Strengthening America's Counties
Healthy, safe and vibrant counties across America
The National Association of Counties is celebrating 90 years of building healthy, safe and vibrant counties across America.
Announcing 2025 NACo Achievement Award Winners
NACo is pleased to announce the winners for the 2025 Achievement Awards. Through a non-competitive application process, noteworthy programs receive awards in 18 categories that cover a vast range of county responsibilities.
Federal Reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): What Counties Should Know
Regardless of population size, geography and available resources, counties are deeply invested in our residents’ health and well-being.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, June 26
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week four of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
U.S. House passes reconciliation bill: What it means for counties
Counties should continue to advocate for county priorities to be included in the final budget reconciliation bill.
2025 Federal Policy Priorities
NACo policy positions are debated and voted on by ten policy steering committees comprising more than 1,400 county officials, along with the NACo Board of Directors and full membership. NACo supports federal policies and programs that equip county governments with the resources and flexibility needed to serve our residents effectively.
What We Do
Through NACo, counties engage with our intergovernmental partners, share best practices, develop leaders and save resources, building stronger counties that result in a stronger America.
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40,000
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Advocate for County Policy Priorities
Advocacy
Visit NACo‘s advocacy hub to learn about county priorities in federal policymaking, tools to help you take action and read our latest updates.
Find Solutions for Your Community
Solutions
Discover innovative solutions from NACo EDGE, access our professional development opportunities and explore our latest initiatives and resources.
Participate in a NACo Event
NACo Events
In addition to a robust slate of virtual events held throughout the year, NACo holds dozens of in-person events, from peer exchanges to fly-ins.
Telling the County Story
Through our Counties 101 curriculum and full suite of civic engagement tools, share how how counties are on the front lines, delivering vital services for our residents.
Latest News
Building Trust: The Framework for Responsible AI
As AI becomes an integral part of business operations, the imperative for responsible integration with existing county technology grows. This webinar will explore the critical considerations and frameworks necessary for implementing AI ethically and effectively. By exploring the core themes of transparency, accountability, reliability, safety, privacy, security, fairness, and human oversight, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide for harnessing AI's potential responsibly.
Our county guest speakers will share their experiences with AI deployments, providing valuable insights into overcoming challenges like reducing fears, addressing bias, and enhancing constituent trust. They'll share practical strategies for ensuring AI initiatives are both effective and efficient, delivering tangible benefits to communities.
NACo Membership Call: Understanding the 2025 Bylaws and Governance Committee’s Proposed Changes
We invite you to join this NACo membership call, where Bylaws Committee Chair and NACo First Vice President J.D. Clark, along with NACo CEO and Executive Director Matt Chase, will walk you through the proposed changes and help you prepare for the upcoming vote in July.
Faster, Smarter Disaster Relief: How LA County Used AI & Geospatial Mapping to Deliver $20M in Aid
Key Takeaways:
- Strategies for incorporating geospatial technology in disaster planning and response.
- Techniques for using identity verification tools to balance security and accessibility.
- Best practices for building public-private partnerships in times of crisis.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, June 26
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week four of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
What to Know Before You Go to NACo’s Annual Conference
Join NACo staff to learn ways to maximize your NACo Annual Conference experience and to answer your questions. The conference is the premier opportunity for county leaders to exchange cutting-edge practices, network with one another and shape our federal policy agenda for the year ahead.
2025 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition
Save the date for the 2025 NACo Annual Conference, the premier gathering of elected and appointed officials from the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs.
Get Involved
Engage with Our Programs & Initiatives
Explore our directory of programs and initiatives and find opportunities to get involved with NACo. The directory is your playbook for NACo's committees, initiatives and tools for counties.
Conference
2025 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition
Save the date for the 2025 NACo Annual Conference, the premier gathering of elected and appointed officials from the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs.
Get Your County’s Competitive EDGE Today
NACo EDGE delivers value-added, cost-cutting solutions to counties by evaluating their needs and harnessing the collective purchasing power of 3,069 counties with a dedicated workforce of 3.6 million employees.
Stay up-to-date on America's counties with NACo's award-winning County News.
WIR grows membership, offerings in South Dakota
Members of NACo’s Western Interstate Region learned about and fueled the work being done by the National Center for Public Lands Counties at the WIR Conference in Pennington County, S.D.
BLM, HUD target public lands for housing
A multi-agency push could open up hundreds of thousands of BLM acres near towns and cities to development for attainable housing.
Interest in energy generation builds in the West
Counties are exploring the potential for energy generation on their public lands, but local control will set the stage for a tradeoff.
Podcast: Life after coal for one county
Commissioner Melody Villard and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Sasha Nelson discuss the transition Moffat County, Colo. planned to diversify its economy after the closure of coal mines and a power plant decimated its property tax revenue.
Podcast: The CIO Reserves
Greenbrier County, W.Va. Commissioner Tammy Tincher, Cook County, Ill. CIO Tom Lynch and NACo CIO Rita Reynolds discuss the pilot CIO Reserves program, which offers IT experts to help rural counties assess their technology and cybersecurity needs.
Podcast: Artificial intelligence and county government
Shinica Thomas, a Wake County, N.C. commissioner and a member of NACo's AI Exploratory Committee, talks about her process for learning about artificial intelligence, its limits and challenges and some applications for use in county government.
Podcast: Heavier truck proposals in Congress threaten county bridges
Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Rick Bailey spent 35 years in the trucking industry prior to running for office, and he offers two perspectives to the County News Podcast on the issue backed by his experience, but there’s no reason to save the surprise — he doesn’t approve of proposals to increase the weight limit on trucks.
Podcast: Counties find homes in the midst of a housing crunch
Allegheny County, Pa. Director of Housing Strategies Ed Nusser introduces the 500 in 500 initiative for moving people out of shelters and NACo’s Mike Matthews discusses the county role in developing housing affordability.
Podcast: Challenges mount for counties facing disasters
Clay County, Iowa Supervisor Barry Anderson joins the County News Podcast to describe the compounding effects from a generational flood his county seat faced in June.
Podcast: James Gore on getting stuff done
NACo President James Gore joins the County News Podcast to talk about what brought him to county government, the challenges Sonoma County, Calif. has faced while he has been a member of the Board of Supervisors and and how he views county government.
Podcast: Mental health and the criminal justice system
Miami-Dade County, Fla. Administrative Judge Steve Leifman joined the County News Podcast to outline systems that can be put in place in counties across the country.
Podcast: ForwardTogether during National County Government Month
NACo President Mary Jo McGuire spoke to the County News Podcast about National County Government Month seen through the prism of her presidential theme: ForwardTogether — connect, inspire and lead.
Podcast: Making intergovernmental connections at NACo's Federal Agency Expo
A handful of county officials and a federal exhibitor talked on the County News Podcast about the connections they hoped to make and what they hoped to learn during the Federal Agency Expo at the NACo Legislative Conference.
Podcast: Election officials talk shop
The hosts of High Turnout, Wide Margins join NACo's inaugural podcast to discuss how they manage elections in Boone and St. Louis counties in Missouri, what elected officials should know about election administration and more.
Join NACo and Lead
NACo unites nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees to advocate for county priorities, promote exemplary county policies and practices, nurture leadership skills, optimize county and taxpayer resources, and enrich the public’s understanding of county government.