National County Government Month begins

Counties encouraged to celebrate ‘Brilliant Ideas at Work’ during National County Government Month

National County Government Month (NCGM) is an annual celebration of county government held each April. Since 1991, NACo has encouraged counties to raise public awareness of the robust role counties play in our communities.

This year, the theme is consistent with NACo President Bryan Desloge’s initiative, “Brilliant Ideas at Work.” The theme encourages counties, parishes and boroughs to feature their most innovative and successful programs — those truly making a difference in residents’ lives.

Learn More

Access the NCGM toolkit here 

Share your activities on NACo’s Facebook page  and include us on Twitter . Join the conversation by using the hashtag #NCGM.

In NACo’s NCGM toolkit, county officials will find multiple ideas to share “Brilliant Ideas” with the public. Media outreach tips are in the toolkit, where you can also find a sample proclamation and news release. Suggestions include holding an open house at county departments to showcase the services they provide, offering tours to show how county facilities operate and holding a job fair to highlight workforce development efforts.

 

On April 4, NACo encourages you to participate in the Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service, recognizing the impact of national service. The Corporation for National and Community Service has partnered with NACo, the National League of Cities and Cities of Service to encourage leaders to host events, issue proclamations and participate in service projects. Use the hashtag #County4Service on social media to highlight your communities’ volunteerism and thank AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members for their contributions.

National County Government Month is also a great way to help students learn about county government.

On April 5, NACo and its partner, iCivics, will unveil updated versions of its signature civic education tools for students — the Counties Work online educational game, where students simulate the role of county leaders, and the County Solutions classroom curriculum.

The County Solutions curriculum will be expanded to include both junior high and high school instruction, and the Counties Work game will be compatible with a wider range of computers, including tablet devices. Access the new resources beginning on April 5 at www.naco.org/iCivics.

On April 19, as part of NACo’s partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, County Health Day will highlight how counties build healthier communities — including health care delivery, public health and behavioral health services. Throughout the day, NACo will share success stories and resources for counties.

NACo wants to know about the activities you have planned during NCGM so it can share this information with other counties. Email your activities to David Jackson, communications director, djackson@naco.org. Send us your media coverage, proclamations, photos and videos of your county’s celebrations.