Croatian County Association

What Croatian County Association does

The Croatian County Association (Hrvatska zajednica županija, HRVZZ) is a non-profit association founded in 2001 that represents all 20 Croatian counties and the City of Zagreb as their unified coordination and advocacy body. Headquartered in Zagreb (Ivana Zahara 9) with approximately 15 staff, it facilitates inter-county cooperation, represents regional interests at national and EU institutions (European Committee of the Regions, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, CEMR), and runs working groups on EU funds, finance, education, health, agriculture, and related policy areas. Its operational surface includes the digital transparency platform 'Otvoreni proračun i Otvorene županije' (open-budget and open-county initiative), the recurring photo competition 'Volim svoju županiju', a cookbook project 'Kuharica', and co-organization of the annual 'Best EU Project' competition with Jutarnji list and the European Parliament Office in Croatia.

The association does not sell commercial technology products. Its core 'technology' is a digital collaboration and transparency platform supporting open-budget publishing and open-government coordination across Croatian counties, with integrations spanning county-level administrative data. It generates no proprietary SaaS revenue; instead, it is funded by membership contributions from its 21 member jurisdictions and supplemented by EU project co-financing (CERV, REC, DEAR programs), grants from partners such as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, and the US Embassy, and media/event partnerships (Jutarnji list, Lider, Hotel Westin Zagreb). Its go-to-market is not commercial: it engages its members (county prefects and administrations) directly through working groups, plenary sessions, conferences, and joint EU project applications, and reaches the broader public through its website, social media, and annual flagship events.

Name

Croatian County Association

Legal name

Hrvatska zajednica županija

Website

https://hrvzz.hr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Croatian County Association (Hrvatska zajednica županija) is a non-profit founded in 2001 that coordinates and represents all 20 Croatian counties and the City of Zagreb at national and EU institutions, funded by membership contributions and EU project co-financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Government Coordination

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIABAO

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAGAHAG

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAIACAN

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

Keywords

• Regional government coordination
• Inter-county cooperation
• EU project facilitation
• Public administration advocacy
• Regional development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Zagreb

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: Croatian counties (as members) contribute to fund the association's operations and activities

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Croatian County Association (Hrvatska zajednica županija) is a non-profit association that coordinates and represents all 20 Croatian counties and the City of Zagreb. It facilitates inter-county cooperation, organizes working groups on topics such as EU funds, finance, education, health, and agriculture, implements joint projects (including the 'Volim svoju županiju' photo competition, 'Otvoreni proračun' open-budget initiative, and the 'Best EU Project' competition), and represents county interests before national government and European institutions.

Product overview

The Croatian County Association (Hrvatska zajednica županija) is a non-profit association of 20 Croatian counties and the City of Zagreb. It does not offer commercial technology products or services. The organization facilitates cooperation among counties, coordinates joint initiatives, manages collaborative projects (such as 'Volim svoju županiju' photo competition, 'Otvoreni proračun' open budget initiative, and European project coordination), and organizes professional working groups, conferences, and educational events for regional government development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Volim svoju županiju: Annual photo competition showcasing Croatian counties' natural beauty, cultural heritage, and traditions.
• Otvoreni proračun i Otvorene županije
• Kuharica

Products and services

• Volim svoju županiju (Photo Competition) Annual photo competition organized by the Croatian County Association that showcases the natural beauty, cultural heritage, and traditions of Croatia's 20 counties, engaging members and the public through voting.
• Otvoreni proračun i Otvorene županije (Open Budget and Open Counties) Digital technology project that promotes transparent, open, and smart governance across Croatian counties by applying digital tools to county budget management.
• Kuharica (Cookbook) Cookbook project published as part of the 'Volim svoju županiju' initiative, featuring traditional recipes from Croatian counties prepared with modern culinary techniques.
• Izbor za najbolji EU projekt (Best EU Project Competition) Annual competition co-organized with Jutarnji list, the European Parliament Office in Croatia, and the župan.hr portal to recognize and promote the best EU-funded projects implemented by Croatian counties.
• Regional Development Forum 'Investicije u fokusu' Annual forum co-organized with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Lider business weekly that convenes county representatives, government institutions, the financial sector, and entrepreneurs to discuss regional investment priorities such as affordable housing, energy security, and sustainable development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1700+ public votes in photo competition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Konrad Adenauer Foundation (Zaklada Konrad Adenauer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Partnership for organizing the Regional Development Forum 'Investicije u fokusu'. Foundation director Norbert Eschborn participated in opening remarks, highlighting importance of local-level cooperation in development policies.
• Lider (business weekly)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the Regional Development Forum. Provides media coverage and promotion of regional investment topics.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU funding provider for various projects including CERV program (children's participation), REC program (work-life balance), and DEAR approach projects. Multiple projects co-financed by the European Commission.
• Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation through the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Croatian delegation participates in plenary sessions.
• European Committee of the RegionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroatian counties represented in the European Committee of the Regions, participating in EU regional policy discussions.
• CEMR (Council of European Municipalities and Regions)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational municipal and regional cooperation organization connecting European local and regional authorities.
• Jutarnji listcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual 'Best EU Project' competition co-organized with Jutarnji list, European Parliament Office in Croatia, and Župan.hr portal.
• European Parliament Office in Croatia (Ured Europskog parlamenta u Hrvatskoj)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of Best EU Project competition, provides visibility for county projects at EU level.
• SAFU (Središnja agencija za financiranje i ugovaranje)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCentral Agency for Financing and Contracting of EU Programs and Projects provides patronage for Best EU Project competition.
• ALDA - European Association for Local DemocracyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LADDER project (2015-2017) focusing on sustainable development, human rights, and citizen participation.
• US Embassy in CroatiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding provider for anti-corruption and transparency training project through Small Grants Program.
• Institute for Development and International Relations (IDIR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in anti-corruption training project, jointly developed educational materials.
• Savez društava 'Naša djeca' HrvatskeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in children's participation project 'Utjecaj, a ne ukras' funded by EU CERV program.
• Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject lead for 'Rekreiraj život i posao' work-life balance project with HRZZ as partner.
• Spona Code d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in gender equality project 'Rekreiraj život i posao'.
• Institute for Research and Education 'Zaposlena mama'minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject lead for 'Mi Možemo Jednako' gender stereotypes project with HRZZ as partner.
• Faculty of Philosophy, University of ZagrebminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in 'Mi Možemo Jednako' gender equality education project.
• HAKOM (Hrvatska regulatorna agencija za mrežne djelatnosti)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organizer of workshops on electronic communications infrastructure in county spatial plans.
• Algebra University (Sveučilište Algebra Bernays)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in AI education and investment attraction workshops for county officials and entrepreneurs.
• European Commission Representation in CroatiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organizer of PR professional meeting and European simulation activities.
• Hotel Westin ZagrebminorOthersVenue partner for Regional Development Forum events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR/SALAR): Membership organization representing Sweden's municipalities and regions, coordinating inter-governmental interests, EU engagement, and joint development projects — same role at a larger scale.
• Italian National Association of Municipalities (ANCI): Italy's national association of municipalities, providing representation, training, and EU project support to member cities. Directly comparable in function and scale of EU-integration mandate.
• National Association of Counties (NACo): US membership association of all 3,000+ county governments, providing policy advocacy, training, and program coordination. Directly comparable as a national-level association of sub-state regional governments.
• German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB): Germany's federal municipal association advocating for city and county interests. Comparable in role of representing sub-state governments and coordinating cross-jurisdictional initiatives.
• Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic: Czech national association of municipalities with a comparable Central European EU-member-state mandate: representing local-government interests, coordinating EU project access, and facilitating inter-municipal cooperation.
• Association of Finnish Municipalities: Finland's national association of municipalities providing policy advocacy, training, and development services — same institutional role at similar European scale.
• Austrian Association of Cities and Towns: Austria's national association of cities and towns representing municipal interests federally and at EU level. Directly comparable as a Central European counterpart.
• Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP): Spain's national association of municipalities and provinces, providing coordinated representation at national and EU levels and supporting inter-municipal cooperation — directly comparable institutional function.

Broad incumbents

• Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR): Pan-European umbrella association of national local-government associations — HRVZZ is itself a member. Comparable in advocacy and convening role but at a broader, multi-country level.
• European Committee of the Regions: EU political assembly of regional and local representatives — HRVZZ participates through this body. Comparable as the supranational convener of regional government voices in EU policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HRVZZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/croatian-county-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Croatian County Association