Finance

How to Manage Federal Funds to Ensure Sustainability (June 29, 2021)
Here’s what state and local government leaders can do to effectively use the American Rescue Plan Act funding and show voters long-lasting results. More from Route Fifty.

Cities Say They Badly Need Critical Infrastructure Funding (May 13, 2021)
The vast majority of city officials say infrastructure funding is a top priority, according to survey data released Monday by the National League of Cities, which represents 19,000 cities, villages and towns. More from PEW.

A $4.5B Pool of Economic Recovery Funds States, Localities Can Tap Into (May 11, 2021)
The U.S. Economic Development Administration received an influx of Covid relief dollars over the past year that is more than 10 times the size of its usual budget. That money is now flowing as grants. More from Route Fifty.

Do Multiple Sustainability Objectives Affect the Speed of Local Procurement Processes? (April 27, 2021)
Researchers at Arizona State University share results on public procurement efficiency. More from ICMA Blog.

Struggling Counties Get a Boost from Stimulus Windfall (April 1, 2021)
The pandemic and vaccine rollout remain the top priority for counties. Federal stimulus dollars will help with that, along with other responsibilities, including public safety and schools. More from Governing.

For Cities, Less Traffic Means Lost Revenue (March 2, 2021)
Cities have seen parking fee and traffic fine collections drop during the pandemic as commuters and tourists stay home and enforcement is relaxed. More from Route Fifty.

Equity Budgeting in Cities: Directing Dollars Where They’re Needed Most (February 24, 2021)
A growing number of cities are turning to their budget offices to help treat historically underserved communities more fairly. More from Route Fifty.

The Danger of Conflating State and Local Pandemic Relief (February 19, 2021)
Although state and local relief have been grouped together in terms of a Federal recovery bill, states and cities have different revenue streams, muddying the picture of the true impact of the pandemic at the local level. More from CitiesSpeak.

Cutting-edge Financial Technology is a Must for Local Governments Recovering from the Pandemic (January 14, 2021)
States and municipalities who have had to adopt remote services amid the coronavirus pandemic should scale up their digital infrastructure to maintain their ability to collect and reconcile payments. More from Route Fifty.

Preparing Utility Assistance for a Cold Winter (December 18, 2020)
Winter is coming and so is the increasing need for utility assistance. More from ICMA Blog.

10 Common Outcomes of COVID-19 on Local Government Budgets (November 9, 2020)
Local jurisdictions must adapt their operations to new COVID-19-related fiscal and service constraints. There’s no single impact or response, but there are a few commonalities. More from ICMA Blog.

Shopping Behavior Keeps Evolving as the Pandemic Continues (November 5, 2020)
Recent studies reveal dramatic shifts in consumer shopping habits with 58% of consumers saying they expect to do more online shopping after the pandemic than they did before it. More from Digital Commerce 360.

How Much is COVID-19 Hurting State and Local Revenues? (October 1, 2020)
This Q&A examines the fiscal impact that COVID-19 has had on state and local governments and is drawn from “Fiscal Effects of COVID-19,” presented at the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity on September 24, 2020. More from Brookings.

How to Make Sure City Budgets Prioritize Racial Equity (September 30, 2020)
Budgets reflect cities’ values. Places like Austin, Louisville and Fairfax County are trying new approaches to consider equity in spending plans. More from Bloomberg CityLab.

Wisconsin Data Tool Gives Insights Into Local Gov Spending (September 8, 2020)
With many municipalities facing tight budgets for 2021, the Wisconsin Policy Forum has created a data tool that shows budget trends over time and in comparison to neighboring municipalities. More from Government Technology.

County Budgets to See $202 Billion COVID-19 Impact (September 4, 2020)
A new report released by NACo estimates that by the end of FY2021, counties will experience a $202 billion budgetary impact. More from NACo's County News.

NLC Releases Fiscal Conditions Report (September 2, 2020)
The National League of Cities recently released research findings on the fiscal impact of COVID-19 on municipal budgets in their 35th annual City Fiscal Conditions report.

Comprehensive Analysis of COVID-19’s Impact On County Finances and Implications for the U.S. Economy (September 1, 2020)
This report explains the financial situation of America’s 3,069 county governments, the impact of COVID-19 on county budgets, the cuts counties are making to respond to the pandemic and the resulting impact on the U.S. economy. More from NACo.

Where to Prioritize Emergency Rental Assistance to Keep Renters in Their Homes (August 28, 2020)
As states and localities allocate emergency rental assistance funds to help renters avoid losing their homes, local leaders must decide where to prioritize their resources. More from The Urban Institute.

New ICMA Survey Shows Depth of Economic Downturn for Cities and Counties (August 7, 2020)
Eighty-four percent of local governments responding to ICMA's latest survey are projecting a decrease in overall revenues for their first budget since the onset of the pandemic, with about half projecting up to a 10 percent decrease and a third projecting up to a 20 percent decrease. More from ICMA.

Cash is King (July 30, 2020)
Cash is king during a financial crisis. How can local governments ensure they have enough cash on hand during this period, and what actions can they take to protect and rebalance the budget  to adapt quickly? More from Government Finance Review.

Looking to Push Less Paper? Consider Electronic Approvals (July 27, 2020)
Processing documents such as vendor invoices and employee timesheets involves frequent approvals. It can be inefficient to pass around paper for these purposes, so electronic options are attractive to many. More from The Audit Connection.