Strengthening the Role of Associations

Advocacy, information exchange, networking, and professional development are among the activities and services provided by associations in the local government sector.

Advocacy
Local government and professional associations serve as advocates for local interests and to empower municipal governments with greater fiscal and policy-making autonomy. Associations research issues, develop a proactive legislative agenda, formulate policy positions on issues of concern to local governments, and lobby higher levels of government for laws that reflect their concern. Local government associations also work to improve the image of local government:

  • In Hungary, ICMA provided advocacy training to the Council of Municipal Associations, enabling the Council to successfully lobby the central government to involve local governments in the European Union accession process.
  • In Armenia, ICMA assisted the Association of Mayors and Community Chiefs, which actively lobbied the National Assembly on the need for reforms to the 1996 Law on Local Self-Government.
  • As a result of a partnership with two associations in Florida, a municipal association in El Salvador (COMURES) learned strategies for improving its capacity to advocate on behalf of municipalities and for encouraging the participation of its members in that advocacy effort.

Information Exchange
Associations provide a forum for information exchange. As clearinghouses for the collection and dissemination of best practices in local government management and service delivery, associations enable local officials and practitioners to learn about innovative approaches that their colleagues in other communities are using to solve local problems. Local governments facing similar problems, such as a lack of citizen participation, inexperience in tendering and monitoring contracts for service delivery, or mobilizing community resources for economic development, can improve their services by adapting and replicating approaches that have worked elsewhere.

  • In India, ICMA provided support to the City Managers’ Association of Gujarat to initiate a Best Practices Program that disseminates information about innovative approaches to service delivery and management problems and promotes the transfer of knowledge among local governments in Gujarat.
  • In Bolivia, ICMA established an Electronic Services Platform, Enlared Municipal, which serves as a successful tool for information sharing.

Networking
Associations play an important role in creating opportunities for local government officials to network and to discuss creative solutions to challenges they have faced. Associations help identify the issues of greatest interest and concern to their members and organize conferences and workshops on these topics. ICMA has provided networking opportunities for many local government practitioners. In Bolivia, Enlared Municipal has also served as a networking tool for local officials.

Professional Development
Associations support professional development opportunities—training workshops, certification programs, self-study materials, and management exchange programs—that help their members enhance their knowledge and skills. Associations also serve as centers for research supporting professional development.

  • In Indonesia, ICMA developed training materials and provided training of trainers for association staff so that they could offer training in local government budgeting and financial management.
  • For the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe, a partner organization from the United States provided advice on structuring a market-driven, self-financing member training program.