The Regionalverband Ruhr is a legal special-purpose organisation with its headquarters in Essen. The RVR was founded in 1920 as a residential association for the Ruhrkohlen district. Even then it was an amalgamation of boroughs and districts in the Ruhr. Today its purpose is to focus the interests of the administratively independent towns and districts which comprise its membership. The RVR also aims to coordinate projects and functions.