High Country Council Of Governments

What High Country Council Of Governments does

The High Country Council of Governments (HCCOG) is a regional joint governmental agency founded in 1974, headquartered at 468 New Market Blvd, Boone, North Carolina. It serves seven counties (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey) and 19 municipalities in western North Carolina, governed by an Executive Board with one delegate per local government. The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of government services organized into five departments: the Area Agency on Aging (caregiver support, health promotion, in-home aide, transportation, legal services, Long-Term Care Ombudsman); Planning & Development (land-use and comprehensive planning, economic development strategy, GIS/GNSS services on ESRI/Trimble, Community Development Block Grant administration, and the High Country Rural Transportation Planning Organization chartered in 2002 with NCDOT); Workforce Development (the High Country Workforce Development Board serving employers and job seekers across NCWorks centers); Economic Recovery & Resilience (American Rescue Plan Act/SLFRF/LATCF administration, disaster recovery support following Hurricane Helene, opioid settlement administration); and Digital Opportunities (device distribution, low-cost internet, and digital skills training across the seven-county region). The entity also operates the Region D Development Corporation (RDDC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit under contract with HCCOG, to foster employment and business expansion.

HCCOG operates as a non-commercial, membership-based public agency rather than a revenue-generating business. Its funding comes from federal grants (HUD CDBG, ARC, USDA Rural Development, US EDA, FEMA), state allocations, member government dues, and philanthropic partners (Dogwood Health Trust, NC State Employees Credit Union, GoldenLEAF Foundation, NC Rural Economic Development Center). Reported program outcomes include $5,688,842 in grant funds obtained for member local governments, ~6,000 aging-program participants, and 8,650 workforce customers. HCCOG has no commercial pricing model, no commercial customers, and no investor ownership; its staff of approximately 30 employees works across the five departments plus Administration and Finance. There are no AI/ML capabilities, commercial products, or proprietary technology platforms in the conventional technology sense — the technical footprint is centered on ESRI/Trimble GIS mapping, the High Country Regional Resilience & Disaster Recovery web application, and the GIS Hub portal for member governments.

Name

High Country Council Of Governments

Legal name

High Country Council of Governments

Website

https://hccog.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The High Country Council of Governments, founded in 1974, is a regional joint agency serving seven counties and 19 municipalities in western North Carolina, delivering aging, planning/GIS, workforce development, economic recovery, and digital opportunity services funded by federal and state grants and member dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Government Services

NAICS

Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Business Service Centers (56143)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) Coordination & Case Management (HSABAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Independent Living Community Ancillary Services (Dining/Transportation/Wellness Programs) (HLADAAAI)

Keywords

• Regional government services
• Council of governments
• Area agency on aging
• Workforce development services
• Community development planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Boone

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: HCCOG operates as a designated regional council of governments funded through government grants, federal programs (American Rescue Plan Act, HUD Community Development Block Grant), state funding, and member dues. The organization administers various federal and state programs including SLFRF technical assistance, LATCF assistance, CDBG programs, and Appalachian Regional Commission funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HCCOG is a regional council of governments providing intergovernmental services to 7 counties and 19 municipalities in the High Country region of North Carolina. Core offerings are organized into five service areas: Area Agency on Aging (caregiver support, in-home aide, nutrition, health promotion, ombudsman), Planning & Development (land-use planning, economic development, GIS, transportation planning via the RPO), Workforce Development (employer and job seeker services), Economic Recovery & Resilience (ARPA fund administration, disaster recovery, opioid settlement support), and Digital Opportunities (device distribution, digital literacy, broadband access).

Product overview

The High Country Council of Governments (HCCOG) is a regional council providing governmental services to 7 counties and 19 municipalities in western North Carolina since 1974. Rather than a unified software product, HCCOG offers an integrated portfolio of government services organized into five core departments: Aging Services (Area Agency on Aging providing caregiver support, community-based services, health promotion, legal services, and Long-Term Care Ombudsman); Planning & Development (including land-use planning, economic development via the Region D Development Corporation, GIS Services, and transportation planning through the High Country RPO); Workforce Development (High Country Workforce Development Board serving employers and job seekers); Economic Recovery & Resilience (American Rescue Plan Act administration, SLFRF technical assistance, disaster recovery, and opioid settlement fund support); and Digital Opportunities (device distribution, low-cost internet assistance, and digital skills training). The organization secured $5,688,842 in grant funds for regional local governments and served approximately 6,000 aging community members and 8,650 individual workforce customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• High Country Workforce Development Board: Workforce development programs helping employers meet workforce needs, helping individuals build careers, and strengthening the local economy.
• Area Agency on Aging
• Department of Economic Recovery and Resilience
• High Country Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO)

Products and services

• Area Agency on Aging Provides support and resources for older adults and adults with disabilities through direct services and provider network, including caregiver support, community-based services, health promotion, legal services, and Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs.
• Planning & Development

Named customers11 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute for Emerging Issues BAND-NC (NC State University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025HCCOG contracted with BAND-NC to develop the High Country Digital Opportunities Plan covering all 7 High Country counties, aligning with the State's effort to have all 100 counties served by a Plan.
• E2D (E-squared)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerE2D is HCCOG's main device supplier for refurbished laptops. Both E2D and Kramden donated devices after Hurricane Helene. E2D focuses on laptop distribution while Kramden focuses on desktops.
• Kramden InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevice supplier for desktop computers. Partnered with E2D across the state and donated devices after Hurricane Helene.
• NCWorks Offices / High Country Workforce Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong workforce development partner providing job seeker services, employer connections, and device distribution through career centers across the High Country region.
• NCDHHS Division of AgingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees Area Agencies on Aging programs; HCCOG serves as the designated AAA for the High Country region.
• Appalachian Mountain Alliance for Youth (AMY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative initiative supported by Dogwood Health Trust bringing together regional partners to expand broadband access, digital literacy, and device availability. HCCOG serves as one of four cohort members including W.A.M.Y Community Action, Toe River Valley Regional Library, and Avery County.
• NC Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent funding agency for economic and community development grants. HCCOG staff assist local governments with grant applications and administration.
• NC Department of Environmental QualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure funding including CDBG-Infrastructure programs. HCCOG assists with grant administration.
• NC Department of Public Safety / Emergency ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides emergency management and hazard mitigation funding opportunities. HCCOG assists communities with FEMA funding administration and disaster recovery.
• W.A.M.Y. Community ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMY Digital Opportunity Cohort member serving Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties with digital opportunity programs.
• Toe River Valley Regional LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMY Digital Opportunity Cohort member providing digital literacy resources and services in the region.
• Regional/County Library SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital opportunity partners providing digital skills resources and Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments.
• Senior CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital opportunity partners in the region providing digital literacy support and resources for older adults.
• Wilkes Recovery RevolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Opportunity Fund subgrantee providing digital opportunity services in Wilkes County.
• Southeast Regional Directors Institute (SERDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted strategic assessment of HCCOG during Fall 2023, consisting of surveys, focus groups, and executive board work sessions.
• Region D Development Corporation (RDDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) non-profit operated under contract with HCCOG to foster increased employment and expansion of business and industry. The HCCOG Executive Board serves as the RDDC membership.
• NCDOT Transportation Planning DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with HCCOG on rural transportation planning through the High Country RPO, developing comprehensive transportation plans and priority needs lists.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments: NC council of governments providing regional planning, workforce development, and aging services to member counties and municipalities in northwestern North Carolina.
• Triangle J Council of Governments: Regional council of governments serving the Research Triangle area of North Carolina with planning, workforce, and community development services across member counties.
• Southwestern Commission ( Southwestern Regional Council of Governments ): Another North Carolina regional council of governments serving a multi-county region with planning, economic development, and aging services, operating under the same state legal framework as HCCOG.
• Isothermal Planning and Development Commission: Multi-county regional planning and development organization in western North Carolina offering comparable aging, planning, workforce, and community development services to member governments.
• Piedmont Triad Regional Council: Regional council of governments serving the Piedmont Triad region with planning, economic development, workforce, and aging programs to multiple counties and municipalities.
• Centralina Regional Council: Regional council of governments serving the Charlotte metropolitan region of North Carolina with similar portfolio of services including planning, workforce, aging, and community development.
• Eastern Carolina Council of Governments: North Carolina regional council providing aging, planning, workforce, and economic development services to member governments in eastern NC, operating under the same state COG framework as HCCOG.
• Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments: Regional council of governments serving western North Carolina counties and municipalities with similar services including Area Agency on Aging, planning, workforce development, and economic development. Most direct structural and functional peer to HCCOG within the same state.

Others

• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state regional development agency that funds economic development in Appalachian regions including those served by HCCOG; acts as both a key funding partner and broader contextual entity in the regional economic development ecosystem.
• W.A.M.Y. Community Action: Community action agency in the High Country region that partners with HCCOG on the AMY Digital Opportunity Cohort, providing overlapping social services and digital equity programs in overlapping counties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hccog
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@highcountrycouncilofgovernments
• Facebookfacebook.com/HCCOGNC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/high-country-council-of-governments

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 High Country Council Of Governments