The Ethical Imperative

Most local government mission and vision statements emphasize a commitment to serving the whole community. This means administrative efforts today examine and assess potential impacts in providing equal access to programs and services, as well as enforcing laws and regulations.

A tool to guide members in this responsibility is the ICMA Code of Ethics and Declaration of Ideals. They were adopted in 1924 and 1981, respectively, and together set the standard for excellence in local governance. We recently celebrated March as Ethics Awareness Month, where one facet is to enhance public trust as the currency for those who choose public service.

One of the profession’s leading values to do so is “Serve the best interests of all community members,” as Tenet 4 reminds us. Its guidelines help operationalize this fundamental principle for local government:

Effects of Decisions. Members should inform the appropriate elected or appointed official(s) of a decision’s anticipated effects on community members. 

Promote Equity. Members should ensure fairness and impartiality in accessing programs and services and in the enforcement of laws and regulations. Members should assess and propose solutions to strive to eliminate disparities.

The Declaration of Ideals has key areas of note to serve the community’s needs: 

Members of ICMA dedicate themselves to the faithful stewardship of the public trust and embrace the following ideals of management excellence, seeking to: 

...Recognize the right of citizens to influence decisions that affect their well-being; advocate a forum for meaningful citizen participation and expression of the political process; and facilitate the clarification of community values and goals. 

Respect the special character and individuality of each community while recognizing the interdependence of communities and promoting coordination and cooperation. 

Seek balance in the policy formation process through the integration of the social, cultural, and physical characteristics of the community… 

Advocate equitable regulation and service delivery, recognizing that needs and expectations for public services may vary throughout the community… 

Take actions to create diverse opportunities in housing, employment, and cultural activity in every community for all people.

 Defining the Concept of Economic Mobility

As the United States continues adjusting to shifts in priorities at the federal level that may impact support for public programs, ICMA members and their local governments remain steadfast in their commitment to serving their communities and creating opportunities for residents to thrive. We heard this firsthand from the hundreds of members gathered at ICMA’s recent Local Government Reimagined Conference in Denver in February.

The membership’s commitment to these ideals aligns with research that shows the importance of local systems and conditions in shaping the ability of future generations to learn, earn, and get ahead. And this commitment has never been more important. Opportunity Insights, the nonpartisan nonprofit based at Harvard, has been tracking the so-called fading American Dream: “Ninety percent of children born in 1940 grew up to earn more than their parents. Today, only half of all children earn more than their parents did.”

This succinct data outlines the problem we face in local government. While that statistic is bleak, the positive is that every day holds the possibility of uplifting the communities we serve. Partnerships are essential to this work and require collaboration among businesses, community and advocacy groups, and individual residents, as well as local and state government.

With support from the Gates Foundation’s Economic Mobility and Opportunity (EMO) Program, ICMA continues to equip local leaders with resources that can advance these priorities. It is important to note that no membership dues or federal funding have been expended on this effort. Through ICMA’s EMO efforts, made possible by a series of grants from the foundation, we aim to raise awareness among local decision makers about opportunities to influence conditions that make it possible for all residents to move up the economic ladder for healthier, prosperous lives.

In local government, managers are always very careful to be good stewards of financial resources, and this may lead the organization to be risk averse. One aspect of our EMO initiative, a peer learning cohort and mini grant program, allows communities to experiment with innovative solutions and take calculated risks showing the role of local government in tackling these big challenges.

Local Governments, Universities, and Associations Commit to Uncovering Solutions

ICMA will soon announce the next 15 local governments selected for the 2025 cycle of this popular cohort program. The 25 localities engaged in 2023 and 2024 cohorts have included rural and urban communities; towns, cities, and counties; and small to large geographies and populations.

The teams of local government leaders and community partners focused on specific challenges related to housing, retaining young and talented individuals to stay in the community, job opportunities and business development, engaging vulnerable populations, as well as supporting working families. These communities carved out appropriate and feasible roles for their local governments relative to other types of partnerships with varying budgets, authorities, and expertise.

We are also encouraged by the next generation of public administrators’ commitment to these ideals. Teams of MPA students at California Lutheran University, the University of Central Florida, and Grand Canyon University are partnering with local governments to conduct assessments and identify strategies around improving residents’ access to workforce development opportunities, as well as quality-of-life essentials like healthy food or broadband access. ICMA is currently accepting ideas for other university-local government partnerships for student teams to address this fall with support of small grants.

ICMA is not alone in supporting local leaders in leveraging their influence to forge partnerships that advance EMO strategies. Our colleagues at the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the African American Mayors Association, and other organizations serving local decision makers are also offering resources to their members.

Explore Novel Engagement Opportunities

Next month presents an exciting opportunity for ICMA members and other local leaders, including representatives from our peer organizations, to convene for a new national conference that spans the many sectors and roles involved in EMO. Join us in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, to grow your network and participate in educational sessions and site visits focused on local collaborations to address tactical issues like improving access to childcare, supporting small businesses, financial empowerment, and creating career pipelines, as well as strategic guidance on using data and storytelling as a part of this work. Registration for the conference—taking place May 21–23—is free and more information about the program is available at emoconference.org.

In the coming weeks, ICMA will launch our most significant EMO offering yet: a pilot program to place and support executive-level staff positions focused on EMO leadership in small and mid-sized local governments across the United States for a period of at least two years. The grant-funded program will also equip these senior EMO leaders with resources, training, and networking to boost their local capacity. Through an application process opening this month, ICMA expects to select 15 local governments to receive funding to hire these positions. Guidance on where and how to apply will be available at icma.org/emo.

It will take the collective commitment of all institutions from local governments to universities and nonprofits to find solutions that ensure all people can achieve a reasonable standard of living with the dignity that comes from having power over their lives and being engaged in and valued by their community. The ICMA Code of Ethics and Declaration of Ideals provide excellent guidance for local government managers in making certain that we ensure equal access to programs and support to all residents so that our entire communities may prosper.

JESSICA COWLES is director of ethics at ICMA (jcowles@icma.org).

LAURA GODDEERIS is director of research at ICMA (lgoddeeris@icma.org).