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About Us

Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is the nation’s largest nonpartisan organization serving all three branches of state elected and appointed officials. The mission of CSG is to champion excellence in state government and the organization executes that mission through four major platforms:

CSG National Office

The CSG national office, located in Lexington, Kentucky, houses national projects, publications and special initiatives that foster collaboration and community between elected and appointed officials from across the country and the six U.S. territories. The CSG national office is home to the CSG Center of Innovation, the CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts, Capitol Ideas magazine and the CSG Henry Toll Fellowship national leadership development program.

CSG Regional Offices

The regional offices — CSG East, CSG Midwest, CSG South and CSG West — allow state officials to connect on shared issues that are geographically based including federal lands, water rights, agriculture, border relations and more. CSG regional offices also host conferences, in-state visits and leadership development programs that allow officials to regionally network. Within these offices, CSG also houses the Eastern Regional Conference (ERC), Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) and the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC).

CSG Justice Center

The CSG Justice Center brings together state and local officials and subject matter experts to discuss challenges and best practices in policy areas directly related to issues of public safety and justice in order to strengthen communities.

Affiliated Organizations

Through affiliation with CSG, 11 national organizations of state officials share ideas and combine efforts to accomplish mutual goals. Affiliated organizations contribute specialized expertise, information and resources to the overall mission of CSG.

  • American Probation and Parole Association
  • Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies
  • Cannabis Regulators Association
  • Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission
  • National Association of State Facilities Administrators
  • National Association of State Personnel Executives
  • National Association of State Technology Directors
  • National Emergency Management Association
  • National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
  • State International Development Organizations
  • Women In Government

Learn more about our affiliated organizations here.

By The Numbers

Offices Across U.S.
Affiliated Organizations
+
Dedicated Employees
Strong Regions
0
Member States & Territories
0
Years of Service to the States

CSG National Leaders

CSG National President

Gov. Joe Lombardo
Nevada

 

CSG National
Chair

Assistant Deputy Speaker
Pro-Tempore Kevin Ryan

Connecticut

CSG National
Chair-Elect

Sen. Elgie Sims
Illinois

 

CSG National Vice Chair

Assemblymember Mike Gipson
California

CSG Immediate Past National President

Gov. John Carney
Delaware

 

CSG Immediate Past National Chair

Rep. Julia Howard
North Carolina

CSG Executive Director/CEO

David Adkins

History

Mission

CSG is a nonpartisan community of the states, committed to connecting, informing, inspiring and empowering public servants in all three branches of state government to put the best ideas and solutions into practice.  

Vision:

CSG unites the states to advance the common good. 

Values

These are the 10 values that guide our work:

Democracy 

We believe state government is a force for good. We are committed to preserving, protecting and defending the constitutions of the states and nation. We work to build a more perfect union. We believe that interbranch and intergovernmental cooperation, collaboration and communication enhance policy development and government performance. We believe the states play a vital role in our nation’s dual sovereignty system of our democracy. We advocate for the interests of the states to all three branches of the federal government. We grow civic literacy, access to democracy and citizen participation in government. 

Integrity 

We act ethically in all that we say and do. We are trustworthy and transparent. We are good stewards of resources. We honor our commitments. We hold ourselves accountable. 

Fairness 

We place equity at the center of our work. We are inclusive and welcoming. We value diversity because we know diversity makes our work better and our organization stronger. We value fairness in all that we do. 

Civility 

We practice civility and engage in respectful discourse. We seek to understand and learn from those with whom we disagree. We are pragmatic consensus builders. We are tolerant of differences and mindful of all that we share in common with others. 

Excellence 

We aspire to achieve the highest levels of excellence in all that we do. We learn from failures and are committed to continuous improvement. 

Truth 

We value knowledge. We are honest. We believe facts matter and that a shared understanding of facts is essential when developing good public policy. We believe the proper use of data can help us understand and solve problems. 

Innovation 

We create new knowledge and identify promising approaches to solve problems. We use technology wisely. We engage in continuous learning. We evolve to meet emerging needs. We aren’t afraid of change. We accept failure and disruption as a component of innovation. CSG will always be agile and adaptable, ready to respond to the priorities of state officials. 

Collaboration 

We work well with others. We share information and expertise freely. We forge productive partnerships to improve our impact. We initiate and facilitate productive interbranch and intergovernmental dialogue, collaboration and cooperation. We acknowledge the contributions of others in our work. We are grateful for our partners who help fund and support our work. 

Unity 

We bring public servants together to learn from each other and to advance common goals. We are trusted convenors and skilled facilitators of diverse audiences. We value the history of CSG and its commitment to create harmony among the states. We build bridges and foster consensus. Together, we accomplish more. 

Impact 

We want to make a difference. We believe any state official can be more effective by being an active member of the CSG informed community of diverse peers. We build trust in state government when we help state officials solve problems to improve the lives of the people they serve. 

Articles of Organization

The Council of State Governments, the multi-branch organization of the states and U.S. territories, champions excellence in state government, bringing state leaders from across the nation and through its regions together to put the best ideas and solutions into practice. To this end, CSG: maintains four regions; builds leadership skills to improve decision-making; advocates multistate problem-solving and partnerships; fosters collaboration and understanding among and between the branches of government; interprets changing national and international conditions to better prepare states for the future; advances the exchange of ideas and information among state governments and their subnational counterparts in other countries; and promotes the sovereignty of the states and advocates their interests in the American federal system. 

Forward! A Strategic Plan for
The Council of State Governments

Read the organization’s three-year strategic plan here.