From the vantage point of two millennia ago, the Greek philosopher Socrates could not have imagined our world today. He certainly, however, had the right idea about change—that in embracing it, we can find new and improved ways of working and serving our communities.

The six winners of the 2023 GFOA Awards for Excellence in Government Finance are examples, above all, of what comes from embracing change. These include stories of resilience, financial stewardship, and community consensus that help one town recover after a natural disaster, while another makes a generational investment in the future. In others are lessons in how embracing emerging technologies unlock fiscal transparency and staff productivity. Finally, awardees also share how taking innovative approaches to some of the most pressing issues we face today—climate change and equity—can move us all forward.

These six winners were selected from entries across a diverse set of governments and agencies in the United States and Canada. Their stories provide real world examples of GFOA best practices at work, as well as inspiration on how other governments can use creative solutions to solve common challenges. Read on to learn more.

• Publication date: December 2023
• Author: Jara Kern