Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities
CEOs For Cities is a Cleveland-based nonprofit national alliance, founded in 2001, that shares urban development strategies, research, and practical tools with cross-sector civic leaders including business executives, university presidents, foundation heads, and mayors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities does
CEOs For Cities is a Cleveland, Ohio-based nonprofit national alliance that operates as a knowledge-sharing portal for cross-sector urban leaders. Founded in 2001 by then-Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Paul Grogan, then president and CEO of The Boston Foundation, the organization connects business executives, university presidents, foundation heads, mayors, council members, planners, and a broader set of "city changemakers" (investors, artists, architects, entrepreneurs, coders, advocates) around the shared goal of improving American cities and businesses. Its inclusive definition of "CEO" reframes urban leadership as residing in civic action rather than elected office or executive suites, and the alliance shares strategies, research, and practical tools for urban economic development and quality of life.
The organization's product surface is content-driven rather than technology-driven. It publishes a portfolio of named research reports — Walking the Walk, Driven Apart, Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy, Investing in Gold, and City Dividends — that address urban economic, social, and investment topics and serve as the primary deliverables to its members. Distribution runs through a single static website (ceosforcities.co / ceosforcities.org) and a contact channel at [email protected]; no mobile application, public API, SDK, or proprietary technology platform was disclosed in the input. The formal organizational name now references "Forward Cities," indicating a recent repositioning of the brand alongside a refreshed website identity in late 2025.
The business model is a 501(c)-style nonprofit civic alliance: revenue mechanics (grants, foundation support, member dues, sponsorships) are not publicly disclosed, pricing details are explicitly marked as not publicly disclosed, and no funding rounds, investors, or institutional donors are documented in the input. The organization operates entirely within the United States with a single headquarters office at 1717 Euclid Ave #130 in Cleveland and a lean staff in the 1-10 range. It runs no documented commercialization channels, no certifications or compliance regimes, no patents or trademarks, and no partnerships or alliances beyond its own cross-sector member network.
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities
- Legal name
- CEOs For Cities
- Website
- https://ceosforcities.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CEOs For Cities is a Cleveland-based nonprofit national alliance, founded in 2001, that shares urban development strategies, research, and practical tools with cross-sector civic leaders including business executives, university presidents, foundation heads, and mayors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Policy Research
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)
Keywords
Where Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CEOs For Cities operates a national civic alliance and knowledge-sharing portal that connects urban leaders across sectors, including business executives, mayors, university presidents, foundation heads, and other civic actors. The organization publishes research reports and strategic frameworks that share practical tools and strategies for urban economic development and quality of life improvement in American cities.
Product overview
CEOs For Cities is a national civic alliance and knowledge-sharing portal that connects urban leaders including investors, business executives, mayors, foundation heads, university presidents, and other civic actors. The organization functions as a research and strategy-sharing platform rather than a traditional software product. Its portfolio consists of five named research publications: Walking the Walk, Driven Apart, Young and Restless, Investing in Gold, and City Dividends, which together provide practical tools and strategies for urban economic development and quality of life improvement. The organization was founded in 2001 by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Paul Grogan of The Boston Foundation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Walking the Walk A research publication focused on urban leadership and city development strategies, disseminated through the national alliance to civic leaders focused on improving American cities.
- Driven Apart A research report addressing urban economic and social challenges affecting American cities, shared with the alliance of urban leaders and civic actors.
- Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy A research publication examining youth engagement in the knowledge economy, providing strategic insights for urban leaders and policy makers.
- Investing in Gold A research report on investment strategies in urban development, providing frameworks for urban economic growth.
- City Dividends A research publication exploring the economic returns and benefits of urban investment, aimed at civic leaders and economic development stakeholders.
Companies that use Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization focused on urban economic and social policy. Comparable to CEOs For Cities in producing research that informs city leaders, though it operates at a much larger scale with formal research staff.
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA): Professional association for local government managers and administrators. Comparable to CEOs For Cities in serving as a knowledge and networking hub for city leaders, with similar professional-development content.
- Living Cities: Collaborative of foundations, financial institutions, and city governments focused on urban economic inclusion. Highly comparable to CEOs For Cities in its cross-sector model combining philanthropy, business, and municipal leadership.
- Smart Growth America: Coalition focused on equitable, sustainable urban development. Comparable to CEOs For Cities in mobilizing cross-sector partners for better city outcomes, with overlapping audiences among planners, mayors, and civic leaders.
- National Civic League: Nonprofit organization promoting civic engagement and democratic governance at the local level. Comparable to CEOs For Cities in connecting civic actors around community problem-solving and city improvement.
- National League of Cities: National membership organization serving municipal officials and city leaders across the US. Directly comparable to CEOs For Cities in convening local government and cross-sector urban leaders, though more focused on elected officials.
Emerging players
- Manhattan Institute: Policy research organization with a focus on urban economics and city competitiveness. Comparable as a producer of urban-policy research that influences city leaders, though operating with a more ideological orientation.
- Aspen Institute: Nonprofit that convenes leaders across sectors through fellowship programs and policy initiatives. Comparable to CEOs For Cities in its cross-sector convening model and focus on values-driven leadership development.
Others
- The Boston Foundation: Major community foundation in Boston and employer of co-founder Paul Grogan. Relevant as a peer through shared urban-development mission and as a likely institutional partner for CEOs For Cities programming.
Broad incumbents
- Brookings Institution: Established think tank producing influential research on metropolitan economics, urban policy, and governance. Comparable to CEOs For Cities as a source of urban policy thought leadership, though much broader in scope and resources.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities social profiles
Digital presenceCeos For Cities Now Forward Cities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities
What does Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities do?
CEOs For Cities operates a national civic alliance and knowledge-sharing portal that connects urban leaders across sectors, including business executives, mayors, university presidents, foundation heads, and other civic actors. The organization publishes research reports and strategic frameworks that share practical tools and strategies for urban economic development and quality of life improvement in American cities.
Is Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities a public or private company?
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities founded?
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities based?
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Urban Institute, International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Living Cities, Smart Growth America, National Civic League and National League of Cities. Emerging players are Manhattan Institute and Aspen Institute. The Boston Foundation is listed as an others. Brookings Institution is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities.
What industry is Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities in?
Ceos For Cities Now Forward Cities's product category is Urban Policy Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAAAA, Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development. Its SIC code is 8600.