Who are the "Big 7"?

The "Big 7" are seven associations in Washington D.C., of which ICMA is a member, that represent their state and local government members from a broad and far-reaching perspective.  Executive directors of these seven organizations meet regularly to discuss issues and legislation impacting state and local governments.  Frequently the Big 7 prepare joint letters to members of Congress on pending legislation expressing a unified position on behalf of their memberships.

The Big 7 are:

• International City/County Management Association (ICMA): Representing professional appointed local government administrators, including city and county managers, department heads, and assistant managers.
• Council of State Governments (CSG): CSG is the multibranch organization forecasting policy trends for the community of states, commonwealths and territories on a national and regional basis.
• National Association of Counties (NACo): Founded in 1935, NACo is the national organization that represents county governments in the United States and provides services to the nation’s 3,066 counties.
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): NCSL was founded in 1975 and is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.
• National Governor's Association (NGA): NGA is the collective voice of the nation's governors, representing governors and their senior staff members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues.
• National League of Cities (NLC): NLC represents municipal governments throughout the United States with the mission to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance.
• U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM): The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan organization representing the 1,139 cities with populations of 30,000 or more. Cities are represented by their chief elected official, the mayor.