What are Regional Councils?

Regional councils are multi-county planning and development agencies serving different areas of the state.  Membership in these councils is voluntary.  In North Carolina, 17 councils serve regions that share similar economic, physical and social characteristics.  Regional councils have been operating in the state since 1972 although many were organized long before the official designation.  Their  function is to aid, assist and improve the capabilities of local governments in administration, planning, fiscal management and development.

Regional councils in North Carolina are the result of 1969 legislation that charged the Department of Administration with developing ". . .a system of multi-county regional planning districts to cover the entire state" (GS 143-341).  The year before, Congress passed the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act calling for closer cooperation between federal programs and state and local governments.

By 1970, an executive order had designated 17 regions in North Carolina.  In 1971, the state announced its Lead Regional Organization policy which specified that state agencies would deal with a single regional organization in each designated region.

What are the benefits of regional councils?

As members of regional councils, local governments:

Share information to solve common problems;
Avoid duplication of efforts and better coordinate services;
Work through a single agency to obtain and administer funds from numerous federal and state agencies as well as from private foundations and corporations;
Use professional expertise to aid in local operations;
Promote cooperation between the public and private sectors;
Determine ways of improving the quality of life for residents in their region.

Regional councils benefit the state by:

Planning, coordinating and overseeing the administration of state and federal programs;
Assisting local governments in handling tasks set by state regulations;
Providing a flexible network for effective regional action;
Fostering cooperation that helps avoid duplication of efforts and takes advantage of economies of scale.

What services do regional councils provide?

Regional councils provide a wide variety of programs and services to their local governments and residents. The nature and extent of the programs vary, depending on local needs and the priorities of the board which governs the operation of the individual council.

Each regional council maintains a core staff as a resource for its member governments.  All 17 are involved in providing technical assistance to their members.  One important aspect of this technical assistance is the provision of current information on state and federal programs of concern to local governments.  Through constant contact with state and federal agencies, regional councils' staff are able to analyze trends and advise their members on program changes and the availability of funding or programs that are important to their local governments.

In many regions, local governments may also contract for additional technical assistance in specialized areas or contract to provide ongoing assistance (as in planning) on a part-time basis.

All regional councils administer state funds for community and economic development, serve as area agencies on aging and are affiliates of the NC State Data Center.