N.A.D.O.

What N.A.D.O. does

N.A.D.O. (National Association of Development Organizations) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit membership association founded in 1967 and headquartered in Washington, DC. The organization represents a national network of more than 500 Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) — multi-jurisdictional, quasi-governmental entities such as Councils of Government, Planning and Development Districts, and Regional Planning Commissions — as well as over 400 federally-designated Economic Development Districts (EDDs). Its core function is to provide federal policy advocacy, peer learning, professional development, research, and capacity-building resources to these regional entities, with primary operational accountability to the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, USDA, and EPA.

NADO operates a portfolio of program affiliates and initiatives rather than proprietary technology products. Its affiliated entities include the NADO Research Foundation (a 501(c)(3) established in 1988 that conducts research, training, and technical assistance) and RPO America (a program affiliate established in 2006 serving regional and rural transportation professionals). Member-facing digital assets include the My NADO member portal (my.nado.org), an interactive EDD Map built on ArcGIS, the CEDS Central resource repository, and the Membership Map. Programs include the EDD Community of Practice (peer learning groups, CEDS peer exchanges, mentor program, and wealth creation cohort), the Emerging Leaders Training Program, the Rural Energy Academy, the Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards (operating since 1986), and the Excellence in Regional Transportation Award. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products, offer an API, or maintain third-party software integrations.

NADO's revenue is generated through five channels: tiered annual membership dues from RDOs ($3,000 to $10,000 across General, Sustaining, Platinum, Platinum Plus, and Diamond tiers), affiliate membership dues from non-RDO organizations ($1,000 to $2,000), RPO America subscriptions ($500 to $1,500), conference registration fees for the Annual Training Conference, National Regional Transportation Conference, and Washington Conference (co-hosted with DDAA), and federal grant funding channeled through the NADO Research Foundation (notably EDA award ED22HDQ3070106 supporting the EDD CoP). The organization is governed by a 65-member Board of Directors organized into six U.S. regional chapters, with an Executive Committee led by a President drawn from the membership base; staff size is approximately 20–25 individuals.

Name

N.A.D.O.

Legal name

National Association of Development Organizations

Website

https://nado.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) is a 501(c)(4) membership association founded in 1967 that provides federal advocacy, training, research, and peer networking to over 500 Regional Development Organizations and 400 Economic Development Districts across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Development Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program Management (BPADAOAC)

Keywords

• Regional development organizations
• Economic development districts
• Federal advocacy services
• Rural transportation planning
• Community development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Standard Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from RDOs at five tiers: General ($3,000), Sustaining ($4,000), Platinum ($5,000), Platinum Plus ($7,000), and Diamond ($10,000). These dues fund advocacy, publications, conferences, and member services.
2. Affiliate Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from non-RDO organizations including tribal governments, local governments, state agencies, nonprofits, and private sector firms. Associate level: $1,000; Partner level: $2,000.
3. RPO America Subscriptions: Optional paid subscriptions supporting rural transportation advocacy: Bronze ($500), Silver ($1,000), Gold ($1,500) annually. These contributions fund NADO's transportation policy tracking and capacity building.
4. Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from Annual Training Conference, National Regional Transportation Conference, and Washington Conference registrations. Fees vary by membership level ($700-$950 non-members; discounted for members) plus mobile workshop fees.
5. EDA Funding (NADO Research Foundation): Federal funding from U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) supporting the EDD Community of Practice program and related technical assistance activities. Grant award ED22HDQ3070106.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NADO is a 501c4 membership association representing more than 500 Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) across the United States. It provides federal advocacy, professional training, research publications, peer-learning networks, and annual conferences to support regional community and economic development practitioners. Core programming is delivered through the NADO Research Foundation (501c3), RPO America transportation program affiliate, and the EDD Community of Practice.

Product overview

N.A.D.O. (National Association of Development Organizations) operates as a membership-based association organization rather than a software product company. The core offering consists of NADO itself (a 501c4 membership association established in 1967 representing over 500 Regional Development Organizations) combined with its research arm, the NADO Research Foundation (a 501c3 providing technical assistance, education, and training). The organization provides multiple program affiliates including RPO America for transportation professionals and the Economic Development District Community of Practice (EDD CoP) for EDA-designated districts. Member-facing tools include the My NADO Portal for event and member communications, the interactive EDD Map and Membership Map for geographic visualization, and CEDS Central as a resource repository. Training offerings encompass the Emerging Leaders Training Program, Rural Energy Academy, and various Peer Learning Communities. The organization also manages award programs including the Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards and Excellence in Regional Transportation Award, plus research initiatives like the Wealth Creation Initiative and Solving the Housing Puzzle. No API or programmatic integrations are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NADO Research Foundation: 501c3 non-profit providing technical assistance, education, research, and training to support Regional Development Organizations
• RPO America
• EDD Community of Practice
• Rural Energy Academy
• Emerging Leaders Program
• Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards
• National RPO Council of Peers

Products and services

• NADO Standard Membership Annual membership for Regional Development Organizations at five tiers (General $3,000, Sustaining $4,000, Platinum $5,000, Platinum Plus $7,000, Diamond $10,000) plus Affiliate membership (Associate $1,000, Partner $2,000). Includes access to publications, awards program, conference discounts, member portal, job board, and complimentary webinar/lab registrations.
• NADO Annual Training Conference (ATC) Major annual four-day conference featuring plenaries, hands-on training, peer-led presentations, conversation cafés, and networking events for NADO members and non-members. Registration $700-$950 plus optional mobile workshop fees.
• National Regional Transportation Conference (NRTC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2,000 member projects recognized through Impact Awards since 1986
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNADO partnered with NARC through the Economic Development District Community of Practice (EDD CoP) to produce the EDDs in Action video series showcasing the vital role EDDs and RDOs play in helping distressed regions grow into economically vibrant communities.
• University Economic Development Association (UEDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EDD CoP, bringing university economic development expertise to the national network of Economic Development Districts. Contributes academic perspective and research to EDD capacity building efforts.
• First Nations Development InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EDD CoP providing expertise on tribal engagement and Native American economic development. Supports EDDs in building partnerships with Tribal governments.
• National Association of Counties (NACo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNADO partners with NACo and Mana Group Consulting on the Rural Energy Academy, serving as national resource and peer-learning center for regional practitioners and local elected officials on energy planning and development.
• Mana Group ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner in the Rural Energy Academy, providing technical expertise for energy planning and development support to rural communities.
• U.S. Department of TransportationcoreOthersFederal agency partner through which many RDOs receive designation as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) or Regional/Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) for transportation planning activities.
• U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)coreOthersEDA provides grant funding (award ED22HDQ3070106) supporting the EDD Community of Practice managed by NADO Research Foundation. EDA also designates Economic Development Districts (EDDs) that NADO represents.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)supportingOthersUSDA provides funding supporting NADO's Rural Energy Academy and technical assistance for rural transportation systems, including partnership with Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)supportingOthersEPA supports NADO resources related to environmental planning, brownfields, and climate resilience initiatives for regional development organizations.
• Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts annual Washington Conference with NADO, combining sessions on regional development, federal landscape, and programs and policies affecting RDOs and their stakeholders.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NADOPolicy
• Facebookfacebook.com/NADO.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-assocation-of-development-organizations-nado-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 N.A.D.O.