What Wisconsin Counties Association does

Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) is a private, non-profit membership association founded in 1935 and headquartered at 22 East Mifflin Street, Suite 900, Madison, Wisconsin. It represents all 72 county governments in Wisconsin, serving as the recognized voice of county officials at the state legislature and providing a bundled portfolio of lobbying, legislative advocacy, insurance programs, education, research, grant development, and consulting services. Membership dues from the 72 counties form the primary revenue stream, supplemented by magazine subscriptions, event registrations, corporate sponsorships, and advertising.

WCA's core product surface spans publications (Wisconsin Counties Magazine, the Wisconsin County Official's Handbook, The Green Book, redistricting and mining regulation handbooks, and WCA Legal News), events (an annual Legislative Conference in February, an Annual Conference and Exhibit Hall in September, seven district meetings across the state, and County Officials Workshops), and training (the monthly "In the Board Room" webinar series and the #LocalGovMatters podcast). Operational technology is limited in scope: the organization runs a WordPress-based website, partners with The Wheeler Report for bill tracking access, hosts video on a dedicated WCA Studio YouTube channel, and runs a flagship "Uniquely Wisconsin" docuseries in partnership with Discover Mediaworks. Forward Analytics functions as an embedded research arm producing data and policy analysis for county decision-makers.

The go-to-market model is membership-based and event-driven rather than traditional B2B sales: engagement is anchored by direct relationships between WCA staff (President & CEO Mark D. O'Connell, CFO Lynda Bradstreet, Government Affairs Associates, Field Services Representatives) and county officials, supplemented by advocacy campaigns, legislative conferences, and recurring publications. Revenue is recurring by design through annual membership renewals, a monthly magazine cadence, and a fixed calendar of annual conferences, providing high revenue predictability despite the lack of publicly disclosed financials.

Name

Wisconsin Counties Association

Legal name

Wisconsin Counties Association

Website

https://wicounties.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Counties Association is a 1935-founded, Madison-based non-profit membership association representing all 72 Wisconsin county governments through lobbying, legislative advocacy, training, publications, conferences, and research services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Advocacy and Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

State Legislature/Regional Assembly Administration (BPAIABAB)

Keywords

• Government advocacy services
• Legislative lobbying services
• County association services
• Membership association services
• Public sector research

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WCA operates as a membership-based association with all 72 Wisconsin counties as members. Revenue is derived from county membership dues and related fees for services.
2. Publications and Subscriptions: Wisconsin Counties Magazine is published monthly with a readership of close to 10,000. Subscription revenue generated at $20/year per subscription.
3. Events and Conferences: Revenue generated from Annual Conference, Legislative Conference, and district meeting registrations. Sponsorships available for events.
4. Advertising and Sponsorships: Corporate partners can sponsor events, advertise in Wisconsin Counties Magazine, and participate in the WCA Corporate Partner Program. Multiple opportunities for reaching county decision-makers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Counties Association is a nonprofit membership association representing all 72 counties in Wisconsin. WCA provides legislative advocacy and lobbying at the state capitol, education and training programs (including webinars and conferences), insurance programs, research and data analytics through its Forward Analytics division, grant development, and consulting services. The association also publishes the Wisconsin Counties Magazine, produces the Uniquely Wisconsin docuseries and #LocalGovMatters podcast, and operates a bill tracking system in partnership with The Wheeler Report.

Product overview

The Wisconsin Counties Association offers a portfolio of advocacy, educational, and informational products and services for Wisconsin's 72 county governments. Core offerings include legislative lobbying and representation services, the WCA Legislative Conference and Annual Conference as flagship annual events, and the In the Board Room Webinar series providing monthly training on county government topics. Publication products include Wisconsin Counties Magazine (monthly), the Wisconsin County Official's Handbook (comprehensive operations guide), The Green Book (county statistics by Forward Analytics), and specialized handbooks on redistricting and mining regulation. Media services include WCA Studio (YouTube channel with webinars), the Uniquely Wisconsin docuseries, and the #LocalGovMatters podcast. Information services include the WCA and Wheeler Report Bill Tracking System for legislative monitoring. These products and services work together to support county government officials through advocacy, education, and information sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wisconsin Counties Magazine: Official monthly publication of the Wisconsin Counties Association, first published in 1938, with readership close to 10,000
• Forward Analytics
• WCA Studio
• LocalGovMatters Podcast
• Uniquely Wisconsin
• County Officials Workshops (COWS)
• In the Board Room

Products and services

• WCA and Wheeler Report Bill Tracking System A bill tracking information service providing WCA membership access to track Wisconsin legislation with WCA positions, action taken, and supporting materials. Built in partnership with The Wheeler Report for member counties and county officials.
• Wisconsin Counties Magazine The official monthly publication of Wisconsin Counties Association (first published in 1938) with a readership of close to 10,000 officials; available by annual subscription at $20/year. Provides legislative news, county best practices, and in-depth coverage of issues affecting Wisconsin county government.
• Forward Analytics Research Service Research division of WCA providing data analysis and insights on affordability, broadband, demographic changes, and other policy topics to support Wisconsin county decision-making. Publishes The Green Book: A Book of County Facts.
• WCA Legislative Conference An annual two-day meeting in Madison providing briefings on legislative proposals affecting counties, reports from WCA Government Affairs staff, state officials, and thought leaders. Held each February.
• WCA Annual Conference & Exhibit Hall The largest gathering of county officials in Wisconsin, featuring educational sessions, networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall with vendor displays. Held annually in September (2026 location: Sauk County, September 20-22, 2026).
• In the Board Room Webinar Series A series of monthly webinar sessions covering county government operations topics including county board rules, organizational meetings, ethics, public records, open meetings law, CMS rules, and legislative updates. Delivered in partnership with WCA General Counsel (Attolles Law) and outside counsel such as von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
• Wisconsin County Official's Handbook The most comprehensive document on county operations; the 10th edition (2026) covers parliamentary procedures, personnel practices, budgeting, and topics county officials handle regularly.
• The Green Book: A Book of County Facts A publication by Forward Analytics presenting data on county government facts and statistics to assist Wisconsin counties in strategic planning and understanding demographic changes. Annual edition.
• County Government: History, Services and Funding Brochure An overview of county government history, services provided, and funding mechanisms, updated biennially by Wisconsin Counties Association (2026 edition available).
• WCA County Decennial Redistricting Handbook A general overview of redistricting to assist county officials in understanding the legal, technical, and procedural aspects of decennial and mid-term redistricting.
• Non-Ferrous Metallic Mining Regulation Handbook An in-depth handbook to assist counties with nonferrous metallic mining regulation issues including environmental regulations, zoning, licensing, and conditional use permits.
• WCA Legal News A periodic publication highlighting recent changes and developments in legal areas relevant to county government, covering county organization, personnel, tax, and finance topics.
• WCA Studio (YouTube Channel) Home of the WCA YouTube channel featuring videos, webinars, podcasts, and radio shows related to Wisconsin county government topics.
• Uniquely Wisconsin Docuseries A multi-platform brand highlighting stories of Wisconsin's people, culture, and history through broadcast documentaries, streaming docuseries, social media stories, and podcast appearances. Partnership with Discover Mediaworks; Emmy Award winner.
• #LocalGovMatters Podcast A podcast focusing on local government matters affecting Wisconsin counties, distributed under the LocalGovMatters brand.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• The Wheeler ReportcoreTechnology or IntegrationWCA partners with The Wheeler Report to provide expanded bill tracking access for WCA membership. The partnership includes access to a comprehensive Wheeler Bill Tracking system that tracks legislation with WCA positions, actions taken, and supporting materials.
• Discover MediaworksflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCA partners with Discover Mediaworks on the 'Uniquely Wisconsin' brand and docuseries that highlights Wisconsin counties, their people, culture, and history. The series has won an Emmy and received additional nominations. Each county featured gets a two-part broadcast documentary, streaming docuseries, social/digital stories, and podcast appearance.
• Authorize.NetminorOthersPayment processing partner for online transactions made through WCA's website. Authorize.Net, a solution of CyberSource Corporation (wholly owned subsidiary of Visa), handles payment gateway services.
• Attolles Law, s.c.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWCA General Counsel providing legal guidance. Andy Phillips of Attolles Law serves as WCA General Counsel and presents on webinars covering legal issues affecting county government including CMS rules, public records, and ethics.
• von Briesen & Roper, s.c.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing legal counsel on matters including first amendment audits, redistricting, nonferrous metallic mining regulations, and county government legal issues. Attorneys have presented on WCA webinars.
• Forward AnalyticscoreOthersResearch arm of WCA providing data analysis and research for counties. Publishes 'The Green Book: A Book of County Facts' and provides presentations on topics like broadband, affordability, and county data. Kevin Dospoy serves as Director of Forward Analytics.
• Wimmer & CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKyle Christianson of Wimmer & Company is listed as a partner working with WCA legislative staff.
• Thompson CommunicationsminorOthersMichelle Gormican Thompson of Thompson Communications is listed as a WCA staff member providing communications services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA): Professional association for state and local government finance officers — a related local-government membership organization with overlapping training, publications, and conference offerings.
• National League of Cities: Broader municipal-government association serving cities and towns nationally with advocacy and training; overlaps with WCA in serving local government but at a different jurisdictional level.
• National Governors Association: Broader governmental association representing U.S. governors; operates in the same state-level advocacy space as WCA but at a higher jurisdictional tier.

Direct peers

• National Association of Counties (NACo): Directly referenced on WCA's website as a related organization. NACo is the national-level counterpart providing advocacy, education, and member services to all U.S. county governments, with a comparable association-based business model.
• Texas Association of Counties: State-level membership association representing Texas counties, offering legislative advocacy, training, and risk management services — directly comparable to WCA's structure and member services.
• New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC): State-level association representing New York's county governments through legislative advocacy and member services — a comparable association model for an Eastern state.
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC): Statewide association representing California's 58 counties with legislative advocacy, training, and member service offerings that closely parallel WCA's portfolio.
• Iowa State Association of Counties: Membership association for Iowa counties providing advocacy and training at the state capitol; another Midwestern peer with a near-identical operating model.
• Illinois Association of County Board Members: Represents Illinois county board members with advocacy and education services; similar mission and structure, though Illinois has an additional township layer.
• Association of Minnesota Counties: Regional peer serving Minnesota counties with similar advocacy, education, and member support functions; geographically adjacent to Wisconsin and structurally analogous.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wiscounties
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/wicastudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wca-wisconsin-counties-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Wisconsin Counties Association