119th Annual Conference Sessions: Trending Topics in Public Finance
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Sessions for Sunday, June 29
Bigger and Better: GFOA's New Approach to Membership
GFOA provides education, networking, mentorship, certification, career development, and many resources for members. However, we also realize that in many organizations, formal membership in GFOA is only provided to the most senior level positions in the finance department. GFOA focuses on building financial management skills across entire organizations and is redefining its approach to membership.
Tackling the Travails of Public Transit
Public transit plays a vital role in communities of all sizes. In small towns, medium-sized suburbs, and big cities, residents rely on buses, trains, and paratransit to get to work, school, healthcare appointments, and more. But providing this important service is not easy. Today, public transit agencies are grappling with how to continue providing the level of service their customers rely on without increasing fares to the point they are unaffordable.
Sessions for Monday, June 30
Investing in the Future of Public Education: Considerations for Finance Officers
The state of public education is constantly evolving and finance professionals must navigate increasing complexities in funding, facilities and infrastructure, technology, logistics, curriculum, and special programs. Over the past decade, schools have faced difficult challenges related to changing enrollment, retaining and compensating teachers, academic performance standards, introduction of new technology, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prove It: Evidence-Based Policymaking
Governments are under constant pressure to deliver efficient and effective programs and services with the limited resources they have available. Ideally, when legislators and executives propose new projects, decision-makers are using data, not their gut instincts, to determine what activities to support. There are different ways to obtain data to support new initiatives, including contacting other governments, running a pilot project, partnering with academic researchers, or accessing information from suppliers.
Bigger and Better: GFOA's New Approach to Membership
GFOA provides education, networking, mentorship, certification, career development, and many resources for members. However, we also realize that in many organizations, formal membership in GFOA is only provided to the most senior level positions in the finance department. GFOA focuses on building financial management skills across entire organizations and is redefining its approach to membership.
State and Provincial Association Update
This session is intended for representatives from state and provincial GFOA associations. We’ll review the results of the recent leadership survey and engage in roundtable discussions to share insights, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration in the year ahead.
DC Spotlight: Past, Present, and Future of the District of Columbia
Beyond being a major metropolitan area with nearly 700,000 residents, diverse neighborhoods, a cultural and artistic hub, major sports teams, and the United States capital, it also has a unique governance structure. Washington, DC, acts similarly to a city, county, and state, and has an elected mayor and city council, an independent CFO, and is subject to congressional oversight.
Community for Canadian Issues
The Community for Canadian Issues (CCI) is a voluntary association of GFOA members organized to provide focused educational and networking opportunities for GFOA members in Canada. This session will be open to all delegates from Canada to discuss current issues facing Canadian governments including growing need for services to manage social issues, infrastructure deficits, and uncertainty related to tariffs, inflation, and overall health of the economy. Conversations from the conference will also be posed on GFOA’s online community for CCI and will encourage engagement from Canadian members not able to be present in DC at the conference.
Young Professionals Network Speed Networking Event
Connect with peers from across the country at GFOA’s Young Professionals Network Speed Networking Event. Designed for early career public finance professionals, this interactive session offers a series of brief, engaging conversations to help you expand your network and exchange ideas. Whether you're new to GFOA or a returning attendee, this is a great way to meet fellow professionals in a welcoming and energetic environment. Don’t miss this chance to build relationships that will last beyond the conference.
The Future of Water: Finance and the Path to Sustainability
Financial sustainability ranked among the top challenges identified in the American Water Works Association's (AWWA) 2024 State of the Water Industry Report. AWWA has created a Water 2025 Vision to promote a more sustainable and resilient future for the water industry and the critical service it provides to all our communities.
Sessions for Tuesday, July 1
Homemade Solutions: Working to Solve the Housing Crisis
Housing is an issue challenging governments across North America. The circumstances in every community are slightly different, but the questions are similar. Do we have enough housing? Where should we build more? What type is needed? How can we keep it affordable? How affordable is affordable? Do we have the infrastructure to support it? In any case, housing is a problem that single governments cannot fix on their own. Doing so will require partnering with nonprofit organizations, private developers, and other governments.
Public-Public Partnerships: Case Studies in Small Government Service Sharing
Small governments are often faced with the same complex challenges as larger ones, but usually with far fewer resources. Budgets are strapped, staff are pulled in too many different directions, and community needs are multiplying. So what's a small government to do? Rather than ignore their problems, hope they'll go away, and let the next person in charge figure it out, small governments can partner to share resources.
Smart Cities: Rethinking the Role of Technology in Everyday
The concept of "smart cities" isn't limited to large urban centers; it's about leveraging technology to enhance the quality of life and operational efficiency in any community. This session invites finance professionals from local governments of all sizes to explore how integrating technologies—such as Internet of Things devices, data analytics, and digital services—can transform financial management and service delivery.
Sessions for Wednesday, July 2
The Customer is Always Right: Defining and Managing Internal Services
Internal service functions like finance, budget, procurement, human resources, and information technology serve important internal customers. However, it can be difficult to develop policies, set clear expectations, respond to feedback, and deliver excellent results. It's also a challenge to allocate funding for these internal services when compared to programs that directly benefit the public.
