Regional Organizations/Agencies

Planning & Development

Coalition for a Livable Future--the Coalition for a Livable Future is a network of 60 non-profit and community-based organizations working together to create a more equitable and sustainable Portland metropolitan region.

Columbia River Economic Development Council--devoted to job creation and investment in Clark County.

Friends of Clark County--a nonprofit, membership-based organization creating, educating and empowering advocates for Smart Growth. Its mission is to conserve and protect Southwest Washington's quality of life.

Identity Clark County--seeks to assemble and focus corporate leadership and investment in a shared community agenda for economic expansion and vitality in Clark County, Washington.

Oregon Business Plan--the Oregon Business Plan has provided the strategic framework for Oregon's business and elected leaders, working together, to build a stronger, more competitive state economy.

Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association--a city and regional planning organization. The Oregon Chapter "tells the Oregon planning story" by providing chances for our chapter members to connect with one another at professional and social events, by offering continuing educational opportunities and by advocating for strong planning.The chapter is committed to advancing the art and science of planning and to making communities great places to live.

Portland Business Alliance--a private, non-profit association of business leaders working to ensure economic prosperity in the Portland region by providing strong leadership, partnership, and programs that encourage business growth and vitality.

Portland Central City Summit--Convened in 1998 to create an agenda for shaping the next 25 years of central city growth and development that: builds on the legacy of Portland metropolitan area and Downtown Plan accomplishments; is based on a critical appraisal of current conditions and trends; and leads to strategic actions that can result in both a stronger central city and a stronger region.

Portland Development Commission--working to be a catalyst for positive change in the creation of a world-class 21st century city; a city in which economic prosperity, quality housing and employment opportunities are available to all. Its mission is to bring together resources to achieve Portland's vision of a diverse, sustainable community with healthy neighborhoods, a vibrant urban core, a strong regional economy and quality jobs for all citizens.

Portland Regional Partners for Business--a public-private partnership that focuses on shared economic priorities, and works to implement business retention, expansion and recruitment, as well as marketing strategies and recommendations for policy development in the Portland region.

Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council--The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (SWWDC) provides leadership and resources to increase economic development with a trained and productive workforce in Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

Washington State Chapter of the American Planning Association--an organization of people with an interest in land use, housing, transportation, environmental, economic and social planning. Among others, membership includes citizen planners, planning commissioners and other planning officials, and professional planners within the State of Washington and elsewhere.

Westside Economic Alliance--Focused on the needs of the Westside of the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region, including Washington County and the cities of Beaverton, Cornelius, Durham, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, King City, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville. The Alliance's primary purpose is to create an environment conducive to business and personal growth

Arts and Culture

Oregon Arts Commission--works to foster the development of the arts across Oregon and assure their excellence in order to enrich the lives of Oregonians.

Oregon Council for the Humanities--seeks to promote understanding of the humanities and the role of thought and ideas in our lives; support scholarship and discussion that address social, cultural, and public issues; build community and connectedness among Oregonians; reach Oregonians of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, in all areas of the state; encourage the productive interaction between humanities scholars and the public; and advocate for a widening role for the humanities in public and private life.

Regional Arts and Culture Council--a publicly funded, non-profit organization with a mission to provide leadership, funding and advocacy for arts and culture throughout the tri-county Portland region.

Washington State Arts Commission--The Washington State Arts Commission (WSAC) is the state agency established in 1961 to support the arts as essential to the state's social, educational and economic growth, and to contribute to Washington's quality of life and the well being of its citizens. For more than 40 years, the work of this agency has been the conservation and development of the State's artistic resources. To do so, it has invested in strong, vibrant connections with artists, arts organizations and communities.

Community

Association of Washington Cities-- provides legislative representation, educational training, publications and resources, technical assistance, and member programs to 281 cities and towns in Washington State.

Alliance for Regional Stewardship--The Alliance for Regional Stewardship is a national peer-to-peer learning network of regional leaders who benefit by sharing experiences and working collaboratively on innovative approaches to common regional challenges. The Alliance is for proven leaders who recognize the interdependencies of their regions economy, environment, and society, and are seeking practical ways to effect change.

CascadeLink--represents an interjurisdictional effort to gather information, provide links to access points for citizen involvement and to provide online access to citizens living in the Portland, OR/ Vancouver, WA metropolitan-region. The network specifically serves Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties in Oregon and Clark County in Washington.

League of Oregon Cities--The League of Oregon Cities is a voluntary association of 240 incorporated cities throughout the state. Its core mission is to work for strong, livable communities, and its primary functions are to advocate, to inform and to educate. LOC partners with its member cities to help local government better serve citizens of Oregon.

Neighborhood Link: Portland Metro Cities
Neighborhood Link: Clark County

Neighborhood Link provides neighborhood and community organizations with their own free, interactive Web site. In addition to facilitating communication within each neighborhood, Neighborhood Link also creates a two-way communication channel between local government and neighborhoods. Neighborhood Link has been successfully deployed in nearly every major metropolitan area, hundreds of cities, and tens of thousands of neighborhoods in the U.S.

Oregon Community Foundation--provides a common investment and grant management vehicle for private charitable gifts. The Foundation's three main functions are to: build a permanent charitable endowment by managing donors' individually tailored funds; make grants and scholarships from those funds; and provide leadership to address community needs

TACS (Technical Assistance for Community Services)--a nonprofit organization providing training and consultation on management, governance, planning and funding issues to community-based nonprofits.