NACo advocates for inclusion of county priorities in FY 2027

Key Takeaways

On April 27, NACo sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Appropriations Committees urging lawmakers to adequately fund key federal programs of importance to counties in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027. The letter focused on key priorities where counties play a key role as intergovernmental partners, such as in economic development, emergency management, health and human services, infrastructure and rural communities.
Given the potential challenges facing counties in FY 2027, including the president's proposed 10 percent cut to non-defense discretionary programs and cost shifts to county governments from H.1. implementation, counties urge Congress to prioritize the vital programs that directly support local communities and preserve the federal-state-local partnership essential to counties core services. 

Priorities include but are not limited to:

• The Payment In-Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program
• The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program
• Emergency Management and Public Safety programs, including the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and preparedness grant programs
• Direct investment in transportation and infrastructure grant programs, including water infrastructure
• Key behavioral health and human services programs, including the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and Substance Use Block Grant
• Support for rural communities, including USDA Rural Development programs, the ReConnect broadband program and wildfire mitigation funding
• Election administration programs, including HAVA election security grants and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
• Cybersecurity support through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
   
• To read the full letter, including the full list of key county priorities for FY 2027, click here.