National Association of Counties
A YEAR OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNTIES
Change is the only constant in Washington, D.C., and with that change, 2016-2017 held many opportunities for the nation’s counties, parishes and boroughs.
NACo began the year in a new headquarters (featured on the cover of this report), colocated with the National League of Cities. We created a local government innovation center with more opportunities for county-city collaboration and outreach to external partners.
With the new Congress and new administration, NACo seized the opportunity to inform new leaders about counties’ vast responsibilities and how federal policies impact us every day.
We achieved significant policy victories and will continue to fight for county priorities at the federal level.
As we advocate for counties at the federal level, we are not waiting for the federal government to act. With our state association and affiliate partners, we are driving progress and solutions at the state and local levels. Through NACo’s initiatives, conferences, peer exchanges, webinars and other events, thousands of county leaders pursued opportunities to address our communities’ needs – the devastating opioid epidemic, people with mental illnesses in our jails, transportation and infrastructure innovations, rural poverty and economic opportunity, early childhood development, technology and much more.
We delivered enterprise solutions to save taxpayers millions of dollars, and we expanded our signature civic education resources, informing the public – especially America’s youth – that counties matter.
At a time when our nation is politically divided, NACo is focused on advancing civil discourse and achieving results. NACo reflects our membership, delivering resources to help counties succeed.
At the local level and at NACo, we cannot afford partisan gridlock and political acrimony. We press forward to create healthy, vibrant and safe counties across the United States.
The 2016-17 Annual Report provides a snapshot of NACo’s accomplishments on behalf of the nation’s 3,069 counties.
Flawed “Waters of the U.S.” regulation sent back to the drawing board
Implementation of the new 2015 ozone rule delayed for one year
EPA’s Risk Management Rule delayed for two years
Bureau of Land Management Planning 2.0 rule repealed
U.S. House Bipartisan Task Force on Intergovernmental Affairs created
21st Century Cures Act passed, reauthorizing major justice and mental health grant program and providing additional resources to combat opioid epidemic
Preserved $3 billion for CDBG and $950 million for HOME
Secured full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program at $465 million for 2017
Highlighted county infrastructure priorities during Infrastructure Week
Fought to protect tax-exempt municipal bonds
Secured seat on new FAA National Drone Advisory Council
Produced new advocacy toolkits to assist county officials
Met with all 62 new members of Congress
Recognized 85 members of Congress who are former county officials
Advised the newly created White House Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity
Led the local response to FEMA’s Disaster Deductible proposal
Presented congressional testimony on public lands management, transportation and infrastructure, federal regulations, National Flood Insurance Program, the Endangered Species Act and other county priorities
Click to the cover to download the resource
Medicaid and health reform | Transportation and infrastructure — including FAA reauthorization | Preserving the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, the key financing tool counties use to builds roads, schools, hospitals and public facilities | Maintaining the federal deductibility of state and local taxes | Representing counties in FEMA disaster deductible proposals and other federal regulatory reform efforts| Advocating for long-term PILT/SRS certainty and active forest management | Reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program | Engaging the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers in rewriting “Waters of the U.S.” rule | Protecting local decision-making in Property Assessed Clean Energy programs | Supporting rural development programs | Preserving Social Services Block Grants and the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
NACo, in partnership with the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and other supporters, celebrated the initiative’s two-year anniversary with more than 2,000 people in person and online
More than 375 counties passed resolutions to join the initiative
NACo-National League of Cities Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic promoted policy, funding and best practices through a comprehensive report, “A Prescription for Action: Local Leadership in Ending the Opioid Crisis,” and town halls, webinars and briefings
605 Achievement Awards were given to 108 counties in 29 states
NACo President Byran Desloge’s “Brilliant Ideas at Work” identified 100 of the best innovations in county government and launched an interactive online, searchable publication
Rebranded and realigned NACo’s Research Department to launch the Counties Futures Lab, focusing on county governance and management issues — and grounded in analytics, data and knowledge sharing
Click to the cover to download the resource
Partnered with Public Technology Institute to strengthen technology in county government and connect elected officials and technology professionals
MacArthur Foundation Safety & Justice Challenge | Data-Driven Justice Initiative | County Health Rankings and Roadmaps | Healthy Counties Initiative | Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge | Resilient Counties Initiative | Arts and Culture Initiative | Stronger Economies in Coal-Reliant Places | Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Technical Assistance | SolSmart Initiative | National Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy Coordination | Improving Community Resilience through Risk Modeling | Naturally Resilient Infrastructure Toolkit | Advancing Innovation in Transportation and Economic Development | Coordinating Military Bases and Local Governments | Rural Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guide Assistance
Nearly 100 webinars and conference workshop recordings – including leadership topics like civic education, civility and integrity and communications – with more than 5,000 attendees and viewers
With Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, NACo brought together 23 county elected executives and other leaders for a peer exchange focused on county innovation and leadership development
iCivics – NACo, in partnership with iCivics, unveiled new and im- proved civic education resources: the County Solutions curriculum and the Counties Work online game.
Produced 24 issues of County News, along with special editions on homelessness and mental illness in jails
Over 3 million page views and more than 1.6 million sessions, an increase of nearly six percent. County Explorer includes the latest data for 3,069 counties across 19 categories, over 100 datasets, more than 1,000 indicators and 15 county profiles
Broadcast 12 live events online, ranging from a town hall on the opioid epidemic, to Capitol Hill briefings and panel discussions on the Stepping Up Initiative, local infrastructure investments, human trafficking and homelessness, among others
More than 37,900 views on YouTube and Facebook – an increase of over 62 percent – accounting for 35 days and 12 hours of watch time
Under the leadership of incoming NACo President Roy Charles Brooks, NACo will raise awareness of the critical role counties play in breaking the cycle of poverty. NACo will also provide tools to strengthen efforts to address this issue as we help to build healthy, vibrant and safe counties across the United States.
While counties put people first, poverty can push them to the end of the line. This is particularly true for our nation’s children, who are impacted by poverty more than any other age group. In fact, adverse childhood experiences can impact infants for the rest of their lives.
As the ultimate safety net, county investments and leadership in early childhood development will lower future costs in county health, child welfare, safety and justice services. Counties also forge partnerships with the public, private and non-profit sectors at the federal, state and local levels to remove barriers, build opportunities and address the many faces of poverty in America.
NACo will raise awareness of the critical role counties play in breaking the cycle of poverty, especially with our children.
NACo ended 2016 with a net operating surplus of $1,204,297. Total operating revenue of $20,904,141 reflects 6.4 percent growth over 2015, driven primarily by continued growth in sales from the U.S. Communities Purchasing Alliance program. Total operating expenses grew 4.8 percent over the prior year to $19,699,844.
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