Planning & Technical Assistance
Regional policy planning, local comprehensive-planning assistance, data analysis, geographic information systems, and special studies.
Florida regional government resources
Florida Regional Planning Council Links
Florida's 10 regional planning councils bring neighboring local governments together to address needs that cross city and county boundaries.
Use this directory to reach each council's official website for regional planning, economic development, emergency preparedness, transportation, resilience, grant support, technical assistance, public meetings, procurement, and employment information.
Resource page updated August 29, 2026
Regional collaboration
What Regional Planning Councils Do
Regional planning councils help local governments coordinate issues that are larger than one jurisdiction. Services and program names vary by council.
Economic Development
Regional economic strategies, community-development support, business resilience, grant coordination, and federal economic-development programs.
Emergency Preparedness
Local emergency planning committees, hazardous-materials preparedness, mitigation planning, continuity, disaster recovery, and regional coordination.
Transportation & Mobility
Transportation studies, mobility planning, safety initiatives, regional coordination, and support for transportation-planning partners.
Resilience & Natural Resources
Flood and coastal resilience, environmental planning, brownfields, water and natural-resource coordination, and long-range community resilience.
Intergovernmental Coordination
Regional convening, public meetings, dispute-resolution support, cross-jurisdiction partnerships, and connections among local, state, and federal agencies.
Important: Regional planning councils provide planning, coordination, and technical assistance. They are not a substitute for the permitting, regulatory, procurement, or legal requirements of the responsible government agency. Confirm current requirements directly with the appropriate agency.
Official council directory
Florida's 10 Regional Planning Councils
Select a council to open its official website. County coverage below follows the current operational directory published by the Florida Regional Councils Association and the councils.
West Florida district
Emerald Coast Regional Council
Counties Served
Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington.
Northwest Florida
Apalachee Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla.
North-Central Florida
North Central Florida Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union.
Northeast Florida
Northeast Florida Regional Council
Counties Served
Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns.
East-Central Florida
East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia.
Florida Heartland
Central Florida Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Polk.
Tampa Bay & West-Central Florida
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas.
Tampa Bay Training's home region: This council serves the core Tampa Bay area and neighboring West-Central Florida counties.
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota.
Treasure Coast
Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie.
South Florida
South Florida Regional Planning Council
Counties Served
Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe.
What to look for
Common Council Resources
Each council organizes its website differently. These are useful starting points for local-government professionals, public works and utility teams, consultants, contractors, nonprofit partners, and residents.
Plans, Data & GIS
Strategic regional policy plans, economic-development strategies, demographic data, maps, dashboards, technical reports, and regional studies.
Grants & Technical Assistance
Grant-development support, community planning assistance, project coordination, funding notices, and specialized services for member governments.
Emergency Planning
Local emergency planning committee information, hazardous-materials resources, mitigation plans, exercises, preparedness, recovery, and continuity resources.
Meetings & Public Records
Board meetings, committee calendars, agendas, minutes, public notices, annual reports, budgets, public-comment procedures, and records contacts.
Procurement & Partnerships
Requests for proposals or qualifications, vendor notices, contracting opportunities, partner initiatives, and regional project information.
Careers & Professional Networks
Employment opportunities, staff directories, newsletters, workshops, council events, professional resources, and regional contacts.
Authoritative statewide sources
Florida Regional Planning Information
Use these statewide sources to confirm council boundaries, statutory responsibilities, and the official council directory.
Statewide association
Florida Regional Councils Association
Current council directory, leadership, program areas, and statewide regional-planning information.
State directory
Florida Department of State
Official state directory linking to Florida's regional planning councils.
Florida law
Section 186.512, Florida Statutes
Statutory designation of Florida's regional planning districts and counties.
Council authority
Section 186.505, Florida Statutes
State law describing regional planning council powers and duties.
Continue your research
Related Florida & Training Resources
Florida government
Florida State Agency Links
Find state departments, commissions, and other statewide government bodies.
Local government
Florida County Links
Reach official county government websites across Florida.
Municipal government
Florida City Links
Find official city, town, and village resources.
Water resources
Florida Water Management Districts
Connect with the five regional agencies responsible for Florida water-resource management.
Training
Emergency Management & Preparedness
Explore training that strengthens readiness, continuity, recovery, and organizational resilience.
Organizational support
Coaching & Consulting
Discuss customized support for local-government leadership, workforce, and organizational needs.
Frequently asked questions
Using This Directory
How do I identify the correct regional planning council?
Start with the county where the project, agency, or community is located. Use the county lists above, then confirm the current service area and program contact on the council's official website.
Are regional planning councils regulatory agencies?
Florida law recognizes regional planning councils as multipurpose regional entities for planning, coordination, and technical assistance. A council does not act as a permitting or regulatory entity. Contact the responsible state, regional, county, or municipal agency for binding requirements.
Can a council help a local government find funding?
Many councils provide grant-development, economic-development, resilience, emergency-planning, or technical-assistance services. Availability and eligibility vary, so contact the appropriate council about the specific project and funding need.
Why might a county list differ between sources?
Regional boundaries and operational memberships can change, and some directories are updated at different times. Use the council's official website and current Florida sources for final confirmation.
Practical training for Florida organizations
Build the Skills Your Team Needs to Serve Its Region
Tampa Bay Training provides private onsite and live-online programs for local government, public works, utilities, construction, engineering, emergency management, safety, and leadership teams.