Council for Quality Growth

What Council for Quality Growth does

The Council for Quality Growth (CQG) is a Georgia-based 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1985 and headquartered at 5901 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Atlanta's Palisades Office Park. It is a membership-based advocacy organization serving the metro Atlanta development industry across 15 counties and 95 local governments, convening private-sector developers, engineers, contractors, banks, law firms, Community Improvement Districts (CIDs), and public-sector officials for policy advocacy, networking, and education.

The organization's product surface is event- and program-centric rather than technology-centric. Core offerings include The INTERSECTION Conference (annual quality development conference, with the 2026 edition themed around AI in the built environment), the Four Pillar Tribute (annual awards gala, 37th edition scheduled for October 1, 2026 at the Georgia World Congress Center), a State of the County series, Meet & Greet, Annual Meeting & Legislative Reception, and CID Recognition events; advisory roundtables across 13+ metro Atlanta geographies; and the Quality Growth Institute (501(c)(3) education affiliate) along with the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) founded in 2017. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed, while conference registration is set at $115 for members and $135 for non-members.

Revenue derives from three streams: recurring membership dues from companies in real estate, construction, engineering, banking, legal, and energy; event registration fees; and corporate sponsorships of signature events. The organization is led by President & CEO Michael Paris and operates without any parent company, external investors, or publicly disclosed financials. Premier members include Georgia Power, Truist, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Selig Enterprises, Pope & Land Enterprises, Kimley-Horn, Holder Construction, Morris Manning & Martin, and Perimeter CIDs.

Name

Council for Quality Growth

Legal name

Council for Quality Growth

Website

https://councilforqualitygrowth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Council for Quality Growth is a 1985-founded Atlanta-based non-profit trade association that advocates for the metro Atlanta development industry across 15 counties and 95 local governments, delivering member services, signature advocacy events, county advisory roundtables, and educational programming through its Quality Growth Institute affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association / Regional Development Advocacy

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Regional development advocacy
• Industry trade association
• Membership organization
• Public policy advocacy
• Professional networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta, Georgia

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization generates primary revenue through membership fees from companies in the development, real estate, construction, engineering, and related industries. Membership provides access to advocacy services, advisory committees, networking events, and policy resources.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from conference and event registrations. The INTERSECTION Conference charges $115 for members and $135 for non-members.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for signature events including The INTERSECTION Conference, Four Pillar Tribute, State of the County series, and other events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Council for Quality Growth is a non-profit membership organization that delivers industry advocacy, advisory services, networking events, and educational programming to the metro Atlanta growth and development industry. It convenes public and private sector leaders across 15 counties and 95 local governments through advisory roundtables, signature conferences, and legislative engagement. Membership tiers and event registrations are its primary commercial units, with corporate sponsorships providing additional funding for flagship events.

Product overview

The Council for Quality Growth is a membership-based advocacy organization serving metro Atlanta's development and growth industry, not a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of signature events (The INTERSECTION Conference, Four Pillar Tribute, State of County series, Meet & Greet, CID Recognition, Annual Meeting), professional development programs (Emerging Leaders Initiative, Quality Growth Institute), and advisory services across 13+ metro Atlanta counties. These services are interconnected through membership, providing advocacy, networking, and education to the development community. The organization functions as a convening body between public policy and private investment sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quality Growth Institute: The education arm of the Council for Quality Growth, established as a 501(c)(3) organization, responsible for the annual INTERSECTION conference and professional development programs.
• Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI)

Products and services

• The INTERSECTION Conference Annual quality development conference where public policy and private investment meet to discuss metro Atlanta's critical development issues; the 2026 edition focuses on artificial intelligence transforming the development industry and the built environment. Delivered through the Quality Growth Institute education arm.
• Four Pillar Tribute Prestigious annual awards event recognizing individuals demonstrating Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity in regional leadership; the 37th Annual event is scheduled for October 1, 2026 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
• Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) Leadership development program for young professionals in the development industry, including networking events, leadership panels, and policy discussions; available to all members of the Council.
• Quality Growth Institute Education arm of the Council, operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, that develops educational content and produces The INTERSECTION Conference and other professional development programming for the development community.
• Advisory Roundtables Monthly geographic advisory committee meetings across Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, North Fulton, Rockdale, South Metro, and City of Atlanta counties, providing advocacy coordination and information sharing for the development community.
• Advocacy Services Advocacy on state and local issues affecting members' business, including legislative agenda, bill tracking, and Government Affairs Task Force activity across county, city, state, regional, and federal government levels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Membership provides access to coalition influencing region's quality growth
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, important and minor.

• Quality Growth InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Quality Growth Institute is the education arm of the Council for Quality Growth, established as a 501(c)(3) organization. It produces The INTERSECTION Conference and other educational programming for the development community.
• Atlanta Regional CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC is a regional planning agency covering 21 metro Atlanta counties. The Council works with ARC on population forecasts, transportation planning, and regional development initiatives.
• Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency overseeing regional transit planning. The Council advocates for transit improvements and coordinates with ATL on transit SPLOST initiatives in Gwinnett and Cobb counties.
• Georgia General AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState legislature with whom the Council engages through annual Legislative Reception and ongoing advocacy on development-related legislation.
• MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority)importantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic transit agency. The Council collaborates on State of MARTA events and advocates for transit connectivity improvements across the region.
• Atlanta Beltline, Inc. and Atlanta Beltline PartnershipimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizations driving Atlanta BeltLine redevelopment. The Council works with them on State of the BeltLine events and infrastructure advocacy.
• Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue partner for Cobb County Advisory meetings at GAWP office in Marietta.
• Cobb Business AllianceimportantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganization promoting the Cobb MSPLOST referendum. The Council proudly supports their transportation initiatives.
• Douglas County ChamberimportantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganization promoting the Douglas County Transportation SPLOST. The Council supports their efforts for transportation improvements.
• County Governments (Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEight metro Atlanta counties collaborating with the Council on annual State of the County events, advisory committees, and policy advocacy. The Council works across 15 counties and 95 local governments.
• Community Improvement Districts (CIDs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple CIDs across metro Atlanta including Cumberland CID, Perimeter CID, Gwinnett Village CID (Gateway85 CID), Aerotropolis Atlanta CIDs, Lilburn CID, and others. The Council provides CID recognition events and advocates for CID infrastructure projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association: Local trade association for residential builders and developers in metro Atlanta. Closest geographic peer to the Council, serving an overlapping development-industry membership base with a parallel advocacy and event-driven business model.
• NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association): The leading U.S. trade association for commercial real estate developers, owners, and investors. Directly comparable to the Council for Quality Growth in its membership-based advocacy model serving the same real estate development industry, though operating at national scale rather than Atlanta-only.
• Atlanta Apartment Association: Local trade association for the multifamily rental housing industry in metro Atlanta. Comparable in its event-driven, advocacy-led engagement with development industry members, though narrower in scope (multifamily only).
• ACEC Georgia (American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia): State chapter of the national engineering industry trade association. Shares a comparable membership-based advocacy and event-driven model, and firms like Kimley-Horn are members of both organizations.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Georgia: Georgia chapter of the national construction industry trade association. Represents overlapping general contractor and subcontractor members (e.g., Holder Construction is a Council premier member) using a parallel advocacy and event convening model.

Regional players

• Georgia Chamber of Commerce: Statewide business advocacy organization that operates in adjacent policy territory - particularly around state-level legislation and SPLOST referenda - that the Council engages through its Government Affairs Task Force.
• Metro Atlanta Chamber: Broader regional business membership organization for metro Atlanta. Comparable in its regional convening role across public and private sectors but spans all industries rather than specializing in development and growth.

Others

• Atlanta Regional Commission: Regional planning agency covering 21 metro Atlanta counties. Listed as a Core strategic partner of the Council and engages the same development ecosystem on regional planning, transportation, and population forecasting.

Broad incumbents

• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC): Global trade association for the retail real estate industry. Comparable in its member-driven advocacy and conference programming for commercial real estate professionals, including many Atlanta-based retail developers in the Council's membership.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Global research and education organization focused on land use and real estate development. Overlaps heavily with the Council's quality-growth advocacy mission and serves many of the same Atlanta-region members through its ULI Atlanta district council.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/qualitygrowth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ATLQualityGrowth
• Facebookfacebook.com/councilforqualitygrowth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-for-quality-growth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Council for Quality Growth