Counties and the Intergovernmental Partnership
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County governments, led by our elected and appointed officials, are instrumental partners in our nation’s intergovernmental system, which balances, divides and shares power and responsibilities between all levels of government.
Counties are uniquely positioned to implement and administer vital intergovernmental systems, facilitate cooperation of all levels of government, and deliver results and impact for our residents and businesses at the community level.
As the fourth module in Counties 101, this builds on topics covered in earlier modules, such as What Are Counties and County Roles and Responsibilities. To revisit these modules or to explore what's next in Counties 101, click here.
About Our Nation's Intergovernmental System
At its core, the intergovernmental partnership is about enhancing the public good through shared responsibility and mutual cooperation. Counties exemplify this partnership by working across jurisdictional boundaries to address the needs of their residents and strengthen the fabric of communities nationwide.
Counties play a vital role in America’s intergovernmental system, serving as indispensable partners in the balance, division, and sharing of power across federal, state, and local governments. As the cornerstone of local governance, counties collaborate closely with other levels of government to ensure that policies and services are effectively delivered to residents nationwide.
Under federalism, counties are responsible for implementing a wide range of public services, from infrastructure development and public health to emergency management and economic development. This makes counties a critical link in ensuring that national priorities are translated into actionable, locally tailored solutions. For more on county roles and responsibilities, explore the previous module in Counties 101 here.
The Federal-to-County Nexus
Counties serve as critical partners in implementing federal programs and policies at the community level, bridging the gap between federal mandates and local needs. As the frontline providers of essential services, counties manage a significant portion of federally funded programs that address public health, infrastructure, economic development, and social safety nets. This dynamic partnership ensures that federal initiatives are effectively tailored to the diverse needs of communities across the nation.
Through programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Payments in Lieu of Taxes and Secure Rural Schools, counties deliver vital support to millions of residents while overseeing infrastructure investments, public safety enhancements and disaster recovery efforts. The intergovernmental collaboration between federal agencies and counties underscores the importance of shared governance in building resilient, prosperous, and equitable communities nationwide.
Examples of the Federal-to-County Nexus
$65.1B
ARPA Investments
Counties are investing $65.1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) recovery fund dollars in local communities
$934M
CDBG Funds
In FY 2024, over 200 entitlement counties received more than $934 million in direct Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding
$50B
SNAP Funding
In 2021, residents living in the ten county-administered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) states received more than $50 billion in funding
$562M
PILT Funding
County governments received more than $562 million in federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding in FY 2023
700
Counties with SRS Funding
In FY 2023, more than 700 counties received nearly $272.6 million in federal Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding
Dive Deep
Explore a curated collection of resources that provide in-depth insights into the intergovernmental partnership, showcasing how counties collaborate with federal and state governments to deliver critical services and drive community success, as well as county policy priorities to enhance service delivery for residents.
Latest Tools & Resources
Intergovernmental Roles and Responsibilities in Disaster Resilience
Explore findings from a series of roundtables on disaster resilience, organized with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts
County Leadership in Mental Health: How Counties are Leading the Way in Crisis System Transformation
America’s 3,069 counties are integral to the local behavioral health system of care, including crisis care. Each year counties invest billions in the infrastructure in community health, hospitals, and social services, as well as $107 billion in justice and public safety systems.
County Policy Priorities for Transforming the Child Welfare System
Regardless of population size, geography and available resources, counties are deeply invested in our residents’ health and well-being. Every day, we provide services that help vulnerable individuals and families thrive, functioning as an integral part of the federal, state and local partnership in human service delivery.
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
On November 15, 2021, President Biden enacted the five-year, $973 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, formally known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The County Human Services and Education Landscape
This resource provides a breakdown of the county, state and federal partnership key human services and education programs.
How to Strengthen the Intergovernmental Partnership
A strong intergovernmental partnership is critical to addressing our nation's most critical challenges. Explore NACo's federal policy priorities and explore our tools find opportunities to get involved in developing intergovernmental policy solutions.
County Federal Policy Priorities
Explore county policy priorities focused on strengthening the intergovernmental partnership
2024–2025 American County Platform and Resolutions
The American County Platform is NACo’s permanent policy document, reflecting the philosophy and broad objectives of NACo’s membership.
Policy Briefs
Explore the updated legislative policy briefs for NACo's ten policy steering committees.
Get Involved
Explore NACo's tools and programming designed to help you get involved in supporting county federal policy priorities and the intergovernmental system.
How to Get Involved with NACo
Join a committee and make a difference. NACo members have the opportunity to serve on 31 committees, caucuses, task forces and advisory boards to inform national policymaking and help solve problems impacting counties, boroughs and parishes.
Advocacy Hub
Through NACo, advocate for county priorities in federal policy making.
Top Resource for this Module
NACo produces original research and civic engagement tools to tell the county story, including a full suite of tools diving deep on county authority, structure and finances.
For all of NACo's civic enagement tools, click here.
America's County Governments: A Short Primer on Our History, Definitions, Structures and Authorities
An in-depth look into the history of counties, our authority and structure, key county services and responsibilities and the intergovernmental partnership
The County Landscape
A detailed look at the role of counties through the lens of national and county-level data
Advocacy Hub
Through NACo, advocate for county priorities in federal policy making.
Explore Counties 101
Each module is Counties 101 dives deep on a key facet how counties function, provide critical services and work with the other branches of government in our nation's system of federalism.
What are counties?
This question is the first step in learning about county governments and our collective impact on our communities and the lives of residents. Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, are key partners in our nation's system of federalism and provide critical services.
County structure, authority and finances
Counties are governed by locally elected officials, including more than 19,350 county elected executives and board members responsible for counties’ budgets, policies and oversight. In general, states authorize and set the roles and responsibilities of county governments. Explore how counties differ across the nation and how that affects the delivery of critical services to our residents.
County Roles & Responsibilities
All counties share the vision of achieving health, safe and vibrant counties across America. We are responsible for maintaining roads and bridges, caring for our physical and mental health, administering elections, ensuring public safety, strengthening environmental stewardship, and so much more.
Counties and the Intergovernmental Partnership
Counties are uniquely positioned to implement and administer vital intergovernmental systems, facilitate cooperation of all levels of government, and deliver results and impact for our residents and businesses at the community level.
Telling the County Story
Find tools to highlight the ways counties touch our everyday lives and act as key intergovernmental partners.
Counties Work Game & Curriculum
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. The curriculum and online game assist teachers with preparing lessons on county government.