Combating corruption by enhancing transparency at the local level is fundamental to providing efficient and effective services to citizens and increasing their trust in government. ICMA is a leader in fostering transparent governance.
Associations enable their members to unite their efforts toward common goals. ICMA has helped develop the capacity of local government and professional associations on five continents.
By involving citizens in priority setting and decision making, a local government increases its legitimacy and accountability. ICMA has employed an array of techniques to increase citizen participation.
Crime prevention requires joint efforts by the police and other community actors to solve problems that foster crime. ICMA has been a leader in promoting community-oriented approaches to crime and violence prevention.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes occur in all parts of the world. ICMA has provided leadership in helping jurisdictions mitigate, prepare for, and recover from natural disasters.
Sound financial management and budgeting are fundamental to a municipality’s success. Without them, service levels can’t be measured, losses can’t be accounted for, citizens can’t be accurately informed about service costs, and leaders can’t assess staff performance or justify tough decisions to citizens. ICMA has worked at both the national and local levels worldwide to foster changes in financial policies and improvements in financial management practice.
Providing an environment in which private-sector jobs can be created or maintained at the local and regional levels is a critical and often underappreciated role of local governments. ICMA has worked with municipalities in the United States and internationally to develop strategies that allow them to compete for business in a local, national, regional, and global environment.
Local government professionals are increasingly pressed to demonstrate sound management decision making and resource allocation. Performance management is a commonly used method to quantify and improve performance and to engage citizens and other stakeholders. Successfully applied, performance management is an important tool for improving results, engaging citizens, and building partnerships.
Local governments around the world are recognizing the need to address systemic, and often severe, urban solid waste and environmental problems--problems that must be solved if cities are to prosper economically and socially in the twenty-first century. ICMA helps them meet this challenge.
Delivery of a reliable supply of potable water is a basic local government service, and ICMA has substantial experience and extensive resources that have been applied to the development and management of water and sanitation services worldwide.