The Central Arizona Association of Governments (CAAG) was formed in 1970 and incorporated in 1975.  CAAG is one of six regional planning districts, or Councils of Governments (COGs), established by Executive Order 70-2 by the Governor of Arizona.

The six designated districts ultimately became two urban COGs, and four rural COGs.  The goal was to create regional groupings that could provide more effective regional planning than various small towns, individual counties, or rural areas could on their own.  The idea was to promote a community of interest, to preserve county boundaries, and to have a population base adequate to support planning activities, while complying with federal planning requirements and addressing the concerns of local government officials.  The COGs, especially in rural areas, produced an economy of scale that allowed governments within a region to pool limited resources for maximum effect.

The CAAG Region is comprised of Gila and Pinal Counties, which includes seventeen incorporated communities, and over 10,000 square miles of area.  The region is very diverse in terms of socioeconomic characteristics as well as geography and climate.