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Speaking Up for a Better Tomorrow
You can help us educate our community, convene Wake County citizens, and advocate for a better future.
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Vision
WakeUP envisions a future in which all residents share the benefits of Wake County’s growth, with equitable, resilient, and healthy communities centered around housing choices, multimodal transit options, and economic, cultural, and environmental sustainability.
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Housing Choices
We apply dependable research and effective best practices to promote housing diversity and affordability.
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Multimodal Transportation
We engage with Wake County municipalities and organizations to advocate for local and regional multimodal transportation choices and connected communities.
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Environmental Stewardship
We campaign for policies promoting regional water quality, natural landscapes, and sustainable land use.
Our Mission
WakeUp’s mission is to ensure healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities for all residents in the region by educating both citizens and policymakers about how the region should plan for growth with a focus on social equity, environmental health, and economic viability.
Join Us for Our 2026 Programming!
Under One Canopy:
Supporting Roots & Roofs in Wake County
April 22, 2026 from 5:30 pm–8:00 pm
Greg Poole, Jr. All Faiths Chapel
1030 Richardson Dr.
Dorothea Dix Park
Raleigh, NC 27603
Join us this Earth Day for an event celebrating Wake County's trees!
Sponsored by WakeUp Wake County & Raleigh Forward
ADU Sustainability Tour—Save the Date! June 6, 2026
This citywide open-house is open to the public. RSVP and ticketing information will be available on this website soon.
The rain date for the ADU Sustainability Tour and the ADU Professional Training is June 20, 2026.
ADU Professional Training: June 6, 2026, Held the Morning of the ADU Sustainability Tour
Join us for a workshop introducing architects and builders to ADU design, permitting, and sustainable construction methods. Please note: the rain date for the ADU Sustainability Tour and the ADU Professional Training is June 20, 2026.
Transit & Livability Series—Fall 2026
Join us for a public conversation examining how reliable, frequent transit supports housing choice, economic opportunity, and everyday mobility. The program will highlight regional transit investments and local policy decisions that shape walkable, connected communities while reducing transportation costs and emissions.
Strategic Plan
A task force comprised of Tom Barrie, Bert Fox, and Rodney Swink guided the development of the current WakeUP Wake County Strategic Plan. During 2024, they worked closely with the full board, including work sessions at a board retreat, to develop the final plan. The board adopted the plan on January 25, 2025, and WakeUP leadership will assess it annually.
Organization News
Open Position: Coalition Manager
Update: 4/15/26—We've had a tremendous response to our RFP! We're closing the application period while we review our current batch of submissions. WakeUP is excited […]
Meet Dean Rains, New WakeUP Board Member
Dean Rains is a Principal and Project Manager at LS3P with three decades of experience shaping the spaces where we live, work, and play. Since […]
Martha Eberle Joins WakeUP Board
Martha Eberle is a Senior Landscape Architect with Biohabitats’ Southeast Atlantic Bioregion Office in Raleigh, NC. She has more than 20 years of experience in […]
Help Us Welcome Dwight Otwell as a Board Member
Dwight Otwell earned a BS in Forest Management and an MS in Natural Resource Management from NCSU and currently works as a Goespatial Program Leader […]
Meet New Board Member Eric Lamb
Eric Lamb is a plangineer with STV, Inc. with more than 30 years of experience in the management and development of transportation projects and programs. […]
WakeUP Wake County in the News!
News and Observer Opinion Editor Ned Barnett interviewed WakeUP Wake County Executive Director Bert Fox, WakeUP Wake County Board Chair Tom Barrie, and RaleighForward Executive […]
David Meeker Joins WUWC
David is founder and Managing Partner of Carpenter Development and partnered with Trophy Brewing in 2008. He is on the Board of the Downtown Raleigh […]
New Board Member Eric Braun
Eric is an attorney and the founder/Executive Director of RaleighForward. Prior to retiring in 2010, his law practice focused on land use regulation, zoning, litigation, […]
Past Events
We partner with the following organizations:
RaleighForward | CityBuilder | Welcoming Neighbors Network
Our programs are driven by the support of the following foundations, organizations, and sponsors:
Sustainability Supporter
Equity Creator
AJ Fletcher Foundation
Tom & Lisa Barrie
Balfour Beatty
Bryson Harris Suciu & DeMay
Carpenter Development
In Situ Studio
Jammy Pop
Parker Poe
Perkins Eastman
Providence Bank
RaleighForward
SfL+a Architects/Firstfloor
SiteCollaborative
Swift Partners
Grassroots Initiator
Cline
Hattie Gawande and Andrew Blackburn
HH Architecture
Louis Cherry Architecture
Mountain Modern
REdesign.build
Susan Parry and John Montgomery
TightLines Designs
WithersRavenel
Friends
Rep. Cynthia Ball and Dr. Dave Aspnes
Arthur and Anya Gordon
Sig and Nancy Hutchinson