National County Government Month
Celebrate the role of counties every April
About NCGM
National County Government Month (NCGM), held each April, is a celebration of county government. Since 1991, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged counties to use this month of recognition to actively promote our roles and responsibilities in serving residents.
Join us this April in celebrating National County Government Month 2026! Counties can schedule activities any time during the month. Scroll down on this page to find:
- Featured celebrations from counties in past years
- A toolkit, including template press releases, sample social media posts, graphics and logos, educational resources and more.
- The toolkit is broken into three sections, each including outreach resources relevant to that section and county examples to inspire your participation plans. The sections are:
- Tell the county story, raising awareness of local programs and services
- Champion the county workforce, celebrating 3.6 million public servants employed by counties nationwide
- Boost civic engagement, strengthening connections between government and residents
Featured Resources
Counties Work Game & Curriculum
NACo, together with iCivics, has created an online game and curriculum to educate students grade levels 6-12 about the important role and functions of county government.
The Marvelous Adventures of Countyland
The Marvelous Adventures of Countyland is an experimental publication created with generative artificial intelligence (AI). Its objectives are to showcase the capabilities of AI, to stimulate discussions regarding AI's applications in the public sector, and to inspire young people around the role of county government.
Counties 101
Learn how counties are on the front lines, delivering vital services for our residents.
Examples of County NCGM Activities
Toolkit Sections
Ways to Celebrate
Tell Your County's Story
- Storytelling Resources
- County Fact Sheets
- Media Strategies
- Social Media Tools
- Download NCGM Logos & Graphics
Champion the County Workforce
Boost Civic Engagement
Questions?
NACo is here to help. Click here to ask a question.
Tell Your County's Story
Highlight county services and programs provided by your county and tell the story of how county governments across the country fit into our intergovernmental system. Develop fact sheets, feature NACo’s Counties 101 resources, plan events and more.
County Explorer Data
Explore your county through over 1000 indicators and nearly 100 datasets.
The County Landscape Project
Counties are vital to the foundation of our communities, helping shape the places where we live, work and thrive. From maintaining critical infrastructure and delivering essential public services to fostering economic growth and ensuring public safety, county governments play a pivotal role in the daily lives of millions of Americans.
Achievement Awards
The Achievement Awards is a non-competitive awards program recognizing innovative county government programs. Award-winning programs are featured in NACo content and celebrated at NACo's Annual Conference.
County Fact Sheets
Fact sheets are a helpful resource for telling your county’s story. Use these questions to develop your own county's fact sheets, then distribute them to media, post them on your website, hand them out at open houses or other events and share them on social media.
- How many children, senior citizens or veterans received county services last year?
- Does your county support a child mentoring program or local food bank?
- How is your county investing in early childhood development?
- How many trained emergency responders are employed by the county?
- How many trained volunteer emergency responders serve the county?
- How many emergency calls were responded to last year?
- How many bookings were processed at the county jail last year?
- What is the daily average jail population?
- How many patients were served last year at county hospitals and clinics?
- How many health department inspections were conducted last year?
- How many vaccinations were administered last year?
- How many emergency room visits were made last year?
- How many nursing homes are in the county?
- How many county residents have health insurance?
- How many seniors did your county serve last year?
- How does your county support caregivers?
- Does your county have programs to assist residents with mobility challenges?
- How many people are unemployed in the county?
- What is the average county wage?
- How many residents received direct job training or unemployment services last year?
- How many businesses have been added to the county? How many new jobs have they brought in?
- How many veterans are in your county?
- How does your county serve veterans in your community?
Media Relations
Careful planning is essential to maximize public awareness of National County Government Month activities and the county services and programs you are highlighting. Here are effective ways to help secure positive coverage.
Inform local reporters, editors and broadcasters early and often about NCGM and your county’s plans to celebrate it.
Coordinate newsworthy events or announcements. You can launch new initiatives, announce plans for new programs or recognize county employees for their excellent public service. Keep in mind that newspapers seek in-depth facts, television stations want good visuals and radio reporters want snappy sounds bites. All reporters seek good stories. They want access to knowledgeable and articulate sources to make their stories interesting and informative.
Publish a calendar of NCGM events on your county’s website. Ask the local newspapers to publish the calendar. Ask the local television, cable and radio stations to air public service announcements about county services or events.
Prepare and send media notices well in advance for specific NCGM events. Describe who, what, where, when and why. Make it newsworthy.
Have news releases ready to distribute to the media the day of special NCGM events. Highlight what’s new, beneficial and cost-effective. Use lively, concise quotes from appropriate county officials. Provide contact information.
Actively engage with media to deliver the message that counties matter. All counties, regardless of size, can hold virtual press conferences, media tours of county facilities and programs, and effectively pitch reporters, editors and producers.
Tell Your County's Story
Social Media Resources
If you already have a page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or another platform, use it to promote activities and carry messages during NCGM. Coordinate a county government month social media team to plan social media outreach efforts and make sure you have lots of photos from all the events.
Consider creating interactive social media posts for your audience, such as:
- Trivia questions about your county’s history, structure and programs
- Hashtags that employees and residents alike can use to join the celebrations
- Links to online resources such as fact sheets, articles or event information pages
- Videos offering a behind-the-scenes look at your county’s government
Remember to tag NACo and/or use the hashtag #NCGM in your county’s social media posts. We will include as many NCGM photos as we can in our weekly email blast to members.
Social Media Tools
Click here to access sample social media graphics. More will be added soon!
Champion the County Workforce
National County Government Month is an excellent opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of county employees. This April, consider planning events and using social media to show gratitude to county employees for all that they do.
Examples from Past Years
Released a NCGM podcast episode that featured an interview with Commissioner Chair Cami Bremer and Deputy County Administrator Sunny Bryant.
Organized a "Chill Out Day" event, providing county employees with free snow cones in recognition of their hard work and dedication.
Created a video series that focused on spotlighting individual county employees.
Celebrated staff with a barbecue lunch for county employees.
The County Landscape Project: Service Provision and the Public Workforce
Counties are vital to the foundation of our communities, helping shape the places where we live, work and thrive. From maintaining critical infrastructure and delivering essential public services to fostering economic growth and ensuring public safety, county governments play a pivotal role in the daily lives of millions of Americans.
County Governance Project
A comprehensive guide to county government structure, authority, services and finances
Governing on the Ground
Governing on the Ground is an inside look at the complex challenges faced by officials as they strive to strengthen their communities. The book features 30 short chapters contributed by county leaders.
Boost Civic Engagement
During NCGM, consider ways that your county can strengthen the connection between residents and their local government. Offer in-person or virtual tours, encourage volunteerism, involve schools and advocate for county policy priorities.
Examples from Past Years
Hosted an open house event at the Franklin County Government Center. The event featured an exhibit hall where residents could meet with county government employees and learn about the roles and responsibilities of each office.
Organized a photo contest to encourage residents to capture county activities and scenic landscapes.
Introduced a new county mascot — a ham named Hamilton — who symbolizes the county’s agricultural heritage.
Promoted health and wellness by organizing various 5K runs throughout the county’s 5 districts.
Recorded and shared a virtual presentation on county government that featured a tour of the county administration building.
Organized guided tours of county fire stations.
Turned its celebration into a civic awards ceremony, rewarding residents with honors such as the Courageous Spirit Volunteer of the Year Award and the Citizen of the Year Award.
Boost Civic Engagement
Involve Schools
Include schools in your National County Government month activities to enable students to learn about county government.
Examples from Past Years
- Goodhue County, Minn. ran an essay contest for students in grades 8-12 with the prompt: “How has county government impacted your community for the better?”
- Hamilton County, Ohio welcomed high school government students to meet with county commissioners and learn about how counties serve residents every day
- Upshur County, W.Va. commissioners visited a local middle school to connect with students and speak about county government
- Over 200 7th grade students in Benton County, Wash. made parade floats for different counties in the state
Counties Work Online Game and My County Works Activity Book
NACo, together with iCivics, has created a full curriculum to educate students, grades 6 through 12, about the important role and functions of county government.
This year, we're aiming for 150,000 plays of Counties Work during the month of April!
Boost Civic Engagement
Call Your Members of Congress
National County Government Month is an ideal time to discuss national policy issues affecting county government with members of Congress who represent your county. Schedule a call with your congressional representative(s) or key staff in your congressional district office. Use the call to explain the great challenges facing your county and how Congress can help.
Many important issues are being debated nationally that affect counties. Be prepared with facts and information about how specific federal issues affect your county. Know where your member of Congress stands on important issues and on which committees he or she serves. Your message should be focused, compelling and relevant.
Program Contacts
Nicole Weissman
