County Leadership Curriculum
About
The County Leadership Curriculum is a program dedicated to enhancing the professional development and leadership skills of Counties officials and staff. Recognizing the evolving landscape of Counties governance, NACo’s curriculum is designed to reflect the continuous growth essential for effective leadership.
Structure and Tracks
The CLC offers a structured learning experience through three specialized tracks with training spanning over two years. Workshops are held at NACo’s Legislative Conference, Western Interstate Region conference and the Annual Conference. In order to successfully complete the program, attendees must attend a minimum of 16 workshops within a two-year period and must successfully complete Robert’s Rules 101 and 102, Financial Management 101 and 102 and 12 other workshops of their choice. Participants can satisfy the required number of workshops through in-person sessions or online sessions.
Track One
Governance and Operations
Dive into the nuts and bolts of county government through this track. These sessions provide officials with comprehensive insights into county government and its inner workings. This track equips participants with the knowledge needed to navigate the intricacies of county operations. This track will explore the intricate parts of county government such as county budgets, parliamentary procedures, disaster preparedness and more.
Track Two
Personal Development
Explore the art of leadership with Track Two. Designed to elevate individual leadership capabilities through tailored topics to strengthen professional and leadership traits. Workshop topics include building consensus, mastering change management, facultative leadership and more to help strengthen create effective county leaders.
Track Three
Communication and Delivery
Acquire tools for effective public communication, a critical skill in modern governance. This track enhances participants' communication proficiency, allowing them to engage effectively with the public and navigate the challenges of communication in today's digital age. Session topics range from media relations, message development, social media usage and more.
In-Person Sessions
Annual Conference
Track One
- Robert's Rules 102 | Advancing Your Meeting Mastery for Effective Governance
- 111-113, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
- Financial Management 101 | Unveiling the Essentials of County Budgeting and Financial Management for Elected Officials
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
- Navigating Personal Safety: Keeping You and Your Sphere Safe
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 13
Track Two
- Fostering Civility in Public Discourse Navigating Personal Safety: Keeping You and Your Sphere Safe
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
Track Three
- Media Relations Mastery: Navigating Press Interactions
- 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m | July 15
Upcoming Workshops
Webinar Sessions
Track One
- Robert's Rules 101 | Rule the Room: Mastering Robert’s Rules for Effective Governance
- June 6, 2024, at 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET | Click here to register
- Financial Management 102 | Beyond the Balance Sheet: Advanced Strategies for County Budgeting and Financial Mastery
- County Chronicles | Unlocking the Roles that Shape County Government: County Planners
Track Three
- Mastering Crisis Communication: Strategies and Tactics for Effective Response
Grassroots Advocacy Series: Key Advocacy Efforts in the Lame-Duck Session
Join NACo for an insightful briefing on the county priorities most likely to move before the 119th Congress ends, and learn how your voice can influence the outcome.
Buy Smarter with Amazon Business: A New Nationally Solicited Contract for Public Agencies
Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Discover how your agency can tap into more than 300 million products and hundreds of thousands of third-party sellers through a new Amazon Business contract that was competitively bid on a national scale. Fixed-term price ceilings across eight categories help keep everyday purchasing both compliant and budget-friendly. This webinar is the second rendition of our initial rollout webinar on October 22, 2026.
For more information, visit the event page!
Transforming Public Defense Operations for the Digital Evidence Era
Learn how the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office tackles surging digital evidence and case workloads using Box to achieve functional parity, automate document lifecycles, and securely query unstructured discovery.
NACo Policy Insider Webinar Series: Understanding the Federal Landscape for Counties, November 19
Join NACo for a bi-weekly webinar offering an overview of the full federal policy landscape impacting counties.
Better Prompts, Better Results: Using GenAI Efficiently and Responsibly in County Government
County staff are being asked to do more with limited time and resources, and generative AI can help, but only if you know how to use it well and responsibly. This practical session will start with a quick AI prompting primer and then spend time on how better prompts translate into real efficiencies, from cutting the time it takes to draft communications, summarize policies, and prepare meeting notes, to responding to constituents faster and with greater clarity and accuracy.
2026 Fall Board of Directors Meeting and Building Better Futures: A County Leaders' Symposium on Youth Outcomes
Hosted by NACo President George Dunlap as part of his presidential spotlight, in partnership with NACo’s Board of Directors and Large Urban County Caucus, the event will focus on practical strategies and collaborative approaches that counties can advance at the local level—from proven prevention and early intervention models to cross-sector partnerships that align resources and expand opportunity.
Questions?
For any questions or concerns about the program, please reach out to arathi@naco.org.