic development, GIS services, and a Medicaid Waiver program, operating as the federally designated LDD, EDD, and MPO staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Voluntary multi-jurisdictional organization funded by membership dues based on a per capita assessment from member governments in 6 counties and 84 communities
2. Federal and State Grants: RPCGB applies for and receives federal, state and private grants on behalf of member governments, including ARC, EPA, USDA, and other federal funding programs
3. Fee-Based Contract Services: Provides services for fee-based contracts with state, county, city, and non-profit organizations. Services include comprehensive planning, development planning, GIS services, grant services, and business loan assistance
4. Birmingham Regional Development Corporation: The agency has an affiliate not-for-profit organization called the Birmingham Regional Development Corporation that accepts funding for economic development purposes

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RPCGB is a voluntary multi-jurisdictional regional planning organization providing comprehensive planning, economic development, transportation, GIS/data, and Medicaid Waiver program administration services to 6 counties (Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker) and 84 communities in central Alabama. The organization serves as the designated Local Development District for ARC, Economic Development District for EDA, and staff to the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Product overview

The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) is a regional planning organization that provides planning services, economic development, and multiple initiatives for six counties (Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker) and 84 communities in central Alabama. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of service programs including Transportation Planning (covering MPO activities, TIP programming, and transit planning), Community Planning (zoning, mapping, land use), Economic Development (grant assistance, IMPLAN-based economic impact analyses, CEDS coordination), the Medicaid Waiver Program (elderly and disabled home care services), and Data & Maps/GIS services. RPCGB also administers two initiative programs: CommuteSmart (rideshare/vanpool program) and Alabama Partners for Clean Air (air quality initiative). Funding comes from member dues, federal/state grants, and contract fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CommuteSmart: Regional rideshare program created in 1999 to help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce air pollution in Jefferson and Shelby counties, encouraging reduction of single-occupancy commuting and educating commuters on cleaner modes of transportation including carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, walking, teleworking and public transit.
• Alabama Partners for Clean Air (APCA)
• Medicaid Waiver Program

Products and services

• Transportation Planning

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2023RPCGB is the designated Local Development District (LDD) for the region through ARC. ARC is a regional economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments. Partnership involves POWER Initiative grants, capacity building programs, and economic development initiatives for Appalachian counties.
• PM Environmental GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2022RPCGB is working with PM Environmental to conduct EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant project activities including Phase I and II site assessments and redevelopment planning.
• UAB TRIP LabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2018RPCGB partners with UAB TRIP Lab (Translational Research for Injury Prevention) for transportation safety initiatives. The lab provides driving simulator education on dangers of distracted driving at Alabama schools and community events.
• Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADECA administers ARC funds in Alabama. RPCGB partners with ADECA for grant programs including ARC funding, CDBG programs, and other state economic development initiatives. ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell participates in RPCGB annual meetings.
• Walker County CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Walker County Economic Development Strategic Plan under ARC POWER Initiative. Includes Walker County Economic and Industrial Development Authority and Walker Area Community Foundation as part of the collaborative effort.
• Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPCGB provides staff to the Birmingham MPO, which serves as the official decision-making body for federally-funded transportation projects in Jefferson and Shelby counties. MPO coordinates the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
• Sabre FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional revolving loan program and small business assistance partnership for economic development in the region.
• Birmingham Regional Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPCGB's affiliate not-for-profit organization that accepts funding for economic development purposes.
• Alabama State Data Center (ASDC)coreTechnology or IntegrationRPCGB is an affiliate of ASDC at University of Alabama, providing census data, American Community Survey data, and intercensal population estimates to state and local governments.
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for brownfields redevelopment tracking ADEM voluntary cleanup sites in the interactive brownfields map.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments: Alabama-based Council of Governments serving a multi-county region with comprehensive planning, economic development, transportation, and grant administration functions parallel to RPCGB. Both organizations operate as ARC Local Development Districts and EDA Economic Development Districts in adjacent regions of the same state.
• West Alabama Regional Commission: Regional commission serving a multi-county area in west Alabama with planning, economic development, transportation, and grant assistance capabilities functionally identical to RPCGB. Another ARC LDD and EDA EDD in the same state.
• South Alabama Regional Planning Commission: One of Alabama's sibling regional planning commissions, providing transportation planning (including MPO services), economic development, GIS, and community planning to counties across south Alabama. Closely comparable operating model and funding mix to RPCGB.
• East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission: Regional planning and development commission serving east Alabama counties with grant administration, community planning, economic development, and transportation coordination — the same portfolio RPCGB delivers. Both operate as ARC LDDs and EDA EDDs and cover adjacent parts of Alabama.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Regional Commission: Much larger regional planning agency for metro Atlanta combining MPO functions, comprehensive planning, economic development, and aging services — same blueprint as RPCGB but operating at metropolitan scale with substantially more funding and headcount. Useful benchmark for MPO and aging-program delivery.

Others

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): Membership association representing regional councils and planning organizations across the United States, including RPCGB and its direct peers. Provides advocacy, training, and peer learning for the regional planning commission model that RPCGB embodies.
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC): Federal-state economic development partnership that designates RPCGB as a Local Development District. ARC funds many of RPCGB's grant programs and provides the structural framework within which RPCGB operates, making it the parent ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RPCGB
• Facebookfacebook.com/BActivePlan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regional-planning-commission-of-greater-birmingham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham