What WakeUP Wake County does

WakeUP Wake County is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based nonprofit organization founded in 2006 that convenes, educates, and advocates on sustainable growth planning across Wake County's 12 municipalities. Its mission is focused on three intersecting pillars: housing choices and affordability, multimodal transportation, and environmental stewardship — framed around ensuring that all residents share the benefits of one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States (Wake County adds roughly 62 residents per day and is home to more than 1 million people). The organization is board-led and member-driven, operating primarily through community events, educational workshops, documentary screenings, civic forums, and a municipality-by-municipality Community Engagement Toolkit.

The organization's core deliverables are advocacy programs and educational resources rather than products. Programs include the ADU Workshop Series and ADU Sustainability Training & Tour, the Annual Reception (drawing approximately 150 attendees in December 2025), the Spring 2025 Civic and Community Engagement Forum (60+ residents), the Under One Canopy tree-canopy event, and the forthcoming Fall 2026 Transit & Livability Series. Quantifiable advocacy outcomes include over 250 ADU permits applied for in Raleigh since March 2020 and 9,000+ residents completing PLANWake comprehensive land use surveys. The organization does not develop or sell technology products; its intellectual output is research, toolkits, and convening work.

WakeUP Wake County monetizes through donations, business partner sponsorships, and foundation grants rather than fees. Membership is free. Revenue streams include individual donations, business partner sponsorships (with tiers such as Sustainability Supporters, Equity Creators, Grassroots Initiators, and Friends), and foundation grants from AJ Fletcher Foundation, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, and others. The organization has fewer than 10 employees and is described as mostly volunteer-led. Its leadership — Executive Director Bert Fox (or Roberta Fox per a later source), Board Chair Tom Barrie, and Board Treasurer Hattie Gawande — oversees a board that includes principals at LS3P and STV, senior staff at Biohabitats and Moffatt & Nichol, and developers and attorneys with deep Wake County municipal ties. Strategic partners include RaleighForward, CityBuilder, and Welcoming Neighbors Network, with formal co-programming and an interlocking board seat.

Name

WakeUP Wake County

Legal name

WakeUP Wake County

Website

https://wakeupwakecounty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WakeUP Wake County is a 2006-founded Raleigh, NC nonprofit that educates, convenes, and advocates on housing affordability, multimodal transportation, and environmental stewardship across Wake County's 12 municipalities, funded by donations, sponsors, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Business Partner Sponsorships: WakeUP offers businesses annual partner sponsorships and event-specific options to support community development. Business partners are encouraged to participate at all levels of community engagement efforts.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donations from supporters passionate about equitable growth planning in Wake County. The organization states donations help advocate for affordable housing, public transit options, intentional land use development, and environmental justice.
3. Foundation and Organizational Grants: Support from foundations and organizations including AJ Fletcher Foundation, Tom & Lisa Barrie, and various corporate sponsors. Programs are driven by support from foundations, organizations, and sponsors categorized as Sustainability Supporters, Equity Creators, Grassroots Initiators, and Friends.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WakeUP Wake County is a nonprofit advocacy organization that educates Wake County residents, convenes community stakeholders, and advocates for policies promoting housing affordability, multimodal transportation, and environmental sustainability across the county's 12 municipalities. Its core deliverables include education programs, advocacy campaigns, free community toolkits, workshops, forums, and an annual reception, all delivered through a board-led, mostly volunteer model.

Product overview

WakeUP Wake County operates as a community advocacy organization offering programs and resources focused on sustainable, healthy communities and equitable planning. The organization provides a suite of engagement programs including housing choices advocacy, multimodal transportation advocacy, environmental stewardship initiatives, educational resources, and community events. These programs work together to educate citizens, convene stakeholders around growth planning issues, and advocate for policies supporting housing affordability, transit options, and environmental sustainability across Wake County's 12 municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Engagement Programs Programs that convene community partners around sustainable growth issues, educate the public about planning complexity, and engage grassroots mobilization efforts to ensure all residents are empowered at the local level.
• Housing Choices Advocacy Advocacy efforts promoting housing diversity and affordability through research and best practices, including support for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and affordable housing development.
• Multimodal Transportation Advocacy Advocacy for local and regional multimodal transportation choices and connected communities, supporting walkability, bikeability, and public transit options.
• Environmental Stewardship Campaigns for policies promoting regional water quality, natural landscapes, and sustainable land use, including tree canopy preservation and climate action.
• Educational Resources and Toolkits Information resources including the Community Engagement Toolkit covering all 12 Wake County municipalities, blog posts on land use, transportation, housing, and environmental topics.
• ADU Workshop Series Interactive workshops on Accessory Dwelling Units including data presentations, expert panels, and small group discussions on ADU permitting, construction trends, and financing strategies.
• Annual Reception Annual gathering featuring keynote speakers on housing and planning topics, providing education and networking for community members and stakeholders.
• Under One Canopy Event Earth Day event focused on urban tree canopy preservation featuring expert presentations on environmental stewardship strategies for policymakers and residents.
• ADU Sustainability Training & Tour Professional training program teaching design, permitting, and construction of ADUs, including tours of completed accessory dwelling units in Raleigh.
• Transit & Livability Series Fall 2026 public conversation series examining how reliable, frequent transit supports housing choice, economic opportunity, and everyday mobility.
• Membership Program Free membership program enabling citizens to get involved in advocacy efforts and receive updates on planning issues affecting Wake County.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 ADU permits applied for in Raleigh since March 2020 when ADUs were legalized citywide
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, sustainability supporter, equity creator and minor.

• RaleighForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaleighForward is a key strategic partner of WakeUP Wake County. The two organizations co-host events including annual receptions, happy hour mixers, documentary screenings, and civic forums. RaleighForward Executive Director Eric Braun also serves on the WakeUP Board. Together they advocate for sustainable planning, housing affordability, and community engagement in Raleigh.
• CityBuildercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCityBuilder partners with WakeUP and RaleighForward on community events and advocacy efforts. The three organizations hold regular mixers for members, supporters, and those interested in education and advocacy work. CityBuilder is part of the core coalition working on housing and planning issues in Wake County.
• Welcoming Neighbors NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a core partner organization alongside RaleighForward and CityBuilder in WakeUP's partnership announcements.
• AARPsustainability supporterGTM or Marketing PartnerAARP is listed as a Sustainability Supporter sponsor of WakeUP Wake County, indicating financial or promotional support for the organization's mission.
• Catalyst Designsustainability supporterGTM or Marketing PartnerCatalyst Design (catalystdesignpllc.com) is listed as a Sustainability Supporter sponsor of WakeUP Wake County.
• ISGsustainability supporterGTM or Marketing PartnerISG (isginc.com) is listed as a Sustainability Supporter sponsor of WakeUP Wake County.
• Sierra Club Foundationsustainability supporterGTM or Marketing PartnerSierra Club Foundation is listed as a Sustainability Supporter sponsor of WakeUP Wake County, indicating alignment on environmental advocacy.
• Carpenter Developmentequity creatorGTM or Marketing PartnerCarpenter Development (founded by David Meeker, WakeUP board member) is listed as an Equity Creator sponsor supporting WakeUP's mission.
• Parker Poeequity creatorGTM or Marketing PartnerParker Poe (law firm) is listed as an Equity Creator sponsor supporting WakeUP Wake County.
• Perkins Eastmanequity creatorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerkins Eastman (architecture firm) is listed as an Equity Creator sponsor.
• City of RaleighminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn spring 2025, WakeUP partnered with RaleighForward and the City of Raleigh to host a Civic and Community Engagement Forum that convened over 60 residents. The City also provided an Impact Partner Grant for the ADU Accelerator Program.
• North Carolina Housing Finance AgencyminorOthersReferenced as a source of research on housing gap data (764,000 unit housing gap statewide) that informs WakeUP's advocacy work on ADUs and housing affordability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Smart Growth America: National nonprofit advocating for equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities through better development patterns. Operates as the national-scale equivalent of WakeUP's regional sustainable growth advocacy work.
• AARP: Mass-membership organization whose Livable Communities program advocates for housing choice, transportation access, and age-friendly community design. WakeUP's listed Sustainability Supporter sponsor with overlapping livability and housing affordability priorities.
• Urban Land Institute: Established research and education organization supporting responsible land use and sustainable urban development. Comparable to WakeUP in its focus on the intersection of housing, transportation, and land-use policy, but at a national/global scale.
• Congress for the New Urbanism: National organization promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods and sustainable urbanism. Aligns with WakeUP's multimodal transportation and housing choice advocacy but operates at a national advocacy level.

Direct peers

• RaleighForward: Raleigh-based nonprofit focused on long-range planning, land use, and civic engagement in Raleigh. WakeUP's named core strategic partner that co-hosts events and shares overlapping advocacy priorities in Wake County.
• CityBuilder: Community-focused organization partnering with WakeUP and RaleighForward on housing and planning advocacy. Listed as a core coalition partner with overlapping mission on housing and urban planning in Wake County.
• Welcoming Neighbors Network: WakeUP's named core strategic partner focused on community integration in Wake County. Operates in the same geographic market with overlapping civic-engagement and community-building programming.

Regional players

• 1000 Friends of Oregon: Oregon-based nonprofit founded to promote sustainable growth and land-use planning statewide. Closely analogous model to WakeUP—state/county-scoped sustainable growth advocacy nonprofit focused on housing, transportation, and land use.
• Triangle J Council of Governments: Regional planning organization serving the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, including Wake County. Comparable in focus on regional transportation, land use, and community planning, though operating as a governmental council rather than a member-driven nonprofit.

Others

• Sierra Club Foundation: National environmental advocacy foundation supporting programs on climate, land, water, and environmental justice. Listed as a Sustainability Supporter sponsor of WakeUP, with overlapping environmental stewardship priorities but operating as a funder rather than a local advocate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wakeupwake
• Facebookfacebook.com/wakeupwakecounty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wakeup-wake-county-inc.

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 WakeUP Wake County