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National Governors Association

Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

23-7391796
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2023):

Revenue: $13,311,262
Expenses: $15,413,151
Assets: $33,504,764
Formation:

1908

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The National Governors Association (NGA) is a network of state governors from across the country that advocates on national policies its members claim benefit states.  1  The NGA has previously lobbied in front of the U.S. Congress on behalf of states while also providing technical assistance to governors and their staff on state legislation. 2

The chair and vice chair of the NGA are of opposite parties, with Republicans and Democrats alternating the chair and vice chair each year.  2

Background

The National Governors Association (NGA) is a network of state governors that advocate for national policies they claim benefit state-level policy.  3 NGA membership comprises of the governors from all 50 states, the commonwealths of the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. 4 The chair and vice chair of the NGA are of opposite parties, and Republicans and Democrats alternate the chair and vice chair each year.  2

The NGA does not publicly disclose the cost of membership fees, or which states pay dues and which states do not. A 2025 news report in The Hill claimed that states must pay roughly $100,000 annually for their governors to be NGA members. 2 Education Week reported in 2011 that dues vary from $22,000 per year to $100,000 per year based on the size of the state. 5 An Arizona television news station reported in 2025 that Arizona pays up to $130,000 for membership. 6

The NGA has six committees: The executive committee, which includes the chair and vice chair; the Economic Development and Commerce Committee; the Natural Resources Committee; Education and Workforce Committee; the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee; and the Health and Human Services Committee.  7

The NGA Government Relations team advocates for NGA members’ policy priorities on Capitol Hill before the U.S. Congress.  8

According to its website, the NGA’s Best Practices Center is comprised of 12 programs: children and families, cybersecurity, energy, the environment, post-secondary education, public health, public safety and legal counsel, workforce development and economic policy, healthcare delivery, homeland security, infrastructure and K-12 education. 7

History

The National Governors Association (NGA) was founded in 1908, 8 with then-Kentucky Gov. Augustus Wilson (R) serving as the first NGA chair from 1908 to 1910. 9 Beginning in 1985, the NGA chair was to provide a chosen “policy area” for the NGA to focus on during the chair’s term, known as the “Chair’s Initiative.”  7

Then-Arkansas Democratic Gov. Bill Clinton (D) became the NGA chair for 1986-87. He is the only NGA chair to later become president as of 2025. 9

Funding

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation contributed $600,000 to the National Governors Association (NGA) in December 2023. 10

Siemens Foundation donated $557,738 to the NGA in September 2024 for workforce collaboration. 10

The BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund gave $500,000 to the NGA in December 2023. 10

The National Governors Association is listed as one of the New Pluralists‘ “Field Partners.” This list contains over 100 groups that have received funding from New Pluralists, a cross-partisan project of multiple groups including the Einhorn Collaborative, the Stand Together Trust, the Fetzer Institute, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, with the goal of reducing social tension and division. 11

Activities

DEI and ESG Policies

The National Governors Association has previously advocated for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies to members.  12 During the NGA’s 2022 Winter Workforce Symposium, state workforce development leaders held an event for business leaders and experts to discuss the benefits of DEI. Suggestions from the discussion include public-private partnerships to advance DEI, skills-based hiring, and making states model employers for advancing equitable hiring and inclusive workplaces. 13

The association conducted a survey in August 2020 on states’ and territories’ diversity, equity and inclusion activities, goals and challenges, with 23 states responding. The NGA determined the structure of DEI initiatives varies at the gubernatorial and the agency level across the country; and states and territories have established COVID-19 health equity task forces in response to the pandemic; and the biggest challenges for states and territories include budget and staffing levels. 14

Second Trump Administration

In July 2025, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) did not attend the NGA Summer meeting in 2025 to protest the organization’s alleged lack of urgency in responding to President Donald Trump’s decision to withhold certain federal funds from states. 2 The two governors stopped paying the NGA dues shortly thereafter. 15

In October 2025, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) argued they would leave the due to the group not taking collective opposition to the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago and Los Angeles.  2 In response, NGA Chair Governor Kevin Stitt (R-OK) commented, “We believe in the federalist system — that’s states’ rights. Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”  2

Leadership

As of July 2025, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) was chair of the National Governors Association, while Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) was vice chair. They took the roles at the NGA Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado that year. 16

NGA executive director Bill McBride previously announced his retirement in October 2025, having joined the organization in 2019.  As of October 2025, the NGA hired the Heidrick and Struggles firm to vet McBride’s replacement. 17

References

  1. “National Governors Association.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-governors-association/about/ 
  2. Brey, Jared. “A Growing Rift Between Governors: Trump’s National Guard Deployments Test the NGA.” Governing. October 23, 2025. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.governing.com/politics/a-growing-rift-between-governors-trumps-national-guard-deployments-test-the-nga 
  3. “National Governors Association.” Louisiana Economic Development. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/resource/national-governors-associationhall-of-the-states 
  4. “National Governors Association.” Environmental Law Institute. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.eli.org/brownfields-program/national-governors-association-nga 
  5. Cavanaugh, Sean. “Texas Is Not Paying Dues to National Governor’s Group, Either.” Education Week. June 24, 2011. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/texas-is-not-paying-dues-to-national-governors-group-either/2011/06 
  6. Sanchez, Camryn. “Hobbs considers leaving the National Governors Association, which costs Arizona $130K a year.” KJZZ. October 22, 2025. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2025-10-22/hobbs-considers-leaving-the-national-governors-association-which-costs-arizona-130k-a-year 
  7. “National Governors Association.” Ballotpedia. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/National_Governors_Association 
  8. “About.” National Governors Association. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.nga.org/about/ 
  9. “NGA Chairs.” National Governors Association. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.nga.org/governors/nga-chairs/
  10. “National Governors Association.” Cause IQ. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/national-governors-association,237391796/ 
  11. “Field Partners.” New Pluralists. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://newpluralists.org/field-partners.
  12. Murray, Thomas. “Why Red States Can’t Govern.” American Mind. August 27, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://americanmind.org/memo/why-red-states-cant-govern/ 
  13. Yager, Sophia. “Making the Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” National Governors Association. May. 10, 2022. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.nga.org/news/commentary/making-the-business-case-for-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/ 
  14. “Overview of Survey Results on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts.” National Governors Association. February 10, 2021. Accessed October 26, 2025. https://www.nga.org/advocacy-communications/overview-of-survey-results-on-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-efforts/ 
  15. Scherer, Michael and Parker, Ashley. “Two Democrats Are Bolting From a Bipartisan Governors’ Group.” The Atlantic. July 
  16. Press Release. “Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Elected Chair of National Governors Association, Launches “Reigniting the American Dream” Initiative.” National Governors Association. July 26, 2025. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.nga.org/news/press-releases/oklahoma-governor-kevin-stitt-elected-chair-of-national-governors-association/
  17. Press Release. “National Governors Association Announces Retirement of Executive Director Bill McBride.” National Governors Association. October 9, 2025. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.nga.org/news/press-releases/national-governors-association-announces-retirement-of-executive-director-bill-mcbride/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 1974

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2023 Jun Form 990 $13,311,262 $15,413,151 $33,504,764 $1,162,353 N $12,301,342 $187,716 $557,989 $2,216,987
    2022 Jun Form 990 $14,545,573 $12,760,370 $32,762,876 $1,427,306 N $12,498,739 $84,394 $894,144 $1,784,703 PDF
    2021 Jun Form 990 $16,037,440 $15,373,527 $36,736,183 $1,270,857 N $13,993,292 $6,308 $431,058 $1,793,720
    2020 Jun Form 990 $24,219,231 $20,973,639 $31,982,408 $896,157 N $23,268,399 $241,095 $246,742 $2,081,101
    2019 Jun Form 990 $19,022,487 $21,321,316 $27,186,910 $68,120 N $17,871,944 $522,954 $381,981 $2,777,212 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $19,963,160 $16,875,933 $29,219,192 $475,278 N $18,126,039 $924,564 $330,440 $2,684,405 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $15,695,170 $18,527,611 $25,566,294 $373,337 N $14,518,819 $594,747 $519,392 $0 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $15,706,556 $17,806,622 $27,168,098 $327,087 N $14,519,386 $607,229 $431,009 $1,999,215 PDF
    2015 Jun Form 990 $21,825,201 $15,737,282 $30,178,936 $796,550 N $20,292,399 $531,782 $470,239 $1,714,806 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $17,300,496 $16,094,606 $24,025,416 $487,950 N $15,320,542 $611,095 $416,623 $1,704,408 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $15,358,076 $14,319,594 $21,492,523 $277,994 N $13,478,170 $559,618 $420,018 $1,313,544 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $11,458,210 $13,146,723 $20,505,756 $475,494 N $10,291,095 $514,390 $444,543 $1,365,456 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $14,800,289 $13,910,868 $22,742,754 $419,291 N $12,989,640 $672,554 $421,176 $931,239 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    National Governors Association

    444 N Capitol St. N.W., Washington, DC 20001
    Washington, DC 20001-1594