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

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.

About Us

Resources & Contacts

There are many ways for citizens to become better informed and more involved, although it is often most effective to get involved early in the decision-making process. Follow local government issues in the media and search the internet for information about projects and plans. Have your name placed on e-mail lists to receive newsletters or regular updates. For COG news and meeting materials, visit COG’s Subscriptions page.

Public involvement is a key part of the transportation decision-making processes in every jurisdiction throughout the region, and there are many different ways that citizens can have an influence. The Transportation Planning Board’s Public Participation Plan details the TPB’s commitment to transparent communications and engagement with the public and relevant public agencies to support the regional transportation planning process.

A People's Guide to Transportation Decision-Making in the National Capital Region is a great starting point for learning how transportation funding and planning decisions are made in the region. This booklet explains how, where, and by whom transportation decisions are made, the role the TPB plays in coordinating the process, and how community members can participate in the process.

The DMV Climate Partners website is a platform administered by COG to educate area leaders and residents about efforts underway to fight climate change. The site is a good resource for those looking to engage more closely with local climate planning.

In addition to these opportunities at COG, there are a variety of other ways to get involved in shaping a stronger region.

Volunteer to serve. For example, you can participate in an ad hoc advisory group for a local transportation study.
Contact local and state government agencies to ask for information about projects in which you are interested. Find out how citizens are involved in these projects.
Get out there. Attend public meetings on projects or plans and talk with decision makers.
Work with your neighbors. Contact your neighborhood or civic association to see if their members are interested in a particular issue and if they plan to take any action.
Join a group. Join an organized group that is promoting a specific project or is advocating broad policy changes in your community or across the region.