INTERNATIONAL CITYCOUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

IMPROVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT GLOBALLY:BEFORE USAID FUNDING WAS WITHDRAWN IN EARLY 2025, ICMA SUPPORTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, MANAGERS, AND STAFF IN INDONESIA, PHILIPPINES, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND THE CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION IN INDIA. THE CLEAN CITIES BLUE OCEANS (CCBO) PARTNERSHIP SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED IN EARLY FY 2025 PRIOR TO THE CANCELLATION OF USAID FUNDING. EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS STRENGTHENED THE MANAGERIAL AND SERVICE DELIVERY CAPACITY OF LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.- THROUGH THE LOCAL GOVERNANCE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT (ERAT) PROGRAM, ICMA AND THE ASIA FOUNDATION WORKED IN 30 DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS ACROSS SIX PROVINCES IN INDONESIA, TRAINING MORE THAN (SEE SCHEDULE O)1,100 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONALS IN FISCAL MANAGEMENT, DECENTRALIZATION, AND OVERALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT SKILLS. ICMA HELPED DESIGN 38 DIFFERENT POLICY AND SERVICE INNOVATIONS, SUCH AS WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP A MOBILE-BASED APPLICATION THAT ENABLED PARENTS TO GET THEIR NEWBORNS A LEGAL IDENTITY AND HEALTH INSURANCE.- ICMA HAS WORKED ON FUNDED PROJECTS INTERMITTENTLY IN THE PHILIPPINES SINCE THE LATE 1970S. THE CITIES FOR ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE (CHANGE) PROGRAM WAS A SUCCESSOR PROGRAM TO ICMA'S SIX-YEAR STRENGTHENING URBAN RESILIENCE FOR GROWTH WITH EQUITY (SURGE) INITIATIVE WORKING WITH 16 SECOND-TIER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ICMA STAFF AND EXPERTS TRAINED MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, NATIONAL AGENCIES, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROJECT RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR IMPROVING PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE CHANGE PROJECT WAS RECOGNIZED WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AWARD FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT IN THE PHILIPPINES.- PARTNERING WITH THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE, ICMA SUPPORTED THE CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION, DEVELOPING A FOUR-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND CREATING ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DATA MANAGEMENT. THE ICMA TEAM ALSO LED DEVELOPMENT OF GIS MAPS FOR 12 TIBETAN SETTLEMENTS.- WINROCK INTERNATIONAL AND ICMA HAD JUST BEGUN A NEW PROJECT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH EFFECTIVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND POLICY INNOVATIONS WHEN IT WAS CANCELED BY USAID.- ICMA WAS A PARTNER WITH TETRA TECH ON CCBO, A GLOBAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES ON EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING PLASTIC WASTE POLLUTION. TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON NAVIGATING THESE COMPLEXITIES, ICMA DEVELOPED AN INDEX ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR CCBO KNOWN AS THE SOLID WASTE CAPACITY INDEX FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.- THROUGH THE YOUNG SOUTHEAST ASIA LEADERS INITIATIVE FUNDED BY THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, ICMA PLACED 24 FELLOWS WITH HOST ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STRATEGIES FOR CREATING MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AND PROGRAMS.

PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REMAIN CENTRAL TO BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF ICMA MEMBERS AND THOSE ASPIRING TO LEAD LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD. AMONG OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND RELAUNCH OF MAJOR PROGRAMS:- LEADERSHIP ICMA RELAUNCH (APRIL 2025): ICMA ANNOUNCED THE RELAUNCH OF LEADERSHIP ICMA, AN INTENSIVE, YEAR-LONG PROGRAM DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES FOR PROFESSIONALS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT. AFTER A TWO-YEAR PAUSE, THE PROGRAM RETURNEDWITH THE 2025 CLASS, A 40-MEMBER COHORT OF ASPIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS. PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN INSTRUCTOR-LED (SEE SCHEDULE O)COURSES, SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULES, IN-PERSON SESSIONS, AND WILL CULMINATE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH A CAPSTONE PROJECT IN MARCH 2026.- TAX INCREMENT FINANCING GUIDE: ICMA PUBLISHED TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR ANALYZING TIF RISKS, BENEFITS, AND OUTCOMES. THE GUIDE INCLUDES CASE STUDIES AND EXAMPLES HIGHLIGHTING BOTH SUCCESSFUL TIF PROJECTS AND THOSE THAT ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES. AS A COMPANION TO THE PUBLICATION, ICMA PRODUCED A THREE-PART WEBINAR SERIES HOSTED BY THE BOOK'S AUTHORS, PROVIDING PRACTICAL LESSONS AND A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING AND IMPLEMENTING TIF INITIATIVES.- BETTER PUBLIC MEETINGS: IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE (NCL), ICMA LAUNCHED A NEW TRAINING SERIES, "BETTER PUBLIC MEETINGS," DESIGNED TO EQUIP LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS WITH THE SKILLS TO PLAN, FACILITATE, AND MANAGE OFFICIAL PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE SERIES ADDRESSED COMMON CHALLENGES FACED BY MANAGERS IN PUBLIC MEETINGS, EXPLORED OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, AND OFFERED INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ENHANCE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, ENSURE CIVILITY, FACILITATE INCLUSIVE DISCUSSIONS, AND PRESENT INFORMATION EFFECTIVELY.LEARNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH CONFERENCES:TO SUPPORT THE LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY, ICMA HELD ITS 110TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, FROM SEPTEMBER 21-24, 2024. THE CONFERENCE ATTRACTED 4,569 ATTENDEES, INCLUDING 2,978 MEMBERS AND 1,591 NONMEMBERS. THE EVENT FEATURED 262 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, A SOLD-OUT EXHIBIT HALL WITH 211 EXHIBITORS, AND 18 CONFERENCE-SPECIFIC SPONSORS.ICMA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT REIMAGINED CONFERENCES (LGRCS) ARE CORNERSTONE EVENTS THAT UNDERSCORE THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION THROUGH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REIMAGINED INITIATIVE. THE THEME FOR THE TWO 2025 LGRC EVENTS, HELD IN DENVER, COLORADO, AND MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, WAS "INNOVATION FOR THRIVING COMMUNITIES". THE TWO CONFERENCES ATTRACTED 582 ATTENDEES, INCLUDING 360 MEMBERS. THE SESSIONS AND PROGRAMMING WERE DESIGNED TO EQUIP PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS WITH THE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES NEEDED TO INNOVATE AND ADAPT THEIR LEADERSHIP PRACTICES, MANAGEMENT APPROACHES, AND OPERATIONS - FOSTERING MORE RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.