Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

What Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations does

AMPO (Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations) is a 501c4 non-profit membership association founded in 1994 that serves as the recognized national policy voice for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) — the regional planning agencies responsible for federally-required transportation planning in U.S. urbanized areas. The organization operates from the Washington, D.C. area (with operations cited in Arlington, VA) with a lean staff of 1–10 employees, and its deliverables include federal advocacy on surface transportation legislation (IIJA, FAST Act, MAP-21), technical training, peer convening across nine Interest Groups (Active Transportation, GIS & Data, Emerging Technologies, Environment & Resiliency, Performance Based Planning & Programming, Safety, Socioeconomic Forecasting, Transit, Public Involvement), and policy alignment with sister associations AASHTO, NARC, and NADO. The organization's product surface is centered on membership services, content, and events rather than software: the My AMPO member portal (a third-party membership CRM), the bi-weekly aMPO eMAIL newsletter (1,200+ subscribers), the Amped Up podcast (Spotify and Apple Podcasts), the Annual Conference, the Planning Tools & Training Symposium, an MPO Directory, a job board, an RFP/RFQ board, the 2026-launched AMPO NOFO Tracker, and the AMPO Research Foundation. Its business model is recurring annual membership dues from three member tiers (MPO Members, DOT Partners, Industry Partners — including Premier partners EcoInteractive/SOVRA, PMG, Open Point, StreetLight, and Bentley Systems) plus event registration revenue; AMPO's 501c4 designation permits direct federal lobbying, which is the organization's principal differentiator. There is no equity ownership, parent company, M&A history, or external capital structure — AMPO is a member-governed association with a Board of Directors and Policy Committee.

Name

Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

Legal name

Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

Website

https://ampo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AMPO is a 501c4 non-profit association founded in 1994 that serves as the national federal advocacy, training, and convening body for U.S. Metropolitan Planning Organizations, State DOTs, and transportation technology Industry Partners, funded via annual membership dues and event registrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / Transportation Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Infrastructure Planning, Capital Programs & Project Delivery Offices (PMOs) (BPAIALAJ)

Keywords

• Transportation planning advocacy
• Metropolitan planning organizations
• Policy advocacy services
• Professional association membership
• Transportation training events

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

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: AMPO generates revenue through membership dues from MPO members, DOT partners, and Industry Partners. The 501c4 non-profit designation allows lobbying for policy positions.
2. Event Registrations: Revenue generated from the AMPO Annual Conference and Planning Tools & Training Symposium registration fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AMPO is a 501c4 non-profit membership association that delivers federal policy advocacy, technical training, and collaborative resources for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), State DOTs, and Industry Partners. Its core offerings include the Annual Conference, Planning Tools & Training Symposium, member interest groups, policy advocacy on surface transportation legislation, the My AMPO member portal, and communication channels such as the aMPO eMAIL Newsletter and Amped Up Podcast.

Product overview

AMPO is a 501c4 non-profit organization serving as a membership association for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). The organization offers a unified suite of services including policy advocacy, technical expertise, education/training programs, and communications tools. Key offerings include the aMPO eMAIL Newsletter (bi-weekly communication to 1,200+ subscribers), Amped Up Podcast (official podcast), Annual Conference, Planning Tools & Training Symposium, MPO Directory, Job Board, RFP/RFQ Board, and the Research Foundation. The organization facilitates member collaboration through interest groups covering Active Transportation, GIS & Data, Emerging Technologies, Environment & Resiliency, Performance Based Planning & Programming, Safety, Socioeconomic Forecasting, and Transit. Members access services through the My AMPO portal, a third-party membership CRM platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Amped Up Podcast: AMPO's official podcast covering transportation planning topics, featuring interviews with MPO professionals and industry partners.

Products and services

• AMPO Membership (MPO, DOT, Industry Partner tiers) Annual membership program with tiered dues for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO Members), State Departments of Transportation (DOT Partners), and transportation industry companies (Industry Partners), providing access to policy advocacy, My AMPO member portal, interest groups, and discounted event rates.
• AMPO Annual Conference Annual in-person conference offering presentations and hands-on learning taught by experts, serving as the premier networking and education event for MPO transportation planning professionals.
• AMPO Planning Tools & Training Symposium Annual symposium tailored to MPO requirements, structured for small, medium, and large MPOs, providing peer-to-peer training on planning tools and applications.
• Job Board Online employment platform connecting MPOs with transportation planning talent through job postings and applications.
• My AMPO Member Portal Password-protected member portal that processes membership dues, facilitates forum discussions, archives newsletters, and delivers member updates for MPOs, DOTs, and Industry Partners.
• AMPO Research Foundation Research arm of AMPO dedicated to advancing metropolitan planning research and initiatives for MPOs and the transportation planning community.
• Amped Up Podcast Official AMPO podcast featuring interviews with transportation planning professionals, MPO case studies, geospatial mapping, and industry trends, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
• AMPO NOFO Tracker Resource tool for tracking federal Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) available to Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200+ transportation professionals receive aMPO eMAIL newsletter updates
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, flagship and major.

• AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMPO collaborates with AASHTO on joint policy letters, advocacy efforts, and the Amped Up podcast. The partnership includes joint comments on federal transportation policy, performance measure reporting, and census survey initiatives.
• NARC (National Association of Regional Councils)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMPO and NARC frequently submit joint comments on federal rulemaking and have collaborated on transit representation issues, MPO coordination NPRM, and transportation planning matters.
• NADO (National Association of Development Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-association collaboration with NARC and NADO on joint comments regarding MPO coordination, transportation planning regulations, and policy positions.
• EcoInteractive (by SOVRA)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Industry Partner delivering STIP and TIP software used for 20+ years across 29 states, streamlining collaboration among local, state, and federal stakeholders.
• PMGflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Industry Partner delivering integrated transportation planning and programming software that streamlines STIP, TIP, funding, and data workflows for public agencies.
• Open PointflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Industry Partner providing a digital community engagement platform that helps agencies collect, analyze, and act on public input through maps, surveys, and insights.
• StreetLightflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Industry Partner offering on-demand mobility analytics, transforming transportation planning with real-time, multimodal traffic insights across North America.
• Bentley SystemsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry Partner leveraging USDOT's Safe Streets and Roads for All Program to build data-driven platforms for safer transportation futures.
• East-West Gateway COG (MPO for St. Louis region)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Blueprint for Arterials project with Missouri DOT, exploring innovative approaches to designing roadways that meet urban and suburban needs.
• Missouri Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with East-West Gateway MPO on the Blueprint for Arterials, a collaborative vision for designing ideal roadways that satisfy all users.
• DVRPC (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Amped Up podcast episode on geospatial mapping and data, showcasing GIS tools and techniques that shape Philadelphia region's transportation landscape.
• USDOT/FHWA/FTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal engagement with USDOT agencies on federal transportation planning regulations, performance measures, and surface transportation legislation implementation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Public Transportation Association (APTA): Much larger national association representing public transit agencies and businesses. APTA covers transit planning (an AMPO interest group) but at a broader, more transit-focused scale with substantially larger staff and budget.
• Transportation Research Board (TRB): Program unit of the National Academies that produces research and convenes the annual TRB Annual Meeting. TRB overlaps with AMPO Research Foundation on metropolitan planning research and serves a much broader transportation research audience.
• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE): International professional association for transportation engineers offering standards, training, and advocacy. ITE overlaps with AMPO on technical training and transportation planning practice but serves a broader engineering membership.
• American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA): National association representing transportation construction and design-build firms. ARTBA is a much larger advocacy organization for the transportation infrastructure industry that overlaps with AMPO on federal policy and IIJA implementation.

Direct peers

• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO): Association of city transportation departments that produces design guidelines and policy positions on urban mobility. Overlaps with AMPO on metropolitan street design, active transportation, and federal funding advocacy.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): Represents regional development organizations, particularly in rural areas. NADO partners with AMPO and NARC on three-association federal advocacy efforts, putting it in the same peer tier of sub-state regional planning associations.
• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): Represents regional councils, which are closely related to MPOs and often share governance overlap. NARC and AMPO routinely file joint federal comments, making them near-direct peer associations serving sub-state regional planning entities.
• AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials): National association representing state DOTs - the counterpart to AMPO at the state level. AASHTO and AMPO jointly advocate on federal transportation policy and co-produce the Amped Up podcast, making it the closest peer.

Emerging players

• WTS International (Women's Transportation Seminar): Association focused on advancing women in transportation, with networking, awards, and policy advocacy. WTS shares MPO/DOT member bases with AMPO and overlaps on transportation workforce and policy programming.
• ITS America (Intelligent Transportation Society of America): Membership association advancing intelligent transportation systems and emerging mobility tech. ITS America overlaps with AMPO's Emerging Technologies and Active Transportation interest groups and competes for industry partner sponsorships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/assoc_mpos
• Facebookfacebook.com/AssocMPOs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-metropolitan-planning-organizations-inc.

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 Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations