School districts have notoriously tight budgets, which makes it absolutely essential to stay focused on the most important programs and services.

Human-induced climate change¹ is already having a global impact. We see regular evidence of this in the form of increasingly powerful hurricanes, uncontrollable wildfires, record-breaking high- and low-temperatures, and other extreme weather events.

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) was founded in 1906 to facilitate positive change and advance excellence in public finance. The association, which currently comprises more than 20,000 members, represents federal, state/provincial, and local finance officials across the United States and Canada. 

The goods and services state and local governments provide are largely determined by the needs and priorities of the communities they serve. Funding for these programs is transferred down from the federal level to the state or municipal level, depending on which jurisdiction administers the services.

The pandemic accelerated technology adoption in many industries, including the government sector. As office closures and stay-at-home orders became widespread, organizations needed a way to keep business operations up and running while prioritizing employee health and safety.

Local government budgets allocate funds for a broad range of community services, from repairing potholes to addressing public health crises. But without effective budgeting software, many funding decisions about these essential programs and services are made in a vacuum.

For local governments to operate efficiently and with the best interests of the residents in mind, leadership needs to keep a finger on the pulse of the community. Priority-based budgeting is one way governments can improve community-level decision-making. However, even in today’s highly connected world, getting feedback from the public to set policies and align services with needs is challenging.

Unlike road maintenance, public health initiatives, and education spending, cybersecurity isn’t always top of mind when thinking about local government budgets.

However, as three Colorado communities recently impacted by cyberattacks can attest, allocating funds for cybersecurity in local government programs is essential.

Local governments play a critical role in addressing the social, economic, and public health challenges endemic in their communities. By enacting outcome-focused policies and allocating funds to high-impact programs, decision makers can create an infrastructure that supports a high quality of life for 
their residents.

Climate change is already impacting regions worldwide, and the effects will only intensify going forward.

In North America, we are regularly experiencing harsher winters, hotter summers, and extreme weather-related events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires, and landslides. These events have a catastrophic impact on towns and cities that aren’t designed with the infrastructure needed to handle new threats and challenges.

To address rapidly changing climate conditions, local governments are adopting climate action plans that identify and adapt community goals for health and safety, economic growth, sustainable energy, and quality of life as climate-driven changes occur.