Todd McNeill, NCARCOG Executive Director | [email protected]
Anthony Starr, Legislative Committee Chair| [email protected]
Chris Wall, NCARCOG Legislative Affairs Director | [email protected]
NCARCOG Overview
The North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments (NCARCOG) represents 16 regional councils of
governments (COGs), and it advocates for regional solutions to address multi-jurisdictional issues or opportunities,
coordinated state and federal program service delivery, and building strategic partnerships to improve the prosperity of
rural and urban North Carolina.
Policy Priorities
- Build partnerships and capacity for COGs to provide financial administration for local governments.
Many local governments struggle with poor financial administration in North Carolina. This leads to inaccurate
financial statements, higher risk of errors and fraud, and incomplete or inaccurate information for local elected
bodies to use for key decision-making for the public welfare. Local governments must meet audit, budget, and
internal control requirements established by the state and national standards, and many have done so successfully
over the decades. An entire generation of local government officials is leaving the workforce due to retirement,
and many areas of the state find it difficult to find the qualified professionals needed to remain compliant with
state and national accounting standards. COGs are an extension of local government, with professional finance
staff, who are uniquely qualified to assist local governments in need of temporary and ongoing financial services.
COGs have the ability and authority to partner with the Local Government Commission (LGC), North Carolina
League of Municipalities (NCLM), and North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) to meet the
audit, compliance, and financial administration needs of local governments. However, additional capacity is
needed to meet the financial administration needs of local governments.
Action Requested:
The NCARCOG requests the North Carolina General Assembly to appropriate $3.95 million annually in recurring
funding for COGs to create a financial administration program to employ 32 additional finance professionals in
the 16 regions to assist small local governments with returning to a compliant status and employing sound
financial management practices. These positions will serve as “boots on the ground.” This program will serve 60
to 120 local governments with priority for units with limited means and those units on the LGC’s Unit Assistance
List. - Provide ongoing funding for COGs to continue disaster resiliency efforts for communities and establish COGs
as the entity to develop regional pre-disaster hazard mitigation plans.
As we face both natural and manmade disruptions, our communities’ health, safety, and economic stability are at
risk. In bolstering pre-disaster resiliency, financial grant administration, and post-disaster recovery efforts, local
governments must be proficient in effectively managing public assistance dollars. The NCARCOG provided disaster
recovery financial administrative training programs to local governments, and other disaster public assistance
stakeholders, with state funds that expired in June of 2024. The NCARCOG program funded by the state, and
supported by the NC Division of Emergency Management, is adaptable to address specific nuances to geography
and organizational structure, among other challenges, and ensures all requirements of the public assistance
process are in place prior to a disaster. This improves the efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars incurred
during Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized disasters.
2026
Policy Agenda
NCARCOG Contacts
Todd McNeill, NCARCOG Executive Director | [email protected]
Anthony Starr, Legislative Committee Chair| [email protected]
Chris Wall, NCARCOG Legislative Affairs Director | [email protected]
Recent disasters have demonstrated that many local governments within each COG region have a limited capacity
to apply for emergency management grants, and successfully manage all the training and compliance
requirements for the duration of the grant. North Carolina COGs have successfully managed regional disaster and
recovery efforts and have extensive experience with emergency management grants. The COGs could serve as
designated grant recipients, grant administrators, provide regional communication and coordination activities,
and provide the necessary technical assistance to meet grant compliance standards.
COG involvement would enhance both pre-disaster and post-disaster recovery and resiliency efforts by developing
pre-disaster long term recovery plans and serve as the bridge between state and local leadership and thus allow
more local governments to participate in federal and state hazard, resiliency and mitigation funding opportunities
that specifically address local needs.
Action Requested:
NCARCOG requests a recurring annual appropriation of $3.9 million to build capacity, continue disaster resiliency
efforts (e.g. local financial administration training, technical assistance to communities during post-disaster
recovery periods, creation of disaster recovery plans, etc.), and conduct hazard mitigation planning. The NCARCOG
also requests legislative and policy direction for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to use
COGs to create and facilitate implementation of regional hazard mitigation plans and to provide training, grant
administration, grant application assistance, or any other service requested by a qualifying local government. - Modify the Prosperity Zones to conform to COG regions.
Eight Prosperity Zones were created in 2014 when the state eliminated the previously designated economic
development regions. The designation of the Prosperity Zones intended to improve collaboration among state
agencies and to improve customer service. However, the Prosperity Zones do not have a dedicated administrative
structure, have been largely ineffective, and duplicate efforts of COGs. Many COGs already serve as the Economic
Development Administration’s designated economic development districts and local development districtsfor the
Appalachian Regional Commission and Southeast Crescent Regional Commission. The assigned geographies of the
Prosperity Zones do not follow natural economic, transportation, political, or cultural patterns and are often too
large to foster cooperation within those regions.
COG regions better reflect natural patterns within the state and already contain human infrastructure among a
range of programs including planning, transportation, workforce development, community and economic
development, etc. Using COG regions as the basis for Prosperity Zones would decrease duplication and confusion
for local governments and facilitate better coordination of services.
Action Requested:
The NCARCOG requests the North Carolina General Assembly to modify the eight Prosperity Zones to conform to
the 16 COG regions. When necessary, state agencies can assign multiple COG regions to state staff personnel. - Enact Clarifying Legislation to Clarify the Authority of COGs to Serve Local Governments
COGs serve local governments with various programs and services. The charter of each COG and state law grant
broad authority for COGsto serve as a mechanism for local governments to share resources and for state agencies
to provide services. Recent conversations and interpretations of state officials require clarification of COG
authority to receive grants on behalf of local governments and serve in officer positions for municipalities and
counties (e.g. finance officer, town managers, interim positions, etc.). There is a significant shortage of finance
2026
Policy Agenda
NCARCOG Contacts
Todd McNeill, NCARCOG Executive Director | [email protected]
Anthony Starr, Legislative Committee Chair| [email protected]
Chris Wall, NCARCOG Legislative Affairs Director | [email protected]
officers and sharing limited talent through COGs is an effective strategy to improve local government finance
administration.
Action Requested:
The NCARCOG requests the North Carolina General Assembly to modify the enabling statutes for COGs to clarify
that COGs can serve as any officer of a local government when requested by the governing board or appointing
authority; and COGs apply for and receive any state administered grant when municipalities and counties are
eligible. - Build strategic partnerships to improve regional delivery of services.
Rural and urban local governments established COGs to come together to solve local and regional issues. COGs
play a role in convening leaders within each region and coordinating with multiple types of organizations to deliver
programs, projects, or services. COGs are best positioned for the delivery of federal, state, and local programs or
services on a regional basis due to the ability to scale a service or program to meet the needs of each region, or
to work cooperatively across multiple regions when needed or required.
Action Requested:
Advocate for an increase in the use of COGs to administer and/or implement governmental services and
programs that are intended to be delivered on a multi-county basis. Advocate that COGs serve as the default
mechanism to deliver regionally based services. Oppose the creation of new regional offices or regional service
areas that split COG regions. Request state agencies and the General Assembly consider modifying other statedesignated regions to align with COG regions or to avoid splitting COG regions. - Modify rules, regulations, or legislation to include COGs as eligible entities for state and federal grants.
The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular 2 CFR 200. 64 (l) identifies a council of governments
(COG) as an eligible local government for the purpose of applying for and receiving federal grant awards. NCGS
160A-475(1) and 153A-395 allow COGs to apply for, accept, receive, and dispense grants made available to it by
the State of North Carolina, the United States of America or any of its agencies, any local government, and any
private or civic agency. Some program rules and grant applications, at the state and federal levels, do not list
COGs as eligible program administrators, applicants, or sub-recipients. These limitations prevent COGs from
applying for regional based grants, and/or delivering regionally significant programs in each COG service area.
Action Requested:
NCARCOG requests the members of the North Carolina General Assembly add councils of governments to the list
of eligible entities for state and federal grant programs. In addition, NCARCOG requests the members of the North
Carolina delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate also add councils of governments
to the list of eligible entities for federally funded grants and programs.