Now more than ever, counties matter. Our nation is facing unprecedented challenges, and America’s counties, parishes and boroughs continue to answer the call, seizing opportunities to save lives and restore our economy.

Led by 40,000 elected county officials, America’s 3.6 million county employees are on the front lines of our nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Our “We Are Counties” campaign expresses gratitude for the countless sacrifices these employees are making to serve our communities.

COVID-19’s far-reaching impacts — public health, economy, workforce, technology, human services — add to the strain on our budgets and staff. Before the pandemic, we were already facing mounting challenges like the opioid epidemic and other substance abuse; mental illness, especially in our jails; natural disasters; infrastructure needs; economic disparities; and the list goes on.

Yet, county leadership, ingenuity and courage are enabling us to overcome historic obstacles. Through NACo, counties have achieved significant victories at the federal level.

Bipartisan legislation has provided substantial new resources for our communities. Federal coronavirus relief packages delivered support for public health, small businesses and nonprofits, mental health services, nutrition assistance, workforce development and other expenses related to our COVID-19 response. We continue to advocate in a bipartisan fashion for direct, flexible aid to counties of all sizes — while balancing our concerns about the federal debt and deficit.

We secured full funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes and a two-year reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools, key programs for public lands and forest counties. We secured additional federal resources for the 2020 Census, election security and FEMA disaster assistance, and a full repeal of the “Cadillac Tax” on employer-sponsored health coverage.

We celebrated several major milestones over the past year. We reached an all-time NACo membership high, with 79 percent of the nation’s counties. Now in its fifth year, more than 520 counties participate in our Stepping Up initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders in jails. And with over 30,000 downloads, NACo’s TestIT app drove improvements to the FCC’s broadband mapping process.

At a time when we need it the most, NACo has invested in nurturing current and emerging county leaders through world-class online professional development. More than 1,600 county officials from more than 900 counties have enrolled in our High Performance Leadership Academy and Enterprise Cybersecurity Leadership Academy.

Tremendous challenges lie ahead — from our ongoing economic and public health recovery to our efforts to advance racial equity and social justice. But one thing is clear: Counties are answering the call. Through our diversity, we are united as one NACo, fostering healthy, safe and vibrant counties across America.

The 2019-20 Annual Report provides a snapshot of NACo’s successes on behalf of the nation’s 3,069 counties.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members and partners and look forward to continuing to work with you. Together, we can accomplish anything.

Hon. Mary Ann Borgeson
NACo President

Matthew Chase
NACo Executive Director

COVID-19 Federal Advocacy

Secured the passage of The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which resulted in funding for counties to implement federal child welfare reforms.

Worked with our federal partners on the passage of the CARES Act, which created a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund available to counties of 500,000 residents or more. While the Coronavirus Relief Fund provided direct relief to our largest counties, only 5 percent of America’s counties were eligible for direct assistance. Most counties have received allocations through their states. Counties have used CRF funds in innovative ways, such as for small business and nonprofit relief, mental health services, nutrition assistance and workforce development.

Helped secure bipartisan support of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, also known as the “COVID-19 3.5” relief package, which contained important public health funding.

We continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure direct and flexible funding for counties is included in the next coronavirus relief package that reflects the roles and responsibilities mandated by federal and state laws and regulations.

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COVID-19 Resources and Best Practices

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, NACo has produced a variety of resources to help county leaders understand and implement federal guidelines and pursue innovative solutions, including:

• A tool to compare how counties are using Coronavirus Relief Fund allocations
• More than 60 articles about COVID-19 in County News
• Maps of county public health emergency declarations
• Maps and analyses of county safer-at-home-orders
• Research on the fiscal and county workforce impacts, and
• Issue briefs highlighting county approaches to maintaining and adapting service delivery, including health, behavioral health, perinatal supports, childcare, housing, homelessness, child welfare and victim services, unemployment, justice services and first responders and supporting resident-owned small businesses.

NACo hosted 26 membership calls, providing federal policy updates and connecting members with White House officials and representatives from federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Labor.

As counties lead frontline response efforts, NACo elevated the county story, hosting weekly national media teleconference calls.

NACo’s We Are Counties campaign is putting faces on the many frontline services counties provide — including 328,000 hospital workers, 330,000 law enforcement officers, 93,000 first responders and many more. The interactive campaign expresses gratitude for county employees’ sacrifices in service to our communities and underscores the need for direct, flexible federal investments in the critical county services.

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78% of the nation’s counties, parishes and boroughs are NACo members – an all-time high

99% membership retention rate

Significant Accomplishments

• The NACo TestIT app, drove improvements to improve the FCC’s broadband mapping process and subsequent federal funding decisions
• Over 30,000 app downloads with over 148,000 tests
• Full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program and a two-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program
• 2020 Census: $6.7 billion, a $2.8 billion increase
• A full repeal of the 40-percent “Cadillac Tax” on employer-sponsored health plans
• Increased investments in housing, economic and workforce development programs
• County priorities included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization
• A final EPA rule to replace the 2015 “Waters of the U.S.” rule
• Additional investments in election security and administration
• Funding and financing priorities in federal infrastructure proposals, including increased funding for off-system bridges to over $1 billion, as well as funding for local infrastructure through the Surface Transportation Block Grant
• Short-term funding extensions for key health programs, including the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, Community Health Centers funding and the National Health Service Corps
• Enactment of the Family First Transition Act, which secured funding for counties to implement federal child welfare reforms

Policy Opportunities and Threats

• Additional COVID-19 federal aid to counties of all sizes to help cover increased expenditures and revenue losses
• Racial equity and justice
• Transportation and infrastructure
• FCC regulations that impact local zoning authority
• Long-term PILT/SRS certainty and active forest management
• National Flood Insurance Program
• Entitlement program reform
• “Waters of the U.S.” rule finalization
• Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Reauthorization
• Election security
• Opioid epidemic and substance abuse
• Medicaid Jail Inmate Exclusion policy

Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails

Stepping Up, a partnership between NACo, The Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation formed to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails, celebrated its fifth anniversary.

520 counties have passed a resolution or proclamation to join this national initiative

2020 Census and Beyond

With the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the New Venture Fund, NACo is providing counties with up-to-date information and the county perspective on the Census 2020, including best practices to ensure fair and accurate counts and overcoming challenges associated with shifting timelines and restricted canvassing capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Counties Investing in Early Childhood Development

NACo launched Counties for Kids, a public awareness campaign designed to arm county leaders with knowledge, tools and resources to improve and expand high-quality services and support for young children and their families.

Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge

In partnership with the Aetna Foundation and the American Public Health Association, NACo launched the Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge through a competitive application process that produced 10 county and 10 city challenge participants.

Counties Advancing Economic Mobility and Opportunity

Launched a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to assess the barriers to economic mobility and share scalable, transferable programs across the country.

Additional signature projects include:

Digital Outreach

During the coronavirus pandemic, as we adjust to social distancing and travel restrictions, NACo’s digital outreach is more important than ever. Through video, pre-recorded and live event streaming, NACo.org, our social media channels and email outreach, we are keeping members up-to-date and activating counties to drive progress at all levels, from national to county.

County News

Produced 24 issues of County News, along with special editions on substance abuse treatment, health care in jails, serving aging populations and economic development

Social Media

(Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn)

Reached over 4.8 million user impressions, an increase of 60 percent

Livestreaming and Webinars

Delivered 96 webinars, conference workshop recordings and livestreamed events – including the NACo-Appalachian Regional Commission Opioid Epidemic Capstone Event, the NACo- National Sheriffs’ Association Health Care in Jails Town Hall, Capitol Hill briefings and topics including responding to the coronavirus pandemic, early childhood development, supporting our aging populations and Census 2020 – with over 16,000 attendees and viewers

NACo.org and County Explorer

Nearly 3.26 million page views and over 1.37 million sessions, an increase of nearly 60,000 page views

40 interactive toolkits and reports, utilizing infographics, interactive charts and maps, photos, videos and more

Nationwide Retirement Solutions

NACo’s Defined Contribution and Retirement Services Program offers county employees a voluntary, tax-deferred savings opportunity to supplement employer-sponsored retirement plans. It also offers a 401(a) match and stand-alone defined contribution plans.

More than 424,000 county employees participate in the program with over $21 billion in assets

Over 3,000 counties and county jurisdictions participate

Since the partnership began, we’ve served more than 1.6 million county employees and retirees

41 state associations of counties endorse the program

New: Cybersecurity Collaborative

In partnership with the Cyber Risk Alliance, state associations of counties and affiliate government organizations, NACo FSC provides a knowledge transfer platform that gives access to top tier public and private cybersecurity professionals. The NACo Cybersecurity Collaborative increases the access to information, intelligence, best practices and resources that creates an agile, cooperative ecosystem. The collective purpose of this network is to proactively strengthen America’s counties to better defend and protect themselves, their communities and our economy from cyberattacks.

Thank you to Our Sponsors

Strategic Partners

Nationwide

Live Healthy U.S. Counties

NACo Financial Services

Public Finance Authority

Federal Funders  

Appalachian Regional Commission 

Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program 

U.S Economic Development Administration (EDA) 

Federal Highway Administration (FHA) 

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) 

National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) 

The Solar Foundation 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

Foundations and Non-Profits  

Aetna Foundation, Inc. 

Americans for the Arts  

American Psychiatric Association Foundation 

Annie E. Casey Foundation  

Arnold Ventures 

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 

Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare 

Center for Court Innovation 

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation  

ECMC Foundation  

George Mason University 

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation 

Med-IQ, Inc. 

National Criminal Justice Association  

New Venture Fund  

PFM Group Consulting 

Pritzker Children’s Initiative  

The Council of State Governments Justice Center 

The Kresge Foundation 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

Walmart Foundation 

Institute for Intergovernmental Research 

Premier Corporate Partners

ACI Worldwide

Aetna

American Gas Association

Association of American Railroads

AT&T

Atlassian

BNSF Railways

Broadnet

Capital Group

Carahsoft

CGI Communications Inc

Comcast

DLR Group

ESRI

IBM

Johnson & Johnson Services

KPMG

Lexis Nexis

Lyft

Linebarger

Masimo

Multi-Bank Securities

Municipal Finance and Services Corp.

National Association of Home Builders

Napoli Schkolnik PLLC

Nationwide

Netsmart Technologies

Open Lattice

Pepsico

Pew Charitable Trusts

Target

Thomson Reuters

Turo

Tyler Technologies

UnitedHealthcare/Optum

Verizon Communications Inc

Visa

Western Governors University

Witt O’Brien’s