Ark-Tex Council of Governments

What Ark-Tex Council of Governments does

Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas and a voluntary association of local governments, established in 1969 and headquartered in Texarkana, Texas. It serves as the designated regional planning body for Texas Region 5, covering 10 counties (nine in northeast Texas and one in southwest Arkansas), 51 cities, 5,966 square miles, and over 10,600 miles of road. ATCOG's functional scope is the coordination and administration of cross-jurisdictional programs that individual local governments cannot execute independently.

Its core programs span nine functional areas: (1) Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency communications infrastructure serving 14 Public Safety Answering Points across the region, including GIS-based caller location, TDD/TTY integration, and Text-to-9-1-1; (2) Housing Choice Voucher Program funded by HUD, with tenant-based and project-based vouchers administered for low-income families; (3) Area Agency on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center programs funded by Texas HHSC, providing meals, benefits counseling, caregiver support, and care coordination for seniors 60+ and people with disabilities; (4) Regional transit services (TRAX on-demand across nine counties, Paris Metro fixed route, T-Line Texarkana) for general public, seniors, and ADA-compliant riders; (5) Criminal Justice Planning coordinating regional training and grant administration; (6) Homeland Security Program administering State Homeland Security Program grants; (7) Environmental Program covering solid waste, brownfields, water quality, air quality, and flood planning; (8) Regional & Economic Development through NETEDD and the Ark-Tex Regional Development Company, including revolving loan funds; and (9) Premium Support Program covering healthcare premiums for qualifying low-income individuals via CHRISTUS St. Michael grant funding.

ATCOG operates as a non-commercial, grant-funded entity. Revenue sources include federal grants (HUD, EPA, EDA, Office of the Governor), state agency funding (HHSC, TCEQ, Texas Water Development Board), member government dues from counties and municipalities, healthcare partner grants (CHRISTUS St. Michael), and passive voluntary donations processed via Zeffy. Programs are delivered free to eligible residents or at nominal transit fares. The organization employs 51-100 staff, is governed by a Board of Directors of elected officials, and is led by Executive Director Mary Beth Rudel (since September 2023). Distribution is direct: in-person appointments, phone, online forms, community events, and partner agency networks.

Name

Ark-Tex Council of Governments

Legal name

Ark-Tex Council of Governments

Website

https://atcog.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ark-Tex Council of Governments is a Texas political subdivision coordinating regional planning, emergency communications, housing, aging services, transportation, and economic development programs across 10 counties in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Texarkana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants and Funding: ATCOG receives the majority of its funding from federal and state government grants. Major sources include U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Housing Choice Voucher program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grants and Revolving Loan Fund grants, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for regional development, and the Office of the Governor – Public Safety Office for Criminal Justice Division and Homeland Security grants. State funding includes Texas Health and Human Services Commission for Area Agency on Aging services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for environmental programs, and Texas Water Development Board for flood planning.
2. Member Dues: ATCOG is a voluntary association of local governments. Member governmental units (counties, cities, towns, hospital authorities, school districts, special districts) pay annual dues as specified in the Bylaws (Article XI). Members who are more than six months in arrears may be denied voting privileges.
3. CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System Grant: The Premium Support Program is funded by grant funding provided by CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, which helps qualifying persons enrolled in the Health Insurance Exchange pay out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
4. Voluntary Donations: ATCOG accepts voluntary donations from the public to support regional programs and services. Donations go to the General Fund unless designated for a specific program. ATCOG operates under governmental guidelines that prohibit active fundraising campaigns; it accepts contributions passively. Donations are processed through Zeffy at no fee to ATCOG.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ATCOG is a regional governmental organization and political subdivision of the State of Texas that coordinates and delivers programs across 10 counties in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas. Its core offerings include 9-1-1 emergency communications infrastructure serving 14 PSAPs, Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, the Area Agency on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Center for seniors and people with disabilities, public transit (TRAX, Paris Metro, T-Line), Regional & Economic Development financing (revolving loan funds), Criminal Justice planning, Homeland Security coordination, and an Environmental Program addressing brownfields, water quality, and flood planning.

Product overview

The Ark-Tex Council of Governments operates as a regional government organization offering a portfolio of distinct, standalone social service programs rather than a unified technology product platform. The core programs include: 9-1-1 Communications (with GIS services) for emergency response infrastructure; Aging & Disability Resource Center and Area Agency on Aging for senior and disability services; Criminal Justice Planning for law enforcement coordination; Environmental Program for sustainability initiatives; Homeland Security for emergency preparedness; Housing Choice Voucher Program (including Family Self-Sufficiency) for affordable housing; Regional & Economic Development (NETEDD and ATRDC) for economic growth; Transportation services including TRAX, Paris Metro, and T-Line for public transit; and Premium Support Program for healthcare premium assistance. These programs operate independently under various federal, state, and local funding sources, serving citizens across 10 counties in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging (AAA): Designated by Texas Health and Human Services Commission to provide services for people age 60 and older, their family members, and caregivers.
• Ark-Tex Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)
• North East Texas Regional 9-1-1 Program
• Northeast Texas Housing Choice Voucher Program
• TRAX
• Paris Metro

Products and services

• 9-1-1 Communications Program Maintains and operates emergency communications infrastructure serving 14 Public Safety Answering Points across Northeast Texas, featuring Next Generation 9-1-1 equipment, integrated TDD/TTY systems, Text-to-9-1-1, GIS-based caller location, and 24/7 technical support for emergency dispatch.
• GIS Management and Services Provides 9-1-1 addressing, maintains accurate emergency response GIS data, and regularly updates and verifies location information across the region.
• Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Helps individuals 60 years and older and their caregivers navigate decisions on finances, healthcare, benefits, housing, and everyday life, including benefits counseling, care coordination, caregiver support, nutrition, and transportation services.
• Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) A one-stop resource center offering free, personalized guidance for seniors, people with disabilities, and their families to navigate healthcare, housing, and transportation options.
• Criminal Justice Planning Program Coordinates services and resources to promote public safety, provides technical assistance and training to criminal justice grantees, and develops a Regional Criminal Justice Strategic Plan covering nine counties.
• Environmental Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 PSAPs supported with NG-9-1-1 technology across Northeast Texas and Texarkana, AR
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• East Texas Police AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCOG contracts with the East Texas Police Academy (under Kilgore College) to provide basic peace officer and county correction's certification training and continuing education to officers in the ATCOG region under license from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Students must represent or be sponsored by an agency in the ATCOG region. This program is funded by the Office of the Governor – Public Safety Office, Criminal Justice Division.
• Mt. Pleasant Housing AuthoritycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorATCOG oversees Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) for the Mt. Pleasant Housing Authority. The Housing Authority maintains its own waiting list and handles direct applicant interactions, while ATCOG provides program administration, oversight, and voucher management.
• New Boston Housing AuthoritycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorATCOG oversees Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) for the New Boston Housing Authority. The Housing Authority maintains its own waiting list and handles direct applicant interactions, while ATCOG provides program administration, oversight, and voucher management.
• Northeast Texas Municipal Water DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner in ATCOG's Environmental Program, collaborating on water resource management and regional environmental initiatives.
• Red River Authority of TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner in ATCOG's Environmental Program, collaborating on water resource management and regional environmental initiatives.
• Riverbend Water Resource DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner in ATCOG's Environmental Program, collaborating on water resource management and regional environmental initiatives.
• Sulphur River Basin AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a regional partner in ATCOG's Environmental Program, collaborating on water resource management and regional environmental initiatives.
• Texarkana Urban Transit District (TUTD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince April 4, 2011, ATCOG has partnered with TUTD, providing management and fiscal services for T-Line fixed-route transit service in Texarkana. TUTD is governed by its own board.
• The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (Texas State University) - Texas Stream TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCOG promotes the Texas Stream Team (formerly Texas Watch) program, which trains volunteers to monitor water quality across Texas waterways. The program is operated by The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University.
• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCOG maintains active involvement with APCO International as part of its 9-1-1 program industry leadership activities, including participation in emergency communications industry standards development.
• National Emergency Number Association (NENA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCOG maintains active involvement with NENA (both the Texas chapter and the national association) as part of its 9-1-1 program industry leadership activities, including next-generation 9-1-1 technology initiatives and emergency communications industry standards development.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): Trade association that awarded ATCOG's Executive Director a 2014 Innovation Award. Represents EDA-designated Economic Development Districts including ATCOG's NETEDD, providing thematic peer context.
• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): National membership and advocacy organization for U.S. regional councils of governments. Not a direct competitor, but the trade association that defines the COG model ATCOG operates within and provides peer benchmarking.
• Ark-Tex Council of Governments (NETEDD subsidiary analog: East Texas Council of Governments Economic Development District): Other EDA-designated Economic Development Districts within Texas COGs (e.g., those run by ETCOG, DETCOG, NCTCOG) operate the same Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and Revolving Loan Fund model that ATCOG's NETEDD and ATRDC subsidiaries run.

Broad incumbents

• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG): The largest Texas COG, serving 16 counties including Dallas-Fort Worth. Same legal structure and core program portfolio as ATCOG but at vastly larger scale; a useful broad incumbent peer for understanding how a COG scales across urban and rural members.
• Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC): Texas COG serving a 13-county Gulf Coast region with similar regional planning, transportation, aging, and emergency communications programs. Operates at much greater scale, providing a benchmark for upper-end COG capacity.

Direct peers

• West Central Texas Council of Governments: Rural Texas COG with comparable scale and program portfolio (aging, housing, transit, 9-1-1, economic development). Useful size- and structure-matched peer for benchmarking operational efficiency.
• East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG): One of the 24 Texas Councils of Governments, ETCOG serves a multi-county region in East Texas with a comparable portfolio of programs (aging, housing, transit, criminal justice, workforce, economic development). It is the closest functional peer to ATCOG in scale, structure, and program mix.
• Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG): Another Texas COG operating a similar 9-1-1, aging, housing, transit, and economic development portfolio in East Texas. Direct structural and operational peer with overlapping federal funding sources and member-government model.
• South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETRPC): Texas regional planning body covering Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange counties with analogous 9-1-1, aging, transit, and economic development functions. Comparable program portfolio at smaller scale than ATCOG.

Regional players

• Texoma Council of Governments: Oklahoma-based regional COG adjacent to the Ark-Tex region. Provides a regional cross-border peer for understanding how COGs operate across state lines, relevant to ATCOG's Miller County, Arkansas service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ATCOG
• Facebookfacebook.com/ATCOG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ark-tex-council-of-governments-1
• Instagraminstagram.com/atcog
• Xx.com/ArkTexCOG

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ark-Tex Council of Governments