Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

What Metropolitan Mayors Caucus does

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1997 that represents 275 cities, towns, and villages across the Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties), reaching over nine million residents. Its core function is regional convening — bringing together chief elected officials and municipal staff to address cross-jurisdictional issues including environmental sustainability, transportation electrification, housing affordability, recycling, ADA accessibility, age-friendly communities, and diversity/inclusion. Delivery occurs through committee structures, cohort-based cohort training, technical assistance, and grant-funded initiatives that are provided at no direct cost to member municipalities. A small Chicago-based staff (1–10) coordinates these activities and is led by Executive Director Neil James, with an Executive Board chaired by Romeoville Mayor John D. Noak.

The programmatic portfolio spans frameworks (Greenest Region Compact with 49 sustainability goals across 10 categories; EV Readiness Checklist with 131 possible actions and Bronze/Silver/Gold designations), service programs (Homes for a Changing Region housing planning since 2005 serving 70+ municipalities; EV Readiness Program launched 2022 with ComEd; Age-Friendly Communities Collaborative; Community Solar Clearinghouse), and recent grant-funded campaigns including Feed the Cart (largest recycling education effort in Illinois history, $2M EPA) and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure deployment (196 EV stations across 34 communities, $14.5M U.S. DOT). Distribution runs through 10 regional municipal league channel partners; technology surface is limited to a WordPress-based website and Submittable for program applications — there are no APIs, no mobile apps, and no proprietary software products.

The revenue model is membership-dues plus competitive grant funding plus limited partnership funding (notably ComEd). Because services are free to members and many of the largest grants are pass-through for capital projects, the organization's core operating budget is small relative to total funds flowing through its programs. Governance is by a rotating Executive Board of elected municipal officials, with leadership transitioning in November 2025 to Mayor John Noak. The organization has no parent company, no external equity ownership, and no documented M&A or restructuring activity.

Name

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

Legal name

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

Website

https://mayorscaucus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a 1997-founded nonprofit membership organization representing 275 Chicago-region municipalities, delivering convening, technical assistance, and grant-funded programs in sustainability, EV readiness, housing, and recycling across northeastern Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Business Associations (81391), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

State Legislature/Regional Assembly Administration (BPAIABAB), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Regional sustainability programs
• Housing planning assistance
• EV readiness initiatives
• Recycling education campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization operates as a membership organization funded through dues from its 275 member municipalities across the Chicago metropolitan region.
2. Federal and State Grants: The Caucus secures competitive grants from federal and state sources including U.S. DOT ($14.5 million CFI grant), EPA ($2 million recycling grant), and various state agency grants. These grants fund specific programs and initiatives.
3. Partnership Funding: Partnership funding from organizations like ComEd supports programs including the EV Readiness Program, Whole Home Electric program, and Powering Safe Communities grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a membership organization of 275 cities, towns, and villages in the Chicago metropolitan region. It delivers policy collaboration, technical assistance, and grant-funded programs across environmental sustainability, housing and community development, transportation electrification, recycling education, and diversity/inclusion initiatives. Programs are delivered free of charge to member municipalities through staff-led training, cohort-based cohorts, and structured frameworks.

Product overview

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a membership organization of 275 Chicago-region municipalities offering a portfolio of collaborative programs focused on regional sustainability, housing, diversity, and community development. Key programs include the EV Readiness Program (helping communities prepare for electric vehicles), Homes for a Changing Region (housing planning technical assistance), the Greenest Region Compact (sustainability goals framework), Feed the Cart (recycling education campaign), Home Grown (housing strategies database), and initiatives supporting ADA compliance, age-friendly communities, diversity/equity/inclusion, community solar, and energy efficiency. The organization also assists with federal grant programs including Charging and Fueling Infrastructure grants and manages legislative advocacy for local government funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Home Grown: Online resource documenting successful housing policies, programs, and developments from across the Chicago region with over 70 case studies.
• Feed the Cart
• Governing Through Change
• Homes for a Changing Region
• Greenest Region Compact
• EV Readiness Program

Products and services

• EV Readiness Program A program helping municipalities prepare for electric vehicle adoption by updating zoning codes, streamlining permitting processes, strengthening community engagement, and training first responders. Communities earn Bronze, Silver, or Gold EV Ready Community designation.
• Homes for a Changing Region Housing planning program providing free technical assistance through data analysis, community surveys, focus group discussions, expert panels, and housing action plans to help municipalities address local housing challenges. Has served over 70 municipalities since 2005.
• Greenest Region Compact

Quantifiable outcome

• 497,444 tons of recyclables collected region-wide in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• UL SolutionssecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Hosting partner for EV Readiness Program award ceremonies. Global safety science leader offering testing, inspection and certification services. Located in Northbrook, Illinois.
• ComEdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Strategic partnership with ComEd (unit of Exelon Corporation) supporting the EV Readiness Program, Whole Home Electric program, Powering Safe Communities grants, and fleet electrification assessments. ComEd provides nearly $90 million in EV funding and technical support for transportation electrification across northern Illinois.
• Argonne National LaboratorysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Federal research partner supporting the EV Readiness Program through knowledge and innovation contribution. Located in Lemont, Illinois.
• Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) campaign covering northern Cook County communities.
• Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) campaign covering Lake County communities.
• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed to Priority Climate Action Plan development. CMAP will lead in developing the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan for the Chicago MSA due in 2025.
• DuPage CountysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner for recycling education campaign and Feed the Cart initiative covering DuPage County (900,000 people).
• Kane CountysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner for recycling education campaign covering Kane County (500,000 people).
• McHenry CountysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner for recycling education campaign covering McHenry County (300,000 people).
• Will CountysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner for recycling education campaign covering Will County (700,000 people).
• Center for Equity, Effectiveness and Efficiency (C3E)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for the Governing Through Change blog series examining collaborative governance in the Chicago metropolitan region.
• IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor partner in the EV Readiness Program coalition of over 70 regional partners.
• Resource InnovationssecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for ComEd's Whole Home Electric program supporting income-eligible residents with heating/cooling upgrades.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International City/County Management Association (ICMA): International association of professional local government administrators providing training, research, and technical assistance to municipal executives and managers. Comparable professional support model serving local government staff.
• National Association of Counties (NACo): National membership organization representing U.S. county governments with policy advocacy and program support, structurally analogous to MMC's municipal-government membership model.
• National League of Cities: National membership organization of U.S. municipalities providing policy advocacy, training, and resources—the national-level analog to MMC's regional convener role. Directly comparable model of municipal membership association serving cities and towns.
• U.S. Conference of Mayors: National nonpartisan organization of U.S. mayors, comparable to MMC's focus on mayor-led collaboration on regional and national policy issues. Closest direct organizational analog at the national level.

Direct peers

• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP): Regional planning body for the Chicago MSA, currently leading the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan for the region. Overlaps directly with MMC on regional climate, land use, and community development work.
• Regional Plan Association (RPA): Independent regional planning organization serving the New York–New Jersey–Connecticut metro area with research and advocacy on land use, transportation, and sustainability—a direct geographic-functional analog to MMC.
• Illinois Municipal League: State-level membership association of Illinois municipalities providing legislative advocacy, training, and resources—the state-level complement to MMC's regional focus.

Emerging players

• Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN): Peer network of municipal sustainability directors from large U.S. cities. Operates in the same sustainability-program space as MMC's Greenest Region Compact and EV Readiness work.
• Smart Growth America: National coalition advancing equitable, sustainable land use and development policies. Overlaps with MMC's housing (Homes for a Changing Region) and sustainability programming.

Others

• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA): Professional association serving state and local government finance officials with training, certification, and resources. Comparable membership-based nonprofit serving local government practitioners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mayorscaucus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCC9S-b9p9MsuQheUlnP7cXg
• Facebookfacebook.com/mayorscaucus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metropolitan-mayors-caucus
• Instagraminstagram.com/mayorscaucus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Metropolitan Mayors Caucus