Presidential Spotlight: ForwardTogether
Connect. Inspire. Lead.
Under the leadership of NACo President Mary Jo McGuire, NACo is focusing on the spotlight "ForwardTogether." The three pillars of the spotlight are:
- Connect, focused on building bridges to advance excellence and networks in county government
- Inspire, focused on driving community engagement and residents’ trust in county government, and
- Lead, focused on spearheading local, state, federal and tribal intergovernmental partnerships and common-sense policy solutions.
“We are poised for great accomplishments in the coming year. As county leaders, we have unlimited potential to advance to our priorities and lead forward together.”
NACo President Mary Jo McGuire
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NACo President Mary Jo McGuire announces ForwardTogether
Resource
Bridging Divides: Tools for County Leaders to Overcome Division and Foster Collaboration
Connect & Build Peer Bridges
County officials have a proud culture of finding common ground and common-sense solutions. Relationships matter among county officials, from the local courthouse to our statewide association partners to NACo’s national footprint. We have the unlimited potential to harness - through our networks and connections with nearly 40,000 elected officials and 3.6 million professionals - the collective ingenuity, expertise and passion to advance excellence and merit trust in county government.
Inspire Community Engagement
Together, county officials lead most effectively when we listen and engage with all of our residents, including those who are most difficult to reach. Even though counties are diverse in structure and how we deliver services to our residents, all counties share the mission of achieving healthy, safe and vibrant communities. As the local foundation of our democracy, the engagement and trust of our residents is fundamental to our long-term success. We must connect with community partners and the public, including our youth and underserved.
Lead Intergovernmental Partnerships
Counties are uniquely chartered and positioned to implement and administer vital intergovernmental systems at the statewide, regional and community levels. To be successful, we must amplify and elevate the awareness, relationships and understanding of our federal, state, local and tribal partners about the fundamentals of county government.
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2024 NCCAE-NACo Knowledge Management Forum
The 2024 NCCAE-NACo Knowledge Management Forum, held August 14–16 at the Association of Minnesota Counties headquarters in Ramsey County (St. Paul), Minn., will bring together representatives from state associations and NACo for strategic discussions on shared policy priorities, with a focus on emerging county issues, such as economic development, housing and tax reform.
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