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.
'All the way' is the only approach Mary Jo McGuire knows
Mary Jo McGuire found a match for her skills and talents representing her Ramsey County district, and she's bringing the same all-in approach as NACo's president.
Counties see electoral news in down-ballot races, initiatives
The ranks of federal and state officials will be refreshed with county government veterans in 2025, with two new senators and three new members of the House.
Now I know you can't rehearse everything
When Gunnar Malm was running for the Laramie County, Wyo. Commission, he watched four years' worth of archived meeting videos to get a hold on the breadth of topics he'd be facing in office.
County Countdown – Oct. 22, 2024
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Now I know staff will meet the challenge
Umatilla County, Ore. Commissioner John Shafer learned that his county staff members were ready and willing to step up when new opportunities presented themselves.
The Current State of Student Debt and Forgiveness for County Employees: NACo's Partnership with Savi Simplifies the Student Debt Relief Process
Monday, December 16 2024 | 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Savi is the leading social impact company helping student loan borrowers manage repayment and apply for federal programs. Programs like income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness are available to county employees. These programs can lower monthly payments and lead to substantial forgiveness, but the paperwork is complicated. The average Savi user saves more than $2,000 per year on their student loan payments and $40,000 in projected loan forgiveness.
Savi’s free assessment tool and digital application simplify work for members, while partners track impact and engagement data on a custom dashboard.
This webinar is brought to you by NACo EDGE, establishing people, purchasing, and performance cost-saving solutions that can be applied to counties nationwide. EDGE is owned by NACo, advised by county leaders and 100% focused on solutions for U.S. Counties. Learn more about NACo EDGE here.
For more information check out the event page!
2025 NACo Legislative Conference
The NACo Legislative Conference brings together nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents.