About Us

COG is the one place in metropolitan Washington that regularly brings leaders together to develop solutions to the region's major challenges. COG prepares plans enabling the region to receive federal funding, provides members with research and data to inform decision-making, and offers a wide range of programs, including commuter services, cooperative purchasing, technical assistance and grants, and public outreach campaigns.

Transportation

Through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), area officials, planners, and engineers ensure a well-managed and maintained transportation system. The TPB, which is staffed by COG, conducts the federally mandated transportation planning process for the region and ensures the uninterrupted flow of federal transportation funds that area jurisdictions receive.

Environment

COG's work engages leaders in various environmental fields from water quality experts to climate scientists. Together, they are advancing regional efforts to restore local waterways, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, promote recycling, and enhance and preserve green space and agriculture.

Community & Economy

Area officials and experts, including planning and housing directors and child welfare and health officials, work together with their counterparts at COG to help shape stronger communities throughout the region.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

COG brings police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and other leaders together as part of its work to strengthen regional public safety coordination, homeland security planning, and emergency communication.

Newsroom

There are a number of ways to keep informed about COG, its members, and programs. The Newsroom feed lists news releases and highlights as well as TPB News articles. A variety of content is also available through digital subscriptions.

For story ideas, data inquiries, and to connect with officials and subject matter experts, reporters should contact the Office of Communications. For questions about TPB News, please contact the Department of Transportation Planning.

COG Video Series: Collaboration in Action

CIA1.1gif

Introducing Collaboration in Action, COG's video series hosted by Executive Director Clark Mercer. The series spotlights COG's work with member jurisdictions and private, nonprofit, and civic organizations on a wide variety of programs and initiatives that improve the quality of life for everyone in our DMV region. Come along as Clark takes you behind the scenes of several of our initiatives, spreading the word about the value of regional partnership and highlighting the leaders and experts in our network that are making a positive impact in our communities.

Visit the video series page

COG Podcast

Prior to Collaboration in Action, COG produced a podcast, Think Regionally, to raise awareness about metropolitan Washington's biggest challenges and focus on solutions. The podcast, which was hosted by former Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney, featured local government, business, and non-profit leaders talking about a variety of timely topics, including the region's economy, racial equity, transportation, housing, and climate change.

Visit the podcast page

Newsroom Archives

Region Forward Blog

WaPo columnist supports RF goals acknowledges difficulties in implementation

Aug 16, 2010
Roger K. Lewis author of The Washington Post’s “Shaping the City” column wrote about the need for greater regional cooperation to handle current and future challenges such as the provision of affordable housing improving an increasingly congested transportation system and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the region.
Region Forward Blog

Good: Purple Line moving forward. Not so good: Climate bill tabled for year.

Jul 28, 2010
The Montgomery County Council voted unanimously last night to officially add the Purple Line (a light rail line linking Montgomery and Prince George’s counties including New Carrollton College Park Takoma Park Silver Spring and Bethesda) to the County’s Master Plan. The Purple Line already approved by the TPB will help the region meet the Accessibility targets in Region Forward.
Region Forward Blog

COG TPB vote to submit grant app that would jump start RF!

Jul 23, 2010
Last week the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors voted to submit an application for the HUD-DOT-EPA Sustainable Regional Planning Grant. If awarded the grant would enable COG and its member jurisdictions to jump start implementation of Region Forward.
Region Forward Blog

All 21 Local Governments in the COG Region Have Endorsed RF!

Jul 15, 2010
At its July Board of Directors meeting the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced that all 21 local governments in the COG region have now endorsed Region Forward.

Results: 414 Articles found.