06/12/2026
REGION 1 AWARD: Region 1 Planning Council (R1) received the 2026 Regional Achievement Award from the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) at its annual conference on June 9. R1 received this award for its innovative work in forming a Regional Data Advisory Committee (RDAC) comprised of local experts who oversee and provide authoritative community data. R1 was also recognized for its development of the Regional Health Atlas and is one of the only planning organizations in the nation to host a comprehensive database of health indicators.
"Region 1 Planning Council has long been a vital partner in our regional planning efforts, and this award confirms what we already know: they are doing work that matters, and doing it at a national level,” said Joe Chiarelli, Winnebago County Chairman. “The Regional Health Atlas is a powerful tool for our community, and I congratulate the entire R1 team on this well-deserved recognition."
“We are proud that NARC recognizes the innovative work of our staff and the Regional Data Governance Committee members,” said Michael Dunn, Jr., R1 Executive Director. “Communities throughout the country are looking at the Rockford region as a model of how large, complex organizations can work together to better share and use critical community data.”
This award recognizes R1’s position as a regional data leader and commitment to strengthening community progress. The RDAC, formed in 2025, was integral in implementing a Regional Health Atlas, which allows Boone and Winnebago County public and non-profit organizations to support their strategic initiatives with comprehensive data.
RDAC solved the issue of agencies receiving inconsistent data from organizations when conducting needs assessments by creating a forum for experts to prevent and address discrepancies like this. The committee includes representatives from health, education, economic development, and non-profit organizations.
“Most recently, local data has become increasingly important for regional planning councils and the regions they serve, as it drives prediction models, scenario planning, program evaluation, and impact analyses that they rely on for their large-scale community impact work,” says Jason Holcomb, R1 Director of Community Impact.
NARC is the national association for planning agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and other regional organizations. NARC provides national advocacy, resources for research and best practices, and promotes regional cooperation across a variety of community development priorities.
ABOUT R1 – Region 1 Planning Council is a special-purpose, regional government agency providing cross-jurisdictional, government-to-government collaborative planning for Northern Illinois. The regional planning model provides an efficient means to promoting a well-informed, comprehensive dialogue that holistically addresses regional issues by fulfilling the needs of government entities for long-range planning, securing funding, and analyzing and providing data in support of regional projects and initiatives.
